A Trip to the Silver Screen - Holidays in Film Locations
Sunday, 26 January 2014![]() |
The aptly named Paradise in New Zealand, one of the new locations in The Hobbit |
New York
When you stroll the streets of Manhattan, it’s easy to feel
like you’re starring in your own movie. The streets, the skyline and the buzz
of the city are so familiar that everything, from the pretzel cart to the
yellow cab, feels cinematic. If you’re looking for a specific location from the
big screen, the website onthesetofnewyork.com has everything you’ll need, from
the deli Meg Ryan so famously enjoyed in When Harry Met Sally (Katz’s Deli) to
the bridge where Woody Allen saw the light rise in Manhattan (Queensboro Bridge
from Sutton Square) You can take various guided tours of movie hotspots with onlocationtours.com.
- Gohop.ie (01 2412389) have 3 night packages in New York from €481pp, departing Dublin in March.
New York isn’t the only city adored by Woody Allen. Midnight
in Paris is an unapologetic love letter to the capital of romance, with ambling
shots of moonlit dappled streets and the glittering Seine. While you may not be
able to travel back to 1920s Paris as Owen Wilson’s character did, you can stay
in the hotel where many scenes were shot. Le Bristol is an elegant 5* hotel in
the heart of the fashion and arts district, a stone’s throw from the
Champs-Elysées and Place de la Concorde.
- Rooms start at €730 a night with The Leading Hotels of the World (lhw.com/lebristolparis). Check out other hotels from the silver screen at lhw.com/inthemovies. Fly to Paris with Aer Lingus (0818 365000; aerlingus.com)
Regardless of whether you’re a fan of Peter Jackson’s Tolkien
movies, there’s no denying he makes his home country seem irresistible on film.
Sweeping shots of dramatic mountains and landscapes seem so beautiful, it’s
hard to believe they exist in real life. In the latest instalment of The Hobbit, The Desolation of Smaug, Jackson
shot in new locations like the aptly named Paradise in Queenstown, used
as the setting for Beorn’s House. You can tour the filming locations on
horseback with Dart Stables (dartstables.com) from NZ $175pp (€104). The Shire
itself is open at the Hobbiton movie set (hobbitontours.com), near Auckland,
home to grass covered hobbit holes and inns. Tours start at NZ$75 (€45).
Iceland – The Secret
life of Walter Mitty
In Ben Stiller’s latest role, he plays the anonymous
daydreamer Walter Mitty, who spends his days lost in fantasy. When the
opportunity to live out his visions becomes a reality, he sets off on an
adventure that was filmed in the stunning country of Iceland. From the
Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon to the pretty village of Stykkisholmur, the film
showcases the breathtaking scenery that the country has to offer. Iceland
Travel (icelandtravel.is) have a Secret Life of Walter Mitty self-drive package
for €754pp, taking in the various landscapes seen in the film, with
accommodation, car hire, transfers and a detailed itinerary. There’s also a
Viking sushi boat tour, and breakfast each morning.
- Icelandair (icelandair.co.uk) flies from Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Glasgow from £188 (€226). Fly to the UK with Aer Lingus (0818 365000; aerlingus.com).
Do you grow misty eyed at the memory of Virginia McKenna
releasing the lioness Elsa into the wilds of Kenya? Then a trip to the Meru
National Park, the setting for Born Free, will be right up your street. The
only lodge in the park, Elsa’s Kopje, is hidden in the dramatic Mughwango Hill,
above the site of George Adamson’s original campsite. Each cottage is
incorporated into the hillside, with amazing views to the plains where
giraffes, elephants and buffalo roam freely.
- Mahlatini (mahlatini.com) offer a five night stay in at Elsa’s Kopje in Kenya on an all-inclusive basis with return flights from Dublin from €3,200pp in low season (16 March – 31 May).
Tokyo – Lost in
Translation
It may have been the setting for Bill Murray’s midlife
crisis, but Tokyo shone through in the 2003 film Lost in Translation. The
hectic district of Shibuya plays a strong role in the movie, as does the neon
glow of Shinjuku. To recreate the karaoke scene, head to Karaoke Kan in
Shibuya, where scenes were filmed in rooms 601 and 602. The hotel featured in
the film is the Park Hyatt Tokyo (tokyo.park.hyatt.com), a swish and stylish
option with views over the city and out to Mount Fuji. If you can’t afford to
stay (rooms start at roughly €270 + tax) then head to the New York Bar, the hotel’s
trendy cocktail spot where many scenes were filmed.
- Gohop.ie (01 2412389) have flights to Tokyo from €659pp in March/April.
The pretty Austrian city of Salzburg has long been
associated with The Sound of Music, and there are numerous tours that take in
the sites you’ll recognise from the film. You can see the Mirabell Gardens and Pegasus Fountain, where Maria
danced with the children, and Leopoldskron Palace, used as the façade for the
family home. There might be a queue to sing ‘Sixteen Going on Seventeen’ at the
Hellbrunn Palace gazebo, but you
can spread your arms at the beautiful Lake Wolfgang, where the opening
scenes were filmed.
- For a list of tour companies, visit salzburg.info. Fly to Salzburg with Ryanair (1520 444 004; Ryanair.com)
While you won’t be able to get on board at platform 9 ¾, it
is possible to board the Hogwarts Express (for part of the journey, at least).
At Fort William, the Jacobite steam train travels through the breathtaking
Scottish countryside featured in Harry Potter. The most spectacular part of the
journey takes place over the Glenfinnan viaduct, where twenty one arches tower
over Loch Shiel. If there’s time, the train will pause at the spot where a
young Ron Weasley drove a flying car over the tracks. The journey ends at
Mallaig, a pretty fishing port where you can grab a bite before the train heads
back to Fort William.
- The return journey costs £34 (€41) for adults, £19 (€23) for children (westcoastrailways.co.uk) Fly to Glasgow with Aer Lingus (0818 365000; aerlingus.com)
NB: All prices correct at time of going to press, but are
subject to change/availability.
This article originally appeared in the Irish Independent.
So fun!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I love them. When I was in San Diego I dragged my friend to the college where they filmed Bring it On. Actually an interesting visit, and I re-enacted some scenes on the quad!
DeleteWOW!!! And I went a bit crazy when we did the Universal Studios Tour, I screamed when I saw Wisteria Lane, how bad.
ReplyDeleteYou should have seen me in the Harry Potter Studio Tour. Screaming doesn't even cover it!
DeleteThese places are really looking very tempting. People should have mobility aids and other walking accessories to have a better tour. These items will help within the ways.
ReplyDelete