Set-Jetting: Travel to Film Locations and Visit Filming Sites

Dubrovnik didn’t need a TV show to become one of Europe’s most beautiful walled cities. It already was one. But after Game of Thrones turned its old town into King’s Landing, annual visitor numbers climbed by over a million. The city now runs GoT walking tours, sells dragon egg souvenirs, and manages crowd control on the city walls.

That’s set-jetting in its most visible form. Traveling to places because a film or series put them on your radar. The trend has been around for decades, but streaming accelerated it to a scale no one fully anticipated. Every new Netflix hit is now potentially a tourism campaign for a country.

Why is set-jetting growing so fast?

Because storytelling creates emotional connection to places before you ever visit them. You don’t just see a landscape. You see a character you care about standing in it. That emotional anchor is something no travel brochure can replicate.

After The White Lotus Season 2 filmed in Taormina, Sicily, Google searches for Sicily holidays jumped over 100 percent in the weeks following the premiere. Season 3 in Thailand had the same effect on Koh Samui. Emily in Paris sends fresh waves of visitors to the Rue de l’Abreuvoir every summer. And Lord of the Rings turned New Zealand into a destination synonymous with otherworldly landscapes.

Which filming locations are actually worth visiting?

Not every movie set survives contact with reality. Here are the ones that genuinely deliver.

Croatia: Dubrovnik and the Dalmatian Coast

Dubrovnik’s old town is stunning regardless of what was filmed there. The show just made it famous. The downside: the city walls in July are overcrowded and brutally hot. A smarter approach is to base yourself in Split and visit Dubrovnik as a day trip. Split itself has its own GoT credentials: Diocletian’s Palace served as the slave market of Meereen. Croatia’s official tourism site croatia.hr lists all filming locations with GPS coordinates.

Iceland: The wilderness beyond the Wall

Most of the beyond-the-Wall sequences were filmed in Iceland. Gullfoss, Thingvellir, the Vatnajökull glacier: all real locations. Iceland is not a weekend destination. The Iceland travel guide lays out why seven to ten days is the realistic minimum, and which season suits which kind of trip.

Sicily: The White Lotus effect

The Four Seasons in Taormina where the show filmed is fully booked and expensive. Taormina itself is open to everyone. The Greek theater with views of Mount Etna is extraordinary even without the TV context. Sicily also has one of the best food scenes in all of Italy. That alone justifies the trip.

Greece: Mamma Mia and the Sporades

Mamma Mia was filmed on Skopelos and Skiathos, not the overrun Cyclades. Both islands are less crowded than Santorini or Mykonos. The ABBA connection is a little cheesy by now, but if what you want is an authentic Greek island experience without the cruise-ship crowds, this is a genuinely good pick.

Paris: Emily and the real city

Real Parisians found the show embarrassing. The filming locations, however, are genuine. Place de l’Estrapade, the Palais-Royal courtyard, the Marché d’Aligre: all real neighborhoods that most tourists never find. Our 48 hours in Paris guide covers the best neighborhoods including these.

New Zealand: Middle-earth for real

Hobbiton in Matamata is an openly commercial tourist destination and does not pretend otherwise. The sets were kept specifically for tours. But anyone flying to New Zealand just for Hobbiton will find a country that exceeds expectations in every direction. Fjordland, Queenstown, Milford Sound. New Zealand Tourism’s official site newzealand.com has a dedicated film location section with current access information.

UK: Harry Potter and Peaky Blinders

Platform 9 3/4 at London’s King’s Cross has a dedicated photo installation. Alnwick Castle in Northumberland served as Hogwarts for the early films. For Peaky Blinders: Black Patch Park in Birmingham and the Jewellery Quarter show where it was all shot. Less glamorous than the show, but fans tend to find it worthwhile regardless. Our hidden gems of Europe section has more off-the-beaten-path ideas for the UK.

When is the best time to visit set-jetting destinations?

The single most useful tip: don’t travel during peak season right after a popular show airs or gets award attention.

Dubrovnik in July and August is hot, packed and expensive. May or October is better. The Mediterranean is still warm, the crowds are gone.

Iceland works differently. Summer gives you the midnight sun, winter gives you the northern lights. Prices in March to May are significantly cheaper than in July.

Sicily peaks in August with 40-degree heat and full beaches. April, May, and September are the better months.

New Zealand: October through April (southern summer) is the main season. Tolkien-related bookings spike around anniversary screenings and new Amazon series episodes.

How do you find the actual filming locations?

The most reliable source is the IMDb page for any film or series, under “Filming Locations.” For series with many locations like GoT, dedicated fan sites usually have GPS coordinates and up-to-date access notes.

Local film tours are another option. Dubrovnik has had GoT walking tours for years. Hobbiton runs daily shuttles from Auckland. London’s Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour operates year-round. These tours cost more than going independently, but they provide context you won’t piece together on your own.

One important thing to understand: what you see on screen is usually edited from multiple real locations. “Dubrovnik” in GoT is actually several different spots stitched together. Anyone trying to recreate a specific shot exactly will often be disappointed. But anyone who arrives open to what’s actually there tends to leave more than satisfied.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is set-jetting?

Set-jetting means traveling to places that became known through films, series, or documentaries. The primary motivation is the desire to stand in a filming location you’ve seen on screen, rather than a historical or cultural interest in the place. The term combines “set” (film set) and “jetting” (air travel).

When is the best time to visit set-jetting destinations?

Off-season is usually the right answer: just before or after the main summer. Croatia in May or October, Sicily in April or September, Iceland in March to May. You avoid the biggest crowds and typically pay 30 to 50 percent less for accommodation and flights.

Which filming locations are the most overcrowded?

Dubrovnik (Game of Thrones), Hobbiton in New Zealand, and Platform 9 3/4 in London rank among the most visited film sites globally. At these spots, visiting very early in the morning or outside peak travel periods makes a real difference to the experience.

How do you find out where a film or series was actually filmed?

IMDb is the most reliable starting point: every title has a “Filming Locations” section. For popular series, dedicated fan sites often have GPS coordinates and visitor notes. Local tourism boards frequently publish their own filming location maps when a production was economically significant for the region.

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Read more:

• Iceland Travel Guide: Filming Locations and Beyond
• Where to Stay in Split: Your Croatia Base
• Hidden Gems of Europe Off the Tourist Trail