9 Best Picture Nominee Filming Locations That You Can Actually Visit
Travelers rarely have to look far for destination inspiration these days, and jet-setting cinephiles are no exception. Just glance through the films nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture each year, and you’re bound to find more than a few that used interesting, gorgeous, and most importantly, real filming locations that you can actually visit.
And given that this prestigious award has been handed out since 1929, you just know that there are a lot of famous movie filming locations to choose from among the many, many films nominated for Best Picture. However, for a quick and easy dose of film-inspired travel ideas, we’ve shortlisted some of the best Oscar movie filming sites, with advice on how you can add them to your next trip itinerary.
1. Rome, Italy
Do a lap of Rome’s highlights and retrace Audrey Hepburn’s steps from the classic “Roman Holiday” (1953).
Rome—one of the most iconic movie locations worldwide—was filled with people inspired to visit Italy after the release of Roman Holiday back in the 50s. Ever since, travelers have continued to be inspired to seek out and recreate moments from the classic film, such as bravely putting their hand inside the Bocca della Verità at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Cosmedin.
These days, Vespa tours of Rome allow you to scoot around the city, visiting highlights just as Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck do in the romantic comedy, while city tours help you easily combine some of the local highlights they visit, such as the Spanish Steps and Colosseum.
2. Wadi Rum, Jordan
“Dune” (2021) and “The Martian” (2015) have taken advantage of these remote desert landscapes.
Few places are as connected to the Oscars as Wadi Rum. For decades, this rocky wilderness in southern Jordan has been one of the most reliable Hollywood movie destinations thanks to its barren, desert expanse, serving as a filming destination for everything from the classics to modern sci-fi epics.
Recent audiences may recognize Wadi Rum as the desert planet of Arrakis in the Dune films (nominated in 2021 and 2024), or the landscapes of Mars from The Martian. Others may know it better from the 1962 epic Lawrence of Arabia. Either way, experience the quiet beauty of Wadi Rum on a day tour from Amman or an overnight desert camping trip.
3. County Mayo, Ireland
Cycle the west coast to see the rustic, coastal setting for “The Banshees of Inisherin” (2022).
Inisherin, the setting of the tragi-comedy The Banshees of Inisherin, feels lived-in and very real to viewers. And yet, it’s an entirely fictional place. On camera, it was actually Achill Island and the remote Aran Islands, both in Western Ireland, which portrayed the sleepy village disturbed by the film’s feuding friends.
Join an e-bike tour to pedal up to Achill Island and see the coastal backdrops (as well as Colm’s cottage) used in the film. Guided bike tours are also the best way to explore the Aran Islands and find the epic cliffs of Inishmore, where Pádraic and Dominic sit to chat.
4. Southern Tunisia
Geek out over seeing where “Star Wars” (1977) and Indiana Jones first came to life.
Staples of pop culture—Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark—have plenty in common, from the involvement of George Lucas and Harrison Ford to their Best Picture nominations. But for people looking to travel to film locations, what’s most interesting is that both films were shot extensively in remote parts of Tunisia.
During a film tour from Djerba, you can visit recognizable locations around Tozeur and Tataouine used to create the world of Tatooine, including Luke Skywalker's home and the fictional city of Mos Espa. But it’s also in this region that you can step into scenes from Indiana Jones, which served as stand ins for Egypt, such as Sidi Bouhlel, where Indiana threatened to destroy the ark.
5. Paris, France
“Inception” (2010), “Midnight in Paris” (2011), and “Hugo” (2011) have all shined a light on Paris.
It seems TV and movies love Paris just about as much as tourists do, with the City of Light proving to be one of Europe’s busiest film tourism destinations. Explore the capital of France on a typical Paris walking tour, and you'll spot recognizable locations such as the Pont de Bir-Hakeim, where the rules of dream architecture are explained in Inception, or the streetscapes of Montmartre and the Île de la Cité, where Gil wanders in nostalgia-filled Midnight in Paris.
Some locations, including the interior of the Sorbonne seen in Hugo, will require guided tours. Others, such as the Bibliothèque Saint-Geneviève, where Hugo researches films, are not well-known, but are conveniently close to popular landmarks—in this case, the Panthéon.
6. Lombardy, Italy
Locations across this northern region of Italy served as the backdrop for “Call Me By Your Name” (2017).
Crema, a small city outside Milan, is unlikely to make it onto many travelers’ itineraries—that is, unless they’re familiar with Luca Guadagnino’s film Call Me By Your Name, a coming-of-age drama set in Northern Italy and filmed around parts of Lombardy.
While much of the film centers on Elio’s family’s estate, many of the town scenes were filmed on the Piazza del Duomo in Crema, home to classic Italian architecture, as well as all through Bergamo to the north—Bergamo walking tours will help you to easily explore the city. As for the memorable hike to the waterfall towards the film’s end, that's actually the Cascate Del Serio, the tallest waterfall in Italy, and it's found in the Bergamo Alps.
7. Los Angeles, California, US
Follow in the footsteps of a long list of Oscar-nominated movie stars who have filmed around LA.
Los Angeles is the beating heart of the US film and TV industries, so it’s no surprise that the California city shows up in lots of movies, including a few Best Picture nominees. You can find real-life movie sets to visit across LA, whether it's various streets and mansions from 1974’s Chinatown or the theaters and restaurants used in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
But some of the most iconic LA locations in recent memory come from La La Land—think: the dance scene in Griffith Park overlooking the city lights, the visit to the Griffith Observatory, or their ride on the Angel’s Flight Railway. Take your pick of LA movie tours to cover as much ground as possible.
8. Seoul, South Korea
Experience Seoul through the eyes of “Parasite” (2019).
Most Best Picture filming spots draw you in with beautiful, romantic, dramatic, or unfamiliar landscapes. But that’s not what you’ll find when hunting down where Parasite was filmed in Seoul. Many of the filming locations for the 2019 Best Picture winner reflect its focus on class inequality, from humble alleys and corner stores to the wealthy neighborhood where much of the action takes place.
Take a walking tour of the film’s locations or get a behind-the-scenes tour of the largest indoor studio in the country on a VIP K-drama tour to see how the professionals hone their craft.
9. New Zealand
Travel to Middle-earth with your own fellowship and enjoy the raw beauty of New Zealand.
No cinematic travel guide is complete without mentioning The Lord of the Rings and New Zealand. All three of the films were nominated for Best Picture, with Return of the King winning in 2003, but the biggest win arguably came from the viewers who discovered New Zealand’s beauty.
A great place to start here is with the Hobbiton Movie Set, where you can take a walking tour to see Bilbo and Frodo’s home. Then there are the mountains down near Queenstown, where half-day tours show you many filming locations in one go, such as Mt. Aspiring National Park which was used to create Isengard and the forests of Lothlorien. Plus, don’t forget Weta Workshop, where you can learn more about the clever movie magic that went into the films.
Related: A Visit to Hobbiton in New Zealand Isn’t Just for Film Super Fans (or Foreign Visitors)
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