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34 Movies That Will Make You Want to Get Off the Couch and See the World

From "The Holiday" to "Romancing the Stone" to "Eat Pray Love," these travel movies will inspire some serious wanderlust.

There's nothing like an epic on-screen adventure to get you acquainted with some place new and dreaming up an enviable vacation itinerary. For me (and basically all my childhood friends), this first happened following a viewing of Disney's "The Lizzie McGuire Movie" back in 2003, when Hilary Duff's character traveled to Rome to live out every teen's parent-free European fantasy. Though I've graduated to more mature travel movies over the last 18 years, one thing hasn't changed: films with gorgeous backdrops give me an unruly case of wanderlust.

From classics like "Around the World in 80 Days" and "Roman Holiday" to modern masterpieces such as "Wild" and "Crazy Rich Asians," travel films tend to ignite a longing for freedom and excitement. Maybe it's the sight of beaches on your screen triggering a phenomenon known as Blue Mind , or maybe watching a couple of pals take to the open road for a life changing road trip just makes you want to feel unconfined. Whatever it is, sometimes a travel film is all you need to provoke that feeling. That's why we've rounded up, in no particular order, 34 of the best travel movies that inspire wanderlust. Maybe they'll be cause for a change of scenery — or maybe they'll incite the adventure of a lifetime.

'Thelma & Louise' (1991)

Widely regarded as one of the best road trip movies of all time, this buddy film follows best friends Thelma (Geena Davis) and Louise (Susan Sarandon) as they drive through the American Southwest after Louise kills a man in Arkansas.

'The Holiday' (2006)

A Hollywood movie trailer producer (Cameron Diaz) and a London reporter (Kate Winslet) decide to switch homes for a few weeks after finding out their respective boyfriends have been cheating on them. The results offer enough glamor shots of Los Angeles and cozy footage of England's countryside to make you want to pack up and head to either city immediately.

'Crazy Rich Asians' (2018)

Though this movie revolves around the conflict between New Yorker Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) and her boyfriend's wealthy family, "Crazy Rich Asians" could pass as a tourism film for Singapore . If the Southeast Asian country wasn't on your bucket list before, this film's dazzling shots of Singapore, specifically the acclaimed Marina Bay Sands Hotel , may convince you.

'Wild' (2014)

Based on a true story, "Wild" sees Cheryl Strayed (Reese Witherspoon) hike more than a thousand miles from California to Washington on the Pacific Crest Trail following her divorce and the death of her mother. On her journey, Cheryl treks through the Mojave Desert , the Sierra Nevada, and Mount Hood National Forest while reflecting on her life.

'Eat Pray Love' (2010)

After her divorce, Elizabeth (Julia Roberts) sets off to explore the world with hopes of finding herself in the process. Elizabeth's inspiring and uplifting journey takes her — and viewers — to Italy , India , and Indonesia where she discovers the pleasure of nourishment, prayer, and romance.

'La La Land' (2016)

Admittedly, this musical doesn't feature much traveling (save for a brief road trip to Mia's hometown in Nevada), but the dreamy, oversaturated shots of Los Angeles in nearly every scene are enough to make anyone want to book a flight to the City of Angels.

'Before Sunrise' (1995)

Two strangers meet aboard a train from Budapest. Jesse (Ethan Hawke) is hoping to catch a flight home to the United States while Céline (Julie Delpy) is en route to Paris . Instead of sticking to their plans, the two disembark in Vienna and spend the entire night exploring the city and falling in love. A viewing of this movie will leave you longing for an epic adventure in the picturesque Austrian capital .

'National Lampoon’s Vacation' (1983)

National Lampoon 's classic comedy series is now six films strong, but it was 1983's "Vacation" that started it all. Unlike the franchise's most famous film, "Christmas Vacation," the original movie sees the Griswolds actually hit the road for a trip to Walley World, an amusement park several states away. After you watch Chevy Chase's hilarious hijinks unfold in this film, let sequels "European Vacation" and "Vegas Vacation" inspire further travels.

'The Darjeeling Limited' (2007)

After the death of their father, three estranged brothers (Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Jason Schwartzman) decide to hop aboard a train in India called The Darjeeling Limited to reconnect and experience spiritual self-discovery. Viewers catch glimpses of the Indian countryside, Hindu temples, and eventually the Himalayas — but not without a few jokes along the way.

'Up' (2009)

Arguably the most heart-wrenching animated film of all time, "Up" earns a spot on our list thanks to adorably grumpy widower Carl Fredricksen's determination to fulfill his own wanderlust. With the help of thousands of balloons and a young sidekick named Russell, Carl and his house soar across the world on an incredible journey that culminates at Paradise Falls (based on Angel Falls in Venezuela).

'Raiders of the Lost Ark' (1981)

"Raiders" kicks off the iconic Indiana Jones series with a quest to find the fabled Ark of the Covenant. On his journey, Indy (Harrison Ford) makes stops in Nepal , Egypt , and the Aegean Sea , and, of course, famously runs from a giant rolling boulder in a temple in Peru . Follow up this film with its sequels, "Temple of Doom" (1984), "Last Crusade" (1989), and "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" (2008), to see Indy travel to Jordan , the Amazon jungle, and beyond.

'Mamma Mia!' (2008)

Few movies offer the kind of gorgeously colorful beach imagery "Mamma Mia!" and its 2018 sequel, "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again" provide. If you haven't seen the films, you likely know them as "the movies with all the ABBA songs." But if you have seen them, you know they're actually about three men who travel to the impossibly beautiful, albeit fictional, Greek island of Kalokairi, each believing they're the father of a young bride-to-be.

'Nomadland' (2020)

After losing her job in the town of Empire, Nevada, Fern (Frances McDormand) decides to sell her belongings, buy a van, and drive across the country working odd jobs. Fern travels through deserts, small towns, and nomad communes where she works, makes new friends, and learns about life. If you've ever fantasized about dropping everything and taking to the open road, "Nomadland" will probably either convince or deter you.

'Romancing the Stone' (1984)

When New York City-based romance novelist Joan Wilder's sister is kidnapped in Cartagena , Joan (Kathleen Turner) ends up on a rescue-mission-turned-treasure-hunt with adventure-seeking Jack T. Colton (Michael Douglas). Don't be surprised if a viewing of this movie makes you want to trade in your annual beach vacation for a wild ride through the Colombian jungle .

'Paris, Je T’aime' (2006)

Paris, Je T'aime is different from the other films on this list in that it's not one film — it's 18 short films that all feature Paris as a central theme. Because the project is made up of 18 different stories in 18 different arrondissements around the city, viewers get a true, unfiltered sense of Paris, and may even find themselves inspired to visit lesser-known locales in the City of Light.

'The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert' (1994)

If you've ever longed to take a laughter-fueled road trip with your best friends, this film is worth a watch. In the flick, pals Tick (Hugo Weaving), Adam (Guy Pearce), and Bernadette (Terence Stamp) head out on a cross-country road trip through the Australian outback to perform their successful drag act in a new town. The trio takes up residence in an oversized tour bus called Priscilla, Queen of the Desert in this fun, ahead-of-its-time dramedy.

'RV' (2006)

While plenty of road trip movies have been made over the years, "RV" might be the only one that takes place in, well, an RV . Though the main characters in this movie face more bad luck than fun, family bonding, the film does feature generous desert , mountain , and wilderness scenery, as well as an all-star cast (Robin Williams, Kristin Chenoweth, Cheryl Hines, and Josh Hutcherson are just a few that appear).

'Point Break' (2015)

Yes, we're talking about the "Point Break" remake rather than the original film from 1991, but hear us out: the imagery in this movie inspires some serious wanderlust. The story takes viewers to several of the wildest places on Earth (Mexico's Cave of Swallows, Venezuela's Angel Falls, etc.) and though the plot is slightly different from the original (think eco-terrorism rather than bank robberies), it is quiet possibly the most visually stimulating travel movie ever made.

'Girls Trip' (2017)

When was the last time you took a trip with just your core group of girlfriends? A quick watch of this comedy will have you planning your next gal pal getaway faster than you can say "PTO." In the film, a group of friends (Queen Latifah, Tiffany Haddish, Regina Hall, and Jada Pinkett Smith) head to New Orleans , but you'll be ready to travel anywhere with your best buds after watching "Girls Trip" — even if it's just to the next town over.

'The Way' (2010)

After his son is killed walking the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route to Galicia, Spain, Tom Avery (Martin Sheen) sets out on the trail himself to retrieve his son's body. Along the way, Tom meets several other travelers who are walking the trail in hopes of changing their own lives for one reason or another. This inspiring film may just persuade you to make the famed pilgrimage yourself, or to book a similarly reflective trip.

'The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' (2005)

If you were a teen or pre-teen in 2005, you have likely seen this movie and its 2008 sequel, and can attest that both inspire major wanderlust. The first film follows best friends Carmen, Lena, Bridget, and Tibby (who share a magical pair of jeans that fits them all perfectly) as they spend a summer in different parts of the world. Lena (Alexis Bledel) travels to Santorini, Greece , which makes for some seriously dreamy backdrops. In the sequel, the whole gang heads to Greece, but not before Bridget (Blake Lively) spends some time in Turkey .

'Up in the Air' (2009)

This George Clooney-led comedy-drama makes business travel and airports look glamorous — hospitable, even. Boasting just as many cityscape shots as it does plane scenes, "Up in the Air" will have you longing to be in the skies, jet setting off to some place new. Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga also star in this critically-acclaimed film about a man who lives out of a suitcase.

'Around the World in 80 Days' (1956)

If this classic adventure film doesn't inspire daydreams of traveling somewhere new, we're not sure what will. In 1872, Englishman Phileas Fogg makes a bet with several members of his gentleman's club that he can travel around the globe in just 80 days. On his journey, he and sidekick Jean Passepartout bring viewers along as they travel by gas balloon to France , Spain , Italy , India, Hong Kong , the United States , and more.

'Home Alone 2: Lost in New York' (1992)

The Home Alone movies usually fall under the comedy or holiday categories, but if you think about it, the second installment in the series is totally a travel movie. The film does a fantastic job of showing off the glamorous side of New York City , the place young Kevin McCallister accidentally ends up while the rest of his family vacations in Florida. From shots of the Rockefeller Christmas tree to the Manhattan skyline , this film is sure to inspire a trip to the Big Apple.

'Under the Tuscan Sun' (2003)

You won't find shots of northern Italy as serene as the ones in this feel-good film about independence, love, and friendship. After losing everything in her divorce, American writer Frances Mayes (Diane Lane) suddenly finds herself beginning a new life in the small Tuscan town of Cortona. And if you're anything like us, Googling "Tuscan villas for sale" will become a regular part of your life after watching this film.

'Angels & Demons' (2009)

Though "Angels & Demons" is classified as a thriller, it'll definitely make you want to head to Rome and dig up some history, both figuratively and literally. Based on the Dan Brown novel of the same name, the story follows Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) as he discovers secrets of the Vatican and faces off against the supposed Illuminati. If you're a fan, check out other Dan Brown adventure travel films, "The Da Vinci Code" (2006) and "Inferno" (2016).

'Easy Rider' (1969)

Our list features travel by plane, train , RV, and even hot air balloon , but "Easy Rider" is the only movie that follows a journey via motorcycle. In the film, drug smugglers Wyatt (Peter Fonda) and Billy (Dennis Hopper) ride from Los Angeles to New Orleans in hopes of reveling at Mardi Gras to celebrate their latest score. On their journey, they stop in several small towns, make a few friends, and unsuccessfully try to evade trouble.

'Out of Africa' (1985)

If Africa doesn't currently have a spot on your bucket list, this film might make you rethink that. Meryl Streep and Robert Redford star in this true story about Karen Blixen, a Danish woman who moves to Nairobi with her new husband, and builds a life there despite their many marital issues. "Out of Africa" features sweeping panoramic shots of Nairobi in nearly every scene, leaving it no wonder the drama won seven Academy Awards, including one for Best Cinematography.

'Johnson Family Vacation' (2004)

This family comedy starring Cedric the Entertainer, Vanessa Williams, and Solange Knowles follows the mildly dysfunctional Johnsons as they road trip to their family reunion in Missouri. On the drive, the family hilariously encounters just about every road trip cliché, from picking up a problematic hitchhiker to running out of gas, before making it to the reunion and performing a musical number to nab the coveted Family of the Year trophy.

'Midnight in Paris' (2011)

Set in present-day Paris , this Oscar-winning film is typically a favorite among art and literature lovers. At midnight each night, screenwriter Gil (Owen Wilson) is transported back in time through different eras of Paris, where he befriends Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Pablo Picasso, and even strikes up a romance with a 1920s woman named Adriana. The film offers plenty of inspiration for a culturally rich trip to France.

'The Parent Trap' (1998)

"The Parent Trap" is another film that may not immediately stand out as a travel flick, but once you take into account the film's many settings ( London , San Francisco, Napa Valley , and the northeastern U.S.), it's easy to see that this family classic has been a travel film all along. Plus, the main characters spend lots of time on planes, boats, and camping trips throughout the movie.

'The Talented Mr. Ripley' (1999)

Carefully spliced between disturbing revelations and suspenseful plot twists are luxurious shots of Italian beaches in this Matt Damon-led film. When Tom Ripley (Damon) is paid to travel to Italy and bring Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law) back to the States by Dickie's father, Tom ends up befriending — and later becoming obsessed with — Dickie. Despite the plot quickly darkening, viewers are treated to bright, colorful scenes in Rome and glamorous seaside villages .

'Roman Holiday' (1953)

Romance? Check. Stunning visuals of Rome ? Check. Audrey Hepburn? Check. This classic travel comedy lands at the top of many movie buffs' all-time favorite lists, and for good reason. Bored with her mundane life as a European princess while on a trip to Rome, Ann (Hepburn) ditches her duties and hits the town with journalist Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck). The two take viewers on a tour of the Eternal City and fall in love in the process.

'Pee-wee’s Big Adventure' (1985)

Before you roll your eyes, take a moment to acknowledge that this film essentially sends happy-go-lucky Pee-wee Herman (Paul Reubens) on the great American road trip in search of his stolen bicycle. In this comedy for adults and children alike, Pee-wee stops at the Alamo, the Cabazon Dinosaur park in California , and Hollywood . Traveling by car, truck, and train, Pee-wee befriends a biker gang, competes in a rodeo, and of course, famously dances to "Tequila" before his journey is through.

Hillary Maglin is a digital editor who splits most of her time between New York City and Pittsburgh. You can find her on Instagram @hillarymaglin , where her DMs are always open to discuss travel gear, wine bars, and Taylor Swift's latest record.

60 Best Travel Movies to Inspire Wanderlust

Written By: The Planet D

Travel Movies

Updated On: February 14, 2024

What makes for great travel movies? We feel it is when the destination becomes the star. A movie that showcases beautiful cities , landscapes, and culture is a movie that inspires us to visit a destination or relive our time there when we get home. Dave and I love movies. We worked in the film business in our previous careers and lived for the cinema. So when we chose our list of the best travel movies, we took it seriously. 

Table of Contents

The Best Travel Movies

Our choices for the best travel movies are probably very different than yours, so leave a comment and let us know what you think the best travel movies are. We are always looking for new travel films to ignite our wanderlust. To rent or buy one of these travel films to inspire wanderlust right now, check out Amazon Instant Video

The Best Travel Movies to Inspire Wanderlust

1. in bruges.

This is by far the best travel movie. One of the characters actually carries around a guidebook! If you love a good caper set in an exotic location, you’ll love In Bruges. Collin Farrel and Brendan Gleeson star as two hit men who are sent to Bruges, Belgium to hide out after a job goes bad.

The more Colin Farrell’s character complained of hating Bruges (in Belgium), the more you took in the surroundings of Bruges and noticed just how picturesque the city is. While the film is primarily a crime drama and dark comedy it intertwines the city’s picturesque locations and cultural aspects with the narrative seamlessly.

Rent or Buy In Bruges on Amazon

2. banshees of inisherin trailer

I was so excited to see Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson reunite and this time, they share screen time in one of the newest travel films on our list, the Banshees of Inisherin. The movie takes place on the Aran Islands of Ireland and showcases the beauty of that destination as two friends go through some very dark times.

Gleessan’s character Colm decides he has wasted his life and cuts ties with his lifelong best friend Pádraic (Farrell) and all kinds of darkness begins. It had some of the best acting I’ve seen in years, and every one of the four main cast was nominated for Acadamy Awards.

3. One Week

One of our favorite travel movies of all time. And not because it is set in Canada. One Week follows a young man driving a motorcycle on a cross-country road trip across Canada after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. No movie has made me want to explore a country more than One Week. It showcases Canada beautifully.

I didn’t want to see this movie because of its morbid subject, but it ended up being an uplifting and enlightening film of self-discovery. It truly is the ultimate Canadian road trip movie. Rent One Week Here on Amazon

4. Secret Life of Walter Mitty

I had to watch this most popular of all travel films twice before deciding I liked The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and I can understand why it is at the top of most lists of best travel movies. This movie takes you from New York, to Iceland, Greenland and the Himalayas.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty shows how taking a risk and getting out of your comfort zone can lead to great things. The ending was my favorite, but I won’t spoil it for you. Rent it now .

5. Before Sunrise Trilogy

We have three of our favorite travel movies in one package! And each showcases the destination they are in. The Before Sunrise movies are about love but they are also very much travel films. They were filmed 10 years apart and they take place in three different locations around Europe – Vienna , Paris , and Greece .

The Before Sunrise trilogies capture the essence of each destination. And here’s a cool fact – Dave and I stayed at  Costa Navarino  in Greece where After Midnight took place!

It is probably the best of all romantic travel movies out there that literally spans three decades. (They film a movie every 10 years). Watch Before Sunrise and Sunset on Amazon Prime

6. Planes Trains and Automobiles

John Candy and Steve Martin take an unexpected cross country road trip from New York City to Chicago. This is Dave’s pick for the best travel movie.

This is considered one of the great comedy travel movies, but I look at it as a drama. John Candy’s character breaks my heart. You may think of it as a holiday film but it is also one of the funniest travel films out there. If you’re in the mood for a good heartfelt comedy,  rent it today.

7. Julie & Julia

Not only does Julie and Julia star the great Meryl Streep but this travel movie is based on blogging. It’s like it was made for us! I was surprised by how much I loved this movie based on the true story of Julia Child and I didn’t go in expecting much.

Julie & Julia follows the life of Julia Child during her time in Paris and cuts throughout to the present day in New York . It makes you crave French cuisine and a life of decadence in France. When it comes to choosing a  favorite travel movie this one is right up there. Rent it now

8. The Big Year

The Big Year follows Jack Black (who doesn’t love Jack Black?), Owen Wilson, and Steve Martin traveling around the United States with hopes of becoming the number 1 bird watcher in the world. It ended up being one of the most surprising travel films I’ve seen.

They are obsessed with spotting more species of birds than any other person in 365 days. I related to this movie because it is more about the journey and how having a great adventure can change a life. Rent it Now

Best Travel Movies for Adventure Lovers

9. into the wild.

The real-life true story chronicles the journey of  Christopher McCandless who went on a cross country road trip through the US and ended up in Alaska .

I read Into the Wild years ago and was mesmerized trying to figure out how someone could give up everything to go and live off the grid. John Krakauer dug into the psyche of McCandless and what motivates people to take risks.

Things don’t turn out as he hoped, and it is a lesson learned for would-be adventurers. Enjoy it now !

Wild is an adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s travel memoir, From Lost To Found On The Pacific Crest Trail. Based on a true story, it follows her journey about putting a life back together after it all falls apart.

Pushing the limits physically on the Pacific Crest Trail and stepping out of her comfort zone take her on a journey of self-discovery. A struggle and journey can change a life and Reese Witherspoon is excellant as usual. Check it out on Amazon

11. Everest

Everest by John Krakauer is the true story of the catastrophe that happened on Everest in 1996. It’s a first-hand account by Krakauer who was on Everest at the time. While the movie focuses on the events, it does showcase the psyche of why people climb mountains and it shows the culture and beauty of the Everest Region.

As far as travel movies go, even though it is based on a dark subject, it does make me want to go to Everest. So we did! Plus, it stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Josh Brolin, so how can you go wrong?

• You can rent this movie made in Hollywood
• You can also check out the documentary.

Tracks is another travel movie base on a true story and I really enjoyed it. It’s a film about a young woman who walks across Australia from Alice Springs to the Indian Ocean with four camels and her pet dog.

What I really liked is how the lead character Robyn Davidson learns the skills needed to survive. She is visited by a photographer from National Geographic who shared her story and was led through the sacred lands of the Outback by an Aboriginal elder. Watch this Amazing true story on Amazon ! 

13. World’s Fastest Indian 

From New Zealand to America, Anthony Hopkins takes his Indian Motorcycle to the salt flats to see how far he can go. The World’s Fastest Indian is one of my favorite performances by Hopkins and it is one of the great underrated travel movies.

He is vulnerable, lovable, and inspiring. This true story takes you on a fun road trip along the way until he reaches the Salt Flats of California and that is when you really start rooting for him to win! Rent it on Amazon Prime

14. Adventures of Pricilla Queen of the Desert

Adventures of Pricilla Queen of the Desert follows a group of drag queens taking a cross country road trip in a van named “Pricilla” from Sydney to Alice Springs where they are going to perform their drag show.

They meet a lot of characters along the way and this film introduced us to superstars Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce who joined the already-established Terrence Stamp.

15. Motorcycle Diaries

Ever since watching one of the best travel movies about South America, (you guessed it, the Motorcycle Diaries) wanted to do a road trip through South America. (PS. I’m still dreaming of that road trip through South America one day)

Gael García Bernal stars as Che Guevera and it follows his journey on a motorcycle trip through South America before he became a part of the revolution. This movie is based on a true story where Che traveled through the continent and I believe it was traveling through South America that Che saw what people were going through and that is what sparked him to take action in his own way.

• Check it out for yourself
• Rent it on Amazon

16. The Way

Dave and I have always wanted to walk the Camino de Santiago in Spain. This movie is a bittersweet tribute to the epic hike. Acting legend Martin Sheen walks the trail to honor his son Emilio Estevez (also director) who died on the walk. This movie explores themes of grief, regret, and understanding.

Sheen’s character finishes what his son started helping him connect and understand his son while examining his own life and is one of the most moving travel movies on our list. You can watch it on Amazon

Best Classic Travel Movies

17. lawrence of arabia.

Lawrence of Arabia made us dream of the Arabian Desert and that is what travel films are meant to do. I would say that this is often considered one of the best travel movies of all time. It’s the original travel movie for sure and it really does capture the majesty of the Arabian Desert.

When we got the chance to visit Jordan and walk in the footsteps of the real Lawrence of Arabia, we couldn’t believe we were living our own travel movie. This will make you want to go on an adventure and spend the night in a Bedouin tent. Rent it on Amazon Prime Now

18. Out of Africa

If you want another Meryl Streep vehicle that is often considered one of the best travel movies, you should try  Out of Africa. Out of Africa takes place in a different time, but it captures the heart of Africa beautifully.

Based on a true story, Meryl Streep stars as a married baroness in love with big game hunter Robert Redford. Their chemistry is unmistakable. She falls in love with Africa and you will fall in love with it too.

The cinematography is outstanding. It won 7 Oscars including Best Picture and Best Cinematography. Rent Out of Africa

19. Romancing the Stone

Who didn’t fantasize about an adventure in Colombia after watching Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas in Romancing the Stone? As a kid I always thought about the line “ I need to get to Cartagena ” and while I had no idea where Cartagena was,(It’s in South America by the way) I knew it was exciting.

In the most romanticly fun of travel movies, Kathleen Turner transformed from a scared writer who merely writes about adventure, to a woman encountering an adventure and meeting a rugged mysterious man in exotic Columbia. Watch Romancing the Stone today

20. The Bucket List

With two of my favorite actors and a message to live life to the fullest, the Bucket List is one amazing movie and one of the best travel movies. I think it actually invented the term, The Bucket List. The phrase has been overused in recent years, but the message never gets old. The Bucket List is the original “live your dreams now” travel movie.

It’s beautifully acted, heartfelt, and showcases how life should be lived to the fullest. Rent or buy it here!

Most people say that Amelie is one of the best travel movies of all time. So this list wouldn’t be complete without it. I did love the views of Paris and the everyday life showcased in Montmartre.

I also enjoyed the uplifting message of a quiet young woman named, Amelie helping the people around her in the lovely district of Montmartre in Paris. If you want to watch sweeping scenes through Paris streets and if you love Paris, you can’t help but like Amelie. So check it out !

22. Roman Holiday

This did not age well in our opinion. We watched it recently and it is just downright bad. Many people will probably disagree. But as far as travel movies go, it is fun to see a princess posing as a regular young Woman zipping around Rome.

They should remake Roman Holiday, it would be fun. Rent it on Prime

23. Sideways

I admit it. After this movie came out, I didn’t drink Merlot for years! Sideways takes us on a road trip through California wine country and it really is filled with amazing performances by Paul Giamatti, Sandra Oh, Virginia Madsen, and Thomas Hayden Church.

We have been to Santa Maria, California, and this movie captures the feel of wine country perfectly. Rent or buy on Amazon Prime 

24. Up in the Air

Up in the Air makes you love the idea of travel but it shows the emptiness that the life of a vagabond can lead to if you don’t stay grounded with your family and friends. It’s not in the genre of typical travel films out there, but travel is the main theme.

I cannot go through airport security anymore without thinking of George Clooney as his character has the art of travel down to a science.

This movie also has a great message that Dave and I can relate to. We all become so consumed with our careers and our lives that we forget about what is important. Get it on Amazon Instant Video

Best Travel Movies Highlighting Destinations

25. ticket to paradise.

Our newest addition to our travel movies is from two legends, George Clooney and Julia Roberts who take us to Bali for their daughter’s wedding. The two divorced years ago, but agree that their daughter is too young to get married and decide to sabotage the wedding.

This movie showcases the culture and beauty of Bali while showing us once again how travel can be transformational and can change your life.

I love these two together, George and Julia, and great friends in real life and have amazing on-screen chemistry.

26. The Beach – Thailand

The Beach is the original backpacker slacker travel film. The Beach captures what Thailand was like before tourists started flocking to it en-masse. At one time, it was an off-the-beaten-path backpacker destination. We enjoyed the book more, but you can never go wrong with Leo.

If you want to get a sense of what it was like to travel to Thailand before mass tourism, this is a good movie for you. Plus it is beautiful and as far as travel movies go, it will make you want to go to Thailand. Not only are the people beautiful, but the scenery of southern Thailand is also out of this world.

Take in the journey as they search for a hidden beach that is pure perfection.

27. Lost in Translation – Tokyo

Tokyo is a bit strange. It is unlike anywhere else on earth, and Lost in Translation showcases the culture shock that one feels when staying in a different city.

There are different customs in Japan and the culture is much different than anywhere else and this movie captures that odd feeling you get when traveling there. Lost in Translation highlights some of the best spots in Tokyo.

The hotel where the movie takes place still has one of the best views in the city! And who doesn’t love Bill Murray? He is priceless and it’s one of Scarlett Johanson’s best performances. Check it Out

28. Slumdog Millionaire – India

We traveled to India in 2010 and Slumdog Millionaire seemed to capture the true slums of India while showcasing the heart of the people. Many of the rich cities are modern, but when traveling through rural India and the poorer areas, this is what it’s like.

Dev Patel stars as a young Indian boy who gets on a game show that could change his life. It’s heartbreaking, raw, and sometimes uncomfortable which is exactly what travel can be too hence why it made the list of our favorite travel movies. Download it here on Amazon

If you are a fan of Dev Patel (as we are) you will love him in another of our favorite travel films, Lion. Lion is based on a true story and is an emotional journey that takes audiences across India and Australia spanning cultures, and decades.

Patel plays Saroo Brierley, a young Indian boy who gets lost on a train in India at the age of five. After surviving several challenges on the streets of Kolkata and eventually being adopted by an Australian family, Saroo, as an adult, uses Google Earth to find his birth mother and the journey begins. The movie also stars Nicol Kidman.

30. Vicky, Cristina Barcelona – Spain

Admit it, we all want to go to Spain and run into beautiful people like Penelope Cruz and Javier Barden. I think this movie did so well because it inspired everyone to go to Barcelona. (That’s our criteria for choosing the best travel movies, how they inspired travel)

Vicky Cristina Barcelona makes us dream of the cities in Spain , the passion of the Spanish people and getting away for a summer in Spain.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona definitely is an inspiring travel movie and one of the best travel films out there. It really captures the energy and passion of Spain in Barcelona . Rent Vicky Christina Barcelona on Amazon

31. Under the Tuscan Sun – Italy

For the romantics out there, Under the Tuscan Sun is one of the best travel movies. Wouldn’t you just love to buy a villa in Tuscany and fall in love with a stranger?

This is one of my favorite romantic travel films and Under the Tuscan Sun based on a true story. After a bad divorce, her character takes a trip to Italy courtesy of her best friend, (The incredible Sandra Oh!) and buys a house!

This travel movie is based on a true story where our star shares the trials and tribulations of renovating a Tuscan villa. You can rent Under the Tuscan Sun on Amazon

32. Best Exotic Marigold Hotel – India

We always preach that you are never too old to try something new and you are never too old to travel and that is the premise of one of the most beloved travel movies, Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. It’s chock full of great legendary actors including Dame Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, and Maggie Smith.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel follows a group of retirees who travel to India to live out their days at a crumbling retirement hotel. All mayhem and madness ensue as things can only in India. There’s romance, tragedy, and hope. Rent it now

33. A Good Year – Provence France

A Good Year made me want to go to Provence and live a simple life…on a multi-million dollar vineyard estate. That’s reasonable, right? And that’s what travel movies make you want to do…Pick up and go somewhere.

A Good Year makes life in Provence look like the Garden of Eden and I want a piece of it. Everyone is beautiful, everyone is a wine connoisseur, and everyone is pure and good. Who wouldn’t want to go to the south of France after seeing A Good Year? Rent it now.

34. Midnight in Paris – Paris

Looking for travel movies that combine time travel this movie night? Midnight in Paris captures the golden years of Paris as Owen Wilson walks through the streets at night in search of that romantic nostalgia of the city.

Blending time travel with traditional travel, this film showcases Paris’s rich history and examines how different eras appeal to different people.

He ends up meeting the famous patrons of the 1920s including Cole Porter, Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, and more! This travel movie makes me want to hop on a flight to Paris every time! Watch it on Amazon Prime or get it on DVD

35. Australia – Australia

This movie was crucified by the critics, but I loved it and its one of the best travel movies showcasing the beauty of Australia’s landscape. Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman take her cattle across the Outback.

It also touches on the injustices of how Australia treated the Aboriginal People, reminding me of what Canada did with residential schools to our own indigenous communities.

It’s beautifully shot and is a love letter to Australia while highlighting the true story of the Aboriginal struggles. I think it deserved more love than it got. Check it out on Amazon

36. The Impossible

It took me forever to finally watch the impossible because it is based on the true story of surviving the devastating Tsunami in Southeast Asia. It follows a family from England who are vacationing in Thailand and are impacted by the Tsunami.

It showcases the huge hearts that the Thai people have. Even while going through their own trauma, they play a huge role in helping this family get back together and survive.

The movie stars Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor and Tom Holland and it is one of the best performances I think Naomi Watts has ever done.

Lighthearted Travel Movies

37. eurovision.

This is one of the funniest travel movies out there. The movie kicks off (after a brief flashback) in Iceland showcasing its beautiful landscapes and waterfalls with sweeping drone shots of the stars performing.

It has all the stereotypes and cliches of Iceland, but it is done with heart and fun. It really is a love letter to Iceland. Follow Lars and Sigrit as they try to fulfill their dream of competing in Eurovision in Edinburgh. The movie gives a nice showcase of that city too making it two travel movies in one. Rent it on Amazon

38. Darjeeling Limited

This quirkiest of travel movies takes Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, and Adrian Brody across India one year after their father’s death starting on the Darjeeling Express train. It’s strange, heartbreaking, hilarious, and pure Wes Anderson.

When they visit their mother in an Ashram, it makes me think of the strange people that run away to India to find themselves. Oh yeah, he gets it. Check it out on Amazon Prime

39. Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Set in the very real Turtle Bay Resort in Oahu this pick on our travel movies list stars Jason Seigel as a Hollywood Writer who goes to Hawaii to heal his wounds after getting dumped by his girlfriend Kristen Bell. It turns out, she is there on vacation with her new boyfriend and shenanigans ensue.

This movie makes you want to book a plane to Hawaii and have your own stay at Turtle Bay which has now become very popular. Rent it on Prime

40. Last Holiday

If you are searching for comedy travel movies, this should be at the top of your list. This is the ultimate fairytale on how travel can change a life. And how we should all strive to live a better life. It’s too short to wait.

Queen Latifa is priceless as a woman who is diagnosed with a terminal disease, so she takes her life savings to enjoy her final holiday at a luxurious resort. She does everything from base jumping to snowboarding and indulging in decadent French cuisine.

If everyone took a holiday like this, we’d all live happier lives. Rent, Buy or Watch on Amazon Prime

41. The Holiday

It may be a Christmas movie, but The Holiday is one of the best travel movies out there. We watch it every year and it shows how travel is transformational. Starring Kate Winslett, Jack Black, Jude Law and Cameron Diaz, The Holiday flips back and forth between Los Angeles and England.

The two female stars have very different vacations as they house swap, but both have their lives changed through travel.

42. French Kiss

Meg Ryan plays a woman named Kate who is afraid to travel. When her fiance falls for another woman in France, she vows to win him back and travels there despite being terrified. Hilarity ensues when she meets con man Kevin Kline and they venture across the country together following the formula of travel movies galore.

My favorite scene is when she is indulging in cheese on the train. It’s that French moment that made me daydream about traveling by train across the French countryside. Watch French Kiss for yourself

43. My Life in Ruins

While not as good as My Big Fat Greek Wedding, My Life in Ruins is a nice comeback for Nia Vardalos in a fun-loving travel film.

She plays a tour leader taking stereotypical tourists through the sites of Greece. It’s fun, it’s romantic and the setting is beautiful. It’s not going to win any Academy Awards, but for a fun Saturday afternoon movie, this will transport you to Greece. Rent it or buy it on Amazon

44. The Hangover 2

The First Hangover was far better and it too is a travel movie taking you to Vegas. But when choosing travel movies from this trilogy, I had to choose the setting of Bangkok. It captures the crazy energy of the city.

My favorite scene is when Bradly Cooper has to go to the hospital and comes out with an absurdly low hospital bill. Dave and I have been to the hospital in Thailand and can attest, it is cheap. Rent it now! 

Blockbuster Travel Movies

45. star wars: the rise of skywalker & the last jedi.

One wouldn’t think of a movie based in outer space to be a travel movie that inspires wanderlust, but the last Star Wars Trilogy featured one of our favorite destinations on Earth, Skellig M ichael

This 6th-century monastery was a star unto itself as Luke trained Rey in the ways of the Force. It has now inspired many travelers and film buffs to take the hair-raising boat ride out to these rocky islands 12 km off the coast of Ireland. Check it out

46. Mama Mia

We actually learned where Mama Mia takes place while visiting the location where it was filmed, Pelion, Greece. The Greek islands are paradise, and Mama Mia follows the story of Meryl Streep who runs a hotel on the coast. We thought it was filmed somewhere like Santorini or Mykonos.

When her daughter becomes engaged, she invites three men who might be her father. It’s a rip-roaring good time of music, fun and beautiful scenery.

The Santorini blue and white houses, the crystal clear blue sea, and the music of Abba become those who watch to travel to Greece! Watch it on Prime today

47. Once Upon a Time in Mexico Trilogy

How sexy are Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayak together? You must watch the entire trilogy to really appreciate this series by Robert Rodrigues. Once Upon A Time In Mexico ends the trilogy with Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, and Cheech Marin. El Mariachi started it all starring Carlos Gallardo. My favorite of the 3 is Desperado , but they are all entertaining.

Once Upon A Time In Mexico is a fantasy and it is a stereotype of Mexico, but it makes you want to go to Mexico and have a great adventure. The scenery is gorgeous, the film is filled with cool style, and the music is fabulous. Watch the Trilogy today!

48. The Legend of Tarzan

The $180 million dollar budget makes sure to showcase the beauty of the African Savannah, the dense jungles, and the majestic wildlife. You feel as if you have entered the heart of Africa. Seriously, rent it, you’re going to like it a lot more than you think! Rent it on Amazon

49. The Tourist

It’s a little indulgent, and Angelina Jolie is a bit annoying to watch with how amazing she thinks she is in this, but it does capture taking an international trip to Europe beautifully.

It makes you want to have a romantic tryst in Venice . It makes you want to ride a train and have a mysterious encounter. It gives you a glimpse into how the rich live and travel the world.

50. The Thing

Recently we had someone write to us with a list of their favorite movies about travel. He mentioned the first Alien vs. Predator took place in Antarctica and I remember that being a pretty entertaining film. Then I thought about the classic Kurt Russel movie, The Thing .

This thriller takes place at a scientific base camp in the Antarctic and really lets you feel how claustrophobic and isolated researchers must feel when spending the winter at the bottom of the world. Watch it now!

51. Thelma and Louise

Who would have thought that Thelma and Louise would be heralded as one of the best travel films of all time, but it has. When researching this article, I saw that everyone had it on their list, so I had to include it. Besides, I love this film. I saw it at the theatre when it came out and it blew me away.

Brad Pitt makes his debut in this dark road trip adventure. Susan Sarandon and Geena Dave about female empowerment, friendship, and the transformative power of travel.

52. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Yes, this was a blockbuster film for teenagers. I remember working at YTV and this movie was going mad in the teen realm so I had to add it to my best travel movies list. The premise of the story revolves around four friends—Lena, Tibby, Bridget, and Carmen—who find a pair of jeans that, despite their differing body types, fits each of them perfectly. They decide to share these “magical” pants as they embark on their separate summer adventures, thus maintaining their connection with each other.

Where does the traveling come in? Well, Lena travels to Greece , Bridget goes to Mexico , Carmen visits her father in South Carolina, and Tibby stays in Maryland.

While not a “travel movie” in the traditional sense—where the main characters are often journeying together or the narrative revolves solely around their travel experiences—”Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” embodies elements of travel movies by incorporating different cultures, locations, and the concept of journeying (both physical and emotional) into its narrative.

53. Bourne Movies, James Bonds, Mission Impossible & Indiana Jones Movies

The Bourne movies, James Bond, Indian Jones, and Mission Impossible take us around the world with each movie and really are the best travel films to showcase the globe. These epic travel movies take audiences to a whole new level of taking an international trip with decadence, wealth, espionage, and romance.

I wanted to include them because if you are looking for some beautiful scenes from Europe and the Middle East, these travel films fit the bill. They are so good at taking you away to exotic places .

Our Favorites of These Epic Travel Movies are

54. the bourne identity.

The original takes us on an international trip from Switzerland through Paris. It’s the car scene in Paris that really captures the city but the entire movie is one big travel movie.

55. Casino Royal – James Bond

This makes us dream of living with the high rollers in Montenegro the beautiful people in the Bahamas. It’s as epic as epic travel movies get riding on trains, planes and yachts and it’s the best James Bond with Daniel Craig.

56. Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol

It’s not often that sequels are better than the original, but when it comes to the Mission Impossible series, each one out does the other. Tom Cruise loves to travel and push the limits creating the most epic travel movies on the planet. I chose Ghost Protocol because of its setting in Dubai and Cruise scaling the walls of the Burj Khalifa. (The tallest structure in the world)

Best Travel Movies in Fictional Settings

57. grand budapest hotel.

I can’t help it, I love Wes Anderson movies. He is offbeat and quirky. Grand Budapest Hotel is one of the best travel movies that isn’t set in any real place. This is all in a fictional setting.

I like this for a travel movie because it reminds me of the grand old hotels from another era. Well, it should because it is set in another era. The hotel is fictional, but it does take you away to another world. Rent it on Prime

58. Black Panther

Wakanda may be a fictional place in Africa, but this movie captures the spirit of East and South Africa. It embraces the African culture and many of the movie’s scenes were filmed in Africa.

We have been to Africa numerous times and this movie transported us there again. It may be fictional, but Black Panther is one fo the best travel movies to make you want to discover the culture and beauty of Africa. watch it now!

59. Lord of the Rings and Hobbit

They may be set in Middle Earth, but the Lord of the Rings movies are a love letter to New Zealand. As far as setting go, the trilogy makes for epic travel movies! Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit Movies make us want to go to New Zealand and these films capture its beauty perfectly.

Rent the trilogy on Amazon today

60. Eat Pray Love

And let us end with the mother of all travel movies, Eat Pray Love. Who doesn’t love Julia Roberts? However, Eat Pray Love wasn’t my favorite travel movie at all. But The book was okay but the movie starring Julia Roberts is dreadful. If you liked it, let me know. Maybe I’ll give it another watch in case I missed something. Rent it on Amazon

We’ll be updating this list regularly and we love finding new travel movies to watch. So, if you have suggestions for your favorite travel movies, leave them in the comments below and we’ll be sure to give them a watch!

Tell me what you think are the best travel movies and we will compare notes.

You May Enjoy these other inspiring posts:

• 44 of the Best Road Trip Songs
• Best Travel Songs Playlist
• Best Travel Books to Inspire Travel
• 60 of the Best Road Trip Songs to Rock the Long Drive
• 101 Best Travel Quotes in the World with Pictures

Disclosure:  The links above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. We receive affiliate commissions, but it’s no extra cost to you!

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Dave Bouskill and Debra Corbeil are the owners and founders of The Planet D. After traveling to 115 countries, on all 7 continents over the past 13 years they have become one of the foremost experts in travel. Being recognized as top travel bloggers and influencers by the likes of Forbes Magazine , the Society of American Travel Writers and USA Today has allowed them to become leaders in their field.

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107 thoughts on “60 Best Travel Movies to Inspire Wanderlust”

Very interesting and thought-provoking list. Another film I think belongs in this company is “A Month by the Lake,” a 1995 work starring Vanessa Redgrave, Edward Fox, and Uma Thurman. Its setting, at the Villa del Balbianello on a peninsula in Lake Como, was used in scenes from a number of other movies, but here it gets starring role.

one of my favorite travel movies is “If it is Tuesday it must be Belgium”. it captures the travels and travails of some very uninformed American tourists on a guided tour. One of the wives, tired of the endless strings of cheese shops they visit heads back to their tour bus. The problem is it is the wrong tour bus. Hilarity ensues …

Thanks for the thoughtful list. Might I add a few more wanderlust-inducing movie recommendations/destinations that I have a hunch you will love?

Enchanted April (Italy) Shirley Valentine (Greece/Mykonos) Everything is Illuminated (Russia/Ukraine) Summer Lovers (Gene Siskel’s ‘guilty pleasure) (Greek Islands/Santorini) The Hundred Foot Journey (India/France) Local Hero (Scotland — and perfectly depicts how an enchanting location can change your view of what’s important in life) Anne of Green Gables — Kevin Sullivan version (Price Edward Island) Outsourced (India) Jean de Florette/Manon of the Spring (Provence France) The Quiet Man (Ireland) A Passage to India (India)

These are fantastic suggestions, thank sfor sharing! I’ve been wanting to see The Hundred Foot Journey. I think that will be my weekend watching!

Hi , thanks for sharing the best travel movies.

I love to watch 72 hours is my best travel movie all time.

Brilliant! Some of my teal favourites and now a list to watch. …many, many thanks. Allison

Great movies list all movies are best and all movies have a good rating on IMDb actually my favorite movie is LORD OF THE RINGS AND HOBBIT. and next, I would like to watch Star wars series.

Great choices of movies you have given a big list a great work

Great article! I will definitely choose a few movies that I haven’t seen yet. I could add a movie called “The Hundred-Foot Journey”. This film is about a Hindu family who moves to France, where they open a restaurant.

I’ve been meaning to watch that one. I think I will have to check it out this weekend and add it to the list! Thanks for the reminder.

Very comprehensive list! lots of great movies, and some of my favourites such as Seven Years inTibet and Walter Mitty.

I have to disagree with you about The Darjeeling Limited though: “When they visit their mother in an Ashram, it makes me think of the strange people that run away to India to find themselves. Oh yeah, he gets it.”

I felt the most important scene in the movie is when the guys rescue the boys in the river, and one doesn’t make it. They take part ion the family grieving and funeral, and have a very life-changing, profound experience. I felt the movie actually validates people “running away to India.”

In these difficult times especially, finding a sense of purpose, or meaning, or spirituality, or whatever you want to call it, is more important than ever. I think we will see a lot more people “running away to find themselves” and in fact, I am working on offering spiritual itineraries.

How about Red Eye and Flight Plan? I think they both portrait (fear of) commercial flying experience pretty good!

We have already watched quite a few of these ? gotta love a great movie night! Thanks for a great list, that we will start to work our way through ?

Great choices for movies! Others that come to mind are “Before Sunrise” and “Into the Wild.”

LORD OF THE RINGS AND HOBBIT is my favourite. i had watch so many times but always loved

This list couldn’t have come at a better time as we currently shelter in place and travel only through our TVs! Thank you.

All movies are great and my fav <3

great films..i watched some movie

OOH Julie and Julia is one of my all time favorites! And Eat Pray Love…It’s a good time for movies at home for sure!

Love the list. Thank you for sharing. As a classic movie buff, however, you are so wrong about Roman Holiday. This movie is a classic. I recently saw it on the big screen for the millionth time and it was amazing. How can you not love Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn?! His voice alone is worth a listen! And the old scenes of Rome are wonderful. Have to truly disagree about this one. LOVE this movie.

Anyway, thanks again!

SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY movie motivates people to dare to make a decision.

I love this list!! You hit some of my favorite movies. I’ve watched a lot of these but I have a feeling I’ll be rewatching some of them in the coming weeks. Thanks for remind me!

GREAT list, thank you! I’ve seen some Bollywood films and loved them, and would love a best of list of them!

Great site for everything

Great list, guys — you really dug deep. If you love The Sounds of Music, you have to visit Salzburg, where you can see the actual places where they shot many of the scenes, including the palace in the middle of town. You can even stay in the Von Trapps’ house. And I may have missed it in your list, but The Year of Living Dangerously absolutely captures the exotic atmosphere and the beauty of Southeast Asia — the gamelan music stays in your head for days. Also, Gandhi for a virtual trip to India.

Very well collections, Really some of the names are not heard. This type of movies are oxygen for any traveler.

Great list of movie i like slumdog millionaire once upon a time in mexico

Secret Life of Walter Mitty for sure, this movie made me so pumped to travel while ‘into the wild’ made me a little depressed and not wishing to become a mentally ill person who goes eating dead animals and rejecting society

Lovely idea, great movies! Love your blog!

I really love this movies.

Each movie is an exciting adventure, felt from the film, emotions, as well as an impressive moment. Thanks for your collection!

Thank you for your list! Lawrence of Arabia for certain, but almost any film by Werner Herzog, especially Aguirre:The Wrath of God. But I am partial to “art” or “foreign” films over Hollywood.

I loved a movie I watched and I can’t remember the name and I can’t find it. It was about a woman, maybe in her 40’s maybe 50’s that traveled to India to meet up with her husband. Her husband was detained by work and sent his male Indian assistant to meet her. While waiting for her husband to arrive, the assistant showed her the sites of India. A romance developed with the assistant over many days, but never crossed the line. Would love to watch this again….

Maybe you’re thinking of the movie ‘Cairo Time’. It’s set in Egypt, not India, but has the exact plot you’re referring to.

All are attractive and I will watch each movie

I shared the movies I shared. The movie content is very interesting and interesting, I like it very much.

This is also a very good post which I really enjoy reading

For me Motorcycle diaries is best.Thanks for list. I will check other movies too.

Nice list, you got almost all of my favorite travel films! A couple additions I would make are “The Sheltering Sky”, and “Voyager”.

The Painted Veil – gorgeous!

I hope it will be show at CGV

Definitely a great list of movies that gets us thinking about travel. Everest was one that really took our breath away and told an amazing story. In Bruges is still one of my favorite. Thanks for sharing!

Loved the post and the films. I still didn’t see 9 films and already want see. Will try found they for this weekend. But the best is to see Indiana Jones in the list.. it’s my prefer film of life <3

the beauty of this movie list is that this in includes movies in Malayalam, Hindi English and believe me these movies are the very best travel movies I have seen . kudos?

Great Choices !

Always on the lookout for movies to watch on the plane!!! Thanks for the recos!!!!

Great choices for movies

I hate you after watching only 2 of these movies from your list i feel like travelling but unfortunately my my academics. By the way best list of travel movies I have seen on internet. Good going brother. wish to see more content in future.

Mr. Bean’s Holiday. A very ridiculous movie, but the cinematography is amazing, and it’s very inspiring.

Great article and awesome collection of movies. Red balloon is my favorite movie and it’s amazing storey

Film is called Before Midnight. Not after.

Thanks for the correction. I mixed up the Trilogy in my head, thinking “the one after Before Sunset.” – There is Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and Before Midnight.

Great article, many good informations

I love watching movies ahead of travelling and often find them inspirational. For Western Australia I found ‘Rabbitproof Fence’ a very good movie. You’ve chosen some good ones!

Great collection of movies to watch. I absolutely loved The Bucket List. As usual Morgan Freeman was awesome. Great movies about travel and for when traveling.

Can you believe that I never saw Stealing Beauty? Now I am going to have to check it out. I agree with Sideways too. Loved that show. It made me want to drink Pinot Noir.

Wild is a great book and the movie is pretty true to the book. Reece Witherspoon is really good in it. Based on true story of a troubled woman who decides to hike one of Americas longest trails with little money and not enough experience. Humbling and left me feeling the wanderlust pretty hard.

The Bucket List and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty are the best travel movies in my opinion. Iceland is on my travel bucket list, hope I can visit that place.

Best Movie Collection. my favorite movies also include in these. love to see the collection of movies thanks to sharing this information with us.

Nice article! inspiring people for Traveling

Thanks for compiling this list. It’s interesting to know the place where the movie was shot. I absolutely agree on what you said about James Bond movies.

Thanks for the post. Some I have seen and some I haven’t, and looking forward to (Especially ONE WEEK)

I’d like to add LOCAL HERO. There are some melancholic moments in the film accompanied by Mark Knopfler’s beautiful soundtrack. Would make anyone jump off the couch, dump all the COMFORTS OF CITY and visit rural Scotland and walk the beaches and witness the Aurora Borealis. One of my favourites alongwith The Motorcycle Diaries and Into the Wild.

Great choices

Excellent list, but Indiana Jones really is a wonderful trip. Note 1000.

Under a Tuscan sun is my favorite!!!! Been to Tuscany because of that movie!! 🙂 Jotted down a few to watch from your list! Thanks!

thank you guys. Into the wild is my favourite one on the list.

You named quite a few of my favorites but the two I’d like to recommend are Hector and the Pursuit of Happiness starring Simon Pegg, and The Way starring Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez.

The Way inspired me to walk the Camino de Santiago which turned into an incredible trip.

Great list of best all time travel movies. I must admit that there are still so many movies I have not yet seen. I need to work on that sooner rather than later!

Great list but would certainly add :

– The way (with Martin Sheen) , very inspiring movie about Camino de Santiago – Motorcycle diaries, simply a great movie about travel and life

Fantastic films, thanks for making this kind of film! Many people should watch it! Thanks for sharing this list.

Wow! This list is great! I will surely add these in my playlist. Hopefully, I will be able to watch most of these travel movies. I plan to travel soon, I’m juts looking for more inspiration and travel tips. Glad I came by your blog!

Whoa! You gave me a completely new set of movies to add to my list here! Into the Wild is one of my favorites and the Everest is a spine-chilling movie. A great list Dave & Deb!

Check out Maindentrip, the story of the youngest girl to sail around the world, Laura Dekker. I think my wife finally believed we could do it if a 13 year old can.

Thanks for the recommendation!

These ultimate travel tips for when they have a desired of lust.

What about “Blue Hawaii” and any of the Jurassic Park videos for Hawaii?

Thank you for your list – I am constantly looking for good travel movies.

Till the date bucket list is one of my favourite movie 🙂 Thank you for the information about other movies too

Thank you for this great list. I see some old favorites on the list but also a number of movies I need to see. I’ve added them my list. You’re right about movies inspiring travel. After seeing, Under the Tuscan Sun, I’ve always wanted to visit Tuscany. I’m finally making it there soon.

What a fantastic list full of excellent movies! There’s no doubt that these titles can help to light the spark of wanderlust in anyone. I was actually lucky enough to stumble upon the making of Ridley Scott’s upcoming Alien Covenant movie in New Zealand’s Milford Sound. I’m very much looking forward to its release so I can see the spectacular panning shots of that breathtaking landscape. Movies are a great medium to translate the beauty of travel.

No way! That is so cool. I’m such a fan of Alien, it would be amazing to see them filming it. I love seeing landscapes of places I’ve been in movies.

Slumdog Millionaire and Secret Life of Walter Mitty are Good Movies

Nice list – a few of my favourites there: Everest, Into The Wild, Slumdog Millionaire, The Bucket List, Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Nothing like a good movie for inspiring travel.

A few others to consider: The Beach, Midnight Express, Kundun, Seven Years in Tibet…

“Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all of one’s lifetime.” – Mark Twain

Hi, Oh wow I really love this list, seriously is so right! Holidays is another good one that invites you to discover surrey :), I enjoyed so much Amelie, unfortunately I cannot say the same of Paris, Je t’aime, which is other of the “must seen movies”, honestly… overrated… anyways, nice list I really enjoy it.

Great list… something a lot of people leave off the list is Julia and Julia. That movie is HUGE to foodies, chefs, etc… Makes me want to hop on a flight every time I see it! Julia Child was a machine, so glad you guys included that movie on this list!

I am a movie addict person, and I loved to travel. I enjoyed all of these films. Very Inspirational lists. Thank you, Dave, for this excellent Article. Loved it:)

A lots of movies that needed to add here. I watched a few of then not all and find very inspirational and heart touching. Slumdog millionaire is one of my favourite and very heart touching.

I love this list, but I’d add almost any movie filmed in San Francisco, even if they weren’t that good (like “The Wedding Planner” or the “The Rock”). They’d actually have to be filmed there and not just set there, like the last “Godzilla” movie 😉

Thanks for the additions. I loved the wedding planner. Although I just watched it again recently and realized what a schmuck Matthew Macoughnay’s character is. He totally led Jennifer Lopez’s character on and was a jerk to his fiancé. haha. But it’s a good lighthearted romantic comdey. They don’t make enough of those anymore..

I came to this article to ensure you had Romancing the Stone..and you didnt let me down. I used to love that movie growing up. I am totally with you, on thinking about Cartagena as some exotic far away place that I had to visit. I eventually found out the movie wasn’t actually filmed in Cartagena or Colombia because of the dire security situation at that time…but when i finally visited Cartagena, i found it even more magical and exotic than the film…love the film, and love the city even more now.

I am so glad we didn’t let you down! I am also so glad that you felt the same way about Cartagena. I always envision Kathleen Turner saying “come to Cartagena with me” It was such a grand adventure. We need more movies like that!

Cool list! I would add:

– Before Sunrise (Vienna) – Waking Ned Devine (Ireland, though filmed in the Isle of Man) – Lost in Translation (Tokyo)

Great additions. I loved Before Sunrise, I can’t believe I forgot about that one. I saw it in the 90s and then watched the whole trilogy. I haven’t seen Waking Ned Devine, I’m going to check that out and yes, Lost in Translation is a good one for Tokyo. I have to watch that again. I barely remember it, but I do remember loving Bill Murray

Just what I needed, thank you guys. Into the wild is my favourite one on the list.

I don’t think any movie has made us want to travel more than Amelie.

2 Days In Paris, on the other hand, was kind of a turn off.

Amelie celebrated Paris, but 2 Days kinda made fun of it. .-= The Jetpacker´s last blog .. UFO Hotspots — 11 Best Places To See UFOs In The World =-.

I don’t need a movie to inspire me to travel. I always want to travel, but some movies make me want to travel more I guess is how to put it. BTW. I thought Up in the Air stunk and don’t get why it was so popular. I loved In Burges which many people have never seen. Guess I’m just weird. .-= Gwen´s last blog ..Kids Grease Costumes =-.

You’re not weird at all! That is what makes watching movies so great. Everyone has different opinions on them all. We didn’t love Amelie and I have never met another person that didn’t like it. We were more into the quirkiness of Two Days in Paris and nobody liked that one:-)

Great choice, I never really fancied visiting Bruges until watching the hilarious In Bruges (and I agree the film also did Colin Farrell a huge favour). Tuscany is still on my must see list after the gorgeous ‘Stealing Beauty’ and being from the UK, Sideways and Swingers always made me want to go to California.

OK, I obviously need to get myself to the nearest pirated DVD place since I’ve only seen 3 of these movies! Thanks for the advice. .-= Audrey´s last blog ..Couch Surfing with KGB Agents =-.

Fantastic post, though most of these movies I haven’t seen (yet) but Vicky Christina Barcelona has really made me want to see Barcelona. I’m really bad for being easily suggestible when it comes to travel. If a place is featured on a movie or tv have a sudden desire to go there. Like I watch a John Waters movie and I wanna go to Baltimore, or the way Shirley Valentine made me really want to go to Greece. Even places that were never really on my travel to do list, like watching Dexter has made me want to visit Miami (even though most of the show is filmed around LA). .-= Alouise´s last blog ..List 9 – How To Have A Cheesy Time At West Edmonton Mall =-.

Wonderful list! I’ve seen a few of these and just loved them (Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Julie & Julia, In Bruges, Up in the Air, and Romancing the Stone)…..and I still dream of someday going to Cartagena, Columbia because of that movie! There are so many great movies that inspire travel that I’m sure it must have been hard to winnow it down to just eight. The rest of your list I’ll have to add to my Netflix queue! .-= Trisha´s last blog .. PR-Blogger Relations Manifesto =-.

I love that you think of Cartagena because of Romancing the stone. There were so many movies that I had on a list. I could have just listed about 50 and that could have been good enough. Maybe I will do that for a post one day when I am out of ideas:) It was very difficult to narrow it down to eight, we were trying to be a little unique in our choices, but then again, it is hard to be unique when it comes to choosing great travel movies. I guess, it was more of a reminder post. Everyone thinks of the choices like The Beach, The James Bond Movies and the Bourne Movies, but we haven’t thought about Romancing the Stone or Once Upon a Time in Mexico in a while.

Great list! We think movies and books add so much to travel that we brought a bunch with us on our open ended world tour. We’re in France now, so tend to watch French ones here and ones that are family friendly since we travel with a kid. 😉 I think we love the Red Balloon and Chocolate best for France.

Two that really stick out on our trip were Troy ( watched again and again through out Greece while reading Homer, including also while we were in Troy in Turkey) and “The Medici, Godfathers of the Renaissance” a thrilling PBS special series that we watched in Florence before we toured. .-= soultravelers3´s last blog .. Captivating Colliore- France on Bastille Day =-.

Thanks for the additions. I forgot about Chocolate. I loved that movie and Johnny Depp and Juliet Binoche were both so charming. I haven’t seen Red Balloon, I will check it out. It is wonderful to watch movies for inspiration before, after and while you are at that place.

Great choices for movies! Others that come to mind are “Before Sunrise” and “Into the Wild.”

21 Best Travel Movies That Will Inspire Your Wanderlust

By Author Jurga

Posted on Last updated: September 8, 2023

Are you looking for some good movies about travel to kindle your wanderlust? This article has some great suggestions and some of the best travel films of all time . Find out!

Have you ever found yourself inspired to travel to one or the other location just because you saw it in a movie? It happens to me all the time! So in this article, I share some of my favorite travel movies , the ones that got me googling the filming location and planning a trip before the movie was even over.

If you are looking for a good story or some travel inspiration, then you’ll definitely find it in these films. These are one by one great travel movies and stories that will get you out of the couch and booking a trip to discover new destinations.

Below is my personal selection of some of the best travel movies of all time. Take a look!

Click on the title of the movie to see reviews, get a DVD, or watch it on Amazon Prime . Some of these movies are also available on Netflix.

These are the best travel films:

Into The Wild

Into The Wild is an unbelievable true story of a top student and athlete who abandons everything he has and hitchhikes to Alaska to live in the wilderness. This movie will probably stay with you forever.

It’s an inspiring story taking place in the most incredible landscapes of Alaska. If you choose just a few movies to watch from this list, definitely include this one in your selection!

The Way is a heart-warming story of a father who heads overseas to retrace the last days of his son’s life who passed away while traveling the Camino de Santiago trail in the Pyrenees (France – Spain). Once he gets there, he decides to take the pilgrimage himself.

This movie is about family, friendships, and life choices. And of course, the beautiful places along Camino de Santiago. It’s a powerful story that will make you think deeper about the difference of the life we live and the life we choose.

Under The Tuscan Sun

Under The Tuscan Sun is a romantic story that takes place in rural Tuscany . Lovely landscapes, an Italian lifestyle, and a heart-warming life story make it a perfect choice for a relaxing evening.

This beautiful light-hearted movie will get you planning a trip to Tuscany in Italy sooner than you think.

The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty

The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty   is a light-hearted story for a movie night with friends. The movie features some of the most incredible travel destinations all over the world.

A lot of the scenes (even the ones from the Himalayas and Afghanistan) are filmed in Iceland and some in Greenland . The unbelievable adventures of Walter Mitty will leave you longing for an extraordinary adventure of your own.

This film is so good that it has inspired thousands and thousands of people to travel more and discover new places. If you watch just one movie from this list of the best travel films, make it ‘The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’. You’ll love it!

A Walk in the Woods

A Walk in the Woods movie is based on a true story and a book by Bill Bryson, A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail .

The famous writer who never hiked much sets on the Appalachian Trail. With a total length of about 2,200 miles (3,500 km), this famous American hiking trail stretches through 14 states along the east coast of the United States, from Georgia to Maine.

I haven’t read the book and the reviews are somewhat mixed (it seems that people either love or hate Bryson and his writing style). But I find that the movie is really funny, entertaining, and the scenery will definitely inspire you to get outdoors and take a hike of your own.

Out of Africa

Ok, I know it’s an old one, but Out of Africa definitely deserves a place in the all-time favorite travel movies list.

Filmed in Kenya and the UK, this classic that has won 7 Oscars and countless other prizes will definitely get you dreaming of Africa. It’s one of those movies that you can watch again and again.

The Motorcycle Diaries

The Motorcycle Diaries is an awe-inspiring film that is based on the memoirs of Che Guevara.

It will take you to the most beautiful places in South America. A beautiful story in an incredible setting.

In Bruges  is very different from all the rest of the travel movies on this list. But I just had to include this movie in the top-20 of the best travel films because it’s filmed in Belgium, where we live.

It’s a hilarious dark comedy and a great performance by all three main characters in the most fantastic setting in Belgium’s most beautiful fairytale town.

If you haven’t been to Bruges, you’ll definitely want to visit it after watching this movie! Here you can find some inspiration with our insider tips for the best things to do in Bruges .

Before Sunrise – Before Sunset – Before Midnight

If you like Europe and deep meaningful dialogues with a good dose of humor, you’ll love this trilogy called Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight . We only discovered these films recently when we accidentally saw the first one, Before Sunrise, on TV. 

Regarded as one of the most significant films of the ’90s, Before Sunrise, was followed by two more sequels. We watched all three films and loved every second of it.

The first movie takes you to Vienna, Austria, the second one – to Paris, and the third – to the Greek Islands.

These travel films are probably not for everyone, but if you can appreciate this style, you’ll love them all!

Amélie

If you haven’t been to Paris yet, you will definitely want to plan a trip after watching this movie. If you have, you’ll want to return.

Amélie is a beautiful example of French cinema. It will also take you to the most inspiring locations in Paris. The film is set in the Montmartre neighborhood in Paris and shows you the more local side of living in this fascinating city.

This travel movie is based on a true story of a young woman who sets on a journey of over 1,000 miles hoping to recover after the passing of her mother.

Wild  is full of beautiful scenes throughout the Pacific Northwest in the U.S. This is one of those travel films that remind you that often the journey is more important than the destination.

Lost In Translation

A beautiful film that shows the fun and unexpected side of traveling in a new country. Lost In Translation is about the many little random travel experiences that stay with you long after you return back home.

The sights and the energy of Tokyo will get you planning a trip to Japan.

‘Lost in Translation’ is considered a real classic and one of the best travel films ever.

Midnight in Paris

Midnight in Paris is a bit different travel film than all the rest in this selection. And it’s probably not for everyone…

But if you like Woody Allen, Paris, and the artist lifestyle, then you’ll love this surreal story that takes you back to Paris of the 1920s.

A Good Year

A Good Year is a light-hearted romantic story that takes place in the most beautiful setting in the Provence region in the South of France.

This movie will not only inspire you to visit France but might also make you reconsider your life choices. It’s a story about leaving the rat race, getting back to your roots, and enjoying the simple things in life.

A truly great film!

The Way Back

The Way Back is inspired by an incredible true story of seven prisoners from very different backgrounds who try to escape from a Siberian prison in winter.

This movie is filmed in some amazing locations in India, Morocco, and Bulgaria and features some great actors.

The Beach is a great film from the ’90s that has a little bit of everything: good story, beautiful music, and amazing scenery from Thailand. Oh, and the young Leonardo DiCaprio, who once again proves that he deserves the Oscar he finally got recently.

For a while, Thailand even had to close Maya Beach on Koh Phi-Phi due to its increasing popularity which has been attributed mainly to this film. So if you feel inspired to visit Thailand after watching ‘The Beach’, you may want to look for some alternative beaches and beautiful islands.

You can find some inspiration in our Thailand island hopping itinerary .

Tracks is a beautiful adventure film of a young woman who crossed 1,700-miles over the deserts of West Australia with four camels and her faithful dog.

It’s based on a true story and featuring some amazing Australian landscapes. A beautiful film that will inspire you to visit the Australian Outback !

Encounters At The End Of The World

Encounters At The End Of The World is an incredibly beautiful and funny travel film about the people and animals who live in Antarctica.

If Antarctica was not on your travel list yet, it will be after watching this great documentary!

The Bucket List

The Bucket List is sentimental, predictable, and yet a very heart-warming story that will inspire you to tick off your bucket list sooner rather than later.

Filmed in various locations in India, China, Egypt, Tanzania, France, and the U.S., this movie will definitely give you some new ideas for the next trips.

Photos: IMDb

So, this is a list of some of my top travel films and favorite movies about travel. Have you seen any of these films? Which one is your favorite travel movie of all time?

If you found this post helpful, don’t forget to bookmark it and share it with your friends. Are you on Pinterest? Pin this image!

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Monday 18th of September 2023

When I’m always about to go on an adventure I keep coming back to this page to get inspired to travel to somewhere new

Thursday 21st of September 2023

What a great way to find some trip inspiration, Joshua. Happy travels!

Sunday 5th of March 2023

They aren’t travel movies, but The Lord of the Rings trilogy inspired me to go to New Zealand! How could those scenes in the mountains not inspire everyone?

Monday 6th of March 2023

Agree! (and New Zealand is absolutely stunning ;))

Thursday 2nd of March 2023

Thank you for sharing! This list is awesome!

Saturday 22nd of October 2022

If you wanna know one more... U can watch "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara". It means "U won't have a second Life again". It's soo good and so inspiring...thank me later.

Sunday 23rd of October 2022

Thanks for the recommendation, Asif! Will see if we can find this movie.

Sunday 10th of April 2022

Thank you for the awesome movie recommendations

• International edition
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• Europe edition

20 of the best travel films

From Rome to the Amazon, in these 20 films stunning locations play a starring role – and they’re all on now at a laptop or TV near you

REAL-LIFE ADVENTURES

Wild (2014).

Cheryl Strayed decided to walk the Pacific Crest Trail to face her demons, and her memoirs were turned into this uplifting film starring Reese Witherspoon as the inexperienced hiker who turns her life around. Director Jean-Marc Vallée was adamant that the movie be shot entirely on location: the journey starts in the Mojave Desert, heads up to Mount Hood – the highest point in Oregon – and the magnificent Crater Lake, before culminating in the iconic Bridge of the Gods in Cascade Locks on the Oregon/Washington border. Netflix , Google Play , Sky Store . Read the Guardian review

Tracks (2013)

Another memoir adaptation, Tracks stars a young Mia Wasikowska as Robyn Davidson, who spent nine months trekking across the Australian desert on camels. Her journey begins in Alice Springs and takes her across scorching outback to the Indian Ocean, via sights such as Uluru and Coffin Bay. It’s an inspiration for would-be solo travellers, given that Robyn was only accompanied by her dog and, at some points, a photographer (Adam Driver). Amazon , Google Play , Sky Store Guardian review

Into The Wild (2007)

Graduate Christopher McCandless gave away all his possessions and money to charity and hitchhiked across Northern America to Alaska, where he attempted to live in the wild. This poignant account of his journey is directed by Sean Penn and stars Emile Hirsch in many of the real locations visited by Christopher, aka “Alexander Supertramp”. Feast your eyes on peaceful Lake Tahoe, camping at Beard’s Hollow, kayaking down the Colorado River and run with wild horses … There’s plenty to envy until things take a darker turn. Sky Cinema , NOW TV , Amazon Guardian review

Lion (2016)

If you fancy a good cry as well as a virtual trip to India, then Lion is for you. Based on a true story, it tells of a young Indian boy, Saroo (Sunny Pawar) who accidentally boards a train to Kolkata and becomes homeless. After being adopted by an Australian couple, the older Saroo (Dev Patel) searches his memory – and the evolving internet – in an attempt to locate his childhood home and find his family. This is a film with plenty of compassion as well as armchair travel, with locations including Tasmania as well as India. Netflix , YouTube , Google Play Guardian review

Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)

A cheerful comedy-drama about a divorcee rediscovering herself, this memoir adaptation features scenery as charming as the central performance from Diane Lane. Frances Mayes’ pals send her on a tour of Tuscany, where she ends up falling in love with a ramshackle house and buys it on a whim. She meets a plethora of interesting people, including Polish builders and an eccentric old British actor, and becomes a major fixer-upper. The film was shot in and around the town of Cortona, near Arezzo: think gorgeous little houses cut into the hillside overlooking glistening waters. Amazon , YouTube , Google Play , Sky Store Frances Mayes on writing Under the Tuscan Sun

HIKING TALES

Hunt for the wilderpeople (2016).

Go tramping in the New Zealand bush with this adorable comedy-drama directed by Oscar-winner Taika Waititi. A winning family adventure, it sees grumpy foster uncle Hec (Sam Neill) following his cheeky young charge Ricky (Julian Dennison) into the wilderness for a trek that turns into a gripping adventure – and an opportunity for the pair to try out their survival skills. Most of it was filmed around the Auckland area, and includes jaw-dropping scenery that Hec describes as “majestical”. BFI Player , Amazon , Google Play , Sky Store The landscapes behind Hunt for the Wilderpeople

The Way (2010)

Follow in the pilgrims’ footsteps with this touching, meditative drama starring Martin Sheen as a grieving father who decides to walk the ancient spiritual trail after the death of his son (played by Sheen’s son, Emilio Estevez, who also directs). The route to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia takes in sensational landscapes as well as a variety of entertaining characters, including James Nesbitt as an Irish travel writer. Amazon Prime Video , YouTube / Google Play , Sky Store Guardian review

On the Road (2012)

Based on Jack Kerouac’s novel set in the late 1940s/early 50s, literature’s most famous road trip did not make it onto the big screen until 55 years after the book was published. Sam Riley is the writer who heads to Denver, North Carolina, San Francisco and Mexico by car and occasionally bus. Head here to vicariously experience a hedonistic road trip with sexually fluid bohemians played by an array of Hollywood’s hottest, including Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart, Amy Adams, Tom Sturridge and Kirsten Dunst. Amazon Prime Video , Sky Store Guardian review

Captain Fantastic (2016)

This film immediately plunges the viewer into the forests of the Pacific Northwest: you’re greeted by lush green trees, the sound of birdsong and the sight of a deer munching its way through the bush. Said deer is short-lived, however, as a pack of children led by Bodevan (George MacKay) slaughter it and take it home for tea with their father (Viggo Mortensen – who’s also in On the Road). It’s a chance to live out your off-grid fantasies, before the family are plunged back into society on a road trip with entertaining consequences. Netflix / Amazon , Sky Store Guardian review

TRAIN TRIPS

The darjeeling limited (2007).

Three brothers have madcap adventures on a train in this quirky, colourful film that could only have been made by Wes Anderson. Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody and Jason Schwartzman are the warring trio who bicker and bond their way through a scenic rail journey in India. Though the film was shot mainly in Rajasthan, the fictional route also convincingly takes in the Himalayas – and reminds you of the wonders of train travel abroad. Amazon , YouTube / Google Play , Sky Store Guardian review

Before Sunrise (1995)

A train to Vienna is the romantic setting for this cult drama starring Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke. After meeting on the journey, they spend the night walking around the city together. Their frank, naturalistic exchanges are involving and funny, and it’s easy to fall in love with the Austrian capital as the pair jump on trams and ferris wheels along the banks of the Danube. Director Richard Linklater followed this with Before Sunset and Before Midnight, but this remains by far the most romantic in the series. Amazon , YouTube , Google Play , Sky Store Guardian review

LIFE-CHANGING ADVENTURES

The secret life of walter mitty (2013).

A daydreamer finally lives out his travel fantasies in this whimsical adventure based on James Thurber’s short story. Walter (Ben Stiller) works a dull desk job at Life magazine, and goes on a globe-trotting treasure hunt in search of a missing negative by legendary photojournalist Sean O’Connell (Sean Penn). Walter’s travels take him to Greenland, Iceland and the Himalayas, and although some of the locations are stand-ins, the film captures the wonder of globe-trotting in a cosy, feelgood format. Amazon , YouTube , Google Play , Sky Store Guardian review

Patagonia (2010)

The psychological benefits of travel are at the heart of this tender drama that explores the links between Wales and Argentina. A Cardiff couple travel to Patagonia where they are guided by a Welsh-Argentine guide (Matthew Rhys). Meanwhile, an older woman journeys from Argentina to Wales to discover her roots. It’s a moving watch with a fun backstory: Rhys found out about the production when travelling through Patagonia on horseback , where he bumped into the director, Marc Evans, who was scouting for locations. Amazon , iTunes , Google Play Guardian review

Black Mountain Poets (2015)

Rural south Wales provides a handsome setting for this con artist comedy from writer-director Jamie Adams. Alice Lowe and Dolly Wells star as sisters on the run who resort to posing as a pair of famous beat poets at a retreat in the Black Mountains – what could possibly go wrong? As they camp out in nature, the remote location forms a backdrop for their potential redemption, as well as plenty of improvised humour. YouTube , Google Play , BFI Player Guardian review

HISTORICAL TRAVELS

Meek’s cutoff (2010).

You wouldn’t want to re-live the journey these characters make, but the landscape looks remarkable from the safety of your sofa. Loosely inspired by an infamous incident in 1845, it sees a small group of settlers travelling across the Oregon High Desert and becoming increasingly less confident in their guide, Stephen Meek (Bruce Greenwood). Kelly Reichardt’s western shows the gender dynamic slowly shifting as the stakes get higher, and she’s assembled an excellent cast lead by Michelle Williams, Shirley Henderson and Zoe Kazan. Amazon Prime Guardian review

The Lost City of Z (2017)

Explorer Percy Fawcett had a compulsion to travel, undertaking hugely risky journeys in the Amazon in to prove his theories about a disappeared civilisation – theories that were ridiculed by his contemporaries in the early 20th century. James Gray’s film stars Charlie Hunnam as Fawcett, Sienna Miller as his wife, and Robert Pattinson as his right hand man, who helps him navigate the rainforest, which looks tantalisingly beautiful despite the dangers that unfold. Amazon , YouTube , Google Play , Sky Store . Also showing on BBC2 Friday 27 March at 11.05pm Guardian review

Fitzcarraldo (1982)

An ambitious adventurer makes an eventful jungle voyage in Werner Herzog’s German-language classic inspired by the life of Peruvian rubber baron Carlos Fitzcarrald. Notoriously volatile actor Klaus Kinski’s wild eyes glint with lunatic abandon as he dreams of building an opera house in Iquitos, in the Peruvian Amazon, and navigating the Pachitea river in a huge steamboat. The shoot (famously as troubled as the events it depicts) took place in the wilds of Brazil and Peru, where Herzog and cinematographer Thomas Mauch vividly captured the cast’s period costumes against the sights and sounds of the jungle. BFI Player , iTunes Guardian review

CITY BREAKS

2 days in paris (2007).

Julie Delpy writes, directs and stars in this whipsmart dramedy that puts a humorous spin on the notion of a romantic city break. She plays Marion, a photographer who lives in New York and decides to spend two days in the French capital with her neurotic boyfriend Jack (Adam Goldberg). It takes in plenty of famous spots, including the Père Lachaise cemetery, the Pasteur metro station and – should you be missing the Eurostar – the Gare du Nord. Amazon Prime Guardian review

In Bruges (2008)

Who knew a film about a couple of hitmen could showcase a city’s charms so beautifully? The Irish contract killers hiding out in Belgium have very different goals: while Ray (Colin Farrell) just wants to get drunk, Ken (Brendan Gleeson) would prefer to see the cultural sights. And so Martin McDonagh’s bitterly funny black comedy takes in architectural delights such as the Belfry of Bruges as well as canal trips through the medieval city. Amazon , YouTube , Google Play Sky Store Guardian review

Roman Holiday (1953)

Take a trip back in time to Rome, circa 1953, where a princess (Audrey Hepburn) is trying to stay incognito. After she’s befriended by an American reporter (Gregory Peck), he realises her identity, but keeps his a secret in an attempt to get a scoop. Romance follows, along with iconic black and white shots of the Eternal City. Look out for a meeting on the Spanish Steps, a tour of Colosseum and Vespa ride through the city traffic. Sky Cinema , YouTube , Google Play Guardian review

Rental prices generally between £1.99 and £3.49 depending on household subscription status. Netflix and BFI Player films are included in a monthly subscription and are subject to change. Most films also available on DVD/Blu-Ray

Anna Smith is a film critic and host of the podcast, Girls On Film

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The Travel Sisters

Best travel movies that inspire wanderlust.

by The Travel Sisters | Nov 16, 2020 | Travel Inspiration | 23 comments

And if you are looking for more travel inspired things to do at home, here is a list of best travel shows to watch on TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime and other streaming services and fun ways to travel the world from home .

Related:  Best Credit Cards for Streaming Services

Best Travel Movies of All Time to Inspire Wanderlust

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a movie that wowed me. The story of a really boring guy that had always daydreamed about adventure (almost too much) gets the opportunity to take the adventure of a lifetime – and it changes him forever. The story, the imagery, the adventure, will make you quit your job, buy a ticket, get a tan, fall in love and never return.  – Megsy Collins, Travel Freedom Network

I love Wild for the stunning scenery. From the deserts to the mountains, watching it made me want to visit the regions featured in the film. It also has a powerful message. How Strayed dealt with fear and the perceptions made about women made me feel inspired. It can be summed up best in this quote from the movie – “I knew that if I allowed fear to overtake me, my journey was doomed. Fear, to a great extent is born of a story we tell ourselves, and I chose to tell myself a different story from the one women are told. I decided I was safe, I was strong, I was brave. Nothing could vanquish me”.  – Jen, The Trusted Traveller

Along the way, he faces challenges and meets other walkers with different backgrounds from all around the world. I highly recommend The Way as for me it promotes the Camino de Santiago but also the story is very inspirational with a powerful message that shows the difference between “the life we live and the life we choose”. – Dominic Down, Flashpacking Duo

I love this movie, as it is like a moving postcard on Italy. From the rolling hills of Tuscany, to the pretty seaside town of Positano, the visuals fill me with wanderlust and the heart-warming stories in the movie compliment the stunning scenery. We love Italy and often dream of moving there, buying a villa and doing it up, so until our dreams come true, it’s nice to live vicariously through this movie! – Kim-Ling,  Travel-Ling

This film resonates with me because, whether physically or mentally, we have all taken, or will take, a journey to discover what makes us happy. My favorite quote about travel : “Happiness is not a destination. It’s a state of being.” – Colby Holiday, World of a Wanderer

The movie is centered around an Eastern European tourist, Navorski, who was visiting New York City but was denied entry because of a sudden outbreak of civil war in his home nation of Krakozhia. As a result, the Department of Homeland Security didn’t recognize this as a ‘valid’ nation so refused him entry and made him stay inside the airport terminal.

The movie continues to highlight the struggles that Navorski faces, while at the same time offers a very relatable experience to anyone that has spent a considerable amount of time in an airport. I personally enjoy the experience of waiting around in the terminal, whether I am catching up on work or simply people watching, there is always something to do. If I had a similar experience to Navorski, well perhaps I wouldn’t be saying the same thing!  – Chris Boothman,  A Brit & A Southerner

The North Shore of Oahu Island in Hawaii is prominently featured and the cinematography shows off the island’s beauty. Many scenes were filmed at Turtle Bay Resort, which is gorgeous. The surfing scenes were filmed at Hale’iwa beach in Waialua Bay. Perhaps most stunning, are the cliffs where Rachel dares Peter to jump in after her. This was filmed at Laie Point, a dramatic coastline with 30 foot cliffs. With the stunning scenery, this movie gets my wanderlust focused on Hawaii!  – Natalie, Blissmersion

Roman Holiday is a 1953 Audrey Hepburn classic. This romantic comedy follows the adventures of a crown princess who escapes from the restrictions of her scheduled tour of Europe to explore Rome alone and incognito. She meets an American reporter and during various adventures around Rome, they inevitably fall in love.

Although most people think of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s , Roman Holiday was in fact her first major role – and won her the Academy Award for Best Actress . Although Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck are the Hollywood stars of the movie, the real star of the show is the city of Rome. The city provides the perfect backdrop to a very stylish Audrey Hepburn, with all major sights featured, such as the Spanish Steps and the Bocca Della Verita. A gorgeous feel good fairytale! – Marianne,  Mum on the Move

One scene says it all – On a deserted beach in France, a young Joanna muses, ‘Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could just clap our hands and a drink would appear.’ She claps her hands and the scene cuts to the same beach years later, now a crowded construction site for condominiums being built by Mark. As a waiter hands a jaded and unhappily married Joanna a drink she says ‘ Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could just clap our hands and make all these people disappear.’ – Lyn Lindfield,  The Travelling Lindfields

I love this movie because it is not just about friendship but also about travelling to find that special place in your life. A coming of age story. There is a great deal of escapism here, and absolution is not necessarily what you will find at the end of the journey. Even though I don’t like snow and winter, the remote landscapes of northern Sweden and Finland are just beautiful, the people are tough and full of warmth, and the contrast to the grey Irish hometown couldn’t be more striking. A beautiful film throughout and not just your usual Hollywood fare. – Silke Elzner,  Happiness & Things

Watching Crazy Rich Asians would inspire anyone to visit Singapore as it showcases the wonderful and lush lifestyle and the wondrous places in the country. The movie shows the grand Changi Airport about which Rachel comments “looks like an upscale tropical resort”. It then shows popular attractions from the hawker centers to the top of the Marina Bay Sands . Instagrammable places in Singapore like Gardens by the Bay, Singapore Botanic Garden, and also the beautiful Sentosa Island are a part of the Crazy Rich Asians movie. – Sarah,  Hungryoungwoman

Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion’s starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don’t see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it’s not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it’s always there – fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge – they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I’ve got a sneaky feeling you’ll find that love actually is all around.”  – Paula McInerney,  Contented Traveller

Do you agree that these are the best movies about travel ? Did your favorite travel movies make the list?

23 Comments

Excellent list and some inspiration just before the big holidays start!

Thanks! We were looking for some inspiration before the holidays too!

Thanks for publishing this great list. Some of the movies are very close to heart and some other I had not even heard of. 🙂

Now time to watch some.

Same here, excited to check them all out!

So much choice! Excellent idea, thanks for featuring our Scottish contribution (subtitles may be advised!)

Thank you for your contribution! And will take your advice on the subtitles:)

Great list! I will definitely use it next time when looking for some more inspiration to travel. “Eat, Pray, Love” would be my next choice. I watched it once but I liked it so much I could gladly watch it once again. Thank you for including us here and greetings from China :)x

Yes, some movies you can just watch over and over again!

Such a lovely list! Now I have some major movie inspiration to go watch. Thanks for including me 🙂

Thank you! We can’t wait to watch all the awesome contributions too:)

Great list, perfect for a snowy weekend. I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve also submitted your article to StumbleUpon.

Of course we don’t mind! Thank you!

That’s a great list, thanks for the inspiration, ladies! There are many movies in it that I love, like the Walter Mitty one!

Woow.. That is an amazing list. Just the thing I needed before the holiday season for some binge watching sessions 🙂 Few of my own favorites to which are worth adding: The leap year, The Holiday. Under the tuscan sun, Life of Pi and Cast away are my favorites too.

Great it’s! Walter Mitty made me put Iceland almost at the top of my bucket list.

Love this list. I have some serious winter watching here! 🙂

Awesome list!!! I have seen a lot of these, but have immediately started downloading a few of the new ones!

Can I also add the African Queen?

Great list of movies! Not so sure about the Revenant inspires travel. I mean yea, great scenery though look out for the bears. 🙂

Great list! Some of them are worth watching several time. I’d suggest watching and adding A Good Year (Russell Crowe). You will be packing your bags for Provence before it is over.

There are some great suggestions here. One of my favorites is the 100 Foot Journey. Also with the Holidays almost here it is almost time to watch Love Actually!

I’m amazed how many of these I haven’t seen. The beach is the one I remember that first triggered wanderlust in a way back a long time ago. (i just realized how old that movie actually is). As for other comments the Revenant did inspire travel for me since i’m fascinated in exploring history and the “wild west”

Great list!

Definitely check out LE WEEK-END.

A few other travel recommendations: – The RED BALLOON – short film, beautiful views of Paris through eyes of a sweet little boy. – WHITE MANE – short film, capturing the wild horses of Camargue, France. (Same director as Red Balloon.) – AMELIE! – BLOW UP – 1960s London.

Thank you so much for all these inspirations!! Now we´re ready for the next rainy day!

Happy Thursday Girls!

Lots of love from Germany

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The 50 Best Travel Films of All Time

By CNT Editors

It's arguable that, more than any other piece of pop-culture ephemera, movies have the power to transport—to sweep you away on a European adventure ( Before Sunrise ), cross an African desert ( Out of Africa ), even send you to the never-before-seen Paradise Falls ( Up ). These 50 films are especially captivating, with well-told stories that evoke the magic (or harsh reality) of travel, and beautiful scenery that overwhelms the senses. Read on for the favorite travel movies of editors past and present—and get your Netflix queue ready.

This gallery was originally published in 2015 and has been updated.

Roman Holiday (1953)

What’s not to love about this black-and-white classic? It’s got Audrey Hepburn, it’s got Gregory Peck, it’s set in Rome ; there’s a quirky, comical love story. Hepburn plays a princess in town for a goodwill tour, Peck a journalist for an American news bureau who misses his big interview with HRH. When he helps a young, seemingly drunk woman one night and lets her sleep it off in his apartment, he realizes he may have the scoop of his career as the next day’s news reports say the princess has canceled her engagements due to illness. And then he pieces the two together. What follows is a grand romp, with Peck playing the regular joe and local guide to the princess, who just wants to shed the royal obligations and enjoy a little freedom for a change. Their tour of Rome proves the perfect catalyst for their budding romance, and it’s impossible not to have the same effect on the audience. –Corina Quinn

To Catch a Thief (1955)

Cary Grant as a cat burglar, Grace Kelly as a rich debutante, falling in love under the guidance of Alfred Hitchcock? Sold. This stunning thriller was filmed in Cannes and Nice and perfectly captures the Golden Age of travel we always wax poetic about, that time when bringing a gold lamé gown to the beach was a no-brainer. – Meredith Carey

Doctor Zhivago (1965)

Russia during the Soviet Revolution doesn't exactly sound like a prime tourist destination, but director David Lean makes a big argument for the country's haunting beauty in this romantic epic (even thought it was actually shot in Spain). From the opulence of Imperial Moscow to the flowering countryside of the Urals to the windswept Siberian tundra, Lean's camera is as much as in love with the landscape as it is with Julie Christie's doe-eyed Lara. – Jenna Scherer

The Endless Summer (1966)

“Catch a wave and you’re sitting on top of the world,” sang the Beach Boys; and if ever a film embodied that mindset, it’s Bruce Brown’s 1966 surfer documentary. Brown shadowed buddies Robert August and Mike Hynson on a round-the-world surfing trip, filming their travels to places like Hawaii , New Zealand, and South Africa as they crested waves and met like-minded surf obsessives. The film’s impact on surf culture and tourism was huge, thanks in no small part to Brown’s cinematography, as well as the subjects’ ability to make riding those impossibly large waves seem effortless. – Amy Plitt

Laura Kiniry

Stacey Lastoe

Jemima Sissons

Two For the Road (1967)

Travel is a constant theme in this romantic dramedy about a married couple, played by Albert Finney and Aubrey Hepburn. The movie starts off with a road trip to Saint-Tropez, and as they drive through France, the audience is treated to flashbacks of previous trips that have affected their relationship. - Jenni Miller

Easy Rider (1969)

Released the year of the Woodstock festival—perhaps the biggest event of the ’60s counterculture movement— Easy Rider couldn’t have come out at a better time in history. The film plays out like a motorcycle travelogue, following Wyatt (Peter Fonda) and Billy (Dennis Hopper) on their sojourn from Mexico to Los Angeles to New Orleans . Shot on a shoestring budget, the film is flush with desert landscapes and towns that the pair of nogoodniks (and co-stars, like a young Jack Nicholson) pass through on their drug-and-booze-fueled hippie adventure. – Will Levith

Murder on the Orient Express (1974)

While the 2017 remake of Murder on the Orient Express was pretty to look at , you simply can't beat the 1974 original. The mystery boasts an excellent ensemble cast led by Albert Finney as Agatha Christie's iconic Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. He’s minding his own business on the long-distance train when a fellow passenger is murdered in the middle of the night. Poirot agrees to investigate the murder, along with the train's first-class compartment full of characters, ranging from a Russian princess to a gorgeous young countess. Throw in the snowy Yugoslavian countryside, and train travel has never looked so glamorous. (Minus the murder, of course.) – J.M.

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Raiders of the Lost Ark was a giant-sized collaboration between two of the world's biggest blockbuster directors at the time: Steven Spielberg ( Jaws ), who directed, and George Lucas ( Star Wars ), who executive produced. The film follows hunky explorer Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) as he circles the globe on a quest to track down the legendary Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis do. With filming locations in France and Tunisia (which stood in for Egypt ), Raiders is travel porn at its mega-blockbuster best. – W.L.

National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)

Vacation was the world’s introduction to the Griswold family, led by accident-prone dad-in-chief Clark (Chevy Chase). The film spoofs the tried-and-true American tradition of the family road trip , taking the Griswold car through at least two real-life national parks—Death Valley and Grand Canyon—on their way to the fictional amusement park, Walley World. Add in an unforgettable cameo from Christie Brinkley and a hit theme song in “Holiday Road,” and you have a movie every vacationer should watch once in their lifetime. – W.L.

Romancing the Stone (1984)

The ’80s were the era of the action movie, but Romancing the Stone took that concept and blew it out, mixing in pinches of Indiana Jones and pulpy romance novel. Co-starring Reagan Era sex-symbols Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, the adventure begins when novelist Joan Wilder (Turner) travels to Colombia in search of her kidnapped sister. – W.L.

Out of Africa (1985)

Meryl Streep and Robert Redford star in this tragic love story about a married baroness who falls for a big-game hunter, based on the autobiographical novel by Isak Dinesen. Filmed on location in the U.K. and Kenya, including the Shaba National Game Reserve , Out of Africa feels about as epic as the doomed love affair between two very different people. – J.M.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

Set around Thanksgiving, Planes uses the travel rush in the days leading up to the holiday as a more-than-worthy comedic vehicle. Steve Martin goofs as Neal Page, who faces a series of travel nightmares on his trip from New York City to Chicago in advance of Turkey Day. After his flight is canceled due to inclement weather, Page ends up sharing his trip home with salesman Del Griffith, played by the late, great John Candy. The actors' chemistry is hard to deny… especially when they’re sleeping in the same bed together on the road. –W.L.

Withnail & I (1987)

“We’ve gone on holiday by mistake!” Withnail’s (Richard E. Grant) desperate moan is the centerpiece of this British cult comedy, which sees two hard-drinking, unemployed actors escaping the horrors of their impoverished London flat with a trip to the countryside. Naturally, the countryside turns out to be even worse. But the desolate, windswept beauty of Cumbria, in Northern England, is the perfect setting for their self-created drama and melancholy. – J.S.

Thelma & Louise (1991)

Thelma & Louise reinvented the concept of the buddy movie by putting two women on the road, escaping good-for-nothing men and setting off on an adventure of their own making. For the first time, women were at the center of the picaresque. Ultimately, Thelma and Louise don't get their happy ending, but the best coda is knowing their movie paved the way for countless other women to hit the road on their own. – Lilit Marcus

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)

Guy Pearce, Hugo Weaving, and Terence Stamp star as two drag performers and a transwoman who travel to Alice Springs, Australia , in a lavender-hued school bus they've named Priscilla. A road trip across the Outback serves as a dusty backdrop for personal revelations and general awesomeness, like a fireside lip-sync performance of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive." – J.M.

Before Sunrise (1995)

Richard Linklater turned the stroll-and-talk into an art form in his slow-cinema trilogy. It all began with this quiet, lovely indie, which features a baby-faced Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy flirting and philosophizing as they wander the cobblestone streets of Vienna after hours. The city becomes the third character in the romance, just as Paris would nine years later in Before Sunset, and Messenia, Greece, nine years after that in Before Midnight. All three movies are a testament to travel's power to realign your perception of your own life. – J.S.

The English Patient (1996)

From its star-crossed love story to its sweeping cinematic shots, few movies of the modern era are as lavishly romantic as this adaption of Michael Ondaatje's Booker Prize–winning novel. With a storyline split between pre-war Egypt and post-war Italy, director Anthony Minghella gives us artfully crafted glimpses of both locations: a bombed-out villa in Tuscany and Lawrence of Arabia -esque sweeps of the Egyptian desert (actually filmed in Tunisia). – J.S.

The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

It may be creepy as hell, but The Talented Mr. Ripley also happens to be one of the most beautiful depictions of Italy ever captured on film. Set in the 1950s, the movie follows a group of pretty young things (including Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Matt Damon as the titular sociopath) on their luxurious-slash-murderous holiday, from the pristine beaches in Lazio to the opulent hotels in Venice . – Caitlin Morton

The Beach (2000)

Richard (played by a boyish Leonardo DiCaprio) finds himself tramping from one Thai hostel to the next, desperately searching for something meaningful. A tip from a fellow traveler in Bangkok sends him on a journey to a hard-to-reach island, described as the ultimate paradise—white sands, clear water, and only a handful of other travelers who’ve sworn to keep its location a secret. But, of course, paradise isn't exactly what it seems—and the same goes for real life too, as fans have since trashed the filming location , Maya Beach, forcing its closure. – Megan Spurrell

Y Tu Mamá También (2001)

Y Tu Mamá También follows two best friends and a sexy older woman as they road trip through Mexico, searching for a magical (and fictional) beach called Heaven’s Mouth. Director Alfonso Cuarón shows the beautiful nature of Oaxaca , but also gives a no-holds-bar glimpse into the poverty that exists in Mexico—an aspect that most films set there simply gloss over. – C.M.

Amélie (2001)

Paris is one big shiny confection in this sun-drenched modern fairy tale. Jean-Pierre Jeunet's camera looks at the city through candy-colored lenses, primarily following his quirky-loner heroine (Audrey Tautou) through the winding streets of Montmartre. Everything seems to be lit from within, from the green water of the Canal Saint-Martin to the lurid red lights of a Pigalle sex shop. The city has never looked so dreamy. – J.S.

L’Auberge Espagnole (2002)

For anyone who’s ever studied or lived abroad, discovering L’Auberge Espagnole (i.e. “the Spanish Inn”) is like finding the Rosetta Stone. The film follows a French student, Xavier, who travels to Barcelona in search of himself. Cooped up in a giant apartment with six other contemporaries—all from different countries—Xavier wades through the muddy waters of cohabitation with men and women who don’t share his customs or language. Look out for a fantastic post- Amélie cameo by Audrey Tautou. – W.L.

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Steven Spielberg's stylish caper tells the real-life story of Frank Abagnale (Leonardo DiCaprio), a teenage con artist who manages to avoid the feds while pulling off elaborate schemes. Abagnale famously impersonated a Pan Am pilot, and the film plays this up with plenty of vintage air travel eye candy. – A.P.

Catch a glimpse of Eero Saarinen's space-age TWA terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport, in a conversation between Abagnale and Carl Hanratty, played by Tom Hanks. The terminal has been turned into a hotel , which just officially opened in May 2019. – M.C.

Lost in Translation (2003)

Lost in Translation chronicles the budding friendship of two Americans in Tokyo (played with the perfect amount of resignation by Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson), shot in typically beautiful Sofia Coppola fashion. From the upmarket Park Hyatt hotel to the neon-filled karaoke bars and streets, the movie is like a tourism ad for Tokyo. But more importantly, it’s a melancholy portrayal of loneliness—even in a city filled with millions of people. – C.M.

Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)

Before there was Eat, Pray, Love , there was Under the Tuscan Sun —the story of a woman who buys a villa in Italy after her marriage falls apart. As we watch Frances (Diane Lane) renovate her gorgeous new house and take day trips to the Amalfi Coast, the thought of dropping everything to move to Tuscany suddenly doesn’t seem so ridiculous. – C.M.

Sideways (2004)

The allure of California’s fantastic vineyards is well known (and documented), but wine culture still has a sniff of exclusivity. That’s what makes Sideways, whose wine-touring protagonist is actually a middle-aged slob, so relatable—and hilarious. Aside from telling a great story with great characters, the movie also happens to showcase some of the most beautiful vineyards and tasting rooms in Santa Barbara. Have a glass while you watch—just not merlot. – C.M.

The Motorcycle Diaries (2004)

This is where it all began for Ernesto "Che" Guevara (Gael García Bernal), whose road trip across Latin America with his pal Alberto Granado (Rodrigo de la Serna) opened Che's eyes to political injustice. Director Walter Salles filmed their travels through major landmarks in South America, as per Che's memoir, from the Andes mountain range to Machu Picchu and even a leper colony in San Pablo. – J.M.

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

And you thought your family road trips were dysfunctional. How about cramming your elderly father-in-law, voluntarily mute son, suicidal brother, overworked husband, and quirky daughter with beauty queen aspirations into a lemon of a VW bus? Toni Collette manages just fine (sort of). I'm stressed just thinking about it, but somehow Little Miss Sunshine manages to find that perfect intersection of humor and nostalgia that makes you feel warm and fuzzy by the time the movie ends. – M.C.

The Darjeeling Limited (2007)

Wes Anderson reimagines the all-American family road trip as a rail journey across India. Set on a cramped train rattling across the subcontinent, Darjeeling juxtaposes the claustrophobia of travel against the backdrop of Rajasthan's vast open spaces . Anderson's love of strange and beautiful objects is very much at home in the colorful, busy aesthetic of India; but the movie's most arresting visuals come in the form of barren desert and mountain landscapes. – J.S.

Into the Wild (2007)

The true story of Christopher "Alexander Supertramp" McCandless's disappearance and demise in the Alaskan wilderness can be viewed as poetic or moronic, depending who you talk to. But there's no denying the essential sense of beauty and desolation in Sean Penn's filmic take on the story. As McCandless, Emile Hirsch rides the rails, kayaks the Colorado River, summits snowy peaks, races into the Pacific, and embodies a classically American vision of unchecked wanderlust—exuberant, unstoppable, and foolish. – J.S.

In Bruges (2008)

"Maybe that's what hell is: The entire rest of eternity spent in effin' Bruges ." Cinema has given us few vacationers as reluctant as Ray (Colin Farrell), an Irish hit man lying low in Belgium's most picturesque city. With its gentle, touristy beauty, the medieval town makes an unlikely setting for Martin McDonagh's darkly comic tale of mob justice—which, of course, only makes it funnier. – J.S.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

Woody Allen movies usually pay homage to New York City, but he switched geographical gears for 2008’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona . The film shows the adventures and subsequent love affairs of two young women visiting Barcelona , and the city ends up becoming a character itself. As you see all of the gorgeous architecture and landscapes through these tourists’ eyes, you’ll want to hop on a plane and listen to acoustic Spanish guitar immediately. – C.M.

Up might have been rendered as a digital “cartoon” in the vein of Toy Story , but it’s anything but a kid's film. A heart-wrenching tale of love and loss, the film follows septuagenarian Carl (voiced to crotchety perfection by Ed Asner) and his young friend, Russell, as they travel to South America together in Carl’s house-turned-dirigible (we’ll leave it up to your imagination). Up is one of those rare travel films that makes you realize that you’re just floating on like everybody else is on this giant, blue orb called Earth, with nothing holding you down except maybe a little gravity. Have a box of tissues handy. – W.L.

Up in the Air (2009)

George Clooney stars as Ryan, a “downsizing expert” (i.e., companies hire him to fly all across the country to inform strangers they’ve lost their job) who loves life on the road. An obsessive frequent flyer, he’s also about to reach his goal of getting a million miles. The arrival of a young upstart Natalie (Anna Kendrick) who wants to downsize via video conferencing—possibly eliminating their need to travel—sets the two on the road, for him to mentor her. He also meets Alex (Vera Farmiga), a woman equally in love with her transient life, and the two begin meeting up when their schedules overlap. Natalie’s growing disillusionment with the business they’re in, along with Ryan’s deepening relationship with Alex, begin to challenge his cherished way of life, and make him question what that collection of miles is really worth. – C.Q.

Away We Go (2009)

A few months before their baby is due, Verona (Maya Rudolph) and Burt (John Krasinski) decide to take a road trip to find the perfect location to raise their family. Their journey takes them from Phoenix and Tucson to Madison and Montreal , a city that has never seemed more friendly or inviting. The movie is a wonderful tour of North America’s cities, as well as a touching tribute to love and family. – C.M.

The Trip (2010)

Not quite a buddy comedy—you get the sense that the characters played by British comedians Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan may not even like each other very much—this meandering 2010 film is hilarious nevertheless. Brydon and Coogan road-trip through England to dine in fancy restaurants, all the while one-upping each other’s jokes and pondering the meaning of life, death, and relationships. Come for the beautiful shots of the English countryside , but stay for the goofy jokes—particularly the brilliant bit riffing on Michael Caine and Sean Connery impressions. – A.P.

Midnight in Paris (2011)

Gil Pender, played by Owen Wilson, is a wide-eyed screenwriter and aspiring novelist on a trip to Paris with his fiancée (Rachel McAdams). Like many tourists in the City of Light, he retraces the steps of Parisian creatives past, drinking coffee (and absinthe) in the same places they once did—until, late one night, a car of these very icons appears, sweeping him back in time to an evening of revelry among the literati of the 1920s. Sure it's time travel, but past or present, Paris always enchants. – M.S.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011)

Facing widowhood, and the realities of aging, a handful of Brits decide to flip retirement on its head. Rather than succumb to creaking stairlifts and hospital-grade linens that come with retirement at home, they follow advertisements for the Marigold Hotel in Jaipur, India , which promises grandiose accommodations at a bargain—and an exhilarating second act. Cue tangled love stories, easy laughs, and endearing fish-out-of-water moments delivered by a crowd-pleasing ensemble cast (including Judi Dench, Celia Imrie, and Bill Nighy), who prove how deeply travel can stir us, at any age. – M.S.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)

Walter Mitty is the visual embodiment of "wanderlust," following a daydreaming, work-laden Life magazine employee (played by Ben Stiller) as he embarks on a journey his own imagination couldn't have conjured. Looking for one lost, cover-worthy photo slide from renowned photojournalist Sean O'Connell (Sean Penn), Mitty heads from the streets of Manhattan to Greenland to Iceland and even to the Himalayas. It's a stunning, fantastical movie that'll get even an armchair traveler up to the passport office. – M.C.

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Of all the fictional hotels in the cinematic world, none come close to rivaling the top-notch service of the Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson's hyper-stylized confection. Complete with a world-class dining room and pink façade, the hotel owes much of its success to Monsieur Gustave (Ralph Fiennes), the most dedicated concierge of all time. Whether he’s fighting off murderous armies or providing, er, "company" to the older female guests, it becomes immediately clear that Gustave would truly do anything for his beloved GBH. – C.M.

Tracks (2014)

Standing in for real-life writer Robyn Davidson, Mia Wasikowska travels across the breathtaking landscape of Western Australia with only four camels and a beloved dog for company. Her occasional human visitors include a photographer for National Geographic (Adam Driver), an indigenous Australian elder named Mr. Eddy who guides her through sacred lands, and various tourists who come to gawk at the so-called Camel Lady. Davidson’s solo trip was beyond the pale for a woman in the '70s, but it's still incredibly inspiring today. We'll just leave the camel-training to someone else. – J.M.

Wild (2014)

Reese Witherspoon donned a pair of ill-fitting hiking boots and a giant backpack for her role as Cheryl Strayed , a writer who trekked 1,100 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail after the devastating loss of her mother. (The film is based on Strayed’s best-selling 2012 book of the same name.) Strayed crosses the dusty Mojave, crazy forests, snowy fields, and muddy trails, losing toenails but gaining mental clarity—or at least self-acceptance—along the way. – J.M.

Spectre (2015)

Art imitates life, but this time it was the other way around. The 26th James Bond movie's intro scene follows Daniel Craig through a Mexico City Dia de los Muertos parade that didn't actually exist until enough tourists showed up that the city decided to create one in the movie's image . As in most Bond movies, the plot crosses a multitude of borders, from Austria to Italy to Morocco, as the MI6 agent fights the global criminal organization Spectre and a perfectly villainous Christoph Waltz. – M.C.

Carol (2015)

A forbidden 1950s love affair between shop girl and photographer Therese (Rooney Mara) and soon-to-be divorcee Carol (Cate Blanchett) grows stronger on a winding road trip, that takes the couple from New York City through Ohio, Illinois, and Iowa, before reality catches up. The Oscar and Golden Globe nominee is a great period piece as well as a love letter to road trips. – M.C.

Call Me By Your Name (2017)

Consider Luca Guadagnino's Call Be By Your Name a starter guide to the Italian countryside life (specifically in Bergamo, and greater Lombardy) you've always wanted: Riding bikes through hundred-year-old piazzas, fossil-diving in Lake Garda, and waking up to a breakfast of soft-boiled eggs and freshly picked peaches. – Rachel Coleman

Roma (2018)

Another Mexico-based film directed by Alfonso Cuarón, Netflix’s Roma follows the story of Cleo, an indigenous woman working as a maid in 1970s Mexico City (Cuarón hometown). The sweeping black-and-white masterpiece provides glimpses of CMDX's Colonia Roma neighborhood, complete with shuttered house-fronts and laundry fluttering on clothes lines across the rooftops. While Colonia Roma is a tad more gentrified today (think lots of coffee shops and Airbnb properties ), Cuarón's film perfectly captures the neighborhood he grew up in some 50 years ago. – C.M.

Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

Crazy Rich Asians tells the story of Rachel Chu, a Chinese-American professor who travels to Singapore to meet her fiancé's wealthy family. The world of Singapore's old-money elite is filled with yacht parties and royal weddings, but between all that extravagance, Rachel—and viewers—get glimpses of the city's greatest hits: Gardens by the Bay , the infinity pool of Marina Bay Sands , Chinatown's pastel-colored shophouses, and allll the hawker center street food . If you saw the movie and immediately started researching your next trip to Singapore, you're not alone: Orbitz reportedly saw a 20% spike in inquiries to the city in the week following the movie's premiere. Now if only we could figure out how to spend the night in the Young family mansion... – C.M.

Midsommar (2019)

Midsommar was easily one of the most discomforting movies of 2019. But two things shone beautifully through all the creepy cult rituals: Florence Pugh’s performance, and the sunny countryside of Sweden. (Most scenes of the Hårga village were actually filmed just outside of Budapest, but the filmmakers definitely tricked us into wanting to visit Sweden in June.) Scandinavia’s famous midnight sun was used as a tool to warp time and unsettle viewers, but it sure did shed some serious light on northern Sweden’s decorated farmhouses, verdant meadows, and coniferous forests. Just stay away from the mushroom tea, and you’ll be fine. – C.M.

The Farewell (2019)

Golden Globe award–winning Awkwafina stars in this movie about the Chinese-American experience, the power of family, and the importance of levity in the face of grief. The movie follows Billi (played by Awkwafina) as she heads from her home in New York City to visit her grandmother and extended family in Changchun, in northeast China. Visiting under the guise of a wedding—and the reality of a secret cancer diagnosis for her grandmother, Nai Nai—Billi struggles to adjust to mainland Chinese life, and the reality that her grandmother may not always be around. It's absolutely a tear jerker. But it's also funny, sweet, and ultimately heart-warming, with the lives of first-generation Americans and daily life in China taking center stage. –M.C.  

Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood (2019)

Quentin Tarantino’s films tend to focus more on plot and character development than setting, but the director still knows how to incorporate location into his complex storylines. (I’d lie if I said the Kill Bill movies didn’t make me want to visit Japan even more than I already did.) The best example of this technique can be seen in his latest movie, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood . Rather than relying on mood and language alone, Tarantino uses slow pans across Hollywood Boulevard and backdrops of recognizable sites like Westwood Village to give us a (slightly fantastical) sense of Los Angeles in the late 1960s. Many scenes were filmed in still-standing bars in restaurants , in case you want to recreate some of the less murder-y storylines for yourself. – C.M.

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75+ Best Travel Movies to Inspire Your Wanderlust

Home » Blog » Travel » 75+ Best Travel Movies to Inspire Your Wanderlust

 curated a giant list of wanderlust-inducing movies that’ll make you feel as if you are on an adventure far, far away. This list of travel movies covers all genres, from comedies to dramas to documentaries and even a big section of travel series on Netflix!

It’s not always possible to jump on a plane bound for a far-flung destination, but that doesn’t mean your wanderlust just quietly subsides. Nah, that’s when those itchy feet get even itchier. We know the struggle all too well, friends.

There’s no real cure, but sometimes looking at old travel photos does the trick and other times, getting wrapped up in a good travel book makes you almost feel like you did get on that plane after all…

But let’s be real, sometimes you just need to curl up on your couch and turn your brain off for a while. Finding a good travel movie (or Netflix series!) lets you escape reality andexperience the magic of traveling without ever leaving your living room.

We’ve curated a giant list of travel movies including some of our personal favorites as well as some films that are on our to-watch list. Some of these movies are specifically about travel, while others give you a glimpse into places around the world that might inspire your next big trip.

Whether you’re an avid traveler or someone who prefers to “explore” from the comforts of home, these movies will transport you to new and exciting locations around the globe. So bring on the popcorn and cozy slippers and get ready for your next travel adventure!

Types of Travel Movies

We’ve done our best to round up a variety of different kinds of travel movies — from comedic and light-hearted tales to action-packed thrillers to educational series. There is even a section of Netflix-produced films for easy accessibility! Whatever your movie genre preferences, you’ll find pretty much everything on the list.

Psst! Be sure to look for our personal notes, as we’re sharing our favorites on this list as well as a handful that are on our to-watch list!

Jump to the type of movie you prefer and see all the options we’ve gathered just for you:

Action & Adventure

Inspirational travel movies.

Travel & Romance

Outdoor Adventure Movies

Animated Travel Movies

Travel documentaries, netflix original travel series.

If you’re looking for a little comedic relief and some light-hearted travel inspiration, these movies are for you!

The Bucket List

Where: Around the world

What: This is the uplifting story of two strangers who decide to make the most out of life while facing their impending deaths. 

Two strangers nearing the end of their lives form a bond while sharing a room in the hospital. They decide to take a journey across the globe together checking off items on a list of things they want to accomplish before they kick the bucket. 

Watch trailer | Purchase | Rent

Crazy Rich Asians

Where: Singapore, New York City

What: A romantic comedy about love exceeding cultural barriers and family and societal pressures. 

TWS Favorite!

In this hilarious and heart-warming film, a girl from New York City, Rachel, agrees to go to Singapore with her boyfriend Nick to meet his family for the first time. She discovers his family is not only crazy-rich but he is also one of the country’s most eligible bachelors and she must fight off the competition – mostly his family – who don’t believe she is good enough for him. 

Watch trailer | Purchase | Rent  

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Where: Iceland, Greenland, New York City

What: An inspiring film about stepping into the unknown and embracing unexpected adventures.  

Based on a short story, this movie is a blend of adventure, comedy and drama. The viewer follows the life of Walter Mitty, a man who is living an ordinary and often boring life but daydreams of more. Adventures begin to unfold when he steps out of his comfort zone, and he follows a hunch that brings him to Greenland and Iceland. A little predictable at times, but we like this movie a lot! The stunning landscapes and inspirational storyline are always a good pick-me-up. 

Psst! When this movie makes you want to pack your bags and travel to Iceland , we’ve got tons of tips and useful info for you!

Lost in Translation

Where: Tokyo, Japan

What: A comedic drama about an unlikely friendship and facing personal challenges.

Bob is an aging American actor on assignment in Tokyo where he meets Charlotte, a young college graduate who’s been left behind by her photographer husband. Gradually the pair forms an unlikely friendship and face the challenges in their lives that they were running away from. 

Inspired to travel to Tokyo after watching this movie? We’ve got a huge list of the best things to do in Tokyo to help you plan a future trip!

The Darjeeling Limited

Where: India

What: A comedic film that examines the role of grief, extravagance and spirituality in the bond of family. 

Three brothers set out on a so-called “spiritual journey” to try and reconnect a year after the death of their father. Their adventure takes them across India on a train called the Darjeeling Limited and forces them into self-reflection. 

Where: Bruges, Belgium

What: A dark comedy set in a beautiful medieval city in Belgium   

After a job goes wrong, Irish hitmen, Ray and Ken, decide to hole up in Belgium until things cool down. In the medieval city of Bruges, they meet tourists and locals and even find romance. 

Last Holiday

Where: Europe

What: A comedic film about breaking out of your shell, throwing caution to the wind and finding true happiness in life. 

After the discovery of a terminal illness, a shy woman (aka Queen Latifah) cashes out her bank accounts and jets off to Europe to live out her last days like a millionaire. Her positive attitude charms everyone she meets, the only thing she is missing is her long-time crush. While this movie might be a bit cheesy and cliché, it’s an uplifting comedy for a light-hearted movie night. 

Midnight in Paris

Where: Paris, France

What: A comedic film in which Woody Allen mocks the classic American ideals of status and class, set against the backdrop of nightlife in Paris. 

While on vacation in Paris with his fiancee and her family, Gil is having a hard time fitting in with her stuffy, pretentious family. In the midst of trying to finish his debut novel, he is beguiled by the city, which takes him to a time past, away from his fiancee.

The Hangover Part II

Where: Thailand  

What: The sequel to The Hangover, this movie follows a group of friends on a comedic adventure in Bangkok, Thailand.

If you’ve seen the original, you know this group of friends makes some poor decisions that lead to cringe-y but laugh-out-loud consequences like face tattoos and marrying strangers. Set 2 years after the original movie, one of the friends (Stu) is getting married in Thailand, and all that can go wrong does…

Psst! If all the bad things that happen in this movie don’t scare you away from planning a trip to Thailand , we’ve got all the information you need!

Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

What: An uplifting tale of self-discovery, romance, and second chances.

Seven strangers decide to uproot their lives in the UK and live out the remainder of their golden years in what is promised to be a luxury resort for seniors. They get a lot more than they bargained for when they arrive in India to find the hotel in less than operational standards. However, with the encouragement of the hotel’s enthusiastic owner, they form unlikely bonds and bring the hotel and each other back to life. 

What: Uplifting film about a young woman who sets out on a mission to make other people’s lives better.

This quirky comedy is set in Paris, and brings you on a journey through this iconic city. The story follows Amélie, a young woman with a unique perspective on the world who is making it her mission to bring her own unique sense of justice to the world. As she’s helping others, she embarks on her own love story. 

Watch trailer | Purchase

Up in the Air

Where: Airports

What: The ups and downs in the lives of (very) frequent travelers.

This witty comedy starring George Clooney and Anna Kendrick, mostly takes place in airports and in the air instead of the destination itself. While it’s focused on travel for business, most travelers can relate to the “airport life” that you either love or hate, but can’t really escape.

Watch trailer | Watch Movie (Free with Amazon Prime Video)

Note: If you dig the airport setting, then be sure to check out Catch Me If You Can and The Terminal .

Be on the edge of your seat as you journey across the world with these dramatic tales adventures that take place around the globe. No packing necessary! Although you might want to keep the Kleenex box nearby for a few of the movies on this list…

Where: Thailand

What: This drama based on the best selling novel of the same name, examines the idea of self-discovery and limits of a utopian society. 

TWS Favorite! (We also like the book !)

Young American backpacker Richard arrives in Thailand with a thirst for adventure and the desire to discover something new. After hearing rumors about “The Beach”, he sets out to find paradise with his new friends. Soon after they arrive on the idyllic island, they realize that paradise isn’t always what it seems and find themselves in a fight for their own survival. 

The Motorcycle Diaries

Where: Motorcycle trip around South America

What: A film about two young men on a journey to “forget who they were and discover who they are.”

TWS Favorite! (This is a book too !)

A biopic based on the memoir of 23-year-old Ernesto “Che” Guevara (later known as a Marxist guerilla leader and prominent figure of the Cuban Revolution, Che Guevara) as he finds his calling in life while on a motorcycle road trip across South America with his best friend Alberto. 

Where: Morocco, Japan, Mexico and the US

What: This film gives an interesting take on cultural diversity and the barriers that both separate and connect humankind around the world. 

Told non-linearly, this is the story of four disparate groups of people on 3 separate continents whose destinies are intertwined after an accidental shooting leaves an American tourist fighting for her life in a remote village of Morocco. The film depicts the emotional struggles and traumatic situations as each of the characters tries to deal with their problems and winds up making an even greater mess of things. 

Where: India and Australia

What: A biographical drama based on the memoir of Saroo Brierley.

At 5 years old, Sarroo is separated from his family in an unlucky series of events that leaves him alone on the streets of Calcutta, facing many challenges while thousands of miles from home. After being adopted by an Australian family, 25 years later he sets out on a journey through India to find his long-lost family. 

Y Tu Mama También 

Where: Mexico

What: With a combination of drama, comedy and sex, this coming-of-age film follows two teenage boys on their road trip across Mexico.

Julio and Tenoch, like most 17-year old boys, are driven by raging hormones, intense friendships, and a reckless rush towards adulthood. While on a cross-country road trip over the course of a summer with an older female companion, the two best friends get into plenty of trouble but ultimately find connection with each other, themselves and the world around them. 

Seven Years in Tibet

Where: Nepal, Tibet

What: Based on the memoir, this is the film adaptation of the real life events that lead Heinrich Harrer to spend seven transformational years in Tibet.

Follow legendary explorer, Heinrich Harrer, on his extraordinary journey across the frozen Himalayas. From being imprisoned by the Chinese to becoming one of the first Europeans to enter Tibet and the Forbidden City of Lhasa where his friendship with the young Dalai Lama transforms his life. 

The Impossible

What: Based on a true story of survival and the desperate drive to be reunited with family. 

In 2004, tragedy struck Southeast Asia in one of the worst natural disasters in human history. The Bennett family is on holiday in Thailand when a tsunami hits without warning, devastating the country and separating the family, leaving them to survive the initial impact and embark on a heart-wrenching search to reunite amongst the chaotic aftermath.   

Memoirs of a Geisha

Where: Japan

What: A Cinderella story set in a mysterious and exotic world where against all odds a house servant rises to decide her own destiny.

Sold to a geisha house at the age of nine-years-old, Chiyo Sakamoto becomes a victim of unpleasant circumstances, but her fate changes when she meets Mameha. The relationships of two couples become complicated and deceitful and Chiyo blossoms to become the most captivating geisha of her time. 

Half of a Yellow Sun

Where: Nigeria

What: A drama that brings together the lives of four people during the struggle to establish an independent republic in Nigeria.

On the top of our to-watch list!

Twin sisters from a wealthy Nigerian family, who were educated in England, return to Nigeria to take wildly different paths in life. However, both become swept up in the struggle of the Nigerian civil war.

Watch trailer | Purchase (Free on Amazon Prime Video) | Rent

Slumdog Millionaire

What: Loosely based on a true story, this is one young man’s emotional and uplifting tale of rising above circumstance to fulfill what he believes is his destiny. 

A Mumbai teen becomes a contestant on the Indian version of the show ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?’ When he is accused of cheating, he reflects on his childhood in the slums, his struggles and his long lost love, revealing how he knew all the answers.

If your favorite kind of movies usually involve guns, spies, or some kind of action hero who narrowly escapes death multiple times before the credit scene, then these travel movies are for you!

Where: North Africa

What: An action-packed comedy following treasure hunters on an adventure through the most dangerous parts of Northern Africa.

An explorer finds the adventure of a lifetime when he and his wise-cracking sidekick venture through some of the most dangerous parts of North Africa in search of a lost Civil War battleship known as the Ship of Death. Using their wits and clever heroics, they partner up with a beautiful WHO doctor who believes the ship may have something to do with the mysteriously spreading plague she is investigating.

Indiana Jones

Where: US, UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, Jordan, Egypt, India, China, Peru, etc. etc. etc.!

What: A classic action series based on the around the world adventures of Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones, a fictional professor of archaeology. 

TWS Favorite: These were my favorite movies growing up as a kid, and they still spark a sense of adventure in me today!

Follow the adventures of Dr. Indiana Jones and his unlikely sidekicks as he sets out on assignments to find ancient artifacts and save the world from Nazis and bad guys. Though the original 3 movies were filmed in the 80s, they are filled with action-packed comedy that has stood the test of time and still carry a fan-base to this day.

Raiders of the Lost Ark: Peru, USA, Nepal, Egypt, Tunisia

Temple of Doom: China, India

The Last Crusade: USA, Venice, Jordan

While there was a 4th Indiana Jones (Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) released in 2008, and a 5th set to hit theaters in 2021, we’d definitely recommend starting with the originals!

The Da Vinci Code

Where: France, UK

What: An action-packed mystery thriller is based on the best selling novel about a fictional professor of Symbology. 

Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon travels to Paris to investigate a murder inside the Louvre. Once he realizes he’s under investigation, he pairs up with the deceased’s daughter following clues hidden inside Da Vinci’s works to discover a religious secret that could shake the foundations of Christianity. 

Like this movie? Watch the following two films in the series: Angels & Demons and Inferno .

The Italian Job

Where: Italy, Los Angeles

What: An action-packed crime drama following a group of professional thieves from Italy to Los Angeles.  

Professional thief Charlie Croker pulled off the heist of a lifetime in Italy, but was betrayed by one of his team members and left for dead. Along with the help of his former boss’s safe-cracking daughter, Croker assembles a team of con artists and formulates a plan to retaliate by stealing back the gold from his former ally. 

City of God

Where: Brazil

What: This action-heavy film illustrates the crippling effect of poverty with limited choices for survival. 

Set in the poverty-stricken favelas of Rio de Janeiro in the 1970s, this film follows two young men as they navigate the increasing drug-related violence of their neighborhood. José is an ambitious drug dealer who uses photographer Rocket, and his photos of the crime-ridden slums, as a way to increase his fame while a turf war erupts with his rival. The film was shot on location in Rio’s poorest neighborhoods.

The Tourist

Where: Italy

What: A romantic action thriller about the dangerous world of espionage. 

An American tourist is seeking solace in Italy after a recent heartbreak finds his life turned upside down when he meets a beautiful woman on a train going to Venice who convinces everyone that he is her lover who is wanted by the police.

Lord of the Rings trilogy

Where: Middle-earth (aka New Zealand)

What: A series of three epic fantasy adventure films based on the novel written by J. R. R. Tolkien.

Set in the fictional world of Middle-earth, the films follow the hobbit Frodo Baggins as he and his companions embark on a quest to destroy a ring that will ensure the destruction of its evil maker and save the free people of Middle-earth.

This epic fantasy adventure is filmed mostly on location in New Zealand , so while the movie may take place in a fictional land, the landscapes give a peek into the real-world southern hemisphere destination. 

If you are looking to be lifted up and inspired, these feel-good movies will bring you along on transformational journeys and will reignite your wanderlust.

The Art of Travel

Where: Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Bolivia and California

What: A film that explores the very nature of wanderlust, how it informs character and transforms life.

On his wedding day, Connor walks out on his cheating bride-to-be and decides to embark on his honeymoon alone. While on the road in Central and South America he befriends a ragtag group of travelers and encounters both physical and metaphorical obstacles as he learns the art of travel.

Watch trailer | Watch (Free on Amazon Prime Video)

Hector and the Search for Happiness

Where: UK, China, Africa

What: One man’s search around the globe for joy and ultimately purpose. 

Disillusioned by his own existence, psychiatrist Hector feels he is a fraud for treating patients who never seem to improve or get any happier. Finally reaching his breaking point, he decides to make a change and embarks on an international quest to find the formula for happiness. 

Where: Australia

What: Based on the bestselling memoir, this drama chronicles the author’s solo journey across the Australian desert.

Mia, a young Australian woman, sets off on a journey to find solitude by embarking on a solo trip across the desert from Alice Springs to the Indian Ocean. She is accompanied only by her dog and 4 camels to make the 9-month journey on foot.

Whale Rider

Where: New Zealand

What: An uplifting family drama that questions gender roles in cultural traditions. 

When her twin brother dies at birth, Pai decides to fulfill the destiny he was given to become the chief of their Maori tribe in New Zealand. The only problem is, only males are allowed to become chiefs. With the help of her grandmother and the training of her uncle, the 12-year-old strives to win over her ultra-traditional grandfather and claim her birthright. 

Learning about Maori culture is one of the many things you should know before planning a trip to New Zealand .

The Fundamentals of Caring (Netflix Original)

Where: Road trip across the United States

What: A feel-good movie about overcoming personal challenges and finding hope in friendship. 

After suffering a personal tragedy, retired writer Ben decides to become a personal caregiver to Trevor, a snobby 18-year-old with muscular dystrophy. They take an impromptu road trip across the US to see all of the quirky road-side stops Trevor has become obsessed with when they meet Dot, a runaway, who joins them on their journey and helps them come to understand the importance of friendship and hope. 

Watch trailer | Watch on Netflix

Where: Road trip across Canada

What: A humorous and moving film about grappling with one’s own immortality on a search for self-discovery.

When 20-something Ben Tyler is given a terminal diagnosis, he flees from his impending marriage and boring job in an attempt to live out the rest of his life to the fullest. His misguided road trip on a vintage motorcycle becomes an adventure of self-discovery set against the great Canadian landscape.

Queen of Katwe

Where: Uganda

What: An inspirational story of a young girl who lifts herself out of poverty through the game of chess.

This film from Disney is based off of the real life story of a girl named Phiona who grew up in a slum in Uganda called Katwe. At the age of 10, Phiona is introduced to the game of chess and soon begins competing. Her talent opens doors that she never thought would be possible.

The Hundred-Foot Journey

Where: A small village in the French countryside

What: A heart-warming tale of overcoming cultural differences, romance, and following one’s passion.

This story follows an Indian family who moves to southern France and shakes things up in a small village when they open a restaurant across the street from a Michelin-starred French restaurant. When the son decides to go cook for the competition across the street, cultures clash, loyalties are tested, and boundaries are pushed.

Kodachrome (Netflix Original)

Where: A road trip across the US

What: An emotional and somewhat humorous film with incredible cinematography. 

When Matt’s estranged father’s nurse shows up at his office out of the blue, asking Matt to drop everything and honor his father’s dying wish, he finds his life turned upside down. Reluctantly, Matt joins his famed bad-boy photojournalist father and the nurse on a journey to the last remaining lab in the country that is still developing Kodachrome film. 

Where: The “Camino de Santiago” trail in Spain, France and Portugal

What: A powerful and inspirational film about dealing with loss, family dynamics and unlikely friendships. 

When Tom’s adult son is tragically killed in a storm while walking the The Camino de Santiago, also known as The Way of Saint James trail, he sets out to St. Jean Pied de Port, France to collect his son’s remains. But instead of returning home as planned, Tom decides to complete the historical pilgrimage in honor of his son. 

Hunt for the Wilderpeople

What: An adventure comedy-drama film about personal growth and relationships.

TWS Favorite! 

When a rebellious boy is left in the care of tough but loving foster parents, he and his foster uncle become the subject of a nationwide manhunt after they get themselves stranded in the wild New Zealand bush. 

Inspired to travel to NZ after watching this? This film brings you through some beautiful landscapes across Kiwi country, and we’ve got tons of resources to help you plan an epic vacation to New Zealand !

A Dog’s Way Home

Where: A journey across Colorado

What: A humorous and moving film about the bonds of love and friendship between man and dog. 

Told from the perspective of Bella, a rescue dog, who gets separated from her human and embarks on a 400-mile journey across Colorado to be reunited with him. Along the way, she encounters people and animals that need her help and help her to reach her final destination. 

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Where: Greece, Mexico and suburban America 

What: A coming-of-age tale that highlights the bonds of friendship when grappling with family relationships, romance, and change.

In this “guilty pleasure”-esque flick, four best friends who couldn’t be more different in personality and style find a pair of pants that miraculously fits each of them perfectly. As they set out on separate adventures spending their first ever summer apart, they agree to share the pants between them in the hope that it will keep their bond strong.

*If you like this movie, check out the sequel , which brings all four friends to Greece!

The Road Within

What: An inspiring film about grappling with mental health and overcoming personal challenges. 

After the death of his mother, Robert, a young man with Tourette’s Syndrome is sent to an in-patient facility to get help with his condition. There he meets two unlikely friends and together they embark on an adventure across the country in a stolen car. An epic road trip that will change their lives forever. This feel-good movie takes a deeper look at interpersonal relationships and the stigma of mental health, proving that life is truly about the journey and not always the destination. 

Watch Trailer | Watch (Free with Amazon Prime Video)

Travel & Romance Movies

Get swept off your feet (or couch!) with these light hearted tales of romance and adventure that take place around the world.

Eat Pray Love

Where: New York, Italy, India, Indonesia

What: Based on the best selling memoir, Eat Pray Love is one woman’s journey to reignite her passion for life, connect with her spirituality and focus on herself. 

Leaving behind her comfortable life and a marriage she was no longer happy in, Elizabeth Gilbert takes a year-long sabbatical for a journey of self-discovery eating her way through Italy, practicing meditation in India, and finding love in Bali, Indonesia. 

Perhaps one of the most cliched travel + love stories, this one doesn’t resonate with everyone, but those for whom it does tend to be pretty inspired by this true journey. (In our opinion, the book is better, but the movie indulges you with some pretty scenes from Italy, India and Indonesia!) 

Bali dreaming? After watching this movie, you’ll want to plan a trip to Bali (trust me!). Check out our list of top things to do on this island (we lived there for 6 months, so we’ve got quite the list!).

Under the Tuscan Sun

Where: Tuscany

What: This film is about stepping out of your comfort zone and finding / creating your own happiness.  

Frances Mayes is a 35-year-old writer living in San Francisco, suffering from writer’s block and depression after her recent divorce. When her friend gifts her a trip to Italy, she impulsively decides to buy an abandoned villa in the Tuscan countryside. Restoring the home leads her to new friends and a life-changing adventure filled with unexpected surprises. 

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Where: Barcelona, Spain

What: A Woody Allen film about the nature of love and how it plays out between consenting adults. 

Vicky and Cristina are two friends who are spending their summer vacationing in Barcelona when they meet a handsome artist named Juan Antonio and begin an illicit affair. When his ex-wife Maria Elena comes back into the picture, things get interesting and the girls get more than they bargained for. 

Monsoon Wedding

What: This movie follows the complexities, drama, comedy, romance and utter chaos that is an Indian wedding.

Aditi is the only daughter in a modern, upper-middle-class family in Delhi, and her family has arranged her marriage to the son of a family friend who lives in Texas. Their wedding is going to be the event of the year. However, it is not without its twists and turns, hidden family secrets, affairs, and unexpected romance.

Letters to Juliet

Where: Italy, New York

What: A romantic chick-flick about following your heart and finding true love. 

Sophie is an aspiring writer in New York City who travels to Verona, Italy with her chef-obsessed boyfriend, where she meets the “Secretaries of Juliet” and finds an old love letter hiding in a wall. Sophie sets out on a journey across Italy with the woman who wrote the letter, Claire, and her reluctant grandson, to reunite her with her true love from decades past. 

P.S. I Love You

Where: Ireland, NYC

What: A tragic story of life after loss and finding new love and happiness.

This movie follows Holly, a young woman who has just lost her husband to cancer. Before his death, he organized a scavenger hunt type of adventure that brings her back to his hometown in Ireland with her girlfriends. 

A Good Year

Where: Provence, France

What: Set in French wine country, this movie follows a man’s journey to finding love and realizing what is important in life. 

Max is a work-a-holic London banker who makes a quick trip to Provence with the intention of selling his late uncle’s vineyard and estate. But things don’t go as planned. Max unearths secrets, finds romance, and gets a lesson on what’s really important in life. 

Before Sunrise

Where: Vienna, Austria

What: A story of modern-day romance between people from two different worlds.

If you’ve ever had a travel fling, this indie film will grip you. It follows the story of an American traveler, Jesse, who falls for an Austrian student he meets on a train. Their connection is strong and they spend a night exploring Vienna together before Jesse’s flight leaves the next morning. 

Like this one? Lucky for you, there are two more in this 3-part series: Before Sunset (takes place in Paris) and Before Midnight (takes place in Greece).

Outdoor Adventure Travel Movies

To our fellow outdoor adventure lovers, this list is for you. From dramatic mountaineering feats in the Himalayas to transformational treks across the USA, these movies will take you on some epic outdoor adventures around the globe.

Everest 

Where: Climbing Mt. Everest

What: Inspired by a true story, this dramatic and thrilling adventure is about overcoming mental and physical challenges to achieve the nearly impossible.

Everest documents the dramatic and awe-inspiring journey of two expeditions to summit Mt. Everest during a devastating snow storm. The climbers battle the elements and face nearly impossible obstacles as their lifelong obsession becomes a breathtaking struggle for survival. 

Want to know more? Read about our 17-day journey to Everest Base Camp !

A Walk in the Woods

Where: The Appalachian Trail

What: Based on the best-selling book, this is the story of two friends attempting to hike the Appalachian Trail. 

On the top of our to-watch list (we loved the book )!

Sick of life being all about ailments and funerals, Bill decides to push himself on an adventure hiking the Appalachian Trail. After protests from his wife, he recruits an old friend for the journey. 

This is the light-hearted and humorous story of the ill-prepared friends on their attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail in their later years of life. 

Into the Wild

Where: Hitchhiking across North America to Alaska

What: Based on a true story, this is a biographical adventure drama film of a young man’s journey to find meaning, belonging and love on a solo journey. 

Christopher McCandless is a young man who decides to hitchhike across North America to reach the Alaskan wilderness. During his transformative journey, he encounters several people and situations which change who he is as a person. This story is also a book ! 

Where: Crossing the ocean from Peru to Polynesia

What: A historical adventure-drama about the 1947 Kon-Tiki trans-oceanic expedition.

Norwegian explorer Thor believes that the South Sea Islands were originally colonized by South Americans. He sets out to prove his theory by recruiting 5 companions to set sail from Peru on a wooden raft built from an ancient design with only the stars and ocean currents to guide them. Along the way their moral and physical limits are tested as they encounter more than they bargained for. 

Where: The Pacific Crest Trail

What: Based on the best-selling memoir, this is the story of one woman’s transformative journey hiking the PCT. 

When her life feels like it’s hit rock bottom after losing her mother, battling drug abuse, a slew of one-night-stands, and her marriage crumbling, Cheryl Strayed (played by Reese Witherspoon) makes the impulsive decision to hike over 1,000 of the Pacific Crest Trail, with no experience or training, completely solo. 

Get the family together for a cultural experience or a far-flung adventure to another world. These movies will take you on a comedic journey to some interesting places, and hopefully remind you that animated movies are not just for kids!

Where: Celebrating the culture of Mexico

What: This light-hearted and comedic tale deals with family dynamics set against the backdrop of Dia de Los Muertos celebrations in Mexico. 

TWS Favorite! We watched this for the first time on a bus to Oaxaca (one of our favorite Mexican cities!), and it taught us a lot about local culture.

Young Miguel has a passion for performing. Despite his family’s generations-old ban on music, he dreams of becoming a singer like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz. After a mysterious series of events during the Dia de Los Muertos celebrations, Miguel finds himself in the Land of the Dead where he befriends a trickster and winds up uncovering secrets of his family’s history. 

A delightful and excellent portrayal of the cultural holiday, this animated film is a must-see for anyone interested in learning more about the Dia de Los Muertos celebrations. Plus, it’s great for kids!

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

Where: Life as an animal in the African bush

What: This is the comedic portrayal of what happens when New York City zoo animals find themselves in the wild African bush. 

In the sequel to the popular Dreamworks hit, Madagascar, this fun bunch of NYC zoo animals find themselves in Africa for the first time in their lives. The characters hilariously portray what it would be like to discover “the wild” for the first time after being raised in a zoo, and the difference between New York City and the African bush. With humor that can span generations, this is a fun film for the whole family. 

Where: An imaginary adventure in South America

What: A comedic animated film about taking chances and fulfilling one’s dreams before it’s too late. 

78-year-old Carl Fredricksen decides to tie thousands of balloons to his house and flies away on his an adventure into the wild of South America. When he realizes he’s accidentally brought along a 9-year-old Wilderness Explorer as an unwitting stowaway, the two have to make the most of their circumstance and build a friendship. 

Where: Polynesia

What: A lovable Disney movie that follows the adventures of a brave young girl on an important mission.

Moana is a high-spirited teenager who is on a mission to save her people  by sailing across the open ocean in search of answers. Along the way, she meets a demigod, fights monsters, defies impossible odds, and discovers her true identity. The whole family will love this movie and its catchy songs, plus, you’ll feel as if you’ve escaped to a tropical island! 

Ratatouille

What: A story of rising above one’s circumstances and proving once and for all that truly anyone can cook.   

Remy, a resident of Paris, has quite the sophisticated palate and aspires to become a French chef. There is just one problem… he is a rat. When he winds up in the sewer beneath one of Paris’ finest restaurants, Remy befriends a young kitchen worker and together they cook up amazing dishes using Remy’s talents.

Sahara (Netflix Original)

Where: A journey across the Sahara Desert

What: A story of friendship and love takes these characters on a journey out of their comfort zones. 

When his new love is captured by an evil snake charmer, a kind-hearted cobra and his best friend, a scorpion, set out on a wild rescue mission across the Sahara desert. This cute animated film is best for children. 

Find out what life is like around the globe through your own eyes in these compelling documentaries about travel, humanity and the species that share our planet.

Life in a Day 

What: A National Geographic feature documenting daily life in 192 countries around the world. 

From National Geographic, Producer Ridley Scott and Oscar-winning director Kevin Macdonald asked the world to chronicle their lives via video in a single day. They took the 4,500 hours of footage submitted from 192 countries — all shot on July 24, 2010 — and created the groundbreaking documentary, Life in a Day.

Watch trailer | Watch for free on YouTube

Losing Sight of Shore 

Where: Rowing across the Pacific Ocean

What: An inspiring documentary about overcoming challenges, both mental and physical, to achieve a common goal. 

Four women set out to make history as they row across the Pacific Ocean, from America to Australia. Covering over 8,000 miles of open ocean, they must overcome extreme mental and physical challenges during their nine months at sea.

Expedition Happiness

Where: Road trip from Alaska to South America

What: An inspiring documentary about taking chances and following your dreams in the pursuit of happiness. 

A filmmaker and his musician girlfriend leave their lives in Germany behind and buy a school bus which they renovate and move into for their journey driving from Alaska to South America with their dog.

Did this film get you curious about #VanLife?! We’ve got all sorts of content on campervans , from how to build your own to insider advice and epic campervan adventures!

Pedal the World 

Where: Around the world by bicycle

A filmmaker and his musician girlfriend leave their lives in Germany behind and buy a school bus which they renovate and move into for their journey driving from Alaska to South America with their dog. 

Planet Earth & Planet Earth II

Where: Nature up close around the globe

What: A documentary series and follow up series that takes a close look at nature in our planet’s many ecosystems. 

A BBC-produced television docu-series with breathtaking high-definition footage of some of the world’s most awe-inspiring natural wonders — from the oceans to the deserts to the polar ice caps. Actress Sigourney Weaver narrates the American version, while David Attenborough is the voice of the original production.

Human Planet

What: A documentary series that takes a close look at humans and their relationship with nature around the globe. 

Filmed in dozens of locations around the world, this awe-inspiring BBC production documents how humans interact with their natural surroundings. Each episode is tied to a particular habitat to showcase humans who have adapted to thrive in these extreme environments by building complex relationships with their animal neighbors. 

A Map for Saturday

What: A film documenting the emotional arc of extreme long-term travel for everyone who’s ever wondered what it would be like to travel the world. 

“On a trip around the world, every day feels like Saturday.” Long before the time of Travel influencers and vlogging, documentary filmmaker Brook Silva-Braga made a movie documenting his solo travels through four continents by telling the stories of travelers he meets along the way from Thailand to Nepal to Brazil.  

Encounters at the End of the World

Where: Antarctica

What: Documentary that gives you a glimpse into the least-visited continent on earth.

The only film on this list set on the continent of Antarctica, this documentary follows filmmaker Werner Herzog on his journey to the most remote parts of the earth. See the austere beauty of the landscapes and meet the people who have dedicated their lives to studying this unique part of the world.

What: A transcendent global tour that explores the sights and sounds of the human condition.

With no conventional narrative, this is a film about people, places and things from around the world. From chaotic cities to barren wilderness to former concentration camps, the movie takes viewers around the globe and doesn’t shy away from the dark side of humanity when portraying a variety of natural and technological spectacles. Ultimately proving the interconnectivity of the world by both the tragedy and celebrations of life.

Netflix has made streaming incredibly accessible in homes across the globe. If you’ve already got an account, these series will be free to watch! Also, be sure to look for throughout the rest of this list, as we’ve done our best to make note of all the movies that are available on Netflix as well!

Travels with my Father

What: A docu-series following comedian Jack Whitehall as he attempts to introduce his stuffy father to the world of backpacking through SE Asia. 

In the first season, adult comedian Jack Whitehall convinces his aging and reluctant father Michael to join him on a backpacking trip through Southeast Asia in an attempt to strengthen their bond.

They are recreating the “gap year” experience and along the way they take part in unique experiences including attending an elephant polo match in Bangkok and taking a primitive train ride in Cambodia. When their trip is completed, the pair reflect on the impact of their journey. Subsequent seasons take the pair to other parts of the world. 

Watch on Netflix

What: A documentary series about the wild inhabitants of our planet through the lens of climate change.

This is sort of Netflix’s answer to Planet Earth and the increasing concerns of climate change. This series takes an up close look at our planet’s inhabitants — from polar bears to wildebeests to marine life — and how climate change is affecting every living species on earth. 

Tales by Light

What: A documentary series about photographers and the making of their images to inspire change.

From wildlife photographers in Africa to underwater photographers in the Arctic seas, to photojournalists documenting at-risk children, this captivating Netflix series takes viewers around the world to showcase talented photographers in their mission to use imagery to save the world.

Each episode follows a photographer and shows what happens behind the lens to create their powerful images. 

Street Food: Asia

Where: Streets and food markets in Asia

What: A documentary series exploring street food in some of the world’s most vibrant cities in Asia.

From the hawker stalls of Singapore to food carts in India, this series brings viewers all over Asia to highlight the stories of perseverance and culture that bring life to various countries’ cuisine. Nations visited include Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, South Korea and Vietnam.

Psst! If you like this show, you’ll love the late Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations and Parts Unknown . We love binging these shows (you can purchase them to watch on YouTube) before traveling to a new country and then trying out the restaurants he features! We’ve been to a bunch of Bourdain-approved locales around the world.

Extreme Engagement

What: In this reality series, find out if an extreme around the world trip will bring this engaged couple closer together or wind up tearing them apart.

A newly engaged couple embark on a year-long around the world journey, hoping to discover the secret of marriage by exploring marriage customs in cultures around the globe. They hope this journey will help them to know if they are really ready for a lifetime commitment to each other. 

Night on Earth

What: A documentary series that uncovers the wonders of the nocturnal wildlife around our planet. 

Similar to Planet Earth , but entirely shot at night. All around the planet, the most interesting animals reveal themselves in a completely new light.  Using new night vision technology, this nature series allows viewers to lift the veil of darkness and witness the wonders of the nocturnal world like never before. 

The World’s Most Extraordinary Homes

What: A reality series that showcases the most unique properties around the world. 

This property series  showcased the most extraordinary homes found all over the world. The hosts travel across mountains, through forests, along coasts and deep underground to find unique properties in every corner of the globe. If you’re a travel enthusiast and also a fan of HGTV, then this one’s for you! 

Restaurants on the Edge

What: A reality series that helps struggling restaurants around the world by reinventing their business model. 

Follow a team of three experts — a restaurateur, a designer and a chef — as they travel the world in search of struggling restaurants that need their help. For each episode, they target a restaurant and tap into the surroundings, culture and community to remodel each business for a chance at success. 

Looking for more travel movies?!

While we couldn’t possibly list all the travel movies out there, here are a handful of more honorable mentions to add to your watch list:

The Grand Budapest Hotel , comedy/drama

Away We Go , comedy/drama

Like Father , Netflix original comedy/drama

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert , comedy/drama

Little Miss Sunshine , comedy/drama

Adrift , drama

The Terminal , drama

The Talented Mr. Ripley , drama

Catch Me if you Can , drama

Eurotrip , comedy

Just Married , comedy

National Lampoon’s Family Vacation , comedy

The Holiday , romance/comedy

Tomb Raider , action & adventure

Murder on the Orient Express ,  crime (1974 original, 2017 remake)

Lawrence of Arabia ,  adventure/drama

Nowhere in Africa ,  drama (in German)

You may also like…

Books for Travelers

Staying Home Survival Guide

The Ultimate Travel Planning Guide

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We want to hear from you!

What travel movies are on your watch list? Did we miss one of your favorites? Comment below and we’ll do our best to get back to you!

Comments (11) on “ 75+ Best Travel Movies to Inspire Your Wanderlust ”

Brilliant! Thanks for sharing the list, this is very helpful. I will do my best to watch all. Sometimes I write about the movies too. Here’s a handpicked list of movies that make you want to travel and fuel your wanderlust, in case you or any of your readers find it interesting. Keep up the good work. Can’t wait to see something new from you. Cheers!

What a great list. I really like that you have broken it up into genres – makes it so much easier to find what you might be looking for.

Glad to hear you like the travel movie list! Hope you got to add a few to your watch list!

Wow, what a comprehensive list! Netflix’ Street Food: Asia was one of the show I was actively watching prior to going to South Korea. I was even happy to see the lady on the SK’s segment. I had to stop and try her food and yes it was delicious.

Amazing! That’s so cool you got to try her food! I want to go to every one of the street food stalls on that show!

75 movies, I thought, wow there’s no way I’ve seen even half of these… but I was surprised at how many I’ve seen! Great list with some out of the box inclusions, too.

We tried our best to get a big variety of travel movies. We’ve seen a lot of these as well, but definitely have more to add to my watch list!

Wow that’s an awesome list .I have only seen half of them..but I will make sure to see all

Glad you liked the travel movie list, Madhu!

I started watching Travels with my Father but couldn’t finish it, because my American husband just couldn’t get the British humour or the way that Jack and his dad treated each other. I’ll have to finish watching it without him.

Hey Katherine, I can understand, it goes get a little dry at times. But I love the way Jack says "Daddy!" It gets me everytime!

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25 best travel movies to inspire your own adventures

A list of our favorite travel movies, from classics to lesser-known films, plus tips to live your own real-life adventures.

Worldpackers Worldpackers

Nov 23, 2023

Feel like going on an incredible excursion without leaving the house? That's the magic of travel movies. Picture this: one moment you're exploring sun-soaked vineyards in Italy, then you're navigating bustling markets in Morocco. All without leaving home!

Travel movies let us experience cultures around the globe. They inspire our wanderlust and help plan real-life adventures . And sometimes they offer an escape when we need it most. Ready to dive into cinematic journeys that span continents?

In this article we'll remind you of iconic films that have shaped this genre and discover more recent gems . So, grab some popcorn as we embark on a reel-world adventure.

25 best travel movies that will inspire you

Here’s a list of Worldpackers team’s favorite travel movies, which make us feel like we’re out and about without leaving our couch. Some films take this experience up a notch, offering more than just beautiful locales - they shape our understanding of travel itself.

The Motorcycle Diaries (2004)

We start this list of travel movies with a great example of that power of broadening perspectives: The Motorcycle Diaries isn't simply about two friends exploring South America on a motorcycle. It's the story of Che Guevara, discovering social injustices that would later ignite his revolutionary spirit. It has inspired many travelers who crave authentic experiences over typical tourist attractions.

As Ernesto Guevara and his friend Alberto Granado travel through various countries, the film portrays their interactions with diverse cultures, people, and landscapes. They witness the disparities in wealth and healthcare, which ignite Ernesto's desire to bring about social change. 

The Motorcycle Diaries is a coming-of-age story that traces the evolution of Guevara from a carefree medical student to a passionate advocate for the oppressed. It's an inspiring story combined with beautiful cinematography that encourages us not just to see new places but also understand different cultures better.

Around the World in 80 Days (1956)

Feel like going for a classic? This film is based on the novel by Jules Verne and follows the journey of Phileas Fogg, an eccentric and wealthy Englishman who bets that he can circumnavigate the globe in just 80 days.

The plot of the movie revolves around Fogg's race against time as he embarks on an adventure across the globe, accompanied by his loyal French servant, Passepartout. They go on a daring journey using various means of transport - from hot air balloons to elephants - and encounter a series of comedic and sometimes perilous situations.

Eat Pray Love (2010)

You've probably heard of Eat Pray Love, a romantic drama film based on Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir of the same name. The movie follows the life-changing journey of the protagonist, Liz Gilbert, played by Julia Roberts, after going through a divorce.

She sets out on an expedition to find herself through food, spirituality, and love while traveling through Italy, India, and Bali respectively. This film emphasizes the healing power of travel and how it can help you find your inner self.

Into The Wild (2007)

Another book turned into film, this biographical drama directed by Sean Penn is based on the non-fiction book by Jon Krakauer. It tells the true story of Christopher McCandless , a young man from a well-to-do family who decides to abandon his conventional life and venture into the wilderness of North America in pursuit of a more meaningful existence.

He renames himself “Alexander Supertramp”, cuts ties with his family and embarks on a journey across the USA, eventually reaching Alaska . Throughout his journey, Christopher encounters various people who impact his life.

Wild (2014)

For those who love biographical tales, here’s another one: Wild is based on Cheryl Strayed's memoir, which chronicles her 1100-mile solo hike along the Pacific Crest Trail. 

It’s not just about stunning landscapes but also self-discovery and healing, since the character starts the hike after a series of destructive behaviors and the loss of her mother to cancer.

Throughout her journey, Cheryl encounters many challenges, including harsh weather, injuries, and the weight of her emotional baggage . Her journey becomes a test of her inner strength, determination, and resilience.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)

A modern classic, this film follows the life of Walter Mitty, a man who escapes his mundane existence through elaborate daydreams. He works as a photo negative manager at Life magazine, a job that involves processing photographs for publication.

One day he misplaces a crucial photograph negative taken by a renowned photographer and sets off to find the missing negative. This journey takes him on an adventure around the world, from Greenland to Iceland , going far beyond his comfort zone.

The Way (2010)

Dream of doing the Camino de Santiago, in Spain? The Way portrays one man’s pilgrimage along the Camino after his son's death.  

The main character is Tom (played by Martin Sheen), who encounters a diverse group of fellow travelers, each with their own reasons for walking the pilgrimage. Together, they share stories, hopes, and struggles.

As Tom travels through picturesque landscapes and faces physical challenges, he not only learns to honor his son's memory but also discovers profound insights about life, faith, and the power of human connections.

Thelma and Louise (1991)

A road trip movie classic, Thelma & Louise tells the story of two women who set out on a weekend getaway but find themselves on the run from the law after a traumatic incident. Their journey becomes a symbolic escape from societal constraints, leading to a series of events that challenge the roles they've been assigned as women.

With every scene, more beauty unfolds as they drive amidst vast American landscapes in their iconic convertible. The film is a thrilling and thought-provoking exploration of friendship, empowerment, and the consequences of defying societal norms.

Roman Holiday (1953)

Another classic, Roman Holiday transports viewers back in time while offering picturesque views around Rome's historic cityscape - perfect for those wanting both cultural immersion and vintage vibes.

The film revolves around the story of a young European princess named Princess Ann (Audrey Hepburn), who is on a diplomatic tour of Europe and becomes overwhelmed by the constraints of her royal duties and her sheltered life. 

It’s a love story that captures the magic of a whirlwind romance against the backdrop of the Italian capital.

The Darjeeling Limited (2007)

Directed by Wes Anderson, the movie follows the journey of three estranged brothers who reunite for a train trip through India . They board the Darjeeling Limited, a luxury train, each dealing with his own personal struggles and unresolved issues.

As the train journey progresses through the picturesque Indian landscape, the brothers encounter many  challenges and quirky situations . Along the way, they engage in both humorous and poignant interactions with fellow passengers and locals, leading to moments of self-discovery and reflection.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011)

Another treat for those longing to visit India, this heartwarming film tells the story of a group of British retirees who decide to spend their retirement years in a hotel in Jaipur . They face a variety of personal challenges and cultural adjustments as they settle into the vibrant and colorful environment of India.

The hotel is far from the luxurious paradise the retirees were expecting, but through their shared experiences and interactions with the local community, they find renewal, purpose , and unexpected opportunities for love and personal growth.

Lost in Translation (2003) Loneliness, connection, and cultural dislocation are the main themes of this drama-comedy directed by Sofia Coppola, which takes place in Japan. The story revolves around Bob Harris, a middle-aged American actor who is in Tokyo to shoot a whiskey commercial, and Charlotte, a young college graduate accompanying her photographer husband. Both Bob and Charlotte are feeling adrift in their lives and marriages , grappling with feelings of isolation and purposelessness in the bustling and culturally unfamiliar capital of Japan. Their chance encounter leads to a deep and platonic connection. The Holiday (2006)

This romantic comedy follows the intertwining stories of two women, Iris (Kate Winslet) and Amanda (Cameron Diaz), who are experiencing relationship troubles during the Christmas holiday season.

Iris is British and Amanda is American. Feeling the need for a break from their lives, they discover each other through a house-swapping website and decide to exchange homes for the holiday season . While their lives take unexpected turns, we feel like we're exploring the English countryside and sunny California along with them.

Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)

This travel movie follows the story of Frances (played by Diane Lane), a recently divorced writer who impulsively purchases a villa in Tuscany, Italy , in an attempt to start anew.

As Frances attempts to restore the villa to its former glory, she forms connections with the local community and undergoes a personal transformation , rediscovering her passion for life, writing, and love. The picturesque landscapes of Tuscany provide a stunning backdrop to the story.

Tracks (2013)

Based on the true story of Robyn Davidson, this travel movie chronicles her remarkable journey across the vast Australian desert with a dog and four camels . She went on a solo trek of over 1,700 miles from Alice Springs to the west coast of Australia, motivated by a desire for solitude and a deep connection with the land.

Along the way, she faces various obstacles, including encounters with curious locals, harsh weather conditions, and the emotional toll of isolation . The film is a visually stunning and introspective portrayal of an extraordinary real-life adventure.

Before Sunrise (1995), Before Sunset (2004), Before Midnight (2013)

The "Before" trilogy, directed by Richard Linklater and starred by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, starts with the movie Before Sunrise , which follows the chance encounter of two strangers on a train traveling through Europe. They strike up a conversation and decide to spend the night together in Vienna, Austria, before Jesse's departure the next morning.

Before Sunset , its sequel, takes place in Paris, where Jesse and Celine meet again 10 years later. Finally, Before Midnight takes the same characters to Greece, almost two decades before their first encounter.

The trilogy is celebrated for its realistic and emotionally charged dialogue . Each film captures a different stage in Jesse and Céline's lives, offering insights into the complexities of love and human relationships, while they walk around beautiful cities.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)

This New Zealand adventure-comedy film follows the unlikely friendship between a rebellious young boy and his reluctant foster uncle as they become the subjects of a nationwide manhunt in the New Zealand wilderness.

As they navigate the rugged terrain, their relationship grows stronger, and they become unlikely partners in a wild adventure to evade capture by the authorities. Along the way, they encounter various colorful characters and face numerous challenges.

Patagonia (2010)

Probably one of the lesser-known films in this list of travel movies, Patagonia interweaves two distinct but interconnected stories that take place in different parts of the world, both involving characters on personal journeys of self-discovery.

One storyline follows Gwen and Rhys, a Welsh couple who travel to Patagonia in Argentina as part of a photography project. Their journey becomes a catalyst for Gwen's personal exploration as she grapples with her desires and the changing dynamics of her relationship with Rhys.

The second storyline follows Cerys, an elderly Welsh woman who embarks on a pilgrimage to visit her family's ancestral homeland in Patagonia, where there is a Welsh-speaking community. Along the way, she meets a young Argentine named Alejandro who is searching for his Welsh roots.

The Bucket List (2007)

This movie tells the story of two terminally ill men , Edward Cole (played by Jack Nicholson) and Carter Chambers (played by Morgan Freeman), who meet while sharing a hospital room. Both men have been diagnosed with advanced stages of cancer and are given limited time to live.

As they grapple with their mortality and impending deaths, Edward and Carter decide to create a list of things they want to do before they "kick the bucket." The two men embark on a global journey to check off the items on their list, forming a deep friendship along the way.

A Good Year (2006)

Directed by Ridley Scott, this movie follows the story of Max Skinner (played by Russell Crowe), a successful and ruthless London-based investment banker who inherits a vineyard in Provence , France, upon the death of his estranged uncle.

Max reluctantly travels to the vineyard with the intention of selling it quickly and making a profit. However, as he spends time in the picturesque countryside and reconnects with his childhood memories, he begins to reconsider his priorities and values.

A Walk in the Woods (2015)

This film is based on the memoir of the same name by the well-known travel writer and author Bill Bryson. After living abroad for many years, Bryson returns to the United States and decides to hike the Appalachian Trail , one of the longest continuous footpaths in the world, together with an old acquaintance, Stephen Katz.

As Bryson and Katz traverse the Appalachian Trail, they face a series of humorous and challenging situations, including encounters with fellow hikers and with wildlife, and the physical demands of the trail itself. Along the way, they also engage in conversations about life, friendship, and the beauty of the natural world .

This list of travel movies wouldn’t be complete without some heartwarming animations . Starting with Up, a Pixar and Walt Disney film centered on the story of Carl Fredricksen, a widowed elderly man who embarks on a remarkable adventure using balloons to fly his house to South America.

It all starts when Carl finds himself facing eviction from his beloved home and missing his late wife, Ellie, who had shared his childhood dreams of adventure, so he decides to fulfill their lifelong dream of visiting the remote Paradise Falls . 

During the trip, he learns to let go of the past, embrace new experiences, and find joy in unexpected places.

Coco (2017)

There are also plenty of animations that take us on a deep dive in foreign cultures. One of the best travel movies of this kind is Coco, an animated musical film which is also produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney. The movie is set in Mexico and revolves around the Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) holiday , a celebration of deceased loved ones.

The plot follows Miguel Rivera, a young boy with a deep passion for music, despite his family's long-standing ban on music due to a past family tragedy. On Día de los Muertos, Miguel accidentally finds himself transported to the Land of the Dead, a vibrant and colorful afterlife realm where deceased family members reside.

The impact of travel movies on tourism

Besides being great entertainment, travel movies can wield a remarkable influence over tourism. They can kindle wanderlust, highlight unique cultures, and even steer the course of travel trends.

Movies often inspire personal journeys by portraying transformative experiences tied to specific locales. Take Eat Pray Love, which ignited a Bali tourism boom as fans flocked there hoping for self-discovery adventures akin to Julia Roberts' character.

Into The Wild, based on a true story, was another influential film. Despite its tragic ending, the movie encouraged many to seek their own version of an Alaskan wilderness experience.

Sometimes movies can create entirely new tourism trends. After Peter Jackson's Lord of The Rings, fans began traveling to New Zealand just to see the stunning landscapes that brought Middle-earth to life . This trend even led to unique travel experiences like Hobbiton tours and “Middle-earth” packages designed specifically for Tolkien enthusiasts.

However, this popularity has its drawbacks. When travel movies gain too much traction, they can cause stress on the locations they showcase. One example is the Maya Bay beach, in Thailand, which was made famous in the movie "The Beach”, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and had to be closed to tourists due to the damages caused by overtourism.

Tips for enjoying your favorite travel movies

We hope you enjoyed our list of travel movies, but luckily there’s much more to watch after you’re done with those films! Unearthing cinematic gems that inspire wanderlust and fuel the desire to explore is an adventure in itself. Here are a few suggestions to keep that habit going:

Talking to other travelers

One surefire way to discover great travel movies is by connecting with fellow globetrotters. They often have a treasure trove of film recommendations based on their own experiences and personal tastes.

You could start these conversations on platforms like Worldpackers , where you'll find a vibrant community of seasoned and newbie travelers alike.

Keeping a travel movie journal

Maintaining a journal dedicated solely for recording memorable travel films can be rewarding too. As you note down details about each movie , it becomes more than just keeping track; it turns into an immersive activity that lets you savor each film long after the credits roll. This method also helps when sharing recommendations with friends or social media followers.

Planning themed movie nights

A fun twist is organizing themed movie nights around different countries or regions. Not only does this make for an entertaining evening but watching several related films in one go might highlight your next dream destination.

For instance, if South American culture piques your interest, consider watching films such as 'The Motorcycle Diaries' and other movies that take place in the continent, whether they’re actually travel-related or not. This is a great way to dive into the richness of this vibrant region. And why not making a themed dinner as well?

Traveling to your dream movie destinations

What about visiting some of the destinations portrayed in your favorite travel movies and living your own amazing adventures? It’s easy to do so with Worldpackers , a platform that connects travelers to hosts from all over the world for volunteer and work exchange programs.

In exchange for a few hours of help, you’ll get free accommodation and other perk s, like meals and tours. Besides saving a lot of money, you’ll get to meet other travelers and locals who can give you tips and insights into local culture, while living r eal-life adventures that might as well be turned into film someday.

Keep reading to understand how it works:

• Our step-by-step guide on how Worldpackers works
• Traveling with Worldpackers: your top questions answered
• Collaborative tourism: what are collaborative travel relationships?

If you liked our list of travel movies, keep reading our blog and follow our social media accounts for more travel tips and inspiration! We’re on TikTok and Instagram .

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33 Travel and Wanderlust Movies for the perfect Movie Night (Update 2024)

Travel movies are nowadays waiting for you today almost at every corner. It is about traveling Europe, driving through the middle of nowhere in the USA or crossing it from East to West, backpacking South America, and so on.

There are also many documentaries about traveling the world, but this is a different story. In this article we focus on the travel and wanderlust movies; the kind of film material for a travel-lover movie night.

Update : You find ALL wanderlust movies in our shop .

Watching a travel-related movie is great for the time you are stuck at home; while waiting for your flight, or even during your flight! Anna prefers watching a movie during our trips, for me, I prefer listening to music.

You can check our travel playlist here:

• The perfect Backpackers playlist with alternative songs for your travels
• 75 travel songs to add to your travel playlist

Top Travel movies and Backpacking films

We are keen to share with you our favorite travel movies and backpacking movies. Certainly, the best films about travel.

Let’s start with a classic:

1. Indiana Jones

Pack your hat, pack your horsewhip – it is time to rescue a beautiful woman, and some old treasure. It is time to fight Nazis in foreign countries. Indiana Jones is a classic when it comes to travel movies. Everybody in your hostel will know this one.

“Indiana Jones is the Oasis – Wonderful of wanderlust movies!” – Matt, Hostelgeeks

If not, make sure they do organize a movie night and the hostel, get some pop corn and enjoy the show! A movie night is always great to make friends.

Read: 18 unwritten Hostel rules and how to build lifetime friendships.

There are four Indiana Jones movies:

• Raiders of the Lost Ark
• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
• Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
• Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Which is your favorite?

Good to know : There is rumor about a new Indiana Jones 5, scheduled for 2020.

Get Indiana Jones with Amazon.

2. L’Auberge Espagnole (2002)

One of the reason why Barcelona is full of so many students; L’auberge Espagnole .

Xavier, a 24-year-old French student, attends the ERASMUS program in Barcelona as part of his professional pursuits against the wishes of his girlfriend.

He finds a space in an apartment with other students.

His housemates are from England, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Germany, and Denmark, creating an ambiance of chaos and culture shock. You can imagine, this is the full European-kind of backpacker hostel experience, just with full-time sharing a flat.

The room mates develop a unique companionship as they struggle together through their cultural and linguistic challenges.

You realize that, same as when you are traveling, even if no one speaks the same language everyone can understand you.

No need to say, this movie is about culture, sex and friendship.

Be prepared of many bites of Barcelona, which will incite you to visit the city!

Need more reasons for visiting Barcelona?

Read : 23 FUN things to Do in Barcelona

3. Vacation (2015)

A more modern from 2015 Hollywood also makes the cut. “ Vacations ” is a new movie from Ed Helms, one of the actors of Hangover and American Version of “ The Office “. Hangover is obviously also on this list, keep scrolling down.

Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms) surprises his wife and two sons with a cross-country excursion to America’s favorite fun park.

The gang pack up the car and hit the road for some much-needed family bonding.

Soon, the promise of fun turns into one misadventure after another.

An American comedy, easy to watch with a lot of hints.

4. A Map For Saturday

That’s not just a movie about traveling the world but more a documentary.

A “ Map for Saturday ” reveals a world solo travel through the stories of trekkers on four continents.

It tracks the emotional arc of extreme long-term travelers; teenagers and senior citizens who wondered, “ What would it be like to travel the world? ” Then they went for it.

“On a trip around the world, every day feels like Saturday”

5. Amélie (2001)

Classic! French! Romantic!

You will find this film on every list of the best movies about traveling.

Amélie is the movie about traveling, dreaming, escaping.

The acclaimed director Jean-Pierre Jeunet invokes his incomparable visionary style to capture the exquisite charm and mystery of modern-day Paris through the eyes of a beautiful ingenue.

It is shot in over 80 Parisian locations, so be aware it might inspire your next trip.

Convinced to visit the French capital? Then go and read our article: 27 Fun Things to Do in Paris

6. The English Patient (1996)

The English patient is a poetic, evocative film version of the famous novel by Michael Ondaatje circles down through layers of mystery until all of the puzzles in the story have been solved, and only the great wound of a doomed love remains.

It is the kind of movie you can see twice – first time for the questions, the second for the answers.

Here is the trailer.

7. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

Raoul (Johnny Depp) and his sidekick (Benicio Del Toro) drive to Las Vegas a red convertible across the Mojave desert to Las Vegas with a suitcase full of drugs to cover a motorcycle race for Sports.

As their consumption of drugs increases at an alarming rate, the stoned duo trash their hotel room and fear legal repercussions.

The film should show the ” hip ” drug culture of the 60’s and 70’s deteriorated into a crack epidemic that devastated America’s cities and destroyed countless thousands of lives.

The main characters wander witlessly past the bizarre backdrops of Las Vegas (some real, some hallucinated, all interchangeable) while zonked out of their minds.

This movie is awesome, I love it. Even in case you would not be into, Fear And Loathing in Las Vegas is a must-watch.

8. Lord of the Rings/ The Hobbit

A pinch more nerdy, okay okay…

But, come one, someone has to throw the ring into the fire!

When Frodo told us one lesson than it is not to take the ring, you will pay it maybe with your life.

However, he had the time of his life while traveling through whole middle earth, fighting dangerous creatures, and hiding from Sauron and his fire eye. So, think twice before taking the ring.

It will change your life for ever! The Lord of the Ring is a fantasy travel movie you can always watch.

The Lord of the Rings is a film series of three:

• The Fellowship of the Ring
• The Two Towers
• The Return of the King

The “Hobbit” is also travel-inspiring movies. here you can watch as well three parts:

• An Unexpected Journey
• The Desolation of Smaug
• The Battle of the Five Armies

9. Que Tan Lejos (2006)

I apologize beforehand, as this movie is just for Spanish speakers.

Two travelers, Trizteza (which means sadness) and Esperanza (which means hope), are unexpectedly traveling together through Ecuador.

Que Tan Lejos means something like “pretty far away”.

On their journey, they are forced to hitchhiking, as a local strike makes it impossible to travel by bus.

While hitchhiking, they meet Jesus and later Andrés.

A true and epic backpacking adventure. You can find the movie with English subtitles.

Read: 75 Adventure quotes to push your thirst of Adrenaline

10. Catch Me If You Can (2002)

One of the best comedy travel movies.

“ Catch me if you can ” is Spielberg’s first collaboration with Leonardo DiCaprio and fourth with Tom Hanks.

Tom Hanks AND Leonardo Di Caprio? We will find these two for sure once more in this list.

Frank (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a teenage student with an incredible talent . He steals more than $2 million pretending to be a pilot, a doctor and a lawyer.

Will Tom Hanks, the FBI agent, catch him?

Catch me if you can is one of Steven Spielberg’s funniest movies.

11. Seven Years In Tibet (1997)

I think, this is one of my first wanderlust movies I ever watched as a young kid.

Is Tibet on our bucket list?

Wait till the end of the movie for your answer. For me Tibet was on my list ever since Brad Pitt met Dalai Lama.

“ Seven Years in Tibet ” is an American war drama film based on a book of Heinrich Harrer, an Austrian mountaineer who attempt to scale a Himalayan peak is interrupted by the Second World War. Heinrich Harrer was imprisoned by the Chinese military, but he managed to escape.

After many adventures, he finds himself in Tibet where he befriends the Dalai Lama, gaining maturity and humility.

This movie is based on a real story!

However, turbulent times lie ahead.

12. Into the Wild (2007)

We waited a long time before watching “ Into The Wild “. This movie romanticized the solo-travel life, the van life, the urge of being out there and explore something else than Skyscrapers and school exams.

It is such a famous travel movie, we expected a lot when we pushed the play button!

We were not disappointed.

Into The Wild is an inspiring travel movie about today’s advantages, and the things people can miss in this new world.

Truly inspiring, and also based on a true story!

This movie is also full of adventure quotes.

Read : 75 Adventure quotes to push your thirst of Adrenaline

13. Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

Again Barcelona and one of the best Woody Allen films of all times. Vicky and Cristina (Scarlett Johanson), two American friends, visit Barcelona for the summer time.

While in Barcelona, they meet an artist, Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem), who is attracted to both of them while still in love of his mentally and emotionally unstable ex-wife Maria Elena (Penelope Cruz).

While the two are great friends, Vicky is practical and traditional in her approach to love and commitment, whereas Cristina imagines herself to be a nonconformist, spontaneous but unsure of what she wants from life or love.

Cristina starts a relationship with Juan Antonio and, while living together, Juan Antonio brings his ex-wife Maria Elena to live with them. All three become romantically involved with one another.

But that is not the end of the story, as Vicky will show up again.

A wanderlust movie full of sex, romance, drama and a pinch of culture. After that film, you might consider moving to Spain…

Get the full movie here .

14. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

We watched this movie at the Openair Montjuic Cinema in Barcelona.

Sitting under the sky of Barcelona we got amazed by “ The Grand Budapest Hotel “. This movie has a different style of storytelling. A unique movie, like none else on this list.

It was the best movie we have watched in 2015. If you just have time for one to watch, make it this one!

In the 1930s, the Grand Budapest Hotel is a popular European ski resort, presided over by concierge Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes).

Zero, a junior lobby boy, becomes Gustave’s friend and protege.

Gustave prides himself on providing first-class service to the hotel’s guests,

When one of Gustave’s lovers dies mysteriously, Gustave finds himself the recipient of a priceless painting and the chief suspect in her murder.

Here is the trailer. I hope you will love it as much as I do.

Read : 5 Secret tips to Budapest

15. Secret Life Of Walter Mitty

This one is for the ones still in doubt if they would love travel. This movie is for the ones stuck in a “boring” office life, dreaming of the big world out there. Or not?

Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) is an employee at LIFE magazine. He spends monotonous day after monotonous day developing photos for the publication. He does not even have enough “life” to add something to his online profile on a dating platform.

To escape the tedium, Walter inhabits a world of exciting daydreams in which he is the undeniable hero.

He gets a chance to have a real adventure when Life’s new owners send him on a mission to obtain the perfect photo for the final print issue.

Fighting sharks, flying a helicopter and playing football in the nowhere in the Himalaya Mountains.

We warn you: you will get many inspiration trips.

Watch the full wanderlust film here .

16. Hangover

First of all, this must be the most Hollywood-kind of movie on this list: Hangover ! It is super fun for an easy-going movie night!

Three friends on a crazy stag party in Las Vegas.

When the three groomsmen wake up the next morning, they can’t remember a thing; nor can they find the Groom.

As the wedding is happening in two days, they have little time to spare.

These unconventional friends try to re-trace their steps and find the Groom so they can get him back to Los Angeles in time to walk down the aisle.

We won’t tell you if they make it on time, but we do assure you lots of laughs. There is tattoos, sex, prostitutes, drugs, limousines, tigers and boxer Mike Tyson.

I guess, “what happens in Vegas, stay in Vegas” isn’t always true…

There is more than one movie “Hangover”:

• The Hangover (2009)
• The Hangover Part II (2011)
• The Hangover Part III (2013)

Hit play for the trailer to watch the trailer of The Hangover 1.

17. Midnight in Paris (2011)

From a crazy stag-party in Las Vegas to dreaming Paris all over!

Gil Pender (Owen Wilson) is a screenwriter and aspiring novelist. Vacationing in Paris with his fiancee , he has taken to touring the city alone.

On one such late-night excursion, Gil encounters a group of strange – yet familiar – revelers, who sweep him along, apparently back in time, for a night with some of the Jazz Age’s icons of art and literature.

The more time Gil spends with these cultural heroes of the past, the more dissatisfied he becomes with the present.

Paris in the morning is beautiful, but Paris after midnight, it’s magical

A romantic movie to inspire Wanderlust and French literature.

Watch the full movie Midnight in Paris here .

18. Safety Not Guaranteed

Watching the movie trailer of Safety not Guaranteed leaves you back with many questions.

Actually, when we watched the trailer, we were not sure if we should hit the play button.

However, a friend recommended it. So we gave it a try as we were sure, we can blame the friends afterwards.

We didn’t blame him, had a blast, and now Safety Not Guaranteed is another fantasy-kind of movie about time travel you should watch. It is an entertaining movie that has nothing to do with cheesy hollywood, it’s more a kind of indie-movie.

19. Romancing the Stone (1984)

An old dowdy romantic-adventure.

A city girl in a Colombian jungle wants to save her sister, who will be killed if a treasure map is not delivered to her kidnappers.

Yes you read well:

• a city girl
• a treasure map
• and the Colombian jungle…

This story would not be so interesting if the protagonist hadn’t met a brash mercenary, who helps her search for the priceless gem located in the map.

Do you think they will find it? Funny, entertaining, curious. Watch the trailer below, here you can find the full film .

20. National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)

The original “ Vacation ” movie. A family road trip movie. What could possibly go wrong?!

A family wants to bring their two children on a country trip from their home in Chicago to the Californian theme park Walley World.

During the family’s travels, they run into numerous mishaps, such as being tagged by vandals. When they finally make it to the Walley World, they find …

You know what, just watch the trailer and then the film. Enjoy!

21. Back to the Future (1985)

If you ever want to make me happy and become the best friend of my life, buy me a DeLorean!

Okay, who does not know this movie?

Everybody in the 90s wished to have a hover board like in Back to the Future, and other inventions like the DeLorean.

Back to the Future is THE movie about time travel, and it is always worth it to watch it over and over again.

There are three episodes though.

• Back to the Future (1985)
• Back to the Future Part II (1989)
• Back to the Future Part III (1990)

Make sure you don’t miss any single one and watch in the right order.

22. Run Lola Run (1998)

Talking about Time Travel, “ Run Lola Run ” is a different type. Not at all time travel, actually.

Lola has 3 chances to rescue her boyfriend, and every time she does something different, she changes the outcome. It is a kind of butterfly effect.

Are you familiar with the butterfly effect? “Run Lola Run” is a great example for the chaos theory.

Here is the trailer from the 1998s movie.

A Pixar animation and the only animated movie in this list: UP!

A 78-year-old balloon salesman, Carl Fredricksen, is about to fulfill a lifelong dream.

Tying thousands of balloons to his house, he flies away to the South American wilderness.

But Carl’s worst nightmare comes true when he discovers a little boy named Russell is a stowaway aboard the balloon-powered house.

A real adventure movie for kids and adults alike.

The movie is a bit sad but it shows quite some values you can always follow. One of our favorite wanderlust films on this list!

Update : Another fantastic pixar movie is Finding NEMO

24. Crocodile Dundee

This is another classic, right before we end this article.

It is a “reverse” kind of travel movie, where the experienced Australian adventurer Crocodile Dundee visits the Big Apple, New York City. Born and raised in Australia, killing Crocodiles and other deadly animals, you can imagine this kind of person gets into trouble when stepping into the world of Sky scrappers, Starbucks and stocks.

Certainly an entertaining film!

25. Wanderlust (2012)

Hippie meets city couple. “ Wanderlust ” is a 2012 American comedy film, starring Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd.

As a married couple they try to escape modern society by finding themselves on a commune in Georgia, after the economy crashes down on their dreams in New York City.

A movie full of laughter, hippies, penises and laughter.

26. The Art of Travel

How about I tell you I have this full movie “ The Art of Travel ” for you?

You can buy and rent all films on this list directly on Amazon .

The Art of Travel is my favorite movie for Solo-Traveler!

It is about a young men. He is about to get married and in the last moment, he changed his mind and his life from now on. He ends up in Central America, leaves the United States and goes out there to find dangerous adventure and the full backpacker experience.

Watch the trailer to get an idea.

This, for me, is the best backpacker movie out there.

27. Not Today

While we like to focus more on the romantic side of life, there is also a dark side of this world to explore.

A dark side you may not even want to know about. But, when traveling the world, these kind of experiences or connections are part of what makes a backpacker, in a way, as well.

“ Not Today ” from 2013 is a movie about high-school friends visiting India. Focusing on party and an excessive nightlife, one of the friends gets in touch with the poorest. This encounter will change his life and opens up a dark side of India: children prostitution and slavery.

This is a great movie, not entertaining, but shocking and eye-opening. A travel-related drama.

28. Eurotrip

Two friends, two friends, 8 countries across Europe.

As a European I have to say, this movie is very “American”, but I can see why it is funny. It is really ironic. A young kid paints himself a Hitler beard, touchy Italians, nude beaches, crazy alcohol, prostitutes in Amsterdam…

The Eurotrip is full of weird stories. Really entertaining. Yet again, “very American”. Travel to Europe and experience it for yourself.

Read : 21 best places to visit in Europe in Summer

29. Away We Go

Verona De Tessant (Maya Rudolph) and Burt Farlander (John Krasinski) are in their early 30s living in the Denver, Colorado area and struggling to meet daily needs and build fulfilling lives. When they learn they will soon become parents, they are confronted with the challenge of how – and where – to raise a child and build a happy family.

The parents move away to Europe and suddenly, everything seems possible.

A comedy-drama about love and possibilities. Watch “ Away we go ” directly through Amazon.

An award-winning movie with Reese Witherspoon: WILD !

Despite a lack of hiking experience, recent divorcée Cheryl Strayed (Reese Witherspoon) leaves her home town to hike 1,100 miles of the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail on a journey of self-discovery and healing.

During the hike, Strayed reflects in flashbacks on her childhood in Minnesota and memories of her mother, Bobbi Grey (Laura Dern). Bobbi’s death from cancer sent Cheryl into a deep depression that she tried to numb with heroin and anonymous sex, which eventually destroyed her marriage to her husband Paul (Thomas Sadoski). After finding out she was pregnant, Strayed got an abortion and resolved to hike the trail to redeem herself.

31. The Way

The most famous Walk in the Western world: Camino de Santiago in North Spain.

The main character loses his son in the Pyrenees Mountains doing the Camino De Santiago. On the way picking up the ashes of his son, the father decides to walk the walk – together with his son ashes.

The Way is a tragic, dramatic, entertaining traveler movie about the magic of The Walk, friendship and life.

Read : 3 Stories from Camino De Santiago

32. Castaway

The movie “ Cast Away ” comes with Tom Hanks. So it has to be good right?!

Based on a true story, one lucky fellow strands on a lonely island after the plane crashes down.

What does he do? He tries to survive.

It does not get more challenging than that.

33. Planet Earth

The last item on this list: Planet Earth . After all these man-made movies and stories, let’s have a look what mother nature has to say.

This movie shows the wildlife and will leave you with goosebumps. Incredible. Fascinating. Planet Earth.

They follow three different families and show incredible footage you have never seen before.

Where to watch the movies?

You can buy all movies on Amazon Prime . This is the easiest way to get a movie to your laptop.

You can rent most of the movies. This means you have the movie available for a certain amount of time. This is cheaper and prices start from as low as $1.

Summary: Overview of best Wanderlust Movies

I hope you enjoyed this list and I really hope you found some inspiration here.

I am summarizing here the full list again, just for an overview:

•  Indiana Jones
• L’Auberge Espagnole
• A Map For Saturday
• The English Patient
• Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
• Lord of the Rings/ The Hobbit
• Que Tan Lejos
• Catch Me If You Can
• Seven Years in Tibet
• Into The Wild
• Vicky Cristina Barcelona
• The Grand Budapest Hotel
• The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
• Midnight in Paris
• Safety Not Guaranteed
• Romancing the Stone
• National Lampoon’s Vacation
• Back To The Future
• Run Lola Run
• Crocodile Dundee
• The Art of Travel
• Planet Earth

Over to you

Let us know on the comments below if you watched them, if you liked them (or not) and if we missed your favorite one.

We are always keen to add good movies to our list.

Which are your favorite kind of travel movie?

• comedy travel movies
• adventure movies
• movies about traveling the world

I would love to hear about them.

Please leave a comment below with your favorite one and I’ll check it. I need a new one for the next flight.

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75+ Best Travel Movies To Inspire Your Wanderlust

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read the disclaimer here .

The best travel movies have the ability to shift our mindset, give us permission to dream bigger and inspire our wanderlust for adventure . For me, watching movies about travel is the next best thing to actually travelling.

Travel movies can do more than inspire, they can also inform. The best movies on travel open our eyes to different cultures, alternative life paths that challenge society’s accepted norms and status quo . I didn’t know the Camino de Santiago existed until I watched The Way  (2010). Now it’s on my bucket list. Watching  Brooklyn  (2015) helped me understand that even though moving abroad is painful, the payoff is worth it.

I’m a cinephile and a travel lover and every week (literally) I watch new and favourite world travel movies. I know my stuff. These movies will inspire you to hike that mountain, kiss the beautiful French girl, jump on the Vespa… Whatever you want to do! No matter your age or social background, travel is for you. And sometimes we just need wanderlust-inspiring movies to show us how.

So, enjoy this travel movies list full of hiking, road-tripping, comedic, romantic and adventurous films set around the world. And then  watch  them!

Best Travel Movies That Will Make You WANT to Travel

1. 2  days in paris (2007).

Director:  Julie Delpy  Languages:  English, French  Run time: 101m 88% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more: 84 Films set in Paris to Inspire you to Visit

Cultures clash in Julie Delpy’s exploration of a romantic relationship on the brink of ruin. American Jack and French Marion hope to solve their communication issues by returning to Marion’s hometown of Paris, France and visiting her parents for a weekend. Hence 2 Days in Paris. It’s an existential travel comedy that is less in-your-face, American-style comedy and more cocksure French comedy.

2. A Bigger Splash  (2015)

Director:  Luca Guadagnino Languages: English, Italian, French Run time: 124m 90% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more:  13 Great Films set in Sicily to Inspire you to Visit

Ever wondered what Tilda Swinton would look like as a David Bowie-esque performer? Wonder no more as that’s exactly what she stars as in Guadagnino’s erotic thriller A Bigger Splash . Pal Ralph Fiennes and estranged daughter Dakota Johnson crash her and her partner Mattias Schoenart’s respite on the island of Pantelleria, Sicily . The raw volcanic landscape and pool vibes would make this a dreamy holiday flick if it weren’t for the matter of murder…

3. A Good Year  (2006)

Director:  Ridley Scott  Languages:  English, French, Russian  Run time: 118m 25% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more: 23 Films set in France to Inspire you to Visit

So it’s not one of the  best  films, but it’s one of the best  travel  films if you love French countryside/chateaus and wine. And who doesn’t, right?! I love  A Good Year regardless. Russell Crowe’s English financier is having a midlife crisis when he inherits a vineyard in Provence, France from a recently deceased relative. Now, where can I get me a rich elderly relative with a holiday home in Tuscany?

4. A United Kingdom  (2016)

Director:  Amma Asante  Languages:  English, Tswana  Run time: 111m 84% Rotten Tomatoes

A lot of the top travel movies star primarily privileged white people. I’m not getting on my soapbox. Just take a quick look down this list and you’ll see, they generally all feature white people on an internal and physical journey. So, I love it when a travel movie breaks the mould! Based on a true story, Seretse Khama is the heir to the throne in Bechuanaland (later Botswana) who falls in love with a white English lady in London.  A United Kingdom  is a story of prejudice, identity and gorgeous Bostwana landscapes.

5. The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert  (1994)

Director:  Stephan Elliot  Language:  English  Run time: 103m 96% Rotten Tomatoes

One of the best LBGTQ+ travel movies,  The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert  is the story of three drag performers travelling from Sydney to Alice Springs in Australia for a show. Along the way, there are tensions with the locals, tensions between the travellers and tensions within themselves. There’s nothing like a physical journey to trigger an internal one! Plus, epic costumes with many, many feathers.

6. The Beach  (2000)

Director:  Danny Boyle  Language:  English  Run time: 119m 20% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more: The Beach Filming Locations in Thailand

This is not one of the best travel movies, I’ll admit that, but it’s a fan favourite and one of my guilty pleasures.  The Beach  follows Leonardo DiCaprio’s American tourist in search of a secluded island in Thailand with promises of paradise. And when he finds that island , things are not as he thought they would be. Sometimes travel might not turn out as you expected, but there are still lessons to be learned from every experience .

7. Before Trilogy (1995, 2004 & 2013)

Director:  Richard Linklater  Language:  English  Run times:  101m, 80m, 109m 95-100% Rotten Tomatoes 

Read more: Before Sunset Filming Locations in Paris, France

Hands down, three of the best travelling movies. In my humble opinion. The Before  trilogy consists of  Before Sunrise  (1995) set in Vienna, Austria , Before Sunset  (2004) set in Paris, France and  Before Midnight  (2013) set in Greece . Each film documents how American Jesse and French Celine’s relationship develops in nine-year intervals. With beautiful European backdrops! The dialogue is incredibly articulate and relatable and there’s no way you won’t fantasise about falling in love with someone you meet on a train after watching these movies.

8. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel  (2011) &  The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel  (2015)

Director:  John Madden  Language:  English  Run times:  124m, 122m 65-78% Rotten Tomatoes

I love travel films that prove that you can travel and find adventure at any age! The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel  and it’s sequel follow a group of Brits that plan to retire in Ravla Khempur near Udaipur in India  where there is a low cost of living. They think they’ve found an amazing deal, but once the oldies arrive at the hotel it’s a little worse for wear. Featuring some of the best British actors, the OAPs in this movie make lemonade out of life’s lemons.

9. Brooklyn  (2015)

Director:  John Crowley  Language:  English  Run time: 112m 97% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more: Brooklyn Filming Locations in Ireland, New York & Canada

Armed with everything she owns in one suitcase, sweet Eilis boards a ferry to Brooklyn, New York  leaving her hometown of Enniscorthy in Ireland behind. Brooklyn faithfully interprets the feeling and challenges of belonging to two places. There’s the place where you grew up , where your friends and family are and your culture, and the second place where you find belonging and purpose. Just an incredibly beautiful film and surely one of the best travel movies of all time.

10. Call Me By Your Name  (2017)

Director:  Luca Guadagnino  Languages:  English, Italian, French  Run time: 132m 94% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more: Call Me By Your Name Filming Locations in Sirmione

One of my favourite travel romance movies, actually one of my favourite movies of all time, is  Call Me By Your Name.  It follows the summer romance between 17-year-old Elio and 24-year-old Grad student Oliver who joins Elio’s academic family at their villa in Lombardy, Italy . You can feel the tepid water of their daily swims on your skin, taste the juicy apricots that grow in the garden and hear the upbeat 1980s pop music. Is there anything more idyllic than an endless summer?

11. Chalet Girl  (2011)

Director: Phil Traill  Languages:  English, German  Run time: 96m 77% Rotten Tomatoes

If you’ve ever thought about seasonal work abroad,  Chalet Girl  is one of the best travel movies for you! Felicity Jones plays Kim, a former skateboarding star who works a ski season at a luxury ski resort in Tyrol, Austria where she discovers her knack for snowboarding. For a teen-focused, light-hearted drama, Chalet Girl  is surprisingly watchable and very wanderlust inspiring, especially if you’re a winter-lover.

12. Chasing Liberty  (2004)

Director:  Andy Kadiff  Language:  English  Run time: 111m 18% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more:  17 Best Films set in Venice, Italy to Inspire Your Trip

Speaking of teen-focused, light-hearted dramas… Here’s another one for you! As a woman around the age of 30, I  loved  the Mary-Kate and Ashely travel movies and  Chasing Liberty  is of the same ilk. Mandy Moore plays an 18-year-old President’s daughter who gives her security detail the slip while travelling in Prague, Czechia . She then travels onto Venice, Italy and Berlin, Germany with a cute British boy who isn’t all he seems.

13. Cites of Love Series (2006 – 2019)

Creator:  Emmanuel Benbihy  Languages:  Various  Run times:  93-120m 8-86% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more: 16 Brilliant Films set in Berlin to Watch Before Your Trip

The Cities of Love series includes  Paris, Je T’aime  (2006),  New York, I Love You  (2008),  Tbilisi, I Love You (2014), Rio, I Love You  (2014) and Berlin, I Love You  (2019). Upcoming cities include Shanghai, Jerusalem, Venice, Delhi, Marseille and New Orleans. These travel inspiring movies are cinematic love letters to each focus city , with wild variations in the quality. Each film is built up of vignettes with different casts and directors for each section, and they’re a must-watch if you’re visiting any of the cities in the series listed so far!

14. Copenhagen  (2014)

Director:  Mark Raso  Languages:  English, Danish  Run time: 98m 88% Rotten Tomatoes

In this movie, a twenty-something Canadian takes a trip to Copenhagen, Denmark (who’d have thunk with a film title like Copenhagen , right?) to track down his Danish Grandfather. He meets a young waitress who essentially becomes his guide and friend. And while the huge age difference between our two leads is unnecessarily gross, it’s a great travel movie that successfully intertwines internal and external journeys.

15. Crazy Rich Asians  (2018)

Director:  John M. Chu  Language:  English  Run time: 121m 91% Rotten Tomatoes

Getting rich and moving to  Singapore  never looked so appealing. When working-class student Rachel is invited to a wedding with her Singaporean boyfriend back in his home country, she learns he is crazy  rich as well as being  crazy  gorgeous.  Crazy Rich Asians  is one of my favourite comedy travel movies and I have a very strong urge to watch it right now.

16. The Darjeeling Limited  (2007)

Director:  Wes Anderson  Language:  English  Run time: 98m 69% Rotten Tomatoes

The Darjeeling Limited is one of the best travel films set on a train and it’s steeped in travel-related irony. After the death of their father, three estranged brothers travel through Jodhpur, India to visit their mother who is now a Nun. Owen Wilson’s brother is so obsessed with the brothers having a “spiritual” and “healing” journey so much so that he has meticulously planned every detail so that can happen. Like I said: the irony.

17. The Da Vinci Code / Robert Langdon Series (2006, 2009 & 2016)

Director:  Ron Howard  Language:  English  Run times: 149m, 138m, 121m 23-37% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more: Angels and Demons Filming Locations in Rome, Italy

Now, these  are guilty-pleasure travel movies . The Da Vinci Code  (2006),  Angels and Demons  (2009) and  Inferno  (2016) all make up the Robert Langdon series. They star Tom Hanks as everyone’s favourite symbologist thrown into the deep end of religious conspiracy theories taking everything way too seriously. The Da Vinci Code primarily takes place in Paris, France as well as London and Edinburgh , Angels and Demons  is set almost entirely in Rome and  Inferno  hops around Florence, Venice and Istanbul .

18. Easy Rider  (1969)

Director:  Dennis Hopper  Language:  English  Run time: 96m 83% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more: 50 Best American Movies to Inspire a Trip to Every State

The quintessential American road trip movie. Two hippies successfully complete a drug deal and take their new wealth on the back roads (including the historic Route 66) in search of meaning and truth. In Easy Rider, the pair meet several colourful characters along their journey as they ride through smalltown America to New Orleans, Lousiana .

19. Eat Pray Love  (2010)

Director:  Ryan Murphy  Languages:  English, Italian, Portuguese  Run time: 133m 36% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more: Eat Pray Love Filming Locations in Rome (and Naples)

If  Easy Rider  was the quintessential American road movie,  Eay Pray Love  is the quintessential “find yourself” movie. Based on Elizabeth Gilbert’s best-selling memoir, she escapes her post-breakup messy New York life for four months in Rome, Italy in pursuit of pleasure, four months at an Ashram in India in pursuit of devotion and four months in Bali, Indonesia pursuing balance.

20. The English Patient  (1996)

Director:  Anthony Minghella  Languages:  English, German, Italian, Arabic  Run time: 162m 85% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more: 22 Amazing Films set in Italy to Inspire you to Visit

On the surface,  The English Patient  doesn’t appear to be one of the best wanderlust movies out there. However, it’s still a story of adventure, loss and heartache that spans continents so it still seems fitting. Primarily told in flashbacks, this WWII Oscar-winning drama takes place in a monastery in Tuscany, Italy and the Sahara Desert in Africa .

21. Edie  (2017)

Director:  Simon Hunter  Language:  English Run time: 102m 62% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more:  22 Fantastic Films set in Scotland to Inspire you to Visit

Another film demonstrating that you’re never too old, Edie  stars Sheila Hancock as the titular character. After her controlling husband passes on, Edie finds her old hiking backpack in the attic which reignites her dream of climbing Suilven, a mountain in Scotland . She ignores her naysaying daughters and finds help in a young guide , proving that listening to your gut and seeking help when you need it is the best way to live.

22. EuroTrip (2004)

Director:  Jeff Schaffer  Language:  English  Run time: 92m 47% Rotten Tomatoes

Admit it, who else watched the American Pie  movies growing up?  EuroTrip  is a slightly watered down  American Pie  that’s set in Europe. Four teens take a trip around Europe the summer before college to see the sights and so one of them can meet up with his attractive German pen pal. They travel to London, Paris, Amsterdam, Bratislava, Berlin and Rome . If you’re planning a European interrail trip, this is one of the best travel inspiration movies you could watch.

23. Falling Inn Love  (2019)

Director:  Roger Kumble  Language:  English  Run time: 98m 65% Rotten Tomatoes

This is one of the best travelling movies on Netflix, for sure! Though if you loath Hallmark-style movies, then  Falling Inn Love  may not be your cup of tea. Christina Milian plays a high-powered San Francisco career woman who unexpectantly wins an Inn somewhere in the countryside outside of Auckland, New Zealand . She, of course, meets a cute local who helps her renovate her dilapidated B&B. One of the best travel movies on Netflix to melt your cold, northern hemisphere heart.

24. Forrest Gump  (1994)

Director:  Robert Zemeckis  Language:  English  Run time: 142m 71% Rotten Tomatoes

The unbelievable life of  Forrest Gump  has become one of the best adventure travel movies without meaning to be. Forrest (played by Tom Hanks) didn’t have a lot going for him as a youngster, but his heart of gold and lack of shame got him far in life. Literally. The most wanderlust-inspiring part of this Oscar-winning epic is Forrest’s multi-year run around the USA from Alabama , through Mississippi , to Santa Monica Pier in California and even Monument Valley . Want to travel more? If we’ve learnt anything from the great Sage Forrest Gump, just go!

25. The Grand Budapest Hotel  (2014)

Director:  Wes Anderson  Language:  English  Run time: 100m 92% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more: 13 Great Movies set in Germany to Inspire you to Visit

This is the first film on this best travel movies list set in a fictional location, and it won’t be the last. And doesn’t mean it’s any less wanderlust-inspiring. The titular ski resort in The Grand Budapest Hotel  is located in Zubrowka where the concierge Gustav H. is framed for murdering one of his guests. It’s the 1930s and a turbulent time, so he befriends the new lobby boy to help clear his name. One of the best adventure travel movies if you like swanky hotels and pastel-coloured European architecture. Oh, and most of the film was shot in Görlitz, Germany if you want to visit the real place.

26. Hector and the Search for Happiness  (2014)

Director:  Peter Chelsom  Language:  English  Run time: 120m 37% Rotten Tomatoes

Though quite a contrived, simplistic film which doesn’t offer a profound solution,  Hector and the Search for Happiness  might just be the catalyst you need to put yourself first and find what makes you  happy. Starring Simon Pegg as a psychiatrist, he leaves his girlfriend behind to travel the world and find happiness. He visits Tibet, Shanghai, South Africa and California .

27. Hideous Kinky  (1998)

Director:  Gillies MacKinnon  Languages:  English, French, Arabic  Run time: 98m 65% Rotten Tomatoes

Hideous Kinky  is something of a hidden gem, and there was another film released in 1998 starring Kate Winslet which overshadowed this one slightly. She plays a recently divorced young mother with two children living in Marrakech, Morocco . Though they are struggling to make ends meet, the kindness of their community helps them pull through.

28. The Holiday  (2003)

Director:  Nancy Meyers  Language:  English  Run time: 136m 50% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more: The Holiday Filming Locations in England & USA

One of the best travel movies to watch around Christmastime, The Holiday stars Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz as unhappy single women who seek a change of scenery for the holidays. After listing their homes in Surrey, England and Los Angeles on a Home Exchange website, they swap houses and lives for the holidays. Now for a serious question. Would you rather live in a quaint cottage in Surrey or a mega-mansion in LA?

29. Holiday In The Wild  (2019)

Director:  Ernie Barbarash  Language:  English  Run time: 86m 38% Rotten Tomatoes

Looking for Christmas/holiday-themed travel movies on Netflix? Luckily, there is one that fits the bill!  Holiday in the Wild  follows a recently-divorced, middle-aged woman who travels to South Africa on Safari. There, she succeeds in rescuing a baby elephant and falls in love with her new lifestyle. That’s the dream, right? To travel somewhere that you love  so  much and aligns with your values  so  well that you never want to leave!

30. Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)

Director:  Taika Waititi Language:  English  Run time: 101m 97% Rotten Tomatoes

Trees. Birds. Rivers. Sky. Running with my Uncle Hec. Living forever.  The haiku that Ricky Baker wrote in  Hunt for the Wilderpeople  basically sums up the whole film in those three lines. 13-year-old Ricky and his foster father (played by Sam Neill) accidentally become the targets of a manhunt in the Central Plateau and Waitākere Ranges in New Zealand.  It’s hilarious, one of the best travel comedy movies and adventure films. I LOVE unlikely pairings. I’d recommend it to anyone.

31. In Bruges  (2008)

Director:  Martin McDonagh  Language:  English  Run time: 107m 84% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more: In Bruges Filming Locations in Bruges, Belgium

This highly quotable, black comedy is set in the very unlikely medieval city of Bruges, Belgium . Two Irish hitmen are sent to hide out and enjoy the sights after a job gone wrong. One is happy for the break, the other is not effing happy at all. In Bruges  is one part-travelogue and one part-crime film. It’s unlike any other movie I’ve ever seen. If you don’t like romantic, wistful travel movies, this film is for you.

32. If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium  (1969)

Director:  Mel Stuart  Language:  99m  Run time: 99m 60% Rotten Tomatoes

COMING SOON: Films set in Belgium to Inspire you to Visit

Isn’t it so weird to think that  this  is how many Americans used to take a trip around Europe? Travelling by bus to five main cities then flying back home? Wild! If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium  creates a comedy out of the type of characters you’d expect on a coach trip like that. And their charming, scammy tour guide, of course. The group visits London, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Brussels and Bastogne in Belgium, a boat trip from Koblenz to Wiesbaden, Germany and finally Venice and Rome, Italy.

33. The Inbetweeners Movie  (2011) &  The Inbetweeners 2  (2014)

Directors:  Ben Palmer, Damon Beesley, Iain Morris  Language:  English  Run times:  97m, 96m 53-68% Rotten Tomatoes

The Inbetweeners  TV show was a HUGE hit in the UK, it’s no wonder that two equally-successful films followed. The Inbetweeners Movie  is the lesser of the two, following the four lads as they head to Crete on a typical lads package holiday. But The Inbetweeners 2  is my personal favourite, as Simon, Neil and Will travel to Australia to surprise Jay on his working holiday there. Hilarious, entertaining and brilliant at poking fun at gap year stereotypes.

34. Indiana Jones Series (1981, 1984, 1989 & 2008)

Director: Steven Spielberg  Languages:  English, German  Run times:  115-128m 78-95% Rotten Tomatoes

You knew this entry was coming. These are the best travel adventure movies, hands down.  Raiders of the Lost Ark  (1981),  Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom  (1984),  Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade  (2008) and  Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull  (2008) make up one heck of a film series. Harrison Ford plays the titular whip-cracking archaeologist as his vocation takes him to Peru, India, Venice, Berlin and  so  many other places in the USA and around the world.

35. Into The Wild  (2007)

Director:  Sean Penn  Language:  English Run time: 83m 83% Rotten Tomatoes

Into The Wild  is a travel movie based on a true story of Christopher McCandless. He was a well-off college graduate who decided to leave his cushy life behind without telling his family. He donates and burns his money to live on the road and off the land throughout the USA and Mexico with his sights set on Alaska . The film asks viewers to reach their own conclusions regarding Chris’ actions. Was he a selfish, arrogant man with no care for his family or others less fortunate, or was he a courageous free-thinker who dared to challenge the status quo?

36. Italian For Beginners  (2000)

Director:  Lone Scherfig Languages:  Danish, Italian, English  Run time: 118m 88% Rotten Tomatoes

Italian For Beginners  proves that you don’t have to leave your hometown to experience another culture and meet interesting, like-minded people. Six people living in Copenhagen , all at personal crossroads, sign up for Italian lessons to fill the void in their unhappy lives. They each take steps to work out their issues and take a group trip to Venice, Italy to try out their new language skills.

37. Julie and Julia  (2009)

Director:  Nora Ephron  Language:  English  Run time: 123m 77% Rotten Tomatoes

The film Julie and Julia  tells the story of two women living in two separate eras and two separate countries. The first is famous chef and cookbook writer Julia Childs (played by Meryl Streep) as she attempts to bring French cooking to the American masses from her kitchen in Paris, France. Julie is a stuck-in-a-rut New Yorker who starts a blog to document on her personal challenge to cook everything in Julia’s seminal cookbook “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” A wanderlust movie about travelling through your tastebuds!

38. Lawrence of Arabia  (1962)

Director:  David Lean  Language:  English  Run time:  227m 97% Rotten Tomatoes

Though the eye-wateringly long run time would put some people off,  Lawrence of Arabia  is a classic film that documents a long, perilous journey and a clash of cultures. Based on a memoir, the film follows an army lieutenant tasked with communicating with the Bedouin tribes in North Africa so they can join forces in their fights against the Turks. Cinematic, intrepid and impressive.

39. Last Holiday  (2006)

Director:  Wayne Wang  Language:  English  Run time: 112m 56% Rotten Tomatoes

What would you do if you were diagnosed with a terminal illness and had weeks to live? Georgia Byrd in Last Holiday  had to answer this question. She decides to spend every last cent she has on a luxury trip to Europe, specifically a lavish hotel in Karlovy Vary, Czechia . It’s an endearing, light-hearted film (given the subject matter) about not delaying your life until it’s too late.

40. Letters to Juliet  (2010)

Director:  Gary Winick  Languages:  English, Italian  Run time: 105m 42% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more: Letters to Juliet Filming Locations in Verona and Tuscany

Letters to Juliet  is about a wannabe writer who takes a pre-wedding trip with her fiancé to Verona, Italy . After finding a 50-year-old love letter, she helps reunite an English woman with her Italian boyfriend that she loved when they were teenagers in  Tuscany.  This is one of the best travel movies for you soppy romantic types out there. And did you know you can actually volunteer to be a secretary of Juliet for a week or so? Yup, it’s a real thing!

41. Little Miss Sunshine  (2006)

Directors:  Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris  Language:  English  Run time: 102m 91% Rotten Tomatoes

Are you a winner? You’d have to be if you’re part of the Hoover family where losing is not an option. When young Olive is accepted into the Little Miss Sunshine  beauty pageant in  Redondo Beach, California,  the whole dysfunctional family packs up their beat-up yellow VW van in  Albuquerque, New Mexico  and hits the road. One of the best trip movies where you’ll learn that being yourself and losing is  much  better than fitting in and winning.

42. Living is Easy with Eyes Closed  (2013)

Directors:  David Trueba  Language:  Spanish  Run time: 105m 94% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more: 23 Incredible Films set in Spain to Inspire you to Visit

America seems to get all the best road movies, but Living is Easy with Eyes Closed  proves Spain ain’t a bad country for a road trip, either. Set in the 1960s, an unremarkable teacher decides to travel from Madrid to Almería so he can meet his hero, John Lennon. Of course, we know that half the fun is getting there and the journey is often more important than the destination.

43. The Lizzie McGuire Movie  (2003)

Director:  Jim Fall  Languages:  English, Italian  Run time: 94m 41% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more: 19 Films set in Rome to Watch Before Your Trip

Joining a school trip to Rome , meeting a cute Italian pop star and performing live on stage? This is what dreams are made of. And it’s also  exactly  what happens to Lizzie in  The Lizzie McGuire Movie,  the film based on the hit Disney Channel TV show. You might not love this travel movie if you weren’t 10-years-old in 2003, but I love all the nostalgia feels.

44. The Lord of the Rings Series (2001, 2002 & 2003)

Director:  Peter Jackson  Language:  English  Run time:  178m, 179m, 201m 91-95% Rotten Tomatoes

C’mon, we all know and love this film series.  The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring  (2001),  The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers  (2002) and  The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King  (2003) are modern classics and brilliant adventure movies. Set all around  Middle Earth  and filmed in  New Zealand, throwing the ring into the fires of Mount Doom may have saved man (or hobbit)kind, but the journey changed the young hobbits for the better. We can only hope travel does the same for us!

45. Lost in Translation  (2003)

Director:  Sofia Coppola  Language:  English  Run time:  102m 95% Rotten Tomatoes

A sell-out, ageing movie star and an unhappily married 20-something form an unlikely friendship whilst staying in the same hotel in  Tokyo, Japan .  Lost in Translation  eases the pain that any solo traveller knows all too well of finding friendship or simply someone to talk to on the road. All it takes is one kind smile and suddenly you’re running around Tokyo performing karaoke, eating sushi and drinking cheap whisky.

46. Monsoon Wedding  (2001)

Director:  Mira Nair  Languages:  Hindi, English  Run time: 113m 95% Rotten Tomatoes

Monsoon Wedding  might not be a travel movie in the strictest sense, but it’s about the clashing of cultures and traditional values wrestling with modern sensibilities. Set in  New Delhi, India during monsoon season, Aditi is promised to a young man whose family live in Texas. It’s their arranged marriage and lavish wedding that forms the main setting for the film.

47. Mamma Mia!  (2008) &  Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again  (2018)

Directors:  Phyllida Lloyd, Ol Parker  Language:  English  Run times:  108m, 114m 55-79% Rotten Tomatoes

Mamma Mia!  (2008) and  Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again  (2018) are two of the most joyous films I have ever seen and the world would be a brighter place if they were compulsory viewing. The first film stars Meryl Streep as Donna, a single mother running a rundown B&B in Greece trying to plan her 20-year-old daughter’s wedding. Little does she know Sophie has invited her three possible fathers to the nuptials… The sequel is half present-day in Greece, half flashback to Donna’s carefree days in Paris, France and Greece. I mentioned they were ABBA musical comedy films too, yes?

48. Midnight in Paris  (2011)

Director:  Woody Allen  Language:  English  Run time: 94m 93% Rotten Tomatoes

Read next:  Midnight in Paris Filming Locations in Paris

Many people would choose 1920s Paris if a time machine allowed them to live in any time period in any city. Unfortunately, that’s impossible. But Owen Wilson’s screenwriter Gil gets to do just that at the stroke of midnight while enjoying a city break in Paris, France . He meets Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Gertrude Stein reviews his work-in-progress novel. Midnight in Paris  teaches us to live with what we  can’t  control and change what we  can. 

49. The Motorcycle Diaries  (2004)

Director: Walter Salles  Languages:  Spanish, Quechua  Run time:  126m 83% Rotten Tomatoes

This biographical film is definitely one of the best travel movies out there. It combines amazing South American locations, a physical and internal journey and using your knowledge/experience/travels for good.  The Motorcycle Diaries  documents the journey Che Guevara took before his last semester of medical school, one that would ultimately change his viewpoint forever. He travels from Brazil to Peru on a motorcycle, also visiting Argentina and Chile .

50. National Lampoon’s Vacation Film Series (1983, 1985, 1989, 1997 & 2015)

Directors:  Various  Language:  English  Run time:  93-99m 13-93% Rotten Tomatoes

Off the back of a first successful film, National Lampoon’s Vacation  (1983) was followed by  National Lampoon’s European Vacation  (1985),  National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation  (1989),  Vegas Vacation  (1997) and  Vacation  (2015). The movies all follow this basic premise: family embarks on a trip, things go awry. And it’s comedy gold! Most of the films are set across the USA , but  European Vacation  is set in London, Stonehenge, Paris  and  Rome.  Though they vary in quality, these are some of the best travel comedy movies. And are ideal if you want to watch family travel movies!

51. Night Train to Lisbon  (2013)

Director:  Bille August  Language:  English  Run time: 111m 41% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more: 11 BestPortuguese Movies to Inspire you to Visit Portugal

Though it can feel like you’re watching a long, drawn-out obituary,  Night Train to Lisbon  does have some good qualities if you’re looking for an intellectual film set almost entirely in Lisbon. A teacher from Bern, Switzerland spontaneously hops on a train to Lisbon, Portugal (funny that) after a chance encounter with a woman on a bridge and a book he finds in her coat pocket. His curiosity leads him to have the most meaningful experience he’s had in his entire life. It never hurts to  escape the humdrum every now and again.

52. Out Of Africa  (1985)

Director:  Sydney Pollack  Languages:  English, Swahili  Run time:  161m 59% Rotten Tomatoes

Another sweeping travel romance drama in the same vein as The English Patient.  But instead of Italy and the Sahara, the two countries that feature in  Out Of Africa  are  Denmark  and  Kenya.  Meryl Streep plays a wealthy, upper-class Dane in the 1910s who marries for convenience. She moves to Kenya to run a coffee plantation and there she falls in love with a hunter who enjoys the simple things.

53. Paris Can Wait  (2016)

Director:  Eleanor Coppola  Language:  English  Run time: 92m 47% Rotten Tomatoes

Paris receives a lot of love in English-language travel films but anywhere else rarely gets a look in.  Paris Can Wait  highlights how gorgeous the French countryside is featuring Cannes, Vienna, Lyon, Vezelay as well as Paris, France . Diane Lane stars as a woman abandoned in Cannes by her inattentive movie producer husband and is forced to travel with his business partner up to Paris. What should be a 7-hour road trip takes two days as the pair stop to smell the roses, picnic next to lakes and sample local wineries.

54. P.S. I Love You  (2007)

Director:  Richard LaGravenese  Language:  English  Run time:  125m 25% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more: P.S. I Love You Filming Locations in Ireland

While I don’t understand why people love this film so much, they really, really do. So it had to be featured on the best travel movies list. P.S. I Love You  is about a young widow who attempts to rebuild her life with the help of some letters that her late Irish husband left for her. Though the film is primarily set in New York, the young woman visits Ireland both in the present day and via flashback.

55. Roman Holiday  (1953)

Director:  William Wyler  Languages:  English, Italian  Run time: 118m 97% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more: Roman Holiday Filming Locations in Rome, Italy

Roman Holiday  was one of the first, real wanderlust movies. It featured a charming storyline, an amazing cast and dreamy real-life filming locations all around the eternal city. Hollywood movies were largely studio-based before then. Audrey Hepburn stars as a European princess who escapes her palace to experience the “real” Rome, Italy . Gregory Peck is her willing tour guide who is secretly an American journalist hoping for an exclusive. An utterly delightful, timeless classic film proving it’s possible to have a  lot of fun in Rome with just one day.

56. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty  (2013)

Director:  Ben Stiller  Language:  English  Run time: 114m 51% Rotten Tomatoes

Sometimes you need a push to seek adventure, like Walter Mitty, but it’s always worth it when you do. In  The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,  a search for a lost file negative takes the titular protagonist on a quest through Greenland, Iceland and the Himalayas . It’s one of the best adventure travel movies from recent years, and anyone who has worked in an office can relate to Walter’s proclivity for daydreaming.

57. Seven Years in Tibet  (1997)

Director:  Jean-Jacques Annaud  Languages:  English, German, Nepali & More  Run time: 136m 60% Rotten Tomatoes

Brad Pitt’s dodgy accent aside, Seven Years in Tibet  is a story of perseverance and resistance in the face of adversity. Before China occupied Tibet, an Austrian climber began ascending a mountain in the Himalayas only to be interrupted by WWII. His displacement in Tibet allowed him to meet the Dalai Lama and gain perspective by being immersed in another culture for so long.

58. Sideways  (2004)

Director:  Alexander Payne  Language:  English  Run time: 127m 97% Rotten Tomatoes

Who says you need to travel abroad to satiate your wanderlust? A quick trip across the country is sometimes all the respite you need! In  Sideways,  a writer takes his engaged best friend on a trip to California’s wine country for a pre-wedding getaway. There, they drink lots of good wine, see some incredible scenery and get into trouble with women.

59. The Spanish Apartment  (2003)

Director:  Cédric Klapisch  Languages:  French, Spanish, English & More  Run time: 122m 76% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more: 11 Films set in Barcelona, Spain to Watch Before Your Trip

A truly international film, and a must-watch for any exchange student studying abroad.  The Spanish Apartment  focuses on a flat full of international students studying in  Barcelona, Spain.  Being away from home gives the students mental space to think about what they really want from life and whether certain partners/relationships are right for them.

60. Spider-Man: Far From Home  (2019)

Director:  Jon Watts  Language:  English  Run time: 129m 91% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more: Spider-Man: Far From Home Filming Locations in Europe

National Lampoon’s European Vacation  has already made an appearance on this list, but this is essentially Spider-Man’s European Vacation . Peter Parker gets around a bit in this MCU sequel! Actually titled Spider-Man: Far From Home,  our friendly neighbourhood arachnid travels with his classmates to Venice, Austria, Prague, Berlin, Netherlands and finally London on a field trip that’s hijacked by a mysterious, vengeful villain.

61. Summertime  (1955)

Director:  David Lean  Language:  English  Run time: 100m 88% Rotten Tomatoes

It’s interesting how many “women travel to Italy to escape their desperately lonely lives” films there are. Summertime,  starring Katherine Hepburn, is one. She appears as an unmarried secretary from Ohio who embarks on her dream trip to Venice, Italy . She proves that it’s never too late to cross items off your bucket list, even if you wish you’d done it earlier. The past is the past.

62. The Talented Mr Ripley  (1999)

Director:  Anthony Minghella  Language:  English  Run time: 139m 83% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more: The Talented Mr Ripley Filming Locations in Italy

There aren’t many wanderlust-inspiring thrillers out there. Probably because the words “wanderlust” and “murder” don’t pair too well together. But they do in The Talented Mr Ripley  where Matt Damon’s Tom Ripley cons and lies his way around the Italian islands, Rome and Venice . This is the third film in a row that mentions Venice! Best book a trip there sharpish. I hear it’s sinking, too.

63. Thelma & Louise  (1991)

Director:  Ridley Scott  Language:  English  Run time: 129m 84% Rotten Tomatoes

Thelma & Louise  is a badass road trip film filled with such badassery that it practically invented the word. This film shows us just how awesome (and dangerous) it is to travel with our best gal pals. Starring Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis, the pair head off on an innocent fishing trip until one bad night in a bar turns them into wanted women. Suddenly, they’re on the run driving between Arkansas and the Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA with their sights set on Mexico.

64. To Catch A Thief  (1955)

Director:  Alfred Hitchcock  Languages:  English, French  Run time: 106m 96% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more: To Catch a Thief Filming Locations in the South of France

Cary Grant and the incomparable Grace Kelly star in Alfred Hitchcock’s crime film about a retired cat burglar who has to clear his name when a copycat starts operating in the area. The film is set in the glamourous South of France, particularly Nice, Monaco and Cannes .  To Catch a Thief  shows us that… Actually, I’m not sure. That there’s always time for sightseeing even when you’re trying to thwart a thief? Maybe?

65. To Rome With Love  (2012)

Director:  Woody Allen  Languages:  English, Italian  Run time: 112m 46% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more: To Rome With Love Filming Locations in Rome

Granted,  To Rome With Love  is not an amazing travel movie, nor is it even the best movie set in Rome, Italy . But it might be the most prolific, featuring hundreds of streets, monuments and fountains in less than two hours. It comprises of four separate narratives featuring characters either living or visiting Rome and their connection with the city.

66. Tracks  (2013)

Director:  John Curran  Language:  English  Run time: 113m 82% Rotten Tomatoes

Some want to run marathons, others want to sail huge oceans and many of us want to undertake a multi-day hike. I’m in the latter category, but I could never do anything so gruelling as what Robyn Davidson accomplishes in Tracks.  Based on a popular memoir, the movie follows Robyn as she treks four camels and one dog across the unforgiving Australian outback from Alice Springs to the Indian Ocean in Western Australia .

67. Under the Tuscan Sun  (2003)

Director:  Audrey Wells  Language:  English  Run time: 113m 62% Rotten Tomatoes

Though the movie version of Under the Tuscan Sun  is very different from the best-selling book, there’s a lot to love about this travel film. It’s about a newly-divorced American writer who goes on a trip to Italy and spontaneously buys a rundown villa in Tuscany . She has to navigate hiring workers, managing her finances and a new relationship with a handsome Italian man. It highlights the reality (and the huge benefits) of buying property abroad.

68. Up  (2009)

Director:  Pete Docter  Language:  English  Run time: 96m 98% Rotten Tomatoes

This is the only animation on this list of best travel movies! But a worthy selection. Up is the universally-loved Pixar film about a retired man who finally fulfils a lifelong dream of travelling to South America by tying hundreds of balloons to his house and taking flight in it. Yet another film that insists it’s never too late to travel. Adventure is out there!

69. Up in the Air  (2009)

Director:  Jason Reitman  Language:  English  Run time: 109m 91% Rotten Tomatoes

One area of travel that doesn’t get a lot of love: business travel. But so many of us have to do it, so why not embrace it and make travelling for work as enjoyable as possible? In  Up in the Air,  George Clooney plays a “downsizer”, meaning he travels around to different companies firing employees. Some of the places he travels to include Omaha in Nevada, Detroit, Miami, Las Vegas and Wisconsin . The film also tackles the impersonal nature of technology and how face-to-face connections are infinitely better than technological ones.

70. Vicky Cristina Barcelona  (2008)

Director:  Woody Allen  Languages:  English, Spanish  Run time: 97m 81% Rotten Tomatoes

Read more: Vicky Cristina Barcelona Film Locations in Barcelona and Oviedo, Spain

Everyone needs rich family friends with a nice house in Barcelona, Spain like Vicky and Cristina. The two women spend a summer in the Catalan capital tasting the local wine, admiring the local art and sampling the local men. With the arrival of Juan Antonio, their summer in Spain suddenly gets a lot more interesting. Vicky Cristina Barcelona  is a fantastic demonstration of how your holiday-self is unleashed while you’re abroad and caged when you return.

71. The Way  (2010)

Director:  Emilio Estevez  Language:  English  Run time: 123m 83% Rotten Tomatoes

The title of the film, The Way,  refers to The Way of St James or the Camino de Santiago. It’s a pilgrimage through the north of Spain to a city called Santiago de Compostela . Martin Sheen plays an ophthalmologist who learns his son (played by his real-life son Emilio Estevez) died while hiking over the Pyrenees on the Camino, and travels to France to collect his ashes and belongings. He spontaneously decides to walk the Camino in his place. As I said at the top of the post, this film has encouraged me to walk the Camino and all the best travel movies teach you something about the world you didn’t already know!

72. Wild  (2014)

Director:  Jean-Marc Vallée  Language:  English  Run time: 115m 88% Rotten Tomatoes

Speaking of hiking for a purpose,  Wild  is a film based on the best selling memoir about a woman who hikes the Pacific Crest Trail from the bottom of California to the top of Washington state. Cheryl Strayed is a newly divorced, ex-junkie who is triggered to hike after the devastating death of her mother. It’s a super encouraging film for solo female travellers and anyone who wants to start over.

73. The Wizard of Oz  (1939)

Director:  Victor Fleming  Language:  English  Run time: 101m 98% Rotten Tomatoes

Wait,  The Wizard of Oz ?! But it’s not set in a real place and all Dorothy wants to do is go home! How is this one of the best travel movies? Well, it makes sense if you think about it. Dorothy’s end destination might be home, but she goes on quite the adventure to get back there. She meets the locals, learns how to assert herself and acclimatises well in Munchkinland and Emerald City . She’s a traveller through and through and we could all learn something from Dorothy.

74.  Y Tu Mamá También  (2001)

Director:  Alfonso Cuarón  Language:  Spanish  Run time: 106m 92% Rotten Tomatoes

If you want a travel movie to help you reminisce about your carefree teenage years,  Y Tu Mamá También  is the perfect film for you. Julio and Tenoch are friends with different socio-economic backgrounds. While attending a family wedding, they manage to convince an older woman to join them on a road trip from Mexico City to a beach in Oaxaca . It’s a trip that changes all three of them forever.

75. Youth  (2015)

Director:  Paolo Sorrentino  Language:  English  Run time: 124m 71% Rotten Tomatoes

Fred (played by Michael Caine), a retired composer, and Mick (played by Harvey Keitel), an almost-retired screenplay writer, convalesce at a luxury Alpine spa resort in Switzerland . They are best friends who are unable to feel hopeful about their futures as they deal with grief, family dramas and the inevitable indignity of ageing.  Youth  is a picturesque, quiet film which teaches us that it doesn’t matter where you physically are, your internal problems will follow.

And those are the best travel movies and the best movies to watch while travelling! Have you seen any of these good travel movies? Have they inspired you to visit somewhere? Let me know in the comments below!

Read next: 75+ Famous Movie Locations You Can Actually Visit

Hey! I wrote this. And I'm the human (and hair) behind Almost Ginger. I live for visiting filming locations, attending top film festivals and binge-watching travel inspiring films. I'm here to inspire you to do the same! Get in touch by leaving a comment or contacting me directly: [email protected] .

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25 Of The Best Travel Movies To Ignite Your Wanderlust

Looking for some great travel movies? We share some of our favorite adventure films.

Any list of the top travel movies is going to be a bit controversial. After all, opinions about what make the best travel movies are as diverse as the people watching.

However, there are some wanderlust movies that are so iconic that it’s hard to argue about their inclusion on our list.

The Best Travel Movies

Each of these movies is on our list for a different reason. Some bring back memories of carefree summer vacations, while others have characters that visit remote and undiscovered lands. Some of these movies are all about adventure, while others are more introspective, and about the inner journey. Still, others show off the filmmaker’s video editing capabilities, and their gorgeous cinematography.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty stars Ben Stiller as Walter. He spends his days daydreaming about an exciting existence, but spends day-after-day developing photos for Life magazine. His life turns around when he takes the chance to travel the world to find the perfect photo for the magazine’s final print issue.

It’s a funny and inspiring adventure movie, full of gorgeous scenery and grand adventures.

Where to watch. Stream: HBO Now, HBO Max. Buy or rent: YouTube, iTunes.

Hector and the Search for Happiness (2014)

Equally touching and funny, Hector and the Search for Happiness stars Simon Pegg as a middle aged psychiatrist who travels the world in his search for happiness.

One NSFW word of caution: You may find yourself saying: “ I want happiness ” in an over-the-top French accent over and over.

Where to watch. Stream: Amazon Prime . Buy or rent: Amazon , YouTube, iTunes.

Lost in Translation (2003)

Lost in Translation is a movie that I’ve watched over and over. It perfectly captures that sense of disconnect that I feel when I first visit a new destination where the language and customs are so different from my own.

Starring Bill Murray and a young Scarlett Johansson, Lost in Translation was directed by Sofia Coppola. The movie follows the relationship of an aging movie star (Murray) and a lonely, adrift young woman (Johansson) against the backdrop of Tokyo, Japan.

Where to watch. Stream: Crave, Starz. Rent or Buy: Amazon , YouTube.

Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)

Starring Diane Lane, Under the Tuscan Sun tells the story of a midlife woman who finds romance and a new purpose while renovating a run-town Italian villa. It’s equal parts romance, self discovery, wonderful food, and views of the stunning Tuscan landscape.

Where to watch. Stream: Amazon Prime Video . Rent or buy: Amazon , YouTube, Microsoft

Eat, Pray, Love (2010)

Based on the bestselling book by novelist Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love follows Gilbert’s (Julia Roberts) journey of self discovery as she travels the globe.

Where to watch. Stream on Starz. Rent or buy on Amazon , YouTube, Microsoft .

In Bruges (2008)

Love it or hate it, the movie In Bruges captures the charms of Bruges, Belgium perfectly. It’s a grittier choice than many of the movies on this list as it follows the adventures of hit men Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) as they await new orders in Bruges however you can’t fault the Belgium ambience.

Where to watch. Stream on AMC+. Rent or buy: YouTube, Google, iTunes, Amazon.

Wild (2014)

Based on the real-live adventure of author Cheryl Strayed, Wild stars Reese Witherspoon. An inexperienced hiker, Strayed decided to walk the challenging Pacific Crest Trail to face her inner demons, and comes to the end of the hike with a newfound clarity about her life.

Where to watch. Stream: Disney+. Rent or buy: iTunes

Into the Wild (2007)

Into the Wild is a real-life true story of the journey of Christopher McCandless, who disappeared while exploring the wilderness in Alaska.

Because of the sad ending, I resisted seeing this for a couple of years, thinking it would be a sad movie to watch. Surprisingly, I found Christopher’s journey to be inspiring and uplifting. The scenery is gorgeous as well.

Where to watch. Rent or Buy: iTunes, YouTube, Amazon.

The Way (2010)

I’ve always wanted to walk the Camino de Santiago in Spain. This movie stars Martin Sheen, who undertakes the walk as a pilgrimage of sorts to his recently deceased son. It’s a sad premise, but the movie is ultimately a perfect showcase for the gorgeous Camino de Santiago journey.

Where to watch. Stream: Amazon Prime . Rent of Buy: YouTube, Amazon, iTunes.

Tracks (2014)

Tracks tells the real life story of Robyn Davidson, who spent nine months trekking across the Australian desert on camels. Starring Mia Wasikowska and Adam Driver, the movie is an inspiration for solo travelers in challenging terrain.

Where to watch. Stream: Amazon Prime . Rent or buy: YouTube, Cineplex.

Before Sunrise (1995) – Before Sunset (2004) – Before Midnight (2013)

I’ll watch anything starring the talented Ethan Hawke. That said, these movies hold their own as is.

I watched these out of order, seeing Before Sunset before the original, Before Sunrise. I think it was a mistake as the original was my favorite. The movie stars a very young Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy flirting and talking philosophy among the charming streets of Vienna, Austria after hours.

There’s a lot of dialogue and relationship talk here, so this might not be the trilogy for you if you’re craving action and excitement.

Where to watch. Stream: Hoopla. Rent or buy: Amazon , YouTube, iTunes.

Out of Africa (1985)

Starring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford, Out of Africa is one of those iconic travel movies. The scenery is stunning, and Streep’s performance is wonderful. The movie itself won best picture and best cinematography the year it was relieased. The movie tells of the story of Danish author Karen Blixen, who moved to Africa to build a new life for herself.

Where to watch. Rent or buy: Amazon , YouTube, iTunes.

The Beach (2000)

Based on Alex Garland’s book of the same name, this movie tells the story of twenty-something Richard (Leonardo DiCaprio), who is in search of a lost paradise away from the backpacker trail. He finds a strange map, and makes his way to a hidden island.

The Beach was filmed on Maya Beach on Thailand’s Koh Phi Phi Le (or Ko Phi Phi Leh). After the film came out, the beach was overrun by visitors.

When we visited in 2003, once pristine Maya Bay was still beautiful, but covered in a film of oil from boats ferrying visitors like us to the island. It’s since been closed to allow it to recover, and is open in a limited capacity.

Where to watch. Stream on Disney+. Rent or buy: Amazon , YouTube, iTunes.

Roman Holiday (1953)

Starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Pick, this black-and-white classic is set in Rome. It’s a fun, quirky, love story where a princess (Hepburn) meets a reporter (Peck), and they spend a day exploring 1950’s Rome.

Where to watch. Rent or buy: Amazon , YouTube, iTunes, Microsoft Store.

Up in the Air (2009)

If you love airports and flying, then this is the movie for you. There’s not a lot of great scenery here, or adventures across the country though. It stars George Clooney as Ryan, who travels the USA firing people for other companies. He’s about to reach his life’s goal of a million frequent flyer miles, when technology threatens to make his travels obsolete.

Where to watch. Stream: FuboTV. Rent or Buy: Amazon , YouTube, iTunes, Microsoft Store.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011)

A handful of older Brits decide to retire in the Marigold Hotel in Jaipur, India, rather than in sterile retirement homes back in the UK.

There’s a great cast with Judi Dench, Celia Imrie, and Bill Nighy, who struggle with day-to-day life in India.

Where to watch. Stream: Roku. Rent or Buy: Amazon , YouTube, iTunes, Microsoft Store.

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Starring a young Peter O’Toole, this epic historical drama based on the life of T. E. Lawrence, follows the plight of a British soldier who unites nomadic Arabian tribes to band against the Turks in the first World War. Set against the backdrop of the Arabian Desert, it’s a beautifully shot film and is often considered one of the best movies of all time. Whether you agree with the premise though is up to you.

Where to watch. Stream: Amazon Video . Rent or Buy: Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube

The Best Road Trip Movies

The road trip is gold for adventure, fun, and great scenery. These flicks run the gamut from funny road trip movies to more serious explorations of culture and living conditions on the road.

Sideways (2004)

If you’re a fan of California wine country, this is the travel movie for you. It’s the story of two middle aged men on a road trip through wine country.

Where to watch. Stream on Disney+, Crave, Starz. Rent or Buy: Amazon, YouTube, iTunes, Microsoft Store.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987)

Starring John Candy and Steve Martin, this is one of the all time classic road trip comedy movies. Trying to get home during a freak snowstorm, control freak Neil Page (Martin), keeps encountering bumbling and talkative Del (Candy). Out of necessity, the two pair up to try to get home on a cross country road trip from New York to Chicago.

I’ve watched this with the kids (beware the R rating if you have little kids), and they thought it was hilarious. Our favorite quote: “Those aren’t pillows!”

Eurotrip (2004)

Definitely the raunchiest of the movies on this list, the R rated Eurotrip is still one of our favorite travel movies. Crossing 8 countries while trying to get the girl of his dreams, a group of friends travel Europe together one summer vacation and fall into one funnier predicament after another. It’s light and fun however there are some iconic shots across Europe in there as well as a few places you likely won’t find on the beaten path. Also one of the most wrong and catchy (and funny once you’ve watched the movie) songs you’ll ever hear in a movie (Scotty doesn’t know.)

Where to watch. Rent or Buy: Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube

National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)

One of the best movies about family vacations , this 1980s classic starts Chevy Chase as bumbling, but well-meaning Clark Griswold. It’s an over-the-top spoof of the classic American road trip, that incidentally takes them through the Grand Canyon and Death Valley.

Somehow, this movie always inspires me check my road trip packing list , grab a list of the best family audiobooks for road trips , and get on the road.

Where to watch. Stream: Starz, Crave. Rent or Buy: Amazon , YouTube, iTunes, Microsoft Store.

The Motorcycle Diaries (2004)

The Motorcycle Diaries is based on the journals of Che Guevara, leader of the Cuban Revolution. Starring Gael García Bernal, the movie shows Che and his pal Alberto Granado on a road trip from the Andes to Machu Picchu and other South American Landmarks.

Where to watch. Rent or Buy: Amazon , YouTube, iTunes, Microsoft Store.

Best Travel Movies on Netflix

Choosing the best travel movies on Netflix can be a bit tricky, since Netflix is constantly changing the movies in their catalogue and they can vary from country to country. That said, here are our picks for the best travel movies on Netflix right now.

Seven Years in Tibet (1997)

Brad Pitt is the lead in this epic film based on a true story. Pitt plays egocentric Austrian mountain climber, Heinrich Harrer, who escapes from a WWII prisoner of war camp in India. He makes his way to refuge in the sacred land of Tibet, where he meets the young Dalai Lama.

Where to watch. Stream: Netflix.

Holiday in the Wild (2019)

Ok, I’m fully aware of the incongruity of putting a fun, escapist movie like Holiday in the Wild directly after a classic like Seven Years in Tibet. That said, Holiday in the Wild is both a fun movie, and chock full of absolutely stunning images of South Africa and Zambia landscapes and wildlife.

The movie stars Rob Lowe and Kristin Davis (who played Charlotte York Goldenblatt in Sex in the City). Davis plays a woman who is Jilted by her husband on the eve of embarking on an African safari. She chooses to travel to Africa alone, where she meets Lowe, who plays an elephant conservationist.

IMDB rating: 6.1

Wine Country (2019)

Another lighthearted romp, Wine Country is produced and directed by Amy Poehler, with a great cast that includes Poehler herself, Maya Rudolph,  Kristen Wiig, and Melissa McCarthy.

It’s set in a girls-only vacation to Napa Valley, where a group of longtime friends reunite and revisit past choices.

Other articles you might like:

• The Best Travel Vloggers on YouTube in 2021
• The Best Songs about Adventure and Travel
• 25+ Best Travel Memories Quotes to Inspire Your Wanderlust
• Five Interesting and Offbeat Travel TV Shows
• Our Favorite Travel TV Shows

Want to see all of the trailers in one place?

Watching trailers for movies is one of my favorite things in the world. Check out our YouTube playlist with trailers for all of the top travel movies here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsfDUGOZ3UU8OxFOY5kxwxe374BOi_uoF

Do you have any personal picks for the best travel movies that we’ve forgotten? Share them in the comments!

Seven years in Tibet is one of my most favorite travel movies. Even the book is so hypnotizing.

These look like some classics. I’d have nothing to add. Nothing like a good travel movie to motivate one to hit the road.

Wow! What a fantastic list of travel movies! As an avid traveler, I’m always on the lookout for inspiring films that ignite my wanderlust, and this compilation delivers perfectly. It’s refreshing to see a mix of well-known classics and hidden gems, ensuring there’s something for everyone’s taste. I appreciate the brief descriptions provided, giving just enough insight without spoiling the magic. This list has definitely added a few titles to my must-watch list! Thank you for sharing such a captivating collection, it will surely keep me entertained on my upcoming adventures. Cheers! Gary Ford

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25 travel films that will make you feel like you're on holiday

By Antonia Quirke

The best films don’t just inspire us to travel, or even make us feel like we have – they are much more. They are time travel. Taking us directly into other eras. Some recreate a different epoch with set-dressing and costumes. Others are actual documents of worlds now lost, such as Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s unforgettable Gabbeh from 1996, about the rural carpet weavers of Iran, capturing with spectacular colour and romance a landscape and community that no longer exists. With such a film we go where we otherwise literally cannot.

We make friends with characters in films similar to the way we make friends on our travels – intensely, fleetingly. We take trips to revisit those people and places when we rewatch our favourites. We travel in our own heads whenever we think of them. That’s where the movies actually live. In our minds, reorganising images and location. The marvellous, muddled movie brain. It’s deeply poetic. Here are 25 films to transport the viewer.

Into The Wild (2007)

Some of the best travel films are based on a true story and Into the Wild , which follows the Alaskan adventure and ultimate demise of Christopher 'Alexander Supertramp' McCandless. Sean Penn's take follows McCandless, played by Emile Hirsch, kayaking the Colorado River, summiting snowy peaks, and embodying unchecked wanderlust. It's adventure travel at its best and most reckless, which of course makes for a great film.

Stream it on NOW TV

MAMMA MIA! (2008): THE GREEK ISLANDS

When it was released in 2008, this sunny tribute to ABBA was the most successful movie musical ever. But the onslaught of Scandi pop from Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan and Meryl Streep is somehow less central to the film’s success than its location. It’s set on the fictional Greek island of Kalokairi, and the cast and crew set up in the Sporades island of Skopelos. Amanda Seyfried (Sophie) and Dominic Cooper (Sky) romp about in unspoiled Mediterranean coves such as Kastani Beach. In bad news for fans making the pilgrimage to the island, though, the jetty – where we see Sky’s stag-do mates memorably dance in flippers – was temporarily added for the film. Perhaps most striking is Agios Ioannis, where Sophie and Sky are due to be married. This dinky church sits precariously above a 100-metre cliff face in the north of the island, with 202 steps leading to the summit. Sarah James

Stream on Netflix

Where was Mamma Mia! filmed in Greece?

REBECCA (2020): CORNWALL

The 2020 Netflix adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier’s Gothic classic Rebecca travelled all across England to recreate Manderley, arguably the most famous fictional house ever dreamt up. The vast Cornish estate belonging to Maxim de Winter (Armie Hammer) is said to be one of the most beautiful properties in the country – but in real life, the crew took elements of several locations to create a composite of this impressive mansion. The exterior was shot at 17th-century Cranborne Manor in Dorset, while most of the interior was filmed at Hatfield House in Hertfordshire (also used in The Favourite and The Crown ). Back in Dorset, Mapperton House’s 15 acres of gardens stand in as Manderley’s grounds. Away from Manderley, we see Lily James (Mrs de Winter) and Armie Hammer strolling the wild Cornish coast, actually filmed in Devon’s Hartland Quay. And further afield, Monaco’s Jardin Exotique and the Belle Epoque Ancien Hôtel Régina in Nice also make star appearances. Sarah James

Where was Rebecca filmed? A locations guide

MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN (2018): CROATIA

While its predecessor made use of a thriving Greek isle for its sunny location shots, the sequel – filmed a whole decade later – moved the production to a sleepy Croatian outlet, Vis. This rugged 35 square-mile island, one and a half hours from mainland Croatia , was home to the cast and crew for six weeks. Lily James, who plays a young Donna (played by Meryl Streep in later life) strolls around Srebrna Bay with her lover Sam (Jeremy Irvine), while Vis harbour also stars. Kalokairi’s famous jetty from the first film appears again in the sequel, this time set up on the western tip of the island, Barjaci. Greek food was even imported to the island, to add to the all-important authenticity. Sarah James

Where 'Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again' was filmed

Carol (2015)

The film follows a young clerk at a department store (Rooney Mara) who falls for the titular Carol (Cate Blanchett), a glamorous older woman who comes into the shop one day and leaves with more than a new scarf. The two embark on a tentative affair which leads them through Fifties New York and on a road trip across America.

Stream it on Amazon Prime

THE DARJEELING LIMITED (2007): RAJASTHAN

Three brothers head across Rajasthan by train, truck and scooter in a film that feels it’s in perpetual motion; a flick-book of vividly coloured paintings of Hindu gods, and people in their multitudinous safas and ghagra cholis . Even the dust of the Rajasthani plains looks infused with pale saffron – in one scene the sand almost seems to be aflame, while the soundtrack plays Debussy’s ‘Clair de lune’: moon and fire combined. Ice and heat. The best scenes, on a cross-country train, take place in an antiquated, super-florid luxury dining car that seems fantastical but might very well be an immaculate reconstruction of the real thing. Anybody who’s been to this part of India knows it’s more than possible. Chandeliers hugger-mugger with those intricate paintings of princes hunting gazelles or Shiva bringing the Ganges down from heaven or Vishnu Vaikuntha defeating the king of Kangra. All the while, carriage windows flash past camels and scared cows, parakeets, doves and crows, old tombs and thorn scrub and the ruins of temples, to the rattle of Raj-era cutlery and the boiling of perpetual chai.

Stream on Amazon Prime

ROMA (2018): MEXCIO CITY

Director Alfonso Cuarón has a thing about beaches – they represent liberty and potency to him. His adored 2001 road movie Y Tu Mamá También , about two randy teenagers heading down Mexico ’s southern coast, shows a beach so analgesically romantic it’s since become a very specific and celebrated destination for fans (Bahías de Huatulco, about 70 miles east of Puerto Escondido, in case you’re interested). In the movie, that cove with sand like cool velvet looks like a defining image of excitement tinged with vital regret. All summers must end. The director’s autobiographical mega-hit Roma is mostly set in Seventies Mexico City , where he was raised, and the scenes when the family at the centre of the story head to the beaches at Tuxpan for a holiday completely knocks our heads off. Huge breakers, salt and wind, children’s voices bouncing hard across the water, enlivening both the family on screen and the audience. Beaches: beautiful and dangerous. In full view of your loved ones you can be eaten by a shark. Or drown. Get swept away. When I interviewed Cuarón a couple of years ago and mentioned the beaches in his films, he hooted and nodded. And said there was nothing in his childhood like that thrilling, nervy sensation of leaving Mexico City and heading towards the sea: ‘I longed for those moments.’

Where was Roma filmed?

LITTLE WOMEN (2019): NEW ENGLAND

On the subject of beaches, if there are better seaside scenes in a recent movie than the ones shot along Crane Beach in Massachusetts for Greta Gerwig’s cherished new adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 novel, I’d like to see them. The rest of the film centres mostly on the house of the March family: a near-cloying mirage of heritage clapboard, open fires, American quilts, dried-flower swags, lanterns in the snow, Christmas feasts, Marmee hurrying forth with still-warm bread in a wicker basket. But when the girls head to Crane Beach for a picnic one spring day, the camera tracks the grass-fringed dunes and waters of one of north-east America’s most spectacular shores, studded with rare piping plovers – just outside the town of Ipswich and along towards the Essex River Estuary and salt marshes. Suddenly the film gulps in fresh air. Laurie flirts madly with an oblivious Jo all along the water’s edge as the sun throws armfuls of pure light across white sand out from the screen right across us.

Where is the new 'Little Women' filmed?

Charley Ward

Condé Nast Traveller

Jemima Sissons

CNT Editors

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (2019): LOS ANGELES

Tarantino’s lauded love letter to late-Sixties LA, and a semi-fantasy version of the city, now (natch) a popular bus tour all of its own. The seductive and enthralling locations are countless – the 1938 Aquarius Theatre, the Puerco Canyon in Malibu , Casa Vega on Ventura Boulevard... How well Tarantino captures the sense of the sprawling movie lots, the vacant extras, the catering trucks, the everyday strangeness of it all. The tone of the movie is phenomenal, capturing not just a fascinating place in time but a newly famous, and doomed, woman in that specific place in time: Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), filmed bowling down the freeway in her convertible, or watching herself in a movie in amazement, or just dancing and laughing at a party in a modernist bohemian enclave of the Hollywood Hills (away from ‘the tired old men and tired old money,’ as Raymond Chandler once put it to describe other Californian neighbourhoods). A woman at the high point of her happiness. ‘Good air, and a view of the mountains,’ Chandler also declared, was the best LA (ie, life) could offer. What more could any of us want?

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood locations – the LA filming spots

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MUD (2012): MISSISSIPPI

‘This way of life ain’t long for this world…’ A story set today but with a woozy, antique feel – from its opening moments you suspect it’s a remake of a much older movie (it’s not). Or at least inspired by something written by Mark Twain, especially when one of the characters turns out to be called Tom Blankenship, the name of Twain’s childhood friend and the real-life Huckleberry Finn. The characters live along the Mississippi in wooden houseboats that crouch low along the water, hand to mouth, fishing for crawfish and mussels, and occasionally bringing up pearls. Two kind children meet Mud, an unfrightening convict hiding out on an uninhabited island in the river – Matthew McConaughey, the most handsome of Magwitch types, despite being drenched in perpetual sweat and wearing unlovely dentures. It’s filmed in the Arkansas Delta Lowlands and an island outside Eudora, and the Mississippi itself is ever-present, verdant and varied. Mystical, historical, aesthetic. Sometimes big as a sea, other times full of winding creeks and inlets edged in low-slung trees and the soft furze of mossy stones. In one scene in the morning, a dreamlike mist hovers and a snake curls through the water, geese languidly flying in a crescent overhead. You want to enter the frame as the river’s slow green flow crinkles in the occasional breeze.

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CALL ME BY YOUR NAME (2017): ITALY

Teenage Elio falls for handsome doctoral student Oliver, who’s spending the summer with his family. It’s not that the Italian town and its surrounds here – Crema, in Lombardy – is devastatingly gorgeous. Or that the villa where it’s set is headturningly historic. Or any of the too-unctuous things that usually oversell locations in movies: it’s the weirdly accurate sense of time and milieu that it grasps. Of being just ‘somewhere in Italy’, in 1983, seeing out the summer. The cardboardy towels. The wrong-sized bike. Nesquik on the breakfast table. Plates of over-bruised cherries. The endless cigarettes, and clanging of church bells. You’ve been to that town during an unreliably warm July. You’ve sat in a Fiat picking at the door-catch. Endured evenings in the living room while someone has a go on the piano and others watch telly. Gone to bed early, listless. Had a cold swim in a local river. Crushed on the exchange student’s middle brother. And even though it’s a film about love and passionate sex and quashed dreams – and so upliftingly sad – it’s also the safest and familiar-feeling movie of all time. Like Wordsworth’s bright ‘spots of time’, it could be your own memories.

Where was Call Me By Your Name filmed?

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (2011): Paris

‘How is anybody ever going to come up with a book or a painting or a symphony or a sculpture that can compete with a great city?’ Specifically, Paris . So many shots in Woody Allen’s relentlessly charming amusement about an American writer (Owen Wilson) accidentally travelling back in time to Paris in the 1920s and meeting such panjandrums as Ernest Hemingway (Corey Stoll, incandescent) show the city drenched in rain. Absolutely pelting down. Rain racing in the gutters. Rain hammering on the Seine, turning it white. The shots, though brief, seem to go on for long moments. The narcotic beauty of it! The insatiable longing that descends on us as the movie goes on – to be negotiating some café chair yourself, under an awning off the Pont Neuf, with your coat collar up, ordering coffee swilling with Armagnac while your shopping bags dissolve in the deluge. ‘How drop-dead gorgeous this city is in the rain!’ says Wilson. The same might be said for all cities, really – they magically turn into mirrors in the rain. Street puddles reflect light glimmeringly back upon itself. But Paris, being rain-coloured to begin with (those silver-grey apartment buildings), does rain best.

PHANTOM THREAD (2017): London

A masterpiece, especially for the way it conjures London . Rarely is the city filmed in wide-shot (we never see a whole street), and yet you come away completely immersed in the place and era. It’s set circa 1953, with Daniel Day-Lewis playing a couture designer living and working in a smart London square off the Marylebone Road. His house is a high-stretching, late-Georgian caress of a building: polished parquet, stucco, white shutters, immaculate cupola and a vaulted staircase that winds into infinity past rooms filled with assiduous seamstresses. Here is the air of wealth. European royalty come and go, immaculately lipsticked, being fitted for weddings. And yet at the same time there’s something very close and secretive and quintessentially Fifties to the movie – it has the tone of a Muriel Sharp novel. The city reveals itself in alluring details only. Doors slightly ajar reveal shadows of the square beyond. Through tall sashed windows, as a countess is swathed in tulle and pinned, we see plane trees and sky and elegant brick. Perhaps the red blur of a London bus. You marvel that this is all we need to so successfully locate us in a place. A certain corner. A statue. Beautiful Sanderson wallpaper. Whenever I’m in the area I find myself walking out of my way especially to sit in Fitzroy Square where it was filmed, thinking about Daniel Day-Lewis eating a plate of porridge with cream for breakfast and drinking his lapsang, frowning and sketching while London wakes up beyond his casement.

INTO THE WILD (2007): ALASKA

‘I love not Man the less, but Nature more,’ Byron wrote. This movie is as much as anything about travelling alone. Christopher McCandless was a restless young American seeking personal revitalisation by hitching towards Alaska in the early 1990s, inspired in part by Walt Whitman (‘I take to the open road’). Emile Hirsch’s McCandless grows ever thinner in leaky boots, his rucksack brimming with guides to edible plants, his hair a dustbowl, scrawny arms eternally on the brink of throwing each meagre item in his possession off a bridge just to ensure he won’t lose the focus of his ideals. Living on what he can forage, he strikes up brief friendships – in that intense, addictive way that any backpacker will recognise – with a catalogue of characters en route. The suspiciously buoyant Swedish campers. The caring older couple keen to offer their advice. The watchful girl with a guitar and a sheaf of sad songs. From the wheat fields of South Dakota and the blue water of the Topock Gorge, everything we see looks gorgeous. Especially the very guts of Alaska itself when we get there – huge skies of winter sunshine. It’s a landscape that eventually consumed McCandless, and its vigour and immensity feel overwhelming.

UNCUT GEMS (2019): NEW YORK CITY

The most exciting crime thriller in years, about a New York City jeweller (Adam Sandler) perpetually on the crazed lookout for the next big score. It’s a movie completely charged by a desire to evoke the thrum of the diamond district and all the stories that the directors – the obsessive, hard-working Safdie brothers – heard their father tell about that part of the city. Stories that sounded to them like irresistible mini pulp-genre flicks as teenagers. It’s mostly filmed on 47th Street. An outdated, antiquated world; a cash-based economy of gemstones and bartering. The movie comes at you yelling. There are scenes where you feel like every argument, every deal, every scam is being drilled right into your head, the sound mix is so chaotic and vivid. Layers and layers of conversation and alarms and traffic and mobile phones. The Safdies didn’t close the area off for their exterior shots – they just went right out on the street, real pedestrians mixing unknowingly with extras (in that way of other indelible New York movies including Marathon Man , or Tootsie , when Dustin Hoffman, dressed as Dorothy for the first time, totters with prim perfection past unsuspecting members of the actual public). But more than anything, it’s the way that 47th Street itself is clearly utterly alive for everyone involved, a living thing that they just can't stop thinking about. A knockout.

TRACKS (2013): DESERTS

Of all films shot in the desert , this one feels most saturated in a hypnotic, sunbaked, slow-blooded yellowness. A thirsty, seductive amber. It is perhaps the ultimate cinematic dream of aloneness. Mia Wasikowska stars in the true story of Australian writer Robyn Davidson , who, aged 27, walked 1,700 miles across bone-dry west Australia – for the hell of it, for the thrill, the peace – with just a few doting camels for company. ‘I’d always been drawn to the purity of the desert. The hot wind and the wide open spaces,’ she says. Occasionally she’s followed by a Time magazine photographer (played by a then-unknown and thrillingly idiosyncratic Adam Driver), who gazes at Mia’s upturned freckled frown approaching through heat-shimmers with a kind of existential longing we all share by the end of the movie : Tracks makes you want to be a different sort of person. Happier with solitude. Braver.

THE TALENTED MR RIPLEY (1999): ITALY

The look on Matt Damon’s face says it all. His character, Tom Ripley – low-born American charlatan, villainous but compelling impersonator – has come, in the late 1950s, to ‘Mongibello’, an amalgam of southern Italy’s Positano , Procida and Ischia , to spy on Jude Law’s Dickie Greenleaf, a WASP trust-fund brat. It’s not just Law’s startling eyes (blue as borage) and insolently expensive caramel curls that Ripley desires. Everything Tom sees, he covets. The candy-coloured houses clambering up the sparkling coast. The scooters and tans, the rattan bags and sandals. Espresso taken under citrus trees whilst playing at writing novels in the cobbled Amalfi afternoons; to the sound of Chet Baker and swifts and clapping masts in the bay below. But here’s Rome , too, at Christmas , with fairy lights swagged across chilly fountains. And Venice on a vivid blue day out of season, boats transporting socialites in cashmere. The freedom, the glamour and history of Italy! Away from the ‘subways and taxis and starched collars’ of America . All captured in Damon’s expression.

A BIGGER SPLASH (2015): PANTELLERIA

This movie, about a British rock singer hiding from the world on a Sicilian island, and wrangling her troublesome lovers, is pretty much perfect. Sexy, hilarious and, absurd, it’s shot on a large, elegant old estate dotted with traditional houses (called dammusi; they look like scarab beetles), crimson hibiscus and Maiolica ceramics. A vivid yellow and blue swimming pool sits by a walled Arabian garden with a citrus tree that catches the movement of the light throughout the day like a sundial. In some of the best scenes, Matthias Schoenaerts drives an old Citroën Méhari (they’re everywhere here), sexily negotiating the pitted tracks and potholes of the roads, flooring the clutch in trodden-down deck shoes and blasting Captain Beefheart while Tilda Swinton hangs off his neck. Flowing fields of capers give way to sudden swathes of amber flowers that look like waving hedgerows of Champagne. There’s a lagoon in the opening scene that islanders call the Mirror of Venus – an ancient caldera coloured the outlandish blue of a Himalayan poppy, where Swinton and Schoenaerts spend the morning crusted in skin-softening mud, snogging and sleeping. Where is this? you ask just about every time the scenery changes. The location glowers and shadows, and by the end you’re wind-blasted, ensnared. Interviewing the director, Luca Guadagnino , once, I told him I’d visited Pantelleria in tribute to the movie . ‘When you were there, did you dream?’ he asked. ‘Oh the dreams on Pantelleria! So dramatic. So tempestuous. Oh, the dreams….’

BOY ON A DOLPHIN (1957): HYDRA

Leonard Cohen would have put the Greek island of Hydra on the map when he made it his home in 1960, if this film hadn’t pipped him to the post. Sophia Loren stars as a sponge diver in a patently ridiculous tale of skulduggery and salvaged ancient statues, and many of those still living on the island appeared in the film as children, and talk about it like it all happened yesterday. However foolish the plot, the film is mesmeric, the camera capturing so much of what makes Hydra (then, and still) a kind of paradise. Sere thistles and Judas trees punctuate the shore as we swoop past grand villas and smaller overhanging-flowered cottages, water glistering off rocky shores, sponges in the underwater shots the colour of caramel, coming up from abyssal depths. And up comes Sophia too, time and again, clutching one to her historic décolleté after a dive (‘Her double was even more beautiful!’ the harbour master here once told me.) Watching the movie you see how little the island’s one main town has changed. Shaped like a horseshoe, the port backing into a natural amphitheatre dotted with russet and citrine, 18th-century, Genoese-designed millionaire-mariner’s mansions; coiling around these houses, intensely warm coloured in the sun, are white labyrinths of high steps and streets which take on a honeysuckle glow in the pale evening shadows. They sometimes show the film in the port during the summer , and people shout ‘There’s my house!’ and whoop and applaud.

IN BRUGES (2008): BRUGES

A movie that seems to have been made in part as an advert for its location, In Bruges simultaneously – so cleverly, so irresistibly – offers a challenge to any prospective visitor. Writer-director Martin McDonagh knows that we are all sitting there silently earmarking the city as a MUST VISIT IMMEDIATELY, as he sends his two antiheroes, Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson – soft-hearted, doomed Irish hitmen both – to hang out in the medieval capital of the County of Flanders, waiting for instructions from their nutty, Bruges-fanatic boss (an incandescent Ralph Fiennes ). Where Farrell is furiously bored by the town (history is ‘all just a load of stuff that’s already happened’), Gleeson is completely charmed (‘all those canals and bridges and cobbled streets…’) and the camera flits down the waterways and through the squares, picking out glowering swans and moonlight reflected off leaded windows as Farrell rants and Gleeson goes assiduously to museums. Oh, the bloodied wintry sunsets over 13th-century stone belfries. Bruges is famously photogenic – but what the film comprehends is its more menacing thrum and darkness, its greater sense of fate. The film’s a taunt to the traveller, an enticement.

KING KONG (1933): NEW YORK

The only film to have debuted simultaneously at the two largest movie theatres in NYC , the Roxy and Radio City Music Hall – 10 screenings a day, each sold out. And not just because of the magnificent scenes of the giant ape, cinema’s favourite misfit, uprooted from his prehistoric Skull Island lair, where he had lived in roaring disharmony with dinosaurs. But it’s loved more, I think, for the scenes in New York , where his co-star Fay Wray is first discovered, pale under a little cloche hat, stealing an apple from a stall off Broadway. The lights of Times Square – ads for Pepsodent and Chevrolet – glisten in a winter fog. The Manhattan skyline is seen from the New Jersey side of the Hudson, with the sharp jag of the Chrysler Building looking like an arrow to the heavens. It seems to impersonate the slimness and sparkle of Wray herself. And when Kong hangs off the top of the Empire State at the end of the movie, a furious dawn sun breaks through the clouds as in Titian’s painting of Goliath, and we spot Central Park below, a patch of wild space in this most designed and thrusting of cities. With this backdrop, Wray struggles in the monster’s grip in a powerful image of unrequited love.

BRIGHT STAR (2009): HAMPSTEAD HEATH

‘The grass, the thicket, and the fruit-tree wild…’ wrote the incomparable Romantic poet John Keats, in a verse composed while sitting under a plum tree in a garden on Hampstead Heath in 1819. Then, Hampstead was his adopted locale, in a house that still stands up by the Spaniards pub, when the village was a day’s march from the city of London. The heath area there today remains 800 acres of ancient parkland, woodland and meadow. This film, about Keats’s time in Hampstead, might send you directly there – and the reality won’t disappoint. ‘I’ve explored all these paths,’ explains Ben Whishaw’s unbearably tender, dying Keats to his beloved neighbour and betrothed Fanny Brawne, ‘which are more in number than your eyelashes…’ Moments in the film are so sad and beautiful that audiences openly wept. Here’s drama and plot and love and tragedy, and yet sometimes the whole thing feels like a super-feminine, drowsy montage of sensations and beauty; a spring bower of magnolia buds and bluebells, butterflies and dew-drenched poppies. High reeds around the swimming ponds, blurred dragonflies, the occasional glimpse of St Paul’s in the grey distance reminding you that a whole city beckons below, with all its hardness and reality. Death is inescapable. If only we could dawdle forever in this high Hampstead dell.

FINAL PORTRAIT (2017): PARIS

To the Montparnasse studio of the great Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti, in 1964. This wasn’t even filmed in the city and yet still manages to give that most charismatic, celebrated of terrains – the Left Bank of the Seine – more than its due. Director Stanley Tucci used to joke that this was the easiest job he’d ever had – walking to the Twickenham set to film, from his home by the Thames. On those walks he would think about how to bring Paris to the audience, in this cluttered, grimy art-studio setting that its owner once called ‘the prettiest and humblest of them all’. Magically, Tucci pulls it off. The belted macs on the hurrying extras in the street, the cigarettes and cigarettes, Geoffrey Rush as the artist with his tremendous uprush of grey curls, head held in concentration and then growing impatience over red wine and espressos gulped in neighbouring cafés. The bells of – is it? Yes… – Notre-Dame pealing eerily as the grey winter light ekes its way through the glass while Giacometti works with frozen hands. ‘Everything is about to dissolve, everything is floating,’ noted the writer Jean Genet once, of the studio that Tucci has recreated with such spirit. ‘And yet it all appears to be captured in an absolute reality.’

CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON (2000): CHINA

Ang Lee’s swooning Chinese martial-arts fable involving two sets of lovers, a missing sword and the theft of an ivory comb, is set under the Qing dynasty, during the 19th-century – and yet the story feels far, far older. It seems to inhabit some indefinite, painted past, with a teeming hinterland of Mongol invaders and a heart-poundingly romantic closing scene showing steps leading up a forested, moss-bursting mountain towards an ageless temple. The characters literally float when in combat (the actors were hoisted frighteningly high on wires), silk robes streaming, and what we see and hear beneath them makes us twitch to be there: pink-throbbing cherry blossom , the whistling of fighters in vast woodlands, horses tearing across the Gobi Desert. Paper lanterns in the dusk of antique Chinese courtyards, the sort of architecture that seems to unfold in the dim light, like a delicate paper scroll, while Yo-Yo Ma bursts the life out of his cello on the soundtrack.

HOTEL SALVATION (2016): VARANASI

It could be morbid: a film about the hostels in the holy city on the Ganges where elderly Hindus take themselves off to die, having decided enough is enough. They buy their time-slot and simply prepare, seemingly unquestioningly, for the end – families visit, pyres are built along the riverbank, the days tick by. Such hostels exist. And yet… young director Shubhashish Bhutiani, with little to no budget, moves with instinctive swagger and tenderness amongst the crowds with his cinematographer – especially in the scenes along the river, which are pure vérité, catching faces in rhapsodic moments of grief and humour and wonder. There’s a scene during a mass prayer ceremony where many celebrants have been drinking lassi laced with mango and marijuana, singing on the steps of old temples, boats hugger-mugger, flares lit, stars hanging like lamps over green-blossomed champak trees, voices rising in urgent unison. Such wit in every shot, but love, too, and also that sense of a film learning new and quite mystical things about an old, old religion – and an even older country.

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Wander-Lush

18 Epic Adventure Travel Movies Like Into the Wild

A good travel film can transport you to a far-flung location without the need to leave your living room. But the best travel movies often lead you on a different journey: One of self-discovery.

Here are 18 adventure travel movies like Into the Wild that are guaranteed to leave you feeling contemplative, energised, and ready for your next journey into the unknown.

All of these terrific travel films are available on Amazon Prime and some can be streamed on Netflix. I’ve included a link to access each one – plus, for a bit of fun, I’ve also added my favourite inspirational quote for every movie on the list!

More movie inspiration: 25 travel movies like Eat Pray Love .

Please note: This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you make a purchase by clicking a link (at no extra cost to you). Learn more.

Movies like Into the Wild – quick reference

• The Loneliest Planet
• The Peanut Butter Falcon
• 180 Degrees South
• Inside Llewyn Davis
• Swiss Army Man
• Leave No Trace
• The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
• The Life of Pi
• The Way Back
• Seven Years in Tibet

18 epic adventure travel movies like Into the Wild (biopics, dramas and comedies)

Travel has a way of expanding the limits of your comfort zone – and these 18 movies like Into the Wild prove it. Live vicariously through these spirited, bold protagonists who push themselves to their physical and mental limits in search of something (or in some cases, nothing) beyond the ordinary.

Some of these films are about overcoming adversity ; others are about escaping reality . Some document journeys that must be taken alone while others tell of individuals who are humbled by nature or form unlikely friendships on the road.

If you liked Into the Wild , Sean Penn’s classic biopic about a young man who hitchhiked across the US, chances are you’ll love these 18 travel films like Into the Wild that explore similar themes of escapism, isolation, adventure, and self-discovery .

One of my favourite lesser-known movies similar to Into the Wild , Jungle (2017) is a biopic based on true events that unfolded in Bolivia in 1981.

“This is the last frontier on earth. The jungle shows us what we really are.” Karl, Jungle

The film follows Israeli adventurer, Yossi Ghinsberg (played by Daniel Radcliffe), as he attempts to trek deep into the Amazon Rainforest. After a series of unfortunate events leaves Yossi stranded and disoriented, he must fight to find his way back.

Jungle is a story of mental endurance and physical survival in the harshest conditions. Filmed in Colombia and Australia, the majestic backdrop is a reminder of nature’s wild and unpredictable beauty – the very thing that drew Yossi to the Amazon in the first place.

How to watch it: Rent or buy on Amazon Prime .

One of my favourite films like Into the Wild , Wild (2014), is yet another adventure biopic that brings a seemingly impossible journey to life on the screen. Based on Cheryl Strayed’s memoir of the same name, the film follows her quest to walk the Pacific Crest Trail.

“I was amazed that what I needed to survive could be carried on my back. And, most surprising of all, that I could carry it.” cheryl, wild

For Cheryl (played by Reece Witherspoon), it’s a deeply personal voyage of self-discovery and healing. She puts her body on the line, but in the end, her biggest triumphs are all psychological as she overcomes self-doubt and makes peace with her mother’s death and the breakdown of her marriage.

Despite numerous challenges, she digs deep and after more than 90 days, completes what she set out to achieve. This movie also touches on the theme of solo female travel and the particular challenges women often face when travelling alone.

3. The Loneliest Planet

Instead of a single protagonist, this adventure movie centres on a young couple, Alex and Nica (‎Gael Garcia Bernal‎ and ‎Hani Furstenberg)‎ – both of whom discover a lot about themselves, and each other, as the story unfolds.

The Loneliest Planet (2011) has mixed reviews, but it’s truly one of the most haunting and memorable travel films I’ve ever watched. The plot is simple: Whilst on holiday, the couple hire a guide to take them backpacking through a remote mountain pass.

When things go array, survival mode kicks in, resulting in some unexpected consequences. Both characters are forced to examine themselves (and their relationship) and their priorities.

I watched The Loneliest Planet long before I visited Georgia for the first time, not realising it was filmed in the Caucasus mountains ! The film’s extremely sparse dialogue (no quote to mention for this one!) and slow pace underscores the stunning setting and sharpens the themes it explores.

It’s real, it’s raw, and it’s uncomfortable at times – but hey, that’s what transformational travel is all about.

4. The Peanut Butter Falcon

One of my favourite travel films of late, The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019) is a comedy-drama set in North Carolina. It’s a classic adventure tale with Mark Twain vibes and nostalgic undertones of Americana.

“Yeah, you’re going to die. It’s a matter of time. That ain’t the question. The question is whether they’re going to have a good story to tell about you when you’re gone.” tyler, the peanut butter falcon

In the film, Zak (Zack Gottsagen) and Tyler (Shia LaBeouf) each set out on independent courses not so far from home before they cross paths and strike up an unlikely friendship. Travelling across the state by foot, the two travel buddies come to realise how much they have in common – including the fact that they’re both running away from something. Their journeys were bound to become intertwined.

In the end, both characters have some resolution – although it’s not what you might expect at the outset. This indie film is a bit of a tearjerker and absolutely heartwarming.

It will leave you in awe of travel’s uncanny ability to bring people together through adversity, and is a good reminder to always venture out with an open heart and mind.

5. 180 Degrees South

180 Degrees South (2010) is one of only two documentary films like Into the Wild that appear on this list. If you don’t know the names Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins, you’ll surely recognise the name of the brand they founded – Patagonia.

A classic in the canon of adventure films, 180 Degrees South retraces a formative expedition the duo took in 1968 from California to Chile overland.

“The hardest thing in the world is to simplify your life. It’s so easy to make it complex.” yvon chouinard, 180 degrees south

The movie intersperses Chouinard and Tompkins’ home video with new footage filmed when adventurer Jeff Johnson emulated the journey. As he follows in his heroes’ footsteps, Jeff explores the rugged landscape that inspired the duo to found their ethical outerwear brand and invest their savings in protecting the environment for future generations.

Interviews with Chouinard and Tompkins also appear in the film.

This travel movie captures the pure spirit of adventure while recalling the fascinating history behind one of the world’s most recognisable brand names.

6. Inside Llewyn Davis

Written and directed by the Coen brothers, Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) is a black comedy that toes the line between biopic and drama epic. Partially set in Greenwich Village and with energetic nods to Jack Kerouac and Bob Dylan, it’s a gritty film that channels some of Into the Wild ‘s darker undertones.

“In my experience, the world’s divided into two kinds of people. Those who divide the world into two kinds of people…” llewlyn, inside llewyn davis

The movie is partially based on folk singer Dave Van Ronk’s autobiography. Llewyn (Oscar Isaac) is a struggling musician with many mountains to climb in his personal life. The film peaks with his cross-country journey to Chicago by car, a fraught journey that brings yet more dilemmas his way.

Grungy New York City circa-1961 is the perfect setting for this earthy, stirring film.

I distinctly remember the first time I saw the preview for Lion (2016) at my local cinema. I bawled! In anticipation of the release, I rushed out and bought a copy of the autobiographical novel it’s based on. Although I preferred the book to the film, Lion is still one of my favourite movies of any genre.

“Every night I imagine that I’m walking those streets home and I know every single step of the way, and I whisper in her ear, ‘I’m here’.” saroo, lion

The story is breathtaking – it’s difficult to believe it’s all true. It begins with a young Saroo Brierley (played by Dev Patel), born and raised in a small town in India, who through some very sad circumstances becomes separated from his family after falling asleep on an intercity train.

Saroo tries, but he can’t get back home. In the end, he finds his way into an orphanage and is adopted by an Australian couple.

As an adult, Saroo revisits India to embark on the most important journey of all: The quest to find his hometown and reconnect with the family he lost all those years ago. How he goes about it beggars belief… You’ll just have to watch the film to find out what happens!

8. Swiss Army Man

I have to admit, it took me a couple of tries before I could get through the first 15 minutes of Swiss Army Man (2016). This film is pretty offbeat (especially in the beginning) and won’t be to everyone’s taste, but it’s worth persevering.

“I just had a thought about a thought. How do you hide your thoughts, and why do we have to hide everything?” hank, swiss army man

The story follows a classic plot: Man gets stranded on deserted island (in this case, it’s Hank – Paul Dano) and is ready to throw in the towel when all of the sudden, he discovers he’s not alone. Only it’s not another person, but rather a human corpse with superpowers (in this case Manny – Daniel Radcliffe).

Hank and Manny form a strange and macabre friendship as they navigate together through various trials. Peculiar and unlike any other movie I’ve seen, this one should definitely be on your watch list if you enjoy eccentric indie films.

9. Leave No Trace

If complete isolation in the wilderness strikes a chord with you, Leave No Trace (2018) will remind you of Into the Wild and the main character’s quest to go beyond the ‘regular’ world in search of a more idyllic existence.

“They don’t think I was where I was supposed to be… They just don’t understand that it was my home.” tom, leave no trace

This movie focuses on Will (Benjamin Foster) and his daughter, Tom (Thomasin McKenzie), who extricate themselves from their community to live alone in a forest in Oregon. After the duo is spotted one day by a passerby, their reality crumbles around them as they’re forced to return to civilian life.

Father and daughter grapple to hold onto their old lifestyle while realising their beliefs and needs are diverging. If you think it’s too far-fetched to be real, this movie, like Into the Wild , is also based on a true story.

10. Free Solo

The second documentary on this list of movies similar to Into the Wild is Free Solo (2018). Over the course of several months, filmmakers follow Alex Honnold as her pursues his dream of scaling El Capitan, the iconic 3,200-foot vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park.

“I’ve done a lot of thinking about fear. For me the crucial question is not how to climb without fear-that’s impossible – but how to deal with it when it creeps into your nerve endings.” alex, free solo

Alex is a free climber, thus he needs to complete the climb without a safety rope – something that’s never been done before. To reach his personal summit and push himself to the absolute limit, he must overcome other barriers in his personal life first.

As the camera rolls, his blind ambition – and at times, foolhardiness – is captivating to watch. This doco is painful at times, but you can’t look away.

Alex’s off-the-grid lifestyle, comfort with complete isolation, his stoicism and single-mindedness as he works towards the goal he is so fixated on reminds me a lot of Christopher in Into the Wild . Does he achieve his goal? You’ll just have to watch to find out!

As far as adventure travel movies go, Tracks (2013) is hard to beat. One of my top choices for movies like Into the Wild , this biopic recites the 9-month overland journey taken by young Brisbane woman, Robyn Davidson (played by Mia Wasikowska), as she attempts to conquer one of the planet’s harshest landscapes: The Australian Outback.

“The two important things I did learn were that you are as powerful and strong as you allow yourself to be, and that the most difficult part of any endeavor is taking the first step, making the first decision.” robyn, tracks

Joined by National Geographic photographer Rick Smolan (played by Adam Driver) and several animal companions (including a troupe of camels and a loyal pup), Robyn ends up walking 2,700km from Alice Springs to Australia’s west coast.

The actual journey took place in 1977; after several failed attempts to turn Robyn’s story into a movie, Tracks was finally put into production and filmed in South Australia and the Northern Territory.

The themes of this movie will remind you of Into the Wild : Solitude, being an outsider in a foreign land, and the unexpected acts of kindness one often encounters on the road.

12. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) is a travel film with cult status – and for good reason. Adapted from a pithy short story, the film follows one man on his spirited quest across the planet in search of a photographer and a missing film negative.

“To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel. That is the purpose of life.” walter, the secret life of walter mitty

Walter (Ben Stiller) works a corporate job at Life magazine and daydreams of travel and adventure in his spare time. When he’s accidentally thrust into a real-life treasure hunt, he’s forced to confront his biggest fears, learning many poignant lessons about travel and life in the process.

This movie, like Into the Wild , proves that the greatest journeys of one’s lifetime often come from looking inward, not outward. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a heartwarming and uplifting film – I promise you’ll want to re-watch it at least once!

13. The Way

While some of the adventure travel movies that feature on this list have an abstract backdrop, the location plays a leading role in The Way (2011). If you haven’t guessed from the title, this film pays homage to the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage (AKA The Way) that stretches across Spain and France.

“Most people don’t have the luxury of just leaving it all behind.” tom, the way

The story begins under tragic circumstances when the lead character, Thomas Avery (Martin Sheen), is forced to travel to France to recover the body of his son (played by his real-life son, Emilio Estevez – also the film’s director) who died while walking in the Pyrenees.

As a salve for his grief, Thomas decides to complete the trail and honour his son’s final wish by carrying his ashes with him.

Thomas falls in with a group of other pilgrims, all with their own personal reasons for attempting the Camino. Some are searching for something; others are trying to escape. Interestingly, aside from the main actors, everyone who appears in The Way is a real-life traveller who just happened to be on the trail at the time of filming.

14. The Life of Pi

With four Academy Awards to its name, The Life of Pi (2012) is considered a classic in its genre. This fantastical story follows Pi Patel (played in the film by Suraj Sharma), a young boy stranded at sea.

“To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation.” the life of pi

After a shipwreck claims his entire family and leaves Pi stranded in the Indian Ocean with only a menagerie of wild animals for company, he must struggle to overcome the various challenges nature throws at him.

This movie is philosophical, introspective and beautifully poetic, with ‘believeability’ emerging as one of the key themes. When Pi is finally rescued, his saviors don’t buy a word of his story – but he doesn’t mind at all. The Yann Martel novel that the film is based on won the Man Booker Prize for Fiction and is definitely worth reading.

15. The Way Back

Not to be confused with the 2020 Ben Affleck basketball flick, The Way Back (2010) is a survival film created by legendary Australian director Peter Weir. Another stranger-than-fiction story, it’s based on the memoirs of Sławomir Rawicz, a Polish lieutenant who was held as a prisoner of war during WWII.

“Survival was a kind of protest. Being alive was my punishment.” mr smith, the way back

The film begins when Janusz (Jim Sturgess) is sent to a Gulag deep in Siberia. When he arrives, he meets several other prisoners who are planning a great escape. After making a break for it, they trek for months across Siberia before finally reaching their destination, the Mongolian border.

Their salvation from communism is short-lived, however, and the group must continue on foot to the Himalayas, eventually finding refuge in Tibet.

Questions remain as to the accuracy of the story – is it truth or fiction? – but the heroism and camaraderie of the characters as they persevere on their walk to freedom is epic.

16. Seven Years in Tibet

Seven Years in Tibet (1997) is the oldest adventure movie on this list, yet it’s another absolute classic. As much a historical document as a travel film, it chronicles the traumatic political, social and cultural events that took place in China during the 1940s and 50s.

“The absolute simplicity. That’s what I love. When you’re climbing, your mind is clear and free from all confusions. You have focus. And suddenly the light becomes sharper, the sounds are richer, and you’re filled with the deep, powerful presence of life.” heinrich, seven years in tibet

When Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer (played by Brad Pitt) set out on a climbing expedition, he had no idea he would bare witness to one of the most significant chapters in China’s modern history.

Like The Way Back , the movie begins as a tale of escape when Heinrich and his companion give the guards of the POW camp where they’re being detained the slip.

After an epic journey by foot across the Himalayas, the pair end up in Lhasa where Heinrich forms a bond with a young 14th Dalai Lama (Tibet’s current spiritual leader). As Heinrich witnesses the Chinese invasion, themes of responsibility, loyalty and freedom bubble to the surface.

The movie was filmed in Argentina, Nepal, Austria and Canada – but it features about 20 minutes of ‘secret footage’ shot in Tibet. It was enough to get Brad Pitt, his co-star David Thewlis and the film’s director banned from ever visiting China.

17. Cast Away

We can’t talk about adventure travel movies without mentioning Cast Away (2000) – the original tale of physical and mental transformation through overcoming adversity.

“Now I know what I have to do now. I gotta keep breathing because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?” chuck, cast away

Like the protagonist in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty , Chuck (Tom Hanks) leads a normal life in corporate America. That’s until a plane crash leaves him stranded on a deserted island, thrusting Chuck into the unknown and pushing him to the brink. He befriends a volleyball, and… Well, you probably know how the rest of the story goes!

Even if you saw it when it first came out, Cast Away is worth a re-watch, if only for the nostalgia factor.

18. 127 Hours

If you’re looking for an adventure film that speaks to mental fortitude and human endurance, look no further than 127 Hours (2010). The plot of this true story is the stuff of legend.

“I’ve been moving towards it my entire life. The minute I was born, every breath that I’ve taken, every action has been leading me to this crack on the out surface.” aron, 127 hours

Described as ‘painfully accurate’, 127 Hours is a film adaptation of Between a Rock and a Hard Place , a memoir by mountaineer Aron Ralston (played in the movie by James Franco).

When Aron’s hiking adventure turns bad and his arm becomes wedged between a boulder and a cliff wall, he grapples with an impossible decision and starts rethinking his life decisions – all the while narrating his inner thoughts in a soliloquy captured on video.

This film is an enriching story of triumph over adversity and a good reminder that even the most pressing trials can shape us into better people. If this movie like Into the Wild doesn’t ignite your passion for the great unknown, I don’t know what will!

Which of these adventure travel movies like Into the Wild is your favourite? Are there any other films you’d like to add to the list?

Movies like Into the Wild: Pin it

Excellent list but for some reason Paris Texas is my fav in this genre.

Thanks for your list

Thank you very much, very good selection for free spirits in quarantine 🙂

Into the wild is quite amazing

Thanks for giving us the best movies list.

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Screen Rant

15 movies and tv shows that created a tourism boom.

These movies' real-life settings have become must-see travel destinations for film fans.

One of the most magical things about movies is their ability to transport viewers to all-new places and make them feel like a part of those settings. Whether it’s a jump back or forth through time, lurking through the darkest depths of the sea, or venturing into the outer reaches of the known universe, the possibilities are endless for when, where, and how a movie can take us places.

One tried and true technique for a lot of filmmakers is to scout real world locations that suit their visual needs and set up production there, which means if and when these sites garner some audience attention and fanfare, they often become (whether willingly or not) tourism hot spots. Here are some of major motion pictures that have brought their real-life settings a boost in foot traffic as a result of their popularity.

15. The Shining

The Stanley Hotel was a creepy source of inspiration for Stephen King and his novel-turned-cinematic masterpiece The Shining . The author spent the night in the Estes Park, Colorado hotel’s Room 217, had a nightmare about his then-three-year-old son running through the halls, and thus the story was born. And although the hotel was called The Overlook in the story, and Stanley Kubrick’s film adaptation was shot in Mt. Hood, Oregon’s Timberline Lodge, King’s fans know just where to get their thrills.

The Stanley itself, of course, is more than willing to accommodate that interest. The hotel, which was built in 1909, has fully embraced its status as a haunted mansion of sorts, offering a ghost adventure package for visitors and even boasting about its visitors’ paranormal experiences onsite - recently , a visitor famously claimed to have captured a ghost standing in the lobby stairway and made national news for his encounter. Even its website gives a cheeky wink to The Shining by saying it hopes visitors “ will be able to feel the mantle of time slip away. ”

14.  Twilight

Although Stephenie Meyer never visited the Olympic Peninsula before writing her vampire saga, her fans have turned the real-life Forks , Washington into a Twilight haven. The small town’s Chamber of Commerce hosts an annual Forever Twilight in Forks event right around Bella’s birthday to commemorate its role in the supernatural romance series, which all but resurrected its economy from the dead. Before Twilight put Forks on the proverbial (and perhaps literal) map, the town suffered from a major decline in its logging industry, but the series ushered in a surprise new landscape of success for business owners in the area. By 2012, when the final Twilight Saga film hit theaters, it was estimated that at least 200,000 fans had made way to the Cullens’ mainstay to pay homage. Interestingly enough, none of the films were actually produced in Forks, despite its being named in both the literary and cinematic iterations of the story.

13. The Blair Witch Project

The curse of the Blair Witch might have been a construct of fiction, but fans of the found footage film created a Hollywood-based hex of their own when they headed to the real town of Burkittsville, Maryland (population: just 151 in 2010) in search of the film’s deadly namesake. The 1999 sleeper hit spawned a sudden spooky interest in the tiny town, and its residents were none too thrilled about the new visitors. Unlike a lot of cinematic landmarks, Burkittsville was not consulted about being shown in the movie, so its citizens have a hate-hate relationship with it from the very beginning. In fact, in 2010 , they put it to a public vote whether the town’s signs, one of which was incorporated into the picture, should be sold at auction to compensate residents for the “ trouble ” caused by the commotion. Oof.

12. The Beach

Maya Bay on Thailand’s Koh Phi Phi Lay may have always been a popular pristine paradise, but ever since then-tween dream Leonardo DiCaprio helped put the spotlight on the place in Danny Boyle’s 2000 film The Beach , it’s been an absolute mecca of tourism, for better and for worse. While residents of the area have been pleased with the prosperity that comes with it turning into a prime piece of vacation real estate, they’ve also been dismayed by the changes that have resulted to the land, such as environmental degradation and over-crowding . Local environmentalists protested the Thai Royal Forestry Department’s decision to allow the film to be made in its national parks in the first place because they had to raze certain areas of vegetation to make it suitable for production, which was against the law. The island, however, still welcomes its Beach -inspired visitors, offering snorkeling and diving tours as well as kayaking and, of course, scenic party spots.

11. Casino Royale

If having Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones partially filmed there wasn’t boon enough for the tourism industry in Lake Como, Italy (not to mention George Clooney’s oft-pictured allegiance to the vacation spot), James Bond lending his mysterious cachet to the place certainly did the trick. 007 visited the Villa del Balbiano in 2006’s reboot  Casino Royale and made the hotel many a Bond fan’s vacation plans easy peasy because, as one local tourism site boasts , “ James Bond is now synonymous with Lake Como in the eyes of local restaurants and second home owners ” as it draws in a new wave of guests who deign to order their shaken, not stirred martinis in the same place as Bond, James Bond. Lake Como is far from the only Bond locale to get a tourism bump after the globe-trotting franchise stops in for a visit, though.

“ Yo, Adrian, let’s go run up the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps. ” That’s a presumptive paraphrase we just made up and all, but it’s probably not too terribly off from the reality of when fans across the world decide to pay a visit to the Philly MOA in real-life. The public place, just like Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger,” has become an irreversible callback to the three-time-Oscar-winning 1976 picture and still boasts the bronze statue of Sylvester Stallone’s prized pugilist, which was erected for the third installment of the now-seven-film franchise. The town has even dubbed the landmark the “ Rocky Steps ” as a hat tip to its film-based fame and offers tours of some of its other story sites, including Pat’s restaurant and the Italian Market where Rocky Balboa once made meat slabs into his personal punching bag.

9. Field of Dreams

Dyersville in Dubuque County, Iowa might have been smack dab in the middle of nothing before Kevin Costner showed up and brought along his dream team to play some baseball in the cornfield. So the story goes, the Lansing Family, which owned the farm upon which the movie was made, first agreed to let the filmmakers utilize their yard for production after they got a knock at their door with the request and found out it was a movie about baseball, and, well, they liked baseball. They may not have been able to then anticipate the fact that their home would become a film fanatic’s must-see travel stop, but they certainly have done their part to encourage the long-lived trend by setting up their own lodging recommendations and visitor center . As the iconic verbiage says, “ if you build it, they will come. ”

The shale oil boom isn’t the only thing bringing people to North Dakota. The Coen Brothers’ 1996 crime drama Fargo , which has been followed up with the critically acclaimed FX television adaptation of the same, has turned its titular town into a tourist attraction. Among the photo ops available in the small town is the Woodchipper , which boasts its own fan frenzy  as thousands of annual visitors come to take a picture alongside the famed prop at the town’s visitor center. The city does, however, effort to distance itself from the “ brand ” it’s given by the movie and show, which depict it as a barren and chilly, not to mention crime-addled atmosphere. Fargo has become such an iconic stopover that one woman even died in 2001 after reportedly visiting the area in search for the treasure buried by Steve Buscemi’s character Carl Showalter in the movie. Interestingly enough, the film itself was shot in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, while the TV series is filmed in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

7. The Avengers

If there’s any movie series that can catapult a food item into next-level sales by mere mention, it’s Marvel’s The Avengers . In the 2012 pic, Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man asked Chris Evans’ Captain America, " Have you ever tried shawarma? There's a shawarma joint about two blocks from here. I don't know what it is, but I want to try it. " Then, in the end credits, the characters were seen grabbing a bite of the same. For those few who haven’t tried the item since The Downey Effect came into play, it’s a Mediterranean sandwich pita, usually filled with stuffings like lamb and tabbouleh, and subsequent sales of the meat-filled treat went through the roof, from Los Angeles eateries to ones in New York , per local restaurateurs reporting on the sudden phenomenon. The bad news is this shawarma boom has not been linked to any confirmed cases of sudden onset superheroism, as many of those who rushed out to try it no doubt hoped might happen. Talk about your superfood.

6. The Shawshank Redemption

Prisons might not normally be the ideal venue for a family getaway, but after The Shawshank Redemption , the Ohio State Mansfield Reformatory has become a tour hub for lovers of Frank Darabont’s 1994 adaptation of Stephen King’s crime novel. The prison, which has been out of operation as a real-life detention center since 1990, has its own inherent spookiness due to the 200-plus deaths which occurred within its walls over the years and offers a Paranormal Penitentiary experience to satisfy its haunting-hungry explorers. It became a true Tinseltown lovers’ tour destination, however, after Shawshank was shot there. The site still boasts guided tours of the Warden’s office, Andy Dufresne’s escape tunnel, and the Parole Board room where he was finally delivered his long-overdue walking papers.

5. Harry Potter

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is, unfortunately, all based on imagination, but for fans of J.K. Rowling’s series, the school’s magic lives on through various real-life locations erected across the United Kingdom to celebrate the series. Platform 9 ¾ , which was the portal through at the King’s Landing train station through which young wizards would access the Hogwarts Express, is but one of the real-life locations Potter fans are known to frequent. King’s Cross at St. Pancras Station, which was utilized for the exterior station shots in the film, now boasts a Harry Potter shop with a special Platform 9 ¾ photo op construction for fans to take pictures with, and Warner Bros. offers a studio tour of its London film sets. Even in America, which is only now becoming a Harry Potter series mainstay by way of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them , Universal Studios’ Orlando and Hollywood locations have entire Wizarding World sections set up in the theme parks.

4. Star Wars

What Jedi worth his or her lightsaber wouldn’t want to see the real-life setting used to create Tatooine? The Tunisian desert locales which were used to create Luke Skywalker’s home planet have enjoyed decades of tourism as a result of their connection to a galaxy far, far away, and even the Official Star Wars Website offers a day-by-day suggested itinerary for fans who do decide to take a trip to see some of the iconic sci-fi sets.

Mos Epsa, in particular, has received a bevy of international interest, even relying on outside fan funding to restore the site’s film-related landscapes after a sandstorm created destructive dunes in the area. Recently, however, after the sites were linked to potential jihadi terrorism in the media , visitation fell significantly, a downward trend with locals and Star Wars fans alike are working to turn around in order to preserve Tatooine for future generations.

3. Game of Thrones

Okay, okay, so Game of Thrones isn’t a movie, but given the undeniable impact it’s had on Northern Ireland tourism, it’s just got to be included here. The hit HBO series, which just concluded its action-packed sixth season, has brought in million of pounds of revenue thanks to fan tourism since the show’s production there began six years ago. One tourism official credits GoT with putting the country “ on the map from a tourism perspective ” because while the lands themselves are beautiful enough to attract a fair amount of visitors, the series “ brings in a new generation of people [thanks to its] cult status .” Among the sets visited by frequented the Westeros faithful are the Dunluce Castle, which serves as House Greyjoy of the Iron Islands, the Dark Hedges which made up the woodsy backdrop for King’s Road, and Old Castle Ward which is used as the set for Winterfell. All for the watch, of course.

2. Jurassic Park

Even in the mind’s eye, the very sight of Jurassic Park ’s fecund Isla Nublar from afar evokes a visceral memory of John Williams’ score that welcomed us all to the 1993 film’s perilous setting. Though the pic claimed its fictional park was set in Central America, it was actually filmed on the island of Oahu, which has drawn in loads of cinematic tourism ever since. Kualoa Ranch, for example, was the site of the Steven Spielberg-helmed franchise starter and has since enjoyed a deluge of Hollywood interest, both on the production front ( Pearl Harbor , Godzilla , and 50 First Dates are among the movies which followed in its use) and travel interest. The site offers tours of its impressive set pieces, which now include Jurassic World ’s Indominus Rex paddock and gyrosphere launch pad, and as of 2015, tourism officials at the ranch are “ still feeling the effects ” of the series.

1. Lord of the Rings

Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy was significant for more than just its visual effects-filled battle sequences and Frodo Baggins’ epic journey to cast the “one ring to rule them all” into the fires of Mordor. The films were also filled with lush landscapes which made the hobbits’ foot journey across Middle Earth stunning to watch. Those incredible backdrops weren’t built on a set with green screens but were instead shot in the scenic nation of New Zealand, and the country has received a massive influx of tourism interest as a result.

LOTR fans have made their own Kiwi pilgrimages en masse to visit some of the 150 locations captured in the film series, and annual visitation grew 40 percent after the series hit theaters. In 2012, tourism was cited as the country’s second-highest industry , with many of its international visitors admitting that the J.R.R. Tolkien-based series was their reason for checking out the outdoor sites , like Matamata which served as the set of the Shire and remains preserved as an attraction, or Wellington, the locale used for the beautiful city of Rivendell on-screen. Due to the popularity of the franchise fellowship, New Zealand Custom Service even stamps international passports with a “ Welcome to Middle Earth ” emblem upon arrival.

Got your popcorn ready? Here's a list of movies with eclipses in them to get ready for Monday

You won't need eclipse glasses to watch these movies, by madi marks • published april 5, 2024 • updated on april 7, 2024 at 6:49 am.

As you prepare for the total solar eclipse on April 8, here are some movies and TV shows that feature an eclipse as a plot point that may help you get excited, or frightened, for the eclipse.

Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

Get DFW local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC DFW newsletters .

In James Cameron's sequel, the characters in the film see eclipses as something that interferes with natural order. This idea is seen throughout history with eclipses.

The eclipse occurs at a crucial time and the characters must overcome many challenges that come with the eclipse.

The eclipse heightens these challenges because, on their home planet of Pandora, there is technically no nighttime - which means no darkness.

Every main character in the film is left with a major life change once the eclipse is over.

Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1949)

In the American comedy musical film, "Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court," the main character, Hank, travels back in time to 528 A.D.

The Connecticut native, Hank, gets himself into some trouble by falling in love with a girl while in the medieval era. King Arthur does not approve of this relationship and sentences Hank to be killed.

Hank avoids being hung while taking advantage of the total solar eclipse that occurred this year.

The total darkness from the eclipse helped Hank escape from prison.

Dolores Claiborne (1995)

In Taylor Hackford's crime thriller, "Dolores," the main character uses a total solar eclipse to kill her abusive ex-husband.

Dolores had multiple visions of a young girl in the path of the eclipse who was being abused by her father. This encouraged Dolores to get revenge on the abusive father of her children, Joe.

As the eclipse occurs, Joe tries to attack Dolores, but she uses the darkness to trick him.

She leads him to a well where he falls to his death.

Little Shop of Horrors (1986)

In Frank Oz's American horror comedy musical film, the main character, Seymour, works at a flower shop on Skid Row that is struggling to get customers.

To save the flower shop, Seymour displays a strange plant he found at a Chinese flower shop during a total solar eclipse.

The plant, which he named Audrey II, magically appeared from a green flash of lightning during the eclipse.

The mysterious plant grew rapidly and eventually began eating people that wronged Seymour.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)

In the popular romantic fantasy film directed by David Slade, Edward returns after being gone in the second film.

The second film in the series is called "New Moon" because Edward goes away. Edward represents the moon throughout the series.

Edward's return in the third film causes tension as he fights for Bella's love.

In "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse," when Edward comes back, his return represents a total solar eclipse because Bella is forced to decide between two guys.

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

In the film by Stanley Kubrick, the movie opens with a shot of an eclipse.

The beginning scene also features iconic music that is replicated in films today.

The new "Barbie" movie features a spin-off of this scene at the beginning of the film.

Ladyhawke (1985)

NBC 5 viewer Marty reminded us about the 1985 film "Ladyhawke," a medieval fantasy thriller starring Matthew Broderick, Rutger Hauer, and Michelle Pfeiffer.

In the film, the arrival of the eclipse at the climax of the film brings an end to a curse. See the trailer below ... or watch it this weekend like Marty.

NBC'S Heroes: T he Eclipse

In the third season of NBC's superhero drama series, an eclipse causes all heroes and villains to lose their superpowers.

Throughout the two-part eclipse episode series, the characters begin to realize that they obtained their superpowers at the time of an eclipse years before.

In this episode, they find out that the second total solar eclipse is why superhumans lost all of their powers.

Will you gain superpowers during the 2024 total solar eclipse?

The Vampire Diaries: Total Eclipse of the Heart and Yellow Ledbetter

In the fifth season of "The Vampire Diaries," the characters decide to attend Whitmore College's "Bitter Ball." Major events occur in this episode that alter the characters' futures.

The title of the episode, "Total Eclipse of the Heart," refers to the ruthless actions made by the main characters in the episode.

You can also watch an episode in the sixth season of the show, where two of the main characters are trapped in a day that repeats itself. That happens to feature a total solar eclipse. The episode is called "Yellow Ledbetter."

Are there any films or episodes we should add? Let us know by emailing us here: [email protected] .

Eclipse 2024 food deals: Blackout cookies, floats and more

Reading With You: Total Solar Eclipse Reading List

How to practice eclipse safety

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