Italian Cinema Locations Guide

Rome

La Dolce Vita (1960): Trevi Fountain (the iconic Anita Ekberg scene), Via Veneto (1960s paparazzi HQ, now quieter), EUR (the modernist quarter). Roman Holiday (1953): Spanish Steps, Mouth of Truth (Santa Maria in Cosmedin), Colosseum, Castel Sant'Angelo. La Grande Bellezza (2013): Palazzo Barberini terrace, the Fontanone (Acqua Paola fountain), rooftop views across the city.

Sicily

Cinema Paradiso (1988): Filmed in Palazzo Adriano and Cefalù. The piazza in Palazzo Adriano (inland Sicily) is virtually unchanged. The Godfather (1972): Savoca and Forza d'Agrò (near Taormina). Bar Vitelli, where Michael meets Apollonia, is still operating. L'Avventura (1960): The Aeolian Islands — Lisca Bianca (now abandoned) and Noto.

The Amalfi Coast + Naples

The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999): Positano, Ischia (standing in for "Mongibello"), Naples, Rome. It Started in Naples (1960): Capri. Gomorra (2008): The Vele di Scampia (housing project, now partially demolished) and the Caserta hinterland.

Northern Italy

Call Me by Your Name (2017): Crema (Lombardy). The villa, the piazza, the town — all visitable. The Italian Job (1969): Turin's rooftops and the Great St. Bernard Pass. Amarcord (1973): Inspired by Fellini's childhood in Rimini, built on Cinecittà sets but capturing Romagnol life perfectly.

💡 Film tourism is underrated in Italy. Standing in the exact spot where Marcello Mastroianni walked, or sitting in the piazza where Cinema Paradiso's outdoor screenings happened, creates a layer of meaning that pure sightseeing can't match. Watch the film, then visit the place. The resonance is powerful.

Related guides

Cinema Guide Photo Spots

Related Guides

Understand Italy before you go

We plan trips that go deeper than sightseeing — into the culture that makes Italy unforgettable.

Plan free →