March 31, 2020
I put together a blog post of Travel Movies to keep you inspired during this uncertain time; but before we begin, a quick note!
Dear Travelers,
The past 4 weeks have been an ordeal, to say the least. Emotionally & financially and we are not yet done. But take heart that we soon will be out of the woods. As we navigate our ‘for now’ reality. My only hope is that once this initial distancing period is over, there will be a return to normalcy and to our everyday lives. While we are not there quite yet, and since we’ll be home for a while, I’m sharing some of my favorite travel-related movies! These movies will reignite your excitement for traveling, keep you away from the news, and set the dream in motion for your next trip. Please know that Covid 19 is just temporary! You can still look to the future and continue to think about those big amazing travel plans when better times arrive.
Scroll down to read my top 8 Travel Movies!
Roman Holiday
Overwhelmed by her suffocating schedule, touring European princess Ann (Audrey Hepburn) takes off for a night while in Rome.
When a sedative she took from her doctor kicks in, however, she falls asleep on a park bench. She is later found by an American reporter, Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck) who takes her back to his apartment for safety.
At work the next morning, Joe finds out Ann’s regal identity and bets his editor he can get an exclusive interview with her but romance soon gets in the way.
Under the Tuscan Sun
When Frances Mayes (Diane Lane) learns her husband is cheating on her from a writer whom she gave a bad review, her life is turned upside down. In an attempt to bring her out of a deep depression, her best friend, Patti (Sandra Oh), encourages Frances to take a tour of Italy. During the trip, the new divorcée impulsively decides to purchase a rural Tuscan villa and struggles to start her life anew amid colorful local characters, including the handsome Marcello (Raoul Bova).
Mamma Mia
Donna (Meryl Streep), an independent hotelier in the Greek islands, is preparing for her daughter’s wedding with the help of two friends.
Meanwhile, Sophie, the spirited bride, has a plan!
She secretly invites three men from her mother’s past in the hope of meeting her real father and having him escort her down the aisle on her big day.
Midnight in Paris
Gil Pender (Owen Wilson) is a screenwriter and aspiring novelist. Vacationing in Paris with his fiancee (Rachel McAdams), he has taken to touring the city alone. On one late-night excursion, Gil encounters a group of strange — yet familiar — revelers, who sweep him along, apparently back in time, for a night with some of the Jazz Age’s icons of art and literature. The more time Gil spends with these cultural heroes of the past, the more dissatisfied he becomes with the present.
The Hundred-Foot Journey
Hassan Kadam (Manish Dayal) is an extraordinarily talented and largely self-taught culinary novice. When he and his family are displaced from their native India and settle in a quaint French village, they decide to open an Indian eatery. However, Madame Mallory (Helen Mirren), the proprietress of an acclaimed restaurant just 100 feet away, strongly objects. War erupts between the two establishments until Mallory recognizes Kadam’s impressive epicurean gifts and takes him under her wing.
Letters to Juliet
While visiting Verona, Italy, with her busy fiance, a young woman named Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) visits a wall where the heartbroken leave notes to Shakespeare’s tragic heroine, Juliet Capulet.
Finding one such letter from 1957, Sophie decides to write to its now elderly author, Claire (Vanessa Redgrave).
Inspired by Sophie’s actions, Claire sets out to find her long-lost lover, accompanied by her disapproving grandson (Christopher Egan) and Sophie.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller), an employee at Life magazine, spends day after monotonous day developing photos for the publication. To escape the tedium, Walter inhabits a world of exciting daydreams in which he is the undeniable hero. Walter fancies a fellow employee named Cheryl (Kristen Wiig) and would love to date her, but he feels unworthy.
However, he gets a chance to have a real adventure when Life’s new owners send him on a mission to obtain the perfect photo for the final print issue.
Eat, Pray, Love
Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) thought she had everything she wanted in life: a home, a husband and a successful career. Now newly divorced and facing a turning point, she finds that she is confused about what is important to her.
Daring to step out of her comfort zone, Liz embarks on a quest of self-discovery that takes her to Italy, India, and Bali.
A list of my favorite travel movies wouldn’t be complete without TV & documentary options as well!
Expedition Happiness (documentary)
A filmmaker & his musician girlfriend from Europe attempt an epic road trip with their dog. They travel across North America in a refurbished school bus. The documentary includes beautiful footage of the scenery in Alaska and California!
TV Shows
Below Deck Sailing Yacht (Bravo)
Capt. Glenn Shephard and his crew set sail in a luxury sailing yacht to explore the crystal-clear blue waters of the Ionian Sea.
Restaurants on the Edge (Netflix)
A team of three experts — a restaurateur, a designer, and a chef — tap into a restaurant’s surroundings & community to remodel each business in a way that is uplifting, inspirational, and positive.
