12 Iconic Movie Locations in Europe That Will Make You Feel Like You’re in Your Favorite Film

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Europe has inspired filmmakers and artists worldwide for decades thanks to its breathtaking landscapes, historic castles, and impressive architecture. As such, many of the world’s most famous movies are filmed in Europe. Europe has seen everything from Mamma Mia and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to Harry Potter and James Bond.

Therefore, when we travel through Europe, we have an excellent opportunity to visit many movie filming locations, something many TV and movie enthusiasts love to do. To help you find the best filming locations, here is a list of 12 iconic movie locations in Europe. Visit these destinations to follow in the footsteps of your favorite stars.

Palacio Estoril Hotel, Portugal – James Bond – On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

12 Iconic Movie Locations in Europe Palacio Estoril Hotel, Portugal - James Bond — © Alexandre Rotenberg / Adobe Stock

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Let’s start this list with one of the most iconic movie franchises the world has ever seen. If you’re a big fan of James Bond, especially the classic movies, you must visit the Palacio Estoril Hotel. Located in Estoril, a picturesque coastal town on the Portuguese Riviera, this magnificent hotel played a massive role in James Bond – On Her Majesty’s Secret Service movie.

Released in 1969, most of the cast, which included George Lazenby, who portrayed the second iteration of James Bond, stayed at the hotel. Better yet, the hotel served as a backdrop for various scenes in the film. If you want to follow in the footsteps of the world’s most famous spy, why not book a room at the hotel?

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany – Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Neuschwanstein Castle is a 19th-century palace that sits atop a forested peak on the outskirts of Schwangau village in Southern Germany. Even if the castle wasn’t a famous movie location, it’s still well worth visiting. Its beauty is staggering, as are the views of the surrounding landscape. In 1968, Neuschwanstein Castle appeared in one of the most iconic musicals of all time: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

If you haven’t watched this movie, you’re seriously missing out. Although the Child Catcher used to give me nightmares. In Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the castle serves as the cruel Baron Bombhurt’s castle. It can be seen multiple times in the movie, including a scene where Chitty Chitty Bang Bang flies over the castle.

Glenfinnan Viaduct, Scotland – Harry Potter

Film buffs will find many filming locations from the wizarding world across the United Kingdom, but Glenfinnan Viaduct is arguably the most famous. For those who don’t know, Glenfinnan Viaduct is a beautiful 19th-century railway viaduct on Scotland’s West Highland Line. Located at the top of Loch Shiel in the West Scottish Highlands, it’s a fabulous location surrounded by lush countryside.

However, the viaduct is best known for appearing in multiple Harry Potter movies. The viaduct appears several times when Harry and his friends are on the steam train to Hogwarts, including a scene where Harry and Ron drive a car along the tracks. A steam train still operates on the viaduct, but, unfortunately, it won’t take you to Hogwarts.

Skopelos, Greece – Mamma Mia

If you’ve always wanted to live the Mamma Mia lifestyle, now’s your chance because Skopelos is where many of the film’s most famous shots are filmed. In Mamma Mia, viewers are spoiled with scenes of glorious beaches, turquoise waters, and authentic Greek charm, which most of us only ever dream of seeing.

However, in Skopelos, you can. Skopelos is a beautiful Greek island in the Aegean Sea. Everything from the island’s best beaches and architecture to quaint cafes and restaurants was used to film the movie. So much so it’s possible to go on a Mamma Mia guided tour of the island, where you visit the most famous filming locations, such as the Chapel of St. John and Kastani Beach.

Matera, Italy – Wonder Woman

The following iconic European movie location on our list is Matera, a stunning ancient city in Italy’s southern Basilicata region. This beautiful city is renowned for its mind-blowing landscape, distinctive architecture, and 7,000-year-old history. The highlight of a trip to the city is its unique limestone cave dwellings. Unsurprisingly, Matera is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Matera’s unique architecture and rich history made it the ideal place to film scenes for Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman movie. In 2017, the city was used to film the stories Amazonian island of Themyscira. The city’s impressive structures provided the perfect setting for the ancient and mythical homeland.

Montepulciano, Italy – The Twilight Saga: New Moon

12 Iconic Movie Locations in Europe Montepulciano, Italy - Twilight Saga New Moon — © stevanzz / Adobe Stock

Whether you’re team Jacob, Edward, or even Volturi, we can all agree that the filming locations used in the Twilight Saga are spectacular. While most of the movie franchise is filmed in the United States and Canada, Europe was also used for various scenes, especially in New Moon.

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In the Twilight Saga: New Moon movie, the town where the Volturi lived was Montepulciano, a picturesque medieval village in Tuscany, Central Italy. This town is characterized by its ancient churches, Renaissance buildings, and lovely Tuscan countryside. In the movie The New Moon, Piazza Grande is featured multiple times. A vital part of the movie takes place outside the 14th-century Palazzo Comunale.

Paris, France – Midnight in Paris

It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that Paris, France’s world-famous capital city, has been used as a filming location for many movies. Even less surprising is that it was used as the filming location for Midnight in Paris. Starring Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams, this movie tells the story of a screenwriter who magically finds himself transported into 1920s Paris nightly.

The movie is a fantastic watch, and the scenery is fantastic. As such, there isn’t one filming location to visit. Instead, there are several points of interest to keep a lookout for. Some of the most popular Midnight in Paris filming locations include Rue Galande, Hôtel Le Bristol, Square Jean XXIII, and, of course, the Eiffel Tower.

La Plaza de España, Spain – Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones

You don’t have to leave the planet to visit the otherworldly universe of Stars Wars. You don’t even have to leave Europe. One of the most recognizable scenes from the 2002 movie Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones was filmed at La Plaza de España in Seville, Spain.

For the movie, La Plaza de España served as the city of Theed on the planet Naboo. It can be seen in the film when Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala walk together around the semi-circular plaza. The plaza’s Renaissance/Neo-Moorish architecture provided a visually beautiful location for the scenes. Despite its old-time charm, the plaza was only constructed in the early 20th century.

Freshwater West Beach, Wales – Robin Hood

Freshwater West Beach is a glorious golden-sand beach in Pembrokeshire, West Wales, United Kingdom. It’s part of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, renowned for its postcard-perfect scenery and exceptional shorelines. As a result, it’s no surprise the area has been used for many movies.

However, one of the most famous movies shot at Freshwater West Beach is Ridley Scott’s 2010 Robin Hood, starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett. The beach was used as the location for a grand battle that takes place at the end of the movie. We can’t tell you much more about the scenes shot here because we don’t want to spoil the film.

Amsterdam, Netherlands – The Fault in Our Stars

The penultimate European movie location on our list is Amsterdam, the vibrant capital city of the Netherlands. Famed for its colorful, narrow houses, beautiful canal systems, and charming walkways and bridges, Amsterdam is the perfect location to film a movie. One of the most famous movies shot in the city is The Fault in Our Stars, featuring Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort.

In this movie, Amsterdam makes several appearances, so there are many filming locations to visit. Notable places to keep your eyes out for include the Rijksmuseum, Hotel De Filosoof, the Anne Frank House, and Vondelstraat 162. Eagle-eyed movie buffs might even spot the infamous Amsterdam bench at the intersection of the Herengracht and Leidsegracht canals.

Prague, Czech Republic – Mission: Impossible

Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, has a long history of being used as a filming location. It has appeared in several famous movies, including Les Miserables, Oliver Twist, and James Bond – Casino Royale. However, in 1996, another iconic spy took to the streets of Prague.

Large parts of the Mission: Impossible movie, starring Tom Cruise, were filmed in the Czech Capital. For example, the opening scene was filmed on Platnerska Street alongside the Four Seasons Hotel. Other movie scenes were shot at the National Museum, Charles Bridge, Kampa Island, and the Old Town Square. As you can see, Prague has many epic Mission Impossible filming locations.

Leipzig-Halle Airport, Germany – Captain America: Civil War

The final European movie filming location on our list is Leipzig-Halle Airport. Although It might seem like a strange location, it played a huge part in one of the most significant scenes in the 2016 Captain America: Civil War movie. The airport was the primary scene for the combat scene between the Avengers.

The scene in question lasts approximately 15 minutes, and many explosions destroy parts of the airport. For obvious reasons, many of the action shots in the movie were created using CGI, but you can still clearly see the main airport terminal and runway. It’s also worth noting that this location was also used in Liam Neeson’s Unknown in 2011.