Every now and then we’ll come across a movie that has such beautiful scenery that we can’t help but want to visit. Italy is frequently featured as the romantic setting for movies, so here are five of our favourite movies that were filmed there. We also have a comprehensive itinerary for Paris and Italy available for download.
#01 Roman Holiday
A must-watch classic filmed in 1953 starring Gregory Peck as a reporter and Audrey Hepburn as a princess out to see Rome on her own. Shot at major landmarks around the city, the film gives you a glimpse of Rome as it was back then.
INSPIRED BY THE FILM: Rent a Vespa and roam around the city, just like in the movie. Visit film locations including Bocca della Verità (Mouth of Truth), Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti (Spanish Steps), Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain), Colosseum, Pantheon, Castel Sant’Angelo and Piazza Venezia.
#02 The Tourist
An action thriller shot in one of the most romantic locations in Europe – Venice – starring Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp. Though The Tourist has been criticised by locals for not having continuity of film sets, Hollywood showed us a pretty stunning side of Venice all the same.
INSPIRED BY THE FILM: For a Hollywood star experience, book a room at Hotel Danieli and take a gondola ride on the Venice canal. Other interesting landmarks including Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Fondaco dei Turchi, San Francesco della Vigna, Biblioteca Marciana and Piazza San Marco.
{Read more about a photoshoot here in the magazine}
#03 Letters to Juliet
Shot in Verona, Italy, home of the Capulets in Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. Thousands of letters are regularly addressed to “Juliet” (Giulietta Capuleti) from everywhere in the world, and in the movie, Sophie, played by Amanda Seyfried, finds a letter that changes her life forever.
INSPIRED BY THE FILM: If you are interested, you can actually volunteer at Club di Giulietta (Juliet Club), where you will be in charge of the unique task of replying these letters to Juliet. Alternatively, consider leaving a note at Casa di Giulietta and be surprised with a reply by one of the volunteers. Then drive out to the countryside from Tuscany to Verona, and visit Borgo Scopeto Relais and Villa Arvedi.
#04 Eat Pray Love
Discover a wonderful secret to Italian living – Il bel far niente, the beauty of doing nothing. This is definitely a luxury and if you’re on your honeymoon, there’s really no better time to declutter your life and waste time on each other.
INSPIRED BY THE FILM: In the movie, you will see popular tourist sites like the Colosseum, Piazza Navona, the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain. Liz Gilbert, played by Julia Roberts, also enjoys gelato at San Crispino Gelato and dines at a Jewish restaurant called Jewish Ghetto. L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele in Napoli, which serves only the classic marinara and margherita pizzas, was also featured in the film.
#05 Under the Tuscan Sun
Most of the film was shot in the countryside of Cortona, Florence, and Siena in the Tuscany region of Italy, widely regarded as the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. You’ll surely be blown away by how scenic and picturesque the Tuscan countryside is.
INSPIRED BY THE FILM: The film was also shot at Montepulciano and Positano, both of which are equally beautiful. If you’re visiting Cortona, do book a stay at Villa Laura, Bramasole, which is the exact villa that Diane Lane’s character buys on a whim and fixes up in the movie.
