It’s fun to spot your favourite film and TV locations while on holiday. Here Jo Caruana goes in search of the best places to visit if you hope to re-enact the magic of the movies.
Ireland
Much like Malta, Ireland has moonlighted as a few very different locations in its film-making history.
For instance, while Braveheart may be a film about historic Scottish rebel William Wallace, many of the scenes were filmed in the Emerald Isle.
Although it may have been made up to look like Edinburgh Castle, it was actually Dunsoghly Castle in County Dublin, Ireland that featured in the film.
The real story of this stunning spot is that it was built around 1450 and is one of the only castles in the country to retain its original roof.
Meanwhile, Cork and County Limerick also feature heavily in the drama Angela’s Ashes, while Educating Rita’s supposedly Liverpool-based college was really the striking Trinity College in Dublin.
Scotland
Just because it wasn’t the castle in Braveheart, that doesn’t mean Scotland hasn’t found itself on a cinema screen or two.
Travelling along the west coast from Fort William to Malliag you will spot the dramatic arches of the Glenfinnan Viaduct, on which the shiny Hogwarts Express zoomed along in the many Harry Potter films.
Then, up north, keep your eyes peeled for the stunning exterior of Eilean Donan castle which was shown to be the exterior of the MI6 building in James Bond film The World Is Not Enough, starring Pierce Brosnan.
Italy
With its gorgeous architecture and stunning landscapes, it’s no wonder Italy has featured in countless big-screen productions.
Turin is the setting for Michael Caine’s legendary film The Italian Job. The movie created (staged) chaos as car chases raced through the city in spots including across the weir of the River Po and down the steps outside the Gran Madre di Dio church.
Also from this film, look out for Lingotto, a massive shopping complex (then a Fiat factory), which played host to the now-iconic three-car jump stunt.
Other well-known locations in Italy include Piazza Grande in Arezzo, Tuscany, where Roberto Bengini filmed his Oscar-winner Life is Beautiful. The main square is very recognisable from the film, as is Piaggia San Martino just off it.
Meanwhile, if you are south in Sicily, you are advised to drop in and visit some of the locations seen in mafia trilogy The Godfather. While the film is set in the fictional village of Corleone, filming really took place in Forza d’Agro and Savoca, while the violent climax was shot at Teatro Massimo in Palermo.
Prague
Known for its history and culture, the Czech capital also has a fair few films under its belt.
Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible was shot here in 1996, and features the beautiful Old Town Square. The square is dominated by three major landmarks – the Astronomical Clock and Old Town Hall, Tyn Cathedral, and Church of St Nicholas, all of which featured in the film.
Beyond that, the Charles Bridge was the setting of Van Helsing in 2004, 2005 film The Brothers Grimm was shot at Krivoklat Castle, and Shanghai Knights was filmed at the city’s Kutna Hora.
New York
The Big Apple must be one of the most showcased movie spots in the world, and you will find a location you recognise around most corners.
Lovers of film classics will doubtlessly recognise Holly Golighty’s apartment from Breakfast at Tiffany’s, starring Audrey Hepburn. Shown to be a small, partly furnished apartment, the location is actually a gorgeous house on the Upper East Side of the city worth millions.
Located on East 71st Street, the house was only used for exterior shots (as the rest was completed in a studio). It still looks almost exactly as it did in the film, except for the external blinds being missing.
Meanwhile, across town, is the apartment on 66 Perry Street that was used for the exterior shots of Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment in the Sex and the City series. Hundreds of fans visit this site every day (so much so that a chain has been placed across the bottom of the steps to stop fans sitting on them), and it ranks as one of the most visited film locations in the world.
Los Angeles
Of course, if you are looking for film locations, then you won’t do much better than Los Angeles – unofficially the film-making capital of America and the world.
Just wandering around is enough to have you spotting uncountable streets and buildings that have appeared in some of the most famous films ever made.
Rodeo Drive, for instance, is bound to jog your memory, not least as the street where Julia Robert’s character in Pretty Woman was rejected from a shop for being dressed inappropriately. While in the city, musical fans will probably enjoy a stop at Venice High School, which ‘played the role’ of Rydell High School in the 1978 blockbuster Grease.
If classes aren’t in session, you will likely be free to wander round the grounds to spot the locations for many of the lively scenes in the film.