10 Films And Series Made In Italy (And The Real-Life Locations You Can Visit)
Famous for its history, food, and culture (as well as for being shaped like a boot), Italy is one of Europe's brightest gems. The Mediterranean country is home to a rich physical landscape that has given it the ability to portray many locations on film, from rural villages in The Godfather trilogy to fictional planets in a galaxy far, far away.
The diverse geography of Italy has attracted some of the biggest names in cinema, including Christopher Nolan, Francis Ford Coppola, and Ridley Scott. Italy will also feature in the upcoming Ferrari biopic, which will star Adam Driver as the titular founder of the iconic car brand (via Deadline).
Ridley Scott's House of Gucci focuses on the eponymous fashion family and the web of ambition, deceit, and downfalls that plagued the dynasty. Many felt Lady Gaga was snubbed an Oscar nomination for her performance as Patrizia Reggiani, an outsider who marries into the family and climbs the ranks of the Gucci hierarchy.
Scott shot this film entirely in Italy, with set photos from GQ showing the cast and crew descending on Florence and Rome; considering Gucci was founded in the former, it only made sense to film there. Al Pacino's Aldo Gucci celebrates his birthday in the stunning Villa del Balbiano on Lake Como, which fans are able to visit from March to January.
Hilary Duff, one of the original Disney Channel stars, took her character, Lizzie McGuire, to the big screen with her aptly titled film, The Lizzie McGuire Movie.
For Hilary Duff, this trip to Italy was a dream come true, especially as got a tour around one of the most beautiful countries on the back of a Vespa (via People). Not only did she get to see the Spanish Steps and The Pantheon but Duff also got to stroll around the stunning Tivoli Gardens (also known as Villa d'Este, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site). Fans can pay a small fee to enter.
After numerous delays and director drop-outs, Daniel Craig's final outing as James Bond finally hit cinemas in late 2021. In No Time To Die, audiences find Bond enjoying retired life before being brought back into the fray when an old friend comes knocking.
In classic Bond fashion, the film is a globetrotting adventure filled with action sequences and car chases. With the movie filmed in several locations, one of the most iconic places No Time To Die was in Italy, where a set video from Express showed 007's Aston Martin DB5 zipping through the cobbled streets of Matera, Basilicata. Matera is famous for looking like it is carved into the hillside, and its ancient cave dwellings earned the town the title of UNESCO World Heritage Site - making it worth a visit even for non-Bond fans.
The second film in the MCU's Homecoming trilogy saw Peter Parker struggling to live up to Tony Stark's legacy whilst journeying on his school's Euro-trip. Although Marvel Studios is often accused of being overzealous with their use of green screens, set photos from The Daily Mail revealed that Tom Holland and co were actually able to enjoy some time in Venice while shooting Far From Home.
Venice is famous for its labyrinth nature and countless canals, the latter of which feature heavily in the film's first major action scene with the supposed Water Elemental creature. The Ponte di Rialto and Saint Mark's Square are featured - whilst the latter appears bone dry in the film, the piazza is at times submerged by several feet of water, due to Venice's sinking nature, making it prone to flooding.
Luca Guadagnino's coming-of-age film follows the developing romance between Elio (Timothée Chalamet) and American graduate Oliver (Armie Hammer), who is assisting Elio's father in archeological research for the summer. The film received widespread praise and earned Chalamet a Best Actor nomination.
In an interview with NPR, Hammer recalled filming the sun-drenched flick in the northern Lombardy region of Italy. The town of Crema several times throughout the film; fans will recognize Crema's Bar Belvedere as the place where Oliver charms the locals during a game of cards. Elio and Oliver also visit one of Elio's favorite spots, Fontanile Quarantina. This lush nature reserve is open to visitors daily, but, be warned, the mountain water is cold.
Christopher Nolan's most recent film, Tenet, was less of a crowdpleaser than his previous works. Although the confusing premise of traveling-back-in-time-but-not-quite-time-travel left audiences scratching their heads, at least the globe-trotting film could be commended for its use of shooting on location.
In a key scene, John David Washington's protagonist first meets Sator face-to-face at a civilized but tense dinner, shot at the luxurious clifftop Belmond Hotel Caruso in Ravello. Set photos from The Daily Mail showed Washington and Elizabeth Debicki shooting scenes in the candy-colored town of Amalfi, which is an incredibly popular holiday destination and is in the business of welcoming visitors and filmmakers alike.
In the climax of season 3, the Roy family descends on the Italian countryside to attend the wedding of Logan's ex-wife Caroline. The conclusion of the season was filmed in a region of Tuscany, nicknamed Chiantishire, due to its popularity as a holiday destination among the rich and famous.
Filming largely took place in Val d'Orcia, recognizable for its gently rolling hills and cypress-lined roads. While the wedding guests stay in La Foce villa, the actual wedding venue was shot at Villa Cetinale, a 17th-century Baroque estate. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the villas seen in season 3's finale can be rented through Bellini Travel, should Succession fans want to replicate the Roy lifestyle. However, it doesn't come cheap, with some going for more than $100,000 a week.
Sally Rooney's poignant novel was adapted for the screen in 2020 and follows the complex on-again-off-again relationship between Marianne and Connell as they leave school, enter college, and learn to navigate life as young adults.
Part of the series sees Marianne invite Connell to her family's villa in Italy, which in the book is based in Trieste, ended up being shot in Sant'Oreste in the region of Lazio, about 35km north of Rome. Fans can make like Marianne and rent the charming country home - which was previously seen in Eat, Pray, Love (2010) (via Airbnb). The pair are also seen visiting the town of Stimilgliano and enjoying gelato from Piazza Vittorio Emanuele.
Episodes I-III of the Skywalker Saga follow the rise and fall of young Anakin Skywalker and his transformation into the Sith Lord Darth Vader. The Star Wars films are known for shooting in exotic places, and the prequel trilogy utilized many locations throughout Italy to bring the story to life.
Caserta Palace in southern Italy was once a real royal palace, so it's unsurprising that it was used to portray the Naboo Royal Palace (via visitworldheritage.com). Another notable location is Mount Etna, which features in the climactic battle of Episode III; the famous duel between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin on Mustafar incorporates explosive lava shots from the active volcano (via Vanity Fair). Any brave fans wishing to take the high ground and visit Mount Etna can find it located on the island of Sicily.
Released to immediate critical acclaim, Francis Ford Coppola's mafia movie continues to be considered one of the best films ever made. The epic gangster flick follows patriarch Vito Corleone and his son Michael, as the latter undergoes a transformation into a ruthless mafia boss.
The Corleone family's roots lie in Sicily, and as such, filming took place on the island (via Far Out). Although said to be from the real town of Corleone, Coppola desired a less modern feel and so filming occurred in the medieval villages of Savoca and Forza d'Agro. Fans will recognize Bar Vitelli and Chiesa di Santa Lucia in Savoca as places of significance in Michael and his wife's relationship. Fans can learn more about The Godfather's dramatic production history in the upcoming miniseries The Offer, starring Miles Teller.