Screen to street magic
Discover how your favorite shows are not just filmed on sets but drawn from real places you can visit. This trend turns watching into exploring and gives fans a fresh way to travel. Instead of staying home, you step into the story and walk the alleys, beaches, or squares where scenes were shot. It’s not just sightseeing anymore. It is experiencing a narrative in the space where it was created.
Think of it as combining fan passion with travel curiosity and discovering the world through the lens of your favorite series.
Seoul’s hidden backdrops
The hit series Squid Game filmed key scenes around Seoul, including the neighbourhood of Ssangmun-dong and the Yangjae Citizens’ Forest station. These locations immerse you in the real life of the characters and add authenticity to their story. Visiting these places allows fans to feel connected to the show in a new way.
Walking through those streets or riding the subway station where the protagonist’s journey began gives you a different travel memory. It is more than photo-ops. It becomes a story you’re a part of.
Island mystery off Seoul
While Squid Game’s surreal game island scenes were mostly shot on sets, some coastal shots were reportedly filmed near Seongapdo Island off Incheon, just outside Seoul. The remote setting contributed to the show’s eerie and isolated atmosphere, even though visitors cannot access the private island. Despite this, the surrounding region offers glimpses of that same vibe of quiet cliffs and sea.
If you travel there, you can still absorb the mood of the show, imagine what it felt like behind the scenes, and take in scenic views that inspired the production. That connection between place and story elevates ordinary travel.
Madrid’s heist playground
The iconic series Money Heist (La Casa de Papel) made Madrid its base for much of the filming. Key exterior shots of the fictional Royal Mint were filmed at the Spanish National Research Council in central Madrid. The setting blends daring drama with the real urban fabric of Spain’s capital.
Exploring Madrid’s plazas, embankments, and hidden corners gives you a sense of the show’s cinematic design. It demonstrates how a story can utilize real city features to heighten tension and scale.
From Spain to beach hideouts
Money Heist also filmed scenes in landscapes beyond Madrid, including the Guna Yala archipelago in Panama and the Sanctuary of Truth in Thailand. These international locations added glamour and suspense to the story while remaining rooted in real geography. It means travel inspired by the show can take you to unexpected destinations.
If you follow in the footsteps of the robbers, you might trade city streets for tropical islands or carved-wood temples. That kind of diversity keeps your trip surprising and narrative-rich.
Italy’s cinematic charm
The series Ripley on Netflix was filmed across Italy in places like Atrani, Capri, Palermo, and Rome to capture a sense of elegance and deception. The small village of Atrani replaced the fictional Mongibello, offering visitors steep alleys, pastel houses, and seaside calm.
Travelling these spots allows fans of the show to step into scenes where luxury meets tension. It turns Italian sightseeing into a journey into story and style rather than just landmarks.
Belfast’s fairytale forest
The film adaptation of The School for Good and Evil (though on Netflix) used Northern Ireland locations such as Woodburn Forest, Mount Stewart, and Belfast Harbour Studios. These real places amplify the fairytale atmosphere with forests, stately homes, and ancient estates.
For travellers seeking something magical, visiting these spots gives you a blend of fantasy and reality. It means you can feel like you are in the story rather than merely retracing footsteps.
Atlanta’s secret studio city
Many Netflix productions turn up in Atlanta, Georgia, thanks to studios like Tyler Perry Studios and diverse surroundings. While the narrative might be set elsewhere, the filming location stays in the American South. This means travel fans can explore parts of the city that serve as hidden TV-show backdrops.
Visiting Atlanta’s filming districts offers a fresh lens on city travel. You see location markers, behind-the-scenes environments, and a production layer atop everyday life.
Local markets in Seoul scene
Baegun Market in Ssangmun-dong was used for scenes in Squid Game, and some fans believe it resembles Sang-Woo’s mother’s stall shown in the series. That everyday setting grounds the fantastical show in real economic and social spaces. Walking through the market gives you a deeper sense of place beyond the dramatic games.
You move from set design back to human stories, from thrill to texture, from fiction to everyday lives. That shift makes the travel experience richer and more meaningful.
Finding your fan footprint
Travelling to TV-show locations invites you to create your own fan footprint in the world. Instead of simply watching a scene, you walk where it was filmed, breathe the air, and explore the local culture. You become part of the narrative.
Be mindful, though: many sites are private, restricted, or changed since filming. Do your research, respect local rules, and blend your visit with genuine local experiences rather than just ticking off a map.
Planning your screen-based trip
Here are three steps to plan a travel trip inspired by your favourite show: first, identify the filming locations and verify access (some might be private or changed). Second, mix the show-location visit with local culture: food, art, markets, and neighbourhoods. Third, remain open to serendipity: filming places change, scenes are composite, and local people may recognise you as a fan.
Ready to live your own “Emily in Paris” moment? Book that ticket, grab a croissant, and let the city’s hidden corners turn every stroll into a scene worth remembering.
Your own story begins
When you visit real places behind your favourite shows, you don’t just revisit fiction; you add your own chapter. The street you walk, the stairs you climb, the view you pause at, they all become memory anchors. Your travel story becomes intertwined with the screen story, merging fiction and reality.
So pack a curious heart, pick a location that inspired you, and step into the frame. Because the journey isn’t just about watching anymore, it is about experiencing. Chase the cinematic charm of Italian coastal towns from Positano to Cinque Terre and let the silver screen’s beauty unfold beneath your own footsteps. Your next scene starts where Hollywood found its inspiration.
From Paris streets to Italian shores, every destination is a story waiting for you to live it. So, are you ready to write your own travel story?
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This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
