These are the films that have inspired me over the years to travel from the most predictable ones to the least expected.
Eat Pray Love (Italy, India, Indonesia) - I’m just going to get this one out of the way. I don’t care want any one says I love this movie. I know that it has become the cheesy cliche travel movie that people cringe at, but I am still a fan. It is the quintessential finding yourself movie.
Letters to Juliet (Italy) - Yes, I am still waiting to find my Lorenzo in Verona. The crazy quest to find Lorenzo based on an old love letter was a perfect love story in the beautiful Tuscany backdrop.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Pittsburgh) - This is my favorite movie from my teen years I think it premiered when I started high school. It was filmed in Pittsburgh and I will forever want to recreate the iconic tunnel scene and eat at the Kings Family Restaurant.
Call Me by Your Name (Italy) - Another film set in Italy, setting yet even more unrealistic love expectations. I now want to spend a summer in Italy so I too can fall in love with Elio. The beautiful film location of Crema gives you this warm sunshiney feeling.
The Lizzie McGuire Movie (Rome, Italy) - This is what dreams are made of…right yet another unrealistic expectations of Italy where 7 year old me thought that I was going to fall in love with an international pop star even though Paolo was a jerk who couldn’t sing. But I am still betting on my chances of the moped ride. Also wasn’t Lizzie like in 8th grade in this?
All of the Mary Kate and Ashley films (Everywhere) - These movies were my childhood. I can’t even count how many times I watched these movies. From London to Paris, NYC, Rome and even down under. Not only did they serve as fashion icons but they were always solving crimes and finding the cutest boys.
Me Before You (UK & Spain, etc) - This movie is incredibly sad but it also makes you appreciate every moment you have and realize that you need to travel while you can. So it was less about the places and more about just being present in all moments. Spoiler 🚨 Alert: Will the main character is paralyzed and prior to this unfortunate event he lived a successful well traveled life. After his accident his new caretaker Louisa tries to show him that there is still life worth living.
I love these two 😭
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Greece & Mexico) - I think this is the first film that I had seen that featured Greece and I remember being obsessed with all the blue and white and definitely wanted to jump off a cliff into the sea. I was so jealous that I didn’t have grandparents that lived on a gorgeous island in Greece. And then even though I had like no athletic ability, I wanted to go to soccer camp in Mexico.
Rugrats in Paris (Paris) - I didn’t watch many cartoons as a kid, but Rugarts was the exception. This movie was so epic as a five year old. And yes I did have the orange VHS tape of it.
Any Action Film (Anywhere) - Whether it is a spy movie, superhero, heist, or sci-fi, literally all of these movies are guaranteed to have some kind luxury travel scene. It often makes me want to be some kind of super secret agent.
Let me know what films have inspired to travel!