Before I travel somewhere new, I like to get my hands on movies set in my destination. Before Barcelona, Vicky Cristina Barcelona; before Stockholm, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
A great film can inspire us to travel to a place we never thought to explore. It can also satisfy our wanderlust when we can't get away.
I've selected 17 films with a strong sense of place. Some focus on the journey, others on the destination. Sit back and watch, be inspired, then get off the couch and see these places for yourself.
Europe
For a delightful Parisian dreamscape ... Amélie (2001)
For a pilgrim's journey ... The Way (2010)
For an epic night in Vienna ... Before Sunrise (1995)
For a hilarious con through the French Riviera ... Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)
For a movie that shows the beauty of Italy even in b&w ... Roman Holiday (1953)
For a quintessential British rom-com ... Notting Hill (1999)
For a little seduction and Spanish guitar ... Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
Asia
For a colorful stay in the twilight of one's life ... The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011)
For a transformative and offbeat train journey ... The Darjeeling Limited (2007)
For an unlikely friendship in an unfamiliar land ... Lost in Translation (2003)
For an epic adventure to Petra ... Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
The Americas
For an 80s action-adventure through Colombia ... Romancing the Stone (1984)
For an appreciation for Pinot Noir ... Sideways (2004)
For a cross-Canada journey by vintage motorcycle ... One Week (2008)
For a midcentury modern thriller ... North By Northwest (1959)
For a place to call home ... Away We Go (2009)
For a love letter to Downtown Los Angeles ... 500 Days of Summer (2009)
What movies have inspired you? Let us know and you might see your favorite film in a follow-up post.
This post is written by Trip Styler's Assistant Wayfarer/Editor Heather.
[images via imdb, collages & top image by @heatherlovesit, map via maps-kid.com]