Whenever I’m planning a trip I love to see if there are any movies filmed or set there. And even if I’m not planning a trip, nothing satisfies wanderlust more than a movie full of quaint towns and beautiful scenery (even if only for a little while)!
Below is a list of movies that are bursting with all sorts of European charm. Whether you’re planning a trip, or just wishing you were, I think there is something on this list for all of you.
And because it’s fun to choose favorites, I included my top 10 picks at the bottom of the list. I had Mike pick his top 10 as well so you have a few guy-approved movies to try for your next date night!
Romantic – Wimbledon, Notting Hill, The Wedding Date, One Day, What a Girl Wants, Sliding Doors, Emma, Shakespeare in Love, Love Actually, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, The Holiday, Pride & Prejudice (Don’t forget the BBC version is better!), Four Weddings and a Funeral, Sense & Sensibility
Kid Friendly – Night at the Museum: Secrets of the Tomb, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Hook, any Harry Potter Movie
Action – Any James Bond Movie, Kingsman: The Secret Service, Sherlock Holmes
Drama – Matchpoint, Atonement, The King’s Speech, Bend it like beckham
Romantic – French Kiss, Chocolat, Le Divorce, Before Sunset, Julie & Julia, Sex and the City – An American Girl in Paris: Part Une and Part Deux, A Good year, Amelie, Midnight in Paris
Kid Friendly – Ratatouille, Beauty and the Beast, The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Classic – An American in Paris, Funny Face, Sabrina, Paris When it Sizzles, How to Steal a Million, To Catch a Thief
Musical – Moulin Rouge!, Les Miserables
Action – Murder Mystery 2, Da Vinci Code, The Bourne Identity, Catch Me If You Can
Drama – The Hundred-Foot Journey
Comedy – Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Germany / Austria
Romantic – Before Sunrise
Musical – Sound of Music
Action – The Monuments Men
Drama – The Book Thief
Comedy – Beerfest
Greece
Romantic – Before Midnight
Kid Friendly – The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2
Musical – Mamma Mia!
Romantic – P.S. I Love You, Leap Year, Circle of Friends
Musical – Once
Drama – Belfast, Michael Collins, In the Name of the Father, Angela’s ashes
Comedy – Waking Ned Devine
Italy
Romantic – Under the Tuscan Sun, Letters to Juliet, Eat Pray Love, To Rome with Love, When in Rome
Kid Friendly – Pinocchio, The Lizzie McGuire Movie, When in Rome
Classic – Roman Holiday, La Dolce Vita, Bicycle Thieves
Musical – Nine
Action – The Tourist, The Italian Job, Ocean’s Twelve, Gladiator, Angels & Demons , Murder Mystery
Drama – The Talented Mr. Ripley, A Summer in Genoa, The American, The Godfather
Monaco
Romantic – Grace of Monaco
Kid Friendly – Monte Carlo
Netherlands
Romantic – The Fault in our Stars
Romantic – Made of Honor, One Day
Kid Friendly – Brave
Action – Braveheart, Skyfall
Drama – Trainspotting, Chariots of Fire
Spain
Romantic – Vicky Christina Barcelona
Sweden
Drama – Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Multiple Locations in Europe
Action – All the James Bond Movies, The Bourne Series, Ocean’s Twelve, The Count of Monte Cristo
Comedy – Europe Vacation
*Jenny’s Top Ten (in no particular order)
Amelie, Vicky Christina Barcelona, The Italian Job, French Kiss, Roman Holiday, P.S. I Love You, Le Divorce, Notting Hill, Love Actually, and Under the Tuscan Sun
*Mike’s Top Ten (in no particular order)
Casino Royale (Basically all the Bond movies), Bourne Identity, Bourne Supremecy, Bourne Ultimatum, Waking Ned Devine, Braveheart, Bicycle Thief, Sherlock Holmes, The Godfather, and The Count of Monte Cristo
Did I miss your favorite? Let me know and I’ll add it to the list!:)
Happy Travels!
xo, Jenny
Love this! I’m inspired without the movies – add the movies into the mix and I’m dying to go!!
Thanks, Rachel! I know – these movies definitely do that to me too!
What a great list! I’m saving this for reference when I can’t think of a movie to watch. Might as well pick one that takes place in a favorite country!
Thanks, Emily! It was fun making this list and totally agree!
Dear Jenny, this is a great list. I also love to see movies filmed in a country that I am traveling to. I also watch Bollywood movies because they have some pretty amazing locations! You should check it out! Save travels!
Tina
Hi Tina! Agreed!
My Life in Ruins – fabulous rom com around Greece!
Hi Patti! That’s on my list to watch! Thanks for reminding me!:)
A little cheesy but ‘Chasing Liberty’ with Mandy Moore kinda gets me hyped about Europe.
I would add Love Is All You Need, a film by Susanne Bier.
Thanks for the recommendation, Tez! I will add this one to the list!:)
I think you’re forgetting “Only You” with Marissa Tomei and Robert Downey Jr. set in Italy, it’s a Rom-com movie. One of my favorites and beautiful shots of Venice, Rome, Positano, the Tuscan valley.
For France, there’s a collection of short films called “Paris, Je T’Aime” that I love. It’s definitely not kid friendly, but each short is directed by a different director, so they’re in completely different styles and all gorgeously shot. The last one is my favorite! There is also a “New York, I Love You” in the same vein.
God yes! You missed My Life In Ruins … on that Greece part, romantic comedy and itches you to get to Greece!
Summertime! for Venice
Comedy-Just Married with Ashton Kutcher and Brittany Murphy has scenes in The Alps and Venice.
Yes – I will add that movie!:)