Luxtripper Travel Editor
Relive your favourite movie moments with our guide on the best Hollywood movie destinations!
In order to find the perfect location to film Lord of the Rings, Director Peter Jackson scoured the Kiwi countryside until he finally came across this little haven, which had the perfectly placed lake. He managed to persuade the farmer who owned the land to let them film, and the rest is history! Take a tour of Hobbiton and marvel at the adorable and crazily realistic Shire, you’ll leave smiling – we promise!
The hottest film of 2017 – aside from THAT Oscar’s mess up - LaLa Land showcases some of Los Angeles most stunning locations. There’s Warner Bros Studios, Griffith Observatory, a number of uber cool bars, and of course, that perfect view over the San Fernando Valley, shot from a section of road in Griffith Park. Get on a plane and explore the ‘City of Stars’ for yourself.
A teeny, tiny uninhabited island halfway between Phuket and Koh Lanta, Koh Phi Phi is one of Thailand’s most idyllic spots. Encased by jagged cliffs and made up of soft white sand is the stunning Maya Bay. If it’s good enough for Leo it’s good enough for us! Take a dip in the clear turquoise ocean on one of the many day trips to this island utopia.
One of the funniest films to come out in years, Mamma Mia sees an all star cast, including Meryl Streep, Julie Walters and Colin Firth, prancing around and embarrassing themselves. But at least they do it in style on this gorgeous Greek Island. Wander through the Old Town and picture yourself as one of the cast, or take a boat over to The Chapel of Agios Ioannis and maybe even get married yourself!
Set in the vibrant Tokyo districts of Shinjuku and Shibuya, Lost in Translation highlights the highs and lows of adapting to life and love in a foreign city. Most of the film's key scenes take place at the Park Hyatt Tokyo, the place to stay for the very best views of the city. Plus the New York Bar on the top floor, where Bill Murray (aka Bob) spends most of his nights, is a great find for food and cocktails alike.
It’s the setting to hundreds of films, but none quite shows of New York’s top attractions like When Harry Met Sally. Take as stroll through Central Park, stand under the huge arch at Washington Square North and 5th Avenue or admire the art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. And who could resist getting coffee at Katz’s Deli for a reminder of THAT Meg Ryan scene – find the deli in the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
Who fancies combining a magical beach break with the chance to feel like you’ve also joined the House of Lannister? Any Game of Thrones fan will be completely giddy at the idea of walking around Dubrovnik’s Old Town, or as you might know it better, King’s Landing. It helps that the balmy holiday atmosphere and beaches here are also world class.
Stroll along Portobello Road and picture the seasons changing as you pass the market stalls, yep, you and Hugh Grant are one and the same. Buy an orange juice and you just might find your very own Julia Roberts to spill it on. Next look for that house with the blue door or The Travel Bookshop – which is actually a shoe shop - and, if you’re feel like adventuring out of Notting Hill, head to Hampstead Heath to enjoy another of the film’s prime filming locations.
A trip to ancient Angkor Wat Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Siem Reap, Cambodia is a truly spellbinding experience. Marvel peacefully at the stunning architecture and seamlessly intertwined tree roots and leaves. Then, step your imagination up a notch and picture yourself being as badass as Lara Croft and navigating your way through the temple with a gun strapped to each thigh.
Just a swift bullet train journey away from Tokyo sits the ancient capital city of Kyoto, home to over 2000 Buddhist temples and Shinto Shrines, kaiseki cuisine and Fushimi Inari; the renowned red tunnel made of 10 000 tori gates that was made famous worldwide thanks to it's appearance in Memoirs of a Geisha. In Kyoto you may also get lucky a see a real Geisha walking to a ryokan in Gion, the perfectly retained traditional neighbourhood.
Located at the foothills of the Atlas Mountains in southern Morocco lies Ait Benhaddou. This scorched red Ksar (castle) is the perfectly desolate setting for Gladiator’s Maximus to be sold into slavery. Wander through the awe-inspiring UNESCO World Heritage site and let your over active imagination declare, “My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius…father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next”. Boom.