Top Movie Destinations For Film-Loving Travellers

How many movies have you wanted to step into?

Whether it’s the dramatic scenery of Lord of the Rings or stunning Beaches of Eat, Pray, Love, there are plenty of film locations you can actually visit – stepping into a fantasy world for the perfect holiday.

1. If you loved MAMMA MIA! hot foot it to Skopelos in GREECE

The setting: A picturesque island in the Greek archipelago was a feast for the eyes in this movie adaption of the Abba musical.

The rocky isle ringed by golden beaches and dotted with pretty villages was the scenic backdrop where bride-to-be Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) posted wedding invitations to three different men, all of whom might just be her father...

The holiday: Make like the stars and get romantic on secluded white sand Limonari Beach, flanked by forested hills.

Hire a yacht and sail into Agnondas, a natural shingle harbour with two tavernas where you can tuck in to delicious seafood, fresh tomato salad and crusty bread washed down with jugs of red wine.

Monarch holidays offers seven nights at the Aperitton Hotel in Skopelos from £379pp this September, including flights.

2. If you loved the amazing snow-capped mountain scenery in THE HOBBIT, go long haul to NEW ZEALAND

The script: Following on from the first Tolkien screen adaptation of The Lord of The Rings trilogy, The Hobbit trilogy was a further advert for  the amazing kiwi scenery.

As Martin Freeman (Bilbo Baggins) is persuaded by Gandalf (Ian McKellen) to struggle across Middle Earth (with 13 dwarves) to rid the Lonely Mountain of dragon Smaug, we got the chance to see lush valleys, vast lakes and icy mountains.

The holiday: Visit Matamata, filming location for Hobbiton, where you can dance under the party tree, swig back a beer in The Green Dragon Inn and see a hobbit’s house.

At Piopio, you’ll find the limestone rock formations and prehistoric forest which formed the backdrop for Gundabad Wargs and Orcs attack, while Twizel, a mountainous region, was used for the largest battle scene in the triology – the battle of the pelennor fields.

Queenstown, Mount Cook and Wanaka were also key locations, and Pelorous River in Marlborough was the setting for the dwarves in barrels scene in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

For true fans, you can do a proper guided tour of the locations, but even friends or partners who're tagging along can't fail to be impressed by the natural beauty of the tiny country.

3. Want to be on the golden beaches of FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL? It's HAWAII for you

The setting: The beautiful island of Oahu is the real star of this feel-good flick.

The scenic beach shots, frangipani-filled gardens and dazzling sunsets kept diverting our attention from the plot.

(You know, it's the one where Peter (Jason Segel) discovers his ex (Kristen Bell) checking into the same resort with her new beau English rocker Aldous (Russel Brand) but manages to over come it and find love in paradise with a gorgeous hotel clerk. Ahhh.)

The holiday: Lounge on the white sand beaches, sip brightly coloured cocktails and watch the sun slip into the Hawaiian sea from your hot tub.

This island’s the home of surfing, so channel your inner dude and learn to catch a wave.

Oahu’s also where hit TV show LOST was filmed, so, if you were a fan, book yourself on a tour of the top sights, such as the amazing banyan trees at Kawela Bay featured in Episode One.

Check into gorgeous Turtle Bay Resort where the film was shot, an 880 flower-covered acres on Oahu’s north shore.

It’s an all out romance fest here, from the Ali’I Couple Massage, where you lay side by side gazing at the ocean, to the private beach dinners and north shore romance package, which includes a convertible car and picnic hamper for exploring the island in style.

4. If you loved the chic café culture in AMÊLIE take the Eurostar to PARIS

The script: We all fell for Amélie (Audrey Tautou) a Paris waitress devoting her life to helping those around her – including her gnome-bsessed father – and finding love along the way. But it was the magical cobbled streets of Paris’ Montmartre district that was our real crush.

The holiday: Sip café au lait, nibble a pain au chocolat and people watch in the gorgeous art deco Café des Deux Moulins, the iconic restaurant and bar where Amelie got up to mischief.

In the afternoon, climb the steps of the Sacré-Couer for a fabulous view of the city, window shop in Montmartre’s cool boutiques, toast yourself with a pastis aperitif at bar Ronsard then take in dinner and a cheeky show at the legendary Moulin Rouge.

The in place to stay? Hotel Particulier Montmartre Enjoy one of five gloriously art-house opulent suites, like Trees for Ears decorated with plush velvet curtains and antiques plus don’t miss the garden, a serene space where you dine next to the tinkling fountain.

5. Loved the neon lights and soaring skyscrapers of LOST IN TRANSLATION? Fly east to TOKYO

The script: The bar of the Park Hyatt hotel, where Bob (Bill Murray) and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) meet in the movie, takes centre stage.

As their friendship develops, other starring roles go to the swimming pool with skyscraper views, modern bedrooms with incredible floor-to-ceiling windows and gadgetry at every turn and the games halls and kareoke booths of this hi-tech city.

The holiday: Naturally you have to take a lift up to the 52nd-floor of the Park Hyatt and revel in the low-lit, sexy ambiance of the bar; order the Sofia cocktail (named after Sofia Coppola who wrote and directed the film) and drink in the panoramic city views too.

Book a booth and serenade people at Karaoke-kan in the funky Shibuya district just like Bob and Charlotte (excessive sake drinking and pink wig-wearing optional).

For a culture fix visit the Meiji temple and gardens in Shinjuku, while shopaholics should make a beeline for The Ginza, Tokyo’s upmarket shopping district, full of designer boutiques, galleries and pricey restaurants.

6. If you long to wander through the emerald rice fields and temples in EAT, PRAY, LOVE then BALI’s for you

The script: The After rediscovering her love of food in Rome and her spiritual side in India, travel writer Liz (Julia Roberts) finally finds romance in the arms of Felipe (Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz’s yummy hubby) in Bali.

Most of the action was filmed in and around Ubud, the spiritual heart of the Indonesian island, with Liz whizzing through rice fields on her bike, hanging out at a healer’s house and getting loved-up in her open-sided villa.

The holiday: Hunt for batik sarongs in shop-lined street Jalan Dewi Sita or bargain spices and summer dresses in Ubud’s market.

Watch a temple ceremony in the monkey forest sanctuary and follow in Liz’s footsteps by treating yourself to a session at the Balinese Traditional Healing Center, where you can find out what reincarnation level you’re at, enjoy a rebalancing betal nut scrub and multivitamin-packed lunch.

At night, visit Naughty Nori’s, famous on the island for its ribs, vodka martinis and local gossip. And where to stay? Julia checked into the Four Seasons during shooting...

7. If you loved the city glam of THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA it’s got to be NEW YORK, baby

The script: We all wanted to be Andrea  (Anne Hathaway) when she landed the fashion assistant job at glossy Manhattan mag Runway; the sleek new wardrobe, glossy hair and hip hangouts were NY fabulous, darling.

Okay, her scary boss Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) was a nightmare, but it still made us want to up sticks and hangout in Manhattan.

The holiday: If you’ve never been (actually, even if you have) you can never get tired of doing the New York ‘thang’ - going to the top of the Empire Building, window shopping at Tiffany’s & Co on Fifth Avenue, going for a stroll (or ice skating in winter) in Central Park.

Throw in a drink at Champagne bar Bubble Lounge in TriBeCa (a cool part of town where Andrea’s boyfriend Nate worked) and don’t miss the American Museum of Natural History, it’s our fave museum in the world and was used as the setting for the glitzy museum benefit party in the film.

It’s been around a while, but the Gansevoort Meatpacking NYC hotel is still a top choice for a weekend in the city What makes it so special? The rooftop pool and Plunge Bar, with stunning views of the skyscrapers and Hudson River, are knock-out.

We also love Exhale, the chic spa where you can have anything from pedi’s to facials to ensure you’re NY sleek for a night out.

Flights with Virgin Atlantic from £423

8. If you loved the palm-fringed beaches and dazzling turquoise seas in THE PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN adventures choose an ISLAND ESCAPE

The script: Swashbuckling pirate Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) is the loveable rouge who gets up to all sorts of high seas antics with the crew of his boat, The Black Pearl, and Elizabeth (Kiera Knightley) and Will (Orlando Bloom).

There are loads of dreamy locations to covet. In the first film, Curse of the Black Pearl, St Vincent’s harbour makes an appearance, while fictional island Isla Cruces in third film Dead Man’s Chest, was shot in Dominica and Great Exuma in the Bahamas.

The holiday: St Vincent and the Grenadines is one of the Caribbean’s choice spots.

Kick-start your trip on the larger island in the chain, hiking to the top of St Vincent’s volcano, bathing under waterfalls and trekking through lush rainforest.

It’s easy to explore the rest of the islands by boat; stop for cocktails at celeb-fave Basil’s Bar on Mustique, chill on the white sand beaches of Bequia and snorkel in the crystal-clear waters off Canouan.

The crew stayed on Young Island during filming. It’s a rustic private island resort just a two-minute boat trip from St Vincent (you call the boat’s skipper from a phone in the wall when you want to return to the island).

Cottages have a king-sized bed, open-air shower and private terrace where you can snooze in a hammock rocked by the sea breeze – after all you’re boung to feel a little sleepy after Caribbean rum cocktails at Coconut Bar, a swim-up wooden shack in the bay.

Get day-dreaming!