We often fall in love with a place before even stepping foot there. Literature and cinema have a unique power to plant the seeds of wanderlust. Whether it’s the Regency-era elegance of Bridgerton sparking a desire to visit the honey-colored streets of Bath, or the nostalgic comfort of New York’s West Village where the Friends apartment stands, our favorite stories act as travel brochures for the soul.

Sometimes, these locations are purely atmospheric, like the Smurf-blue village of Júzcar in Spain (The Smurfs), or the charming, rugged Popeye Village in Malta. However, reality and imagination don’t always align. The quiet street you imagined might be swarming with tourists, or the “magic” might just be clever camera angles.

Nevertheless, these journeys are always worth it. Even if the reality differs from the screen, the thrill of standing where your favorite characters “lived” adds a layer of wonder to the travel experience that no guidebook can replicate.

Pro-Traveler Advice: Popular “set-jetting” locations are often crowded. To capture that “cinematic” shot without hundreds of people in the background, always aim to be an early bird and arrive right at opening time.