Movie Sets In Croatia
While watching your favorite show, the scenery takes your breath away, and you think to yourself (or mutter to your neighbor) “Wow, that place is beautiful. I wonder where that is?” Or even: “Yeah, I need to go there.” We feel this in our souls! Many blockbuster television shows and movies from the last decade have been filmed in Croatia! Because of its home to many near-perfect historical sites and its diverse geography, Croatia is often sought out by Hollywood producers to literally set the stage. Here are a few famous shows or movies that have been filmed in Croatia, along with the specific place it was filmed in, and places you can visit on your trip to Croatia!
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
It’s said that the creators of this Star Wars installment knew instantly once they saw the alleys of Dubrovnik that it was the right place for filming. Many areas around town were used to create ‘Canto Bight” for the film, though more futuristic elements were added with CGI.
Mamma Mia 2
Okay, maybe not a “huge blockbuster” but this one goes on our list because it’s all about the destination. The whole point of this film is the destination, and that destination is a small island on the central coast of Croatia known as Vis. The dreamy island village scenes were done in the main town area, and additional scenes were done at the nearby Stiniva Beach (the white pebble beach) as well as Barjoska Bay. Walk where Colin Firth, Meryl Streep and even Cher did!
Doctor Who
This was a massive franchise, still is, even though it’s not in production any longer. Most of the series was filmed in the UK, which makes sense. The episode/s that were filmed in Croatia are actually kind of hard to depict, because the fictional story is said to take place in Venice. For some reason, show makers decided that the Croatian city of Trogir was more fitting for filming. British show, pretending to be in Italy, actually Croatia.
Game of Thrones
There are very few people on this planet that haven’t fallen under the Game of Thrones spell. Even if you haven’t ever watched a single episode, you still know of it, and have almost certainly seen images, trailers, or social media posts. Though GOT was filmed in many locations, the majority was filmed across Croatia, including some of the most iconic places. Most notably: The Old Town of Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik was mainly used as Kings Landing, for scenes like Cersi’s famous ‘walk of shame’ (actually known as the Jesuit Staircase) or the battle scenes with Tyrion (Fort Bakar), and The House of the Undying is actually a tower called Minceta. The Red Keep and Blackwater Bay are also recognizable and fun to tour as well in Dubrovnik. Just north of Dubrovnik is an Arboretum, called Trsteno- this is where many of the immaculate garden scenes for the show were filmed.
One of the other major filming locations is Split, north of Dubrovnik. Diocletian’s Palace is the location of many of Daenarys’ scenes, as well as the city of Mereen.
Whether touring Croatia is to fulfill your own desires of walking where your favorite shows have been filmed, or to send pics back to your friends and family for some serious FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), we won’t judge. Visiting Croatia is always a good idea! Due to incredibly high demand, we strongly recommend letting us help you by booking a tour of these destinations. Some travelers forget that Croatia is not a movie set; it is a real place, with real residents and historical value. While it may be tempting to go off and explore on your own, Croatia is taking great strides to protect its beautiful nation. Go see and experience but do so responsibly and respectfully. And be sure to send us pictures!