Finding a travel fix while we’re mostly confined to our homes can be tricky, but we think these eight films will transport you to another place, some, even another time. Hopefully, they’ll inspire a new destination on your must-see list or allow you to reminisce about somewhere you’ve been.
Roman Holiday (1953)
Where you’ll want to go: Rome
This classic Hollywood romance between a princess (Audrey Hepburn) who wants to experience Rome as a regular tourist, and the journalist (Gregory Peck) has inspired many to visit the key sites in the Italian capital. Follow Hepburn & Peck to the Spanish Steps, Mouth of Truth and the Colosseum, all of the back of the now-famous Vespa.
Murder on the Orient Express (1974 or 2017)
Where you’ll want to go: Somewhere on a train
Poirot’s peaceful journey from the Middle East to London via the Simplon’s Pass is interrupted when a murder is committed aboard the first-class train he is on. We won’t spoil the rest, but it is certainly worth a watch if you love 1930s costumes and decor. It might inspire you to take your own long-distance train journey (although perhaps not if you’ve recently committed a crime).
Out of Africa (1985)
Where you’ll want to go: Kenya
Out of Africa, loosely based on a true story, follows the story of a Danish baroness Karen Blixen (Meryl Streep) and her love affair with hunter Denys (Robert Redford) in 1910s Kenya. Enjoy epic cinematography and beautiful shots of the Kenyan landscape as you follow the love story.
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)
Where you’ll want to go: the Australian Outback
The story of two drag queens, played by Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce, and a transgender woman, played by Terrance Stamp, travelling across the Australian Outback in a lavender tour bus named “Pricilla” is one of Australia’s most iconic. From Sydney to Alice Springs, through little towns and across the desert (and who can forget the epic musical numbers), maybe this film will inspire you to explore your own backyard.
The Beach (2000)
Where you’ll want to go: a tropical beach paradise in Thailand
The Beach follows Leonardo DiCaprio in his search for paradise in Thailand, and many have followed in his footsteps since – perhaps too many. In 2018, the Thai Government closed Maya Bay on the island of Phi Phi Koh, where the film was shot, until 2021 to give the natural environment a chance to recover from the tourism impact. Since the ban has been in place, blacktip reef sharks have been sighted swimming in the waters of the bay.
In Bruges (2007)
Where you’ll want to go: Bruges, Belgium
In Bruges follows two hitmen, played by Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, who are stuck in the quaint Belgian town of Bruges after a hit gone wrong. One finds the medieval town quaint and charming, and the other, not so much. Observe Farrell & Gleeson’s misadventures and fall in love with Bruges’ medieval charm.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)
Where you’ll want to go: Greenland, Iceland, and the Himalayas
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty follows titular Walter as he chases a travel photographer around the world for some photographic negatives for a magazine. Walter flies in helicopters, spends time on ships, and hikes among the Himalayas. It’s an incredible story set in some amazing places!
Lion (2016)
Where you’ll want to go: India and Australia
This incredibly moving tale, spanning two nations and cultures, is sure to get your inner travel bug packing. Saroo is lost from his family in India after an adventure with his brother goes awry and ends up in an orphanage where he is adopted by an Australian couple in Tasmania. In his early twenties, he attempts to trace his journey via Google Earth and returns to India to reconnect with his family.
