The craving to travel doesn’t go away just because you can’t take a trip. These travel-inspired movies let you live vicariously through their stunning landscapes and diverse cultures. Ease your wanderlust from your living room and maybe even discover a new favorite film.
The Motorcycle Diaries
A biopic of Ernesto “Che” Guevara, The Motorcycle Diaries shares the true story of 23-year-old Guevara as he discovered life’s realities on a trip across South America. Through the people they meet and the places they see, Guevara and his friend Alberto learn of the inequalities and injustices throughout Latin America. This coming-of-age story shows the spark that led to Guevara’s political career.
Midnight in Paris
Using a combination of world travel and time travel, Midnight in Paris shows the evolution of Parisian life from the 1920s until now. When Gil, an aspiring writer, visits Paris with his fiancée, he is swept back in time by a group of iconic writers and artists from history. While keeping company with Hemingway and Fitzgerald, Gil learns a lot about Paris and himself.
Into the Wild
Based on the classic Krakauer novel, Into the Wild follows Christopher McCandless on his trip across the U.S. and into Alaska. McCandless, a recent college graduate, rejects society and decides to venture out west to live off the land. His journey across the country is filled with strangers and uncertainty, but he is determined to find solitude in nature.
The Talented Mr. Ripley
This psychological thriller shows the escapades of Tom Ripley, a New-Yorker in Italy, and his attempts to maintain the luxury lifestyle he stumbled into. It showcases the carefree lives of rich, young people in beautiful coastal Italy, yet also features something much darker as well.
Eat Pray Love
After a sudden divorce and loss of identity, Liz Gilbert steps out of her comfort zone in search of really living. In one of the most travel-inspired movies of recent history, she travels to Italy, India and Bali on a journey to eat the best food and find herself. Although seemingly cliché, this film shows an immersive trip where Gilbert often lives like a local among the locals.
The Grand Budapest Hotel
A Wes Anderson film, The Grand Budapest Hotel tells the story of a concierge who was framed for murder at a luxury mountainside resort. The fragmented storytelling showcases the lives and travels of the wealthy patrons involved. The visuals of this film are enough to keep your attention.
The Beach
A young American staying in Bangkok is on the search for adventure. When he hears about a dreamy, secret island civilization he naturally jumps at the idea. He ventures there with fellow foreigners, but finds that the island is far from perfect. This film showcases the beauty of Thai island life accompanied by an intriguing story. Released at a time when backpacking through Asia was a rite of passage, this is one of our favorite travel-inspired movies of all time.
Out of Africa
After her husband purchases a large coffee farm in Nairobi, Baroness Karen Blixen falls in love with the land and the people. Blixen hosts the Kikuyu people who squat on her land and helps take care of the community. The film follows her struggling relationship with her husband and her budding relationship with East Africa.
In Bruges
This hilariously dark comedy weaves scenic shots into a unique storyline. When two assassins are sent to a job in Bruges, Belgium, one of them struggles to understand why everyone loves the city so much. The other just wants to enjoy sight-seeing in the historical area. In Bruges promises a laugh and beautiful architecture.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Telling the tale of a Life magazine writer searching for a lost photograph, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty could inspire anyone to travel. Mitty spends his days dreaming of an adventurous life. Then, he’s presented with the opportunity to actually have one. From Greenland to Iceland and even further, Mitty shows us all how possible it is to live our dreams.
-Annie Lancaster
