Looking for somewhere to spend your next holiday?
From the temple that housed the Holy Grail in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade to the off-the-beaten track to the Irish island where Rey discovered Luke Skywalker hiding out in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, take inspiration from the big screen and make your way to these lesser-known film locations.
Skelling Michael, Ireland
Once a sleepy island, all it took was a cameo in Star Wars: The Force Awakens to put Skellig Michael on the map.
Located off the coast of the county Kerry, this wilderness and nature preserve is a UNESCO World Heritage site that’s only open to tourists from mid-May to early October.
Perched almost 218 metres above sea level, Skellig Michael is a popular hangout for seabirds and tourists are known to spot puffins, kittiwakes and fulmars over the course of their three-hour excursion here.
Pack your hiking boots to make the most of the rigorous climbs – and don’t miss the 670-step stairway that leads to a sixth-century monastery that could perhaps help you feel the Force.
Pondicherry, India
The lead in the Life of Pi may have been a CGI tiger, but the real star of the 2012 blockbuster was its backdrop, the South Indian city of Pondicherry.
The coastal paradise, otherwise known as Puducherry, is famous for its unique blend of colonial French and Indian influences.
To get a glimpse of the juxtapositions for yourself, tour the French Quarter, which served as the base of the Compagnie des Indes Orientales (French East India Company) until 1675, then make your way to the football pitch-sized Grand Bazaar.
Petra, Jordan
Once a thriving trading centre, Jordan’s lost city of Petra was the capital of the Nabataean empire between 400 BC and AD 106.
Forgotten for centuries until the 18th-century when a Swiss explorer infiltrated its dark narrow canyon entrance making him the first foreigner to step foot in the area in 600 years. Bewitching tombs and temples are carved into pink sandstone cliffs across the appropriately nicknamed the Rose City.
A UNESCO World Heritage-listed site and one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, Petra is no stranger to the big screen having been featured in blockbusters such as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Arabian Nights, and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.
Bruges, Belgium
A mere mention of this Flemish town conjures up a number of images: picturesque canals, soaring towers, foamy beers, and the black comedy crime film, In Bruges.
Often referred to as the ‘Venice of the North’, this former trading hub turns on the charm with its historic churches, revered swans and carpets of daffodils surrounding the begijnhof in the spring.
Heralded as one of the best preserved medieval towns in Europe, you’ll stumble across backdrops from the 2008 film starring Colin Farrell at almost every turn, including the Relais Bourgondisch Cruyce Hotel – an unexpectedly more upmarket locale than in the film.
Ischia, Italy
A cluster of islands lie scattered across the Bay of Naples – the largest and most developed of them being Ischia.
Spa towns, hidden beaches and quaint villages are abundant in this volcanic outcrop, as can be seen in The Talented Mr Ripley.
If you want to retrace the steps of the Tom Ripley and Dickie Greenleaf and live la dolce vita, then seek out the white-sand of Bagno Antonio and the bustling square in Ischia Ponte.
