Best Fictional Shows and Movies for Travel Inspiration

Emily in Paris

Location: Rome (by way of Paris)

Of course, as the series’ title suggests, Emily Cooper (Lily Collins) — fashion-forward, social media–savvy marketing expat — is on an adventure in Paris. Until Season 5, when she makes a move to Rome for her career and a new love. So watch the first four seasons for all the best Paris locations — like these Season 1, Season 2, Season 3, and Season 4 spots (which include the French Alps) — but tune into Season 5 to be whisked away to the ancient beauty of Rome. You’ll fall in love with Italy while watching Emily fall in love with …  Well, we won’t give any of that away. And if all of Emily’s decadent eating has you salivating, here’s a guide to all the restaurants and cafés she visits in Paris, as well as Rome and Venice, while she’s in Italy. 

Faraway

Location: Šolta Island, Croatia

If a remote getaway is what you crave, turn on this charming German rom-com about a woman, Zeynep (Naomi Krauss), who discovers upon her mother’s death that the woman has left her a house on the tiny Croatian island she grew up on. Fed up with her grumpy old father, her moody teenage daughter, and a husband who she’s grown increasingly distant from, Zeynep takes off for the island. There she discovers beautiful blue waters, rocky cliffs, and a charming cottage … that has a man living in it. Reconnecting with her mother’s origins and getting to know the people of the small island, Zeynep starts to remember who she is and what she deserves.

Lonely Planet

Location: Morocco

Successful author Katherine Loewe (Laura Dern) travels to Morocco for a writer’s retreat where she meets Owen Brophy (Liam Hemsworth), a finance manager, and his writer girlfriend, Lily (Diana Silvers). Katherine just wants somewhere peaceful to write, but finds herself stuck. Owen resents having been dragged along when his work back home still demands his attention, and Lily is swept up in the excitement of being acknowledged by other writers. Katherine and Owen end up on a tour of the surrounding area together, each trying to escape their troubles. They form a connection as they explore more of the beautiful mountainous desert around them.

NOUVELLE VAGUE

Location: Paris

To feel both artistically sophisticated and travel-ready, look no further than Richard Linklater’s love letter to French New Wave cinema. In beautiful black-and-white, the film portrays director Jean-Luc Godard’s process of making his 1960 film Breathless. Godard (Guillaume Marbeck) used what was then an avant-garde filmmaking style, taking the production all over Paris to film in practical locations rather than on a sound stage. The stars of Breathless, actors Jean-Paul Belmondo (Aubry Dullin) and Jean Seberg (Zoey Deutch), endure Godard’s odd techniques and off-the-cuff instructions. Watching them make what will become a part of film history in the gorgeous City of Light will have you romanticizing an art-focused visit to Paris.

She Said Maybe

Location: Istanbul

In this German rom-com, architect Mavi (Beritan Balci) has just been given an award in her field, complete with a magazine write-up. When she and her boyfriend, Can (Sinan Güleç) go on vacation to Turkey, where both of their families are from, she does not expect to arrive and be taken by limousine to an Istanbul palace. There, she meets the grandmother she never knew she had, who discovered her through the magazine article, and offers her all the luxury and limelight that come with the Turkish aristocracy. Can just wants to propose to Mavi and take her home to Germany, but Mavi — and viewers — are treated to the gorgeous locations and elevated lifestyle on offer in Istanbul. Mavi faces the hard choice of the life she truly wants to lead, but planning a trip to Turkey is a no-brainer for the rest of us.

A Tourist’s Guide to Love

Location: Vietnam

It’s a clash of the tour guides amid the lush greenery, meandering riverways, and ancient ruins of Vietnam. Amanda Riley (Rachael Leigh Cook) is an undercover tour guide scoping out a tour company in Vietnam that her American-based company is thinking of buying. Recently out of a long relationship, she is grateful for the getaway but immediately at odds with the guide, Sinh (Scott Ly), who has a much looser idea of vacation than she prefers. In Vietnam, she comes to discover that a memorable trip isn’t necessarily one that hits all the major tourist spots, but one that allows for flexibility and true connection with the local culture. By the end, you may just be planning your own romantic, offbeat trip to Southeast Asia.

XO, Kitty

Location: Seoul

It’s one thing to travel the world as a seasoned adult, and an entirely different thing to experience it as a young person on their first big adventure. American Kitty Song Covey (Anna Cathcart) yearns to spend a bit more time with her long-distance boyfriend Dae (Choi Min-yeong), who lives in South Korea. Arguing that she wants to experience the life her late mother had as a teen attending boarding school in Seoul, she convinces her father to let her attend. In South Korea, Kitty experiences all the highs and lows of teenage life as things with Dae start on a sour note, her classes prove quite difficult, and she uncovers a mystery involving her mother. Still, the excitement of being in a new city — and country — and discovering all that Seoul has to offer is enough to distract from any amount of teen drama.