Movies and TV shows that make you want to travel

Any British detective procedural: Hinterland, Shetland, Unforgotten, and so many more. I don’t even need to go to the UK. 😁 They just make me want to go somewhere!

Pranzo di Ferragosto and Pane e Tulipani. Both are "must sees" at our house if we're even thinking about a trip to Italy. Which we are, in 235 days.

A few immediately come to mind - " Summertime " ( Venice 1956 ) , " Tunes of Glory " (` Scotland 1960 ) , " Trio " ( UK 1950 ) , " Letter from an Unknown Woman " ( Vienna 1948 ) , " The Last Time I Saw Paris " ( Paris 1954 ) . As I cudgel my brain , I'll be back

Almost forgot this one , perish the thought - " The Grand Budapest Hotel " ( Gorlitz and Dresden 2014 ) Made our first visits to both in 2017 , just returned to Dresden . The film is based on the writing of the great Viennese author , Stefan Zweig .

Midnight in Paris - hate Woody Allen and don't much care for Owen Wilson but I love this movie

The Longest Day - makes me want to go back to Normandie but also to England to see WWII related sights there

Woman in Gold - Makes me want to go search out Klimt's work - in Paris, lol

Loving Vincent - yes, going to Arles soon

In Bruges - very dark comedy which I usually don't enjoy but I liked this one. I also knew the set up and end so it was easier to watch.

What was that movie with Helen Mirren about the 2 competing restaurants across the road from each other in Southern France? French and Indian?

You didn't ask about books but I like some (not all) of the light romance books by Trisha Ashley. Currently re-reading for the maybe 10th time her "12 Days of Christmas" which makes me want to travel to England

Pam , Klimt and Paris ? What am I missing ?

Amazing Race always have beautiful colorful on scene shots.

Pam, its something like, "The hundred foot journey". Love it!

Everything makes me want to travel!

There is a great movie that starts out in Andalusia and moves to Basque Spain. It might be subtitled and has both a Spanish and an English name. Ocho something or An affair in Spain

Nothing intellectual here.

I'm addicted to House Hunters International. I don't care that it's reality TV, that it's at least partially scripted, that the participants already have chosen their place to live or that they may not have looked at the alternatives shown before they made their choice.

I just like seeing the locales, the kinds of housing in them and the typical costs. I like the emphasis on living in a place as opposed to being a tourist there and I particularly like seeing areas of the world I'm highly unlikely to visit. But, never say never!

Hi Jules, that Spanish movie you reference is called Ocho Apellidos Vascos (8 Basque Surnames), very funny movie and was a big hit in Spain, it played on the various regional differences (and similarities) within Spain. There is actually a squeal called Ocho Apellidos Catalanes, with a focus on Catalonia and those funny Catalans lol! I think both are on Netflix under the title "Spanish Affair", of course the squeal is not as good as the first one, but they both make for nice easy watching.

Coming from "across the pond", the movies that always inspired me to travel were American ones about the USA.

For the American Southwest:
She wore a Yellow Ribbon (John Wayne)
Fort Apache (also John Wayne)
National Lampoon's Vacation

For Las Vegas
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Vegas Vacation

For California:
Top Gun (of course)
Play It Again, Sam (Woody Allen)
Dirty Harry (for SF)
The Big Lebowski (my favourite)

For Hawaii:
Jurassic Park (filmed in Kauai)
Magnum PI

For Florida:
Miami Vice

Roman Holiday, The Quiet Man, La Dolce Vita, The Mouse That Roared, Alfie, Grand Prix, Ryan's Daughter, Zorba the Greek, Vicky Christie Barcelona, Midnight in Paris, Cinema Paradiso, My Beautiful Launderette, and virtually every episode of TV's The Prisoner.

Lo, I love House Hunters International, as well, and for the same reason. I don't have cable, so I don't get to see much of the Tour de France, but the bits I do get to see, I enjoy.

Carlos, thank you! I'm going to watch the sequel. I probably will rewatch the first one, too!

The Grand Budapest hotel brought me SO back to the real Gellert hotel — the bath scenes, even/especially the signage — so evoked the “back rooms” of the fancy baths at the Gellert. It is clear that Anderson took inspiration from there.

for me — Inspector Montalbano, Sicily.

"A room with a view". Monty Don's Gardens of France....particularly if I can use his car for the roadtrip...also his Gardens of Italy. It was my inspiration for my April 2020 trip that went sideways.

"Pam , Klimt and Paris ? What am I missing ?"

Steven, there was a presentation last year at Atelier des Lumieres in Paris featuring a multimedia show of copies of Klimt's works that was supposed to be really good. I missed it and although it's being shown a few times this Fall, I'll miss it again on my next visit. Maybe they'll show it again and I'll catch it!

https://www.atelier-lumieres.com/fr/soirees-klimt

Pam , thanks for the information . If you decide to visit NY , let me know . As I am sure you know , the actual painting of Adele is at The Neue Galerie on Fifth Avenue , just near The Metropolitan Museum . The textural quality of the painting is striking , and imperceptible in any of the reproductions .

PBS Masterpiece "The Durrells in Corfu" (even though mostly shot in a studio, lol)

BBC "Escape to the Country" and "Escape to the Continent" (along the lines of "House Hunters International")

Discovery Channel "Mighty Cruise Ships"

Samantha Brown Places to Love

Also love the British detective series

The Amazing Race and Amazing Race Canada

There's so many! I feel the same way about most of ghe examples given above.

I like My Life in Ruins. Such a cliche but we've all met those people on our travels. A few years ago we had good friends over and had Greek food and wine to Greek music, followed by watching My Life in Ruins and Mamma Mia. It was a fun night. Would like to do a French evening with perhaps A Good Year and Chocolat.

Sometimes we watch shows and comment "geez this is definitely NOT a travelogue!". Something like Happy Valley, while a great show, won't make you want to go to Northeast England!

Thanks everyone! What fun replies. I clearly need to re-watch Grand Budapest Hotel and Midnight in Paris. I remember loving the costuming in that, too (all Woody Allen issues aside...). Lo - We are also House Hunters addicts - I love getting a glimpse of how people in other places live and a sense of how much things cost around the world. Then, I get to dream of moving somewhere new. Andrea - I love your Greek themed night. What a great idea. I need to do that. Emma - I LOVE the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel - one of the best shows ever. Claudia - You have a great list.

I'm curious where people are able to locate some of the foreign/indie films mentioned.

Pam, Yes, I love reading books set in locations I want to travel to. I love fiction and accounts of expats' experiences in different places.

“A Little Romance” staring Diane Lane, Sally Kellerman, Laurence Olivier, and Thelonious Bernard is my favorite movie. It takes place in Paris, Verona, and Venice. The story centers around the legend that a couple who kisses under the Bridge of Sighs at sunset as the bells toll in St Marks Square will stay lovers forever. It was made in 1979 and I believe iTunes has it still. I actually bought it and put it on my iPhone to watch it before my trip to Paris and then again on my trip to Italy that included going to Verona and Venice. Has anyone else seen it?

Those films are the following: "The Last Time I Saw Paris," "Wings of Desire" (Der Himmel von Berlin). on Berlin, 1987.

"Midnight in Paris" ( regardless of the plot), "Napoleon" with Christian Clavell, "The Illusionist," "38 Vienna Before the Fall"

"Umbrellas of Cherbourg" "The Longest Day" and "La Grande Illusion " (1937)

There are two films entitled " The Illusionist " . I think Fred is referring to the 2006 mystery film starring Edward Norton . There is another film with the same title from 2010 , by director Sylvain Chomet . It is fully animated , and set in Scotland , about a magician down on his luck and a young girl who follows him from Iona to Edinburgh . Based on a story by Jacques Tati , it is extremely touching , and the hand drawn animation is incredible . Another fine film set in Scotland is " Local Hero " from 1983 .

@ Steven...Thanks for the clarification. Yes, I was referring to the Ed Norton film, where part of it is filmed in Konopiste, the Schloss of Franz Ferdinand.

His wall map with the title, "Die Vereinigten Staaten von Groß-Österreich" (the United States of Greater Austria) shows his ideas on solving the minorities' problem of the Empire. No wonder he was a threat to the Serbs.

Kim beat me to it - I instantly thought of Montalbano. Both the original Inspector Montalbano and The Young Montalbano. Yum.

I watched the series Versailles on Ovation.

dmacario77, we rely on the public library for movies.

In addition to many films mentioned up thread, I enjoyed "At Eternity's Gate." Willem Defoe did a great depiction of Van Gogh. Another vote for "Midnight in Paris." I can watch this over and over again.

The nightly news...

Globe Trekker episodes have been a source of inspiration to explore the world. Towards that end, I need to start planning my second trip to Europe, soon.

"The Way" with Martin Sheen. Had thought about walking the Camino before, but it was way in the back of my mind. Watching this movie brought it to the forefront and 3 months later I was walking from Pamplona towards Santiago de Compestela. Have watched it numerous times now and though it is out of sync with the real route and a lot of the stuff is just goofy, it is still fun to watch and recognize towns, landscapes, and so much more.

I was never interested in visiting Iceland until I saw "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" (the new one with Ben Stiller and Kristen Wiig). Stunning scenery of the green valleys. Also a fan of the "Shetland" series (shown here on Public Broadcasting), although I would be concerned about the relatively high murder rate there 🙂.

It’s funny Nigel, the little I watched of YoungMontalbano, I couldn’t stand him!! I think I am too in love with Luca Zingaretti.

Haven’t gotten to watch much of Shetland, but I adore the books and know that I would love the show. Would love to make it back to the Orkneys (where I went when I was a little girl) and to go to shetland, too.

Ann Cleeves just published her first book in a new series — she’s done with Jimmy Perez now— that takes place around where she grew up in North Devon. Barnstaple and the like. I found the first one very compelling when I was reading it on vacation last week!!

stan, be sure to stay away from St Mary Meade, as well!

I agree with LO TV SHOWS: international house hunters

What are the options? What location would I choose of the 3 or 4 highlighted? although many couples are relocating because of a spouse' job, I really enjoy viewing stories of people who go without a firm job offer and take their kids!
I fantasize about selling everything I own a living here...there...any where especially near the ocean.

I was never interested in visiting Iceland until I saw "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" (the new one with Ben Stiller and Kristen Wiig). Stunning scenery of the green valleys.

If you have a way to watch them, I recommend Under the Tree (2017, Hulu), Rams (2015, used to be on Hulu), And Breathe Normally (2018, Netflix).

Broadchurch made me want to go to the area where it was filmed.

Broen/Bron (The Bridge) for Denmark & Sweden

Every animal and planet documentary narrated by David Attenborough! The filming and narration are brilliant.

Pam, I feel the same way about "In Bruges." I never watch violent movies, but this one intrigued me (okay, I was obsessed for a while), and it has a lot of funny bits, plus Brendan Gleeson is one of my favorite actors.

Thanks, everyone, for all the great ideas. I recently re-watched "Midnight in Paris" just for the ambience and costumes ;-)

Masterpiece Theatre “Poldark” (stunning locations in Cornwall), Endeavour (Oxford), Doc Martin (Cornwall). Really like Midnight in Paris too.

If It's Tuesday This Must Be Belgium (1969), a light-hearted comedy with Suzanne Pleshette and Ian McShane, with a tour-bus-load ensemble of wonderful character actors. I'm especially fond of this film because it came out only about a year after I went on a month-long Europe tour that was very similar in many ways. The full film is available free on YouTube, https://youtu.be/n2lEC58jtMI.

Also, the comedy/espionage film Hopscotch (1980) with Walter Matthau and Glenda Jackson. Nice scenes of Munich, Salzburg, England.

Few of my favs that I can think of

Monuments men and In bruges ( which enticed me to take RS holland /Belgium tour)

Shetland ( my 2nd great grandfather came from Burra island, Shetland and went there in 2010 for a genealogical trip

Midnight in Paris

Leap year ( love ireland and ancestors also came from Ireland. Even tho dingle was really not pictured but Aran islands were where I spent my 56th bday in 2016

The hundred foot journey

Woman In gold

And a few hallmark movies filmed in Europe

I am sure there are more, but these comes to my mind right now.

Added; The Way

Lo, I like House Hunters too, despite the fact I know the truth. I had an offer from them. They pay $1,000 to participate (or they did over 10 years ago). But I already bought it?; doesn't matter. But it's a wreck and needs renovation; we can film after you are done with the renovation ....

Still, it provides amazing insight into the life of another part of the world.

The movie that made me pack a bag and take a trip: Netflix Documentary "Winter on Fire". Just had to meet those brave people.

Sherlock Holmes has a lot of great British eye candy in it. It's a good show as well.

Paris Je T'aime makes the city of Paris a character unto itself.

Great post!