Movies that Travel

Wanderlust is something that ails me daily. The truth is, I just want to travel. I’ve always been this way and will be for life. This much I know! But just because I have the travel bug 24/7 doesn’t mean I get to do so nearly as much as I wish I could. On those days when I really need to escape to some place new but can’t quite afford it or find the time, I like to indulge in movies that literally move me.

Great Escape

That’s the awesome thing about movies. They provide us with a momentary departure into a world that is not our own. And aside from jumping into someone else’s storyline, what better way to truly feel like you’ve entered another world than for it to be set in a location that is foreign to you? Being the travel junkie that I am, it’s no surprise that I gravitate toward movies that take place in far off lands. And when a city becomes a character in a movie, much like they do in most recent Woody Allen films, well, that’s just the icing on the cake.

Eat Pray Love – Image via Sun Sentinel

The List

Here are my top 15 picks for movies that will have you traveling without ever moving. And if you do happen to add them to your Netflix queue, let’s hope they do inspire you to get moving…at least to your computer so you can research (and possibly plan) your next trip!

• Notting Hill | London
• The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel | India
• Before Sunset | Paris
• Vicky Cristina Barcelona | Barcelona
• Under the Tuscan Sun | Tuscany
• The Motorcycle Diaries | Latin America
• Cairo Time | Egypt
• When Harry Met Sally | New York City
• Eat Pray Love | Italy, India, Indonesia
• Lost in Translation | Tokyo
• A Good Year | Provence
• Roman Holiday | Rome
• The Sound of Music | Salzburg, Austria
• Chasing Liberty | Europe
• The Holiday | Los Angeles and Surrey, England

Disclaimer: These aren’t in any particular order. Also, I’m not saying that these are necessarily great movies, though I do happen to have enjoyed all of them; the point is that they’ll have you immersed in another city or culture for about two hours of (free!) travel bliss.

There are so many more I wanted to include but I had to narrow it down for you guys! What other travel-inspiring movies would you add to the list?