Italy is more than just pasta, pizza, couture and soccer.
Castel Sant’Angelo (featured in “Angels and Demons”) is one of the most visited museums in Italy
Directors love Italy. Actors love Italy.
Our country has been involved in cinema since its origins in the early 1900s and has been very influential in the development of this art form. The Neorealist movement of the 1940’s and 1950’s had a massive impact on international cinema. It also helped start other European movements such as the French New Wave.
Italy’s famous directors, such as Vittorio De Sica, Giuseppe Tornatore, Roberto Rossellini, Federico Fellini, Roberto Benigni and Luchino Visconti, are not the only ones to have shot in their beautiful country. Every year many film-makers keep choosing the Italy as s set for many of their movies. Let’s see where the best movie locations around Italy are. A great idea for a trip in the spirit of an alternative tourism experience – hidden around every corner on the peninsula are a plethora of beautiful landscapes and exclusive sights that have made the country an unforgettable movie location.
Talented men have had adventures in the luxury and beauty of Venice :
“Merchant of Venice” with Al Pacino, “Death in Venice“, “Nikita“, “The Tourist” with Johnny Depp, “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” “The Talented Mr. Ripley“ with Matt Damon, “The Italian job”, “Casino Royale”, “The English Patient” (Yes, it’s not Cairo. It’s Venice!)
Venice has been the perfect set for many movies. We’ve mentioned above just a few examples but the Venetian lagoon with its canals and winding paths is one of Italy’s most featured movie locations. You can have a coffee at the famous Cafe Florian together with Gwyneth Paltrow and Matt Damon and maybe find an accomodation as a Tourist at the beautiful Hotel Danieli with Johnny Depp. If you prefer re-experiencing the adventure of the English patient you could stay at the Grand Hotel des Bains. Yes, this is the old ‘Shepheard’s Hotel, Cairo’ from the awarded movie by Anthony Minghella.
“The Talented Mr. Ripley“ also feature Rome, Naples, The Amalfi Coast, Procida, Island, Livorno. Many of these places are in the Campania region. This area in Italy is well worth some of your time if you are a cinema connoseur (think about the famous beach scene featured in “Il Postino: The Postman” directed by Michael Radford!).
If you want to get a feel for how Naples’ life is you can’t miss “Passione”, a 2010 documentary film directed by John Turturro, released in the United States in June 2011 and with an extraordinary soundtrack.
A good excuse to enjoy a country like no other
Did you know that the Royal Palace in Caserta (about 15 miles north of Naples) is featured in “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace” (the interior of Naboo) and also in “Mission Impossible III” and “Angels and Demons” (The Vatican infiltrated by Tom Cruise and by Tom Hanks)? It’s the ‘Theed Palace’ on ‘Naboo’ also in episodes II of the Star Wars saga.
The Royal Palace in Caserta, near Naples
Speaking of “Angels and Demons”, in Rome you can find the secret meeting place of the Illuminati. It’s Castel Sant’Angelo (see it in the featured image of this post). You can even book expert tour guides to visit all places featured in the movie directed by Ron Howard.
The Eternal city is the set and the ultimate subject of “The great beauty” by Paolo Sorrentino. The film won Best Foreign Language Film at the 86th Academy Awards, as well as the Golden Globe and also the BAFTA award in the same category.
Rome, together with Venice, are one of the most used movie locations around Italy and it would take many pages to mention and explain all the movies’scenes that featured the Italian capital city. We just want to add “To Rome with love” by Woody Allen, “Gangs of New York”, “The Bourne identity” and, obviously, “La Dolce Vita” directed by Federico Fellini.
Do you like fantasy movies? The Twilight Saga perhaps? An outstanding and possible an unexpected success for the vampires’ story based on the book by Stephenie Meyer. Volterra is the ancient Italian city which is home to the Volturi’s royalty and is a real city in Tuscany, but that’s not where some scenes were shot. The film is set in the beautiful Medieval town of Montepulciano, near Siena. There you can taste the area’s famous red wine, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.
Last but not least, Florence has also been featured in some important movies. “Room with a view” (James Ivory, 1986) uses many of Florence’s landmarks and “Hannibal” by Ridley Scoot uses many scenes from this city, with a little bit more frightening atmosphere…