Movies Filmed in Italy

Italy has long been famous as a favorite filming location for Hollywood movie makers. I love movies and am particularly interested in the behind the scenes information and shooting locations.  When I can recognize places I have been in Italy as I watch a film, I get a little excited.

The classics which easily come to mind for many of us include Cleopatra, Ben-Hur, Roman Holiday, Cinema Paradiso, Summertime, and The Godfather.

In the past 15 years, quite a few popular American films have been shot on location in Italy, and as a result, tourism in the smaller towns has dramatically increased. Here are just a few of the more well-known films made in Italy.

2015

The highly anticipated action adventure James Bond film Spectre was filmed in various international locations. The scenes shot in Italy centered in and around Rome and Vatican City. I recognized plenty of  familiar landmarks in Rome while watching the night car chase scenes.

Mel Gibson’s remake of the classic movie Ben-Hur was filmed and shot on location in Matera in the Basilicata region. Over 1000 locals  starred as extras in the film.

2014
The Trip to Italy was a comedy that took Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon on a road trip through Liguria, Tuscany, Rome, Amalfi and ending in Capri.

Some exterior scenes of Pompeii were shot in Naples and Pompeii.

2013
The Great Beauty, or La Grande Bellezza, was the 2014 Oscar winner that everyone is still talking about. The cinematography of the scenes in Rome is breathtaking. I could see that movie over and over just for the scenery.

The Temple of Hercules Victor in Rome

2012
The Woody Allen movie, To Rome with Love was filmed in Rome, beginning with the first scene in Piazza Venezia. Other locations include Trastevere,  the Rome Termini station, Trevi Fountain, and other famous places.

2010
In  The Tourist, Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp star in a thriller set and filmed in Venice. Scenes were filmed on a balcony overlooking the Grand Canal and near the Rialto Bridge.

Rialto Bridge on the Grand Canal

Eat Pray Love was filmed partly in Italy in the Naples area. One of the scenes was filmed in Pio Monte della Misericordia Church and another at the famous pizzeria , L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele.

The American, starring George Clooney, was filmed in the Abruzzo region of Italy, in the small towns of Sulmona and Castel del Monte.

Piazza delle Erbe in Verona

Letters to Juliet was shot in the lovely town of Verona, and since the success of the movie, Verona has even more tourists than before. Most of the film was actually shot in Tuscany near the Castelnuovo Berardenga area.

When in Rome, starring   Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel, obviously was shot in various famous locations throughout Rome, many of which are easily recognized.

2009
The popular Angels and Demons starring Tom Hanks and directed by Ron Howard, was shot in various locations in Rome.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon was filmed in Montepulciano, and the huge success of the movie added to the the curiosity of tourists, with even more of them flocking to this town, which had already become famous with the 2003 film, Under the Tuscan Sun.

2008
Quantum of Solace, the James Bond thriller, was filmed in the Italian Alps, with the opening chase scene taking place in the town of Carrara and along Lake Garda. Other scenes in the film were shot in the Tuscan city of Siena during the yearly Palio in Piazza del Campo.

2004
Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ was filmed in Matera since the landscape could easily be made to look like Jerusalem.

The Merchant of Venice, starring Al Pacino and Jeremy Irons, was filmed in Venice, Italy in such prominent locations as the balcony of the Doge’s Palace, the Grand Canal and the Rialto Bridge.

2003
This remake of the original 1969 film, The Italian Job, starring Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron, features scenes shot in Venice on the Grand Canal and at Campo San Barnaba and Marco Polo airport.

Under the Tuscan Sun was shot in several locations, one being Montepulciano, in Piazza Grande, where Diane Lane was mesmerized by the traditional festival flag throwing contest. Of course her beloved Bramasole (in reality VillaLaura) was located and filmed in the hill town of Cortona, which has not been the same since. A small village, basically unknown prior to this film, Cortona has had hundreds of thousands of visitors since becoming famous in this film. Many of them have actually purchased homes here, not unlike Diane Lane’s character in the film.

2002
The Bourne Identity, starring Matt Damon, was shot in various locations in Europe, including Rome. The opening scene, in which Damon’s character was rescued by a fishing crew, was filmed at the Imperia harbor on the northwest coastline of Italy in the Liguria region.

2001
The crime thriller film, Hannibal, directed by Ridley Scott, and starring Anthony Hopkins, was filmed in Florence at various easily recognized locations. The scene in which Pazzi was hanged was shot in the Palazzo Vecchio, and Anthony Hopkins’ character, Dr Fell, purchased a silver bracelet on the Ponte Vecchio.

How many of these movies have you seen? Which of these is your favorite?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please leave a comment.

Grazie and ciao