In 2026, movies and TV shows are dictating our travel destinations. Set-jetting — traveling to filming locations seen on screen — has evolved from a niche cinephile hobby into a mainstream phenomenon worth an estimated $8 billion in the United States alone. According to Expedia, 81% of Gen Z and millennial travelers now plan their vacations based on locations seen in movies and TV shows. From Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, filmed across the globe, to The White Lotus Season 4 in France, the Peaky Blinders movie, and the enchanted landscapes of Wicked, here are the filming destinations that will transform your next getaway.
1. Nolan’s The Odyssey — Favignana and the Aeolian Islands, Sicily
Favignana, Aegadian Islands — In the Footsteps of Odysseus
The most anticipated film of 2026, ranked #1 on IMDb, was partly filmed on the island of Favignana — known as the « island of goats » in Homer’s Odyssey. According to NME, this is where Nolan chose to recreate the landing of Odysseus and his crew. With a $250 million budget and filmed entirely in IMAX 70mm, the movie promises to showcase Sicily’s landscapes like never before.
Favignana remains a hidden gem, largely untouched by mass tourism. Its ancient tuff quarries (cave di tufo), transformed into natural turquoise pools, and secluded coves accessible only by boat offer a rare authenticity in the Mediterranean, as highlighted by Visit Italy.
Highlights
- Human-scale island (9 km) easily explored by bike in a single day
- Turquoise waters of Cala Rossa, among the most beautiful in the Mediterranean
- Easy connections: the Aeolian Islands (Lipari, Stromboli) were also used for filming
- Daily ferry from Trapani (30 min) — far from the crowds of Capri
2. Nolan’s The Odyssey — Peloponnese, Greece
Peloponnese — The Mythological Birthplace of Odysseus
According to Expedia and Time Out, the Peloponnese is one of the top set-jetting destinations for 2026. Unlike the overcrowded Cyclades, this peninsula offers major archaeological sites — Mycenae, Epidaurus, Olympia — in an unspoiled setting that captivated Nolan’s team during nearly five months of filming around the world.
The director explained to Fandomwire: « We wanted to capture the difficulty of these voyages in an uncharted world. By embracing the physicality of the real world, you inform the narrative in interesting ways. » The mountain villages of the Mani, the secret beaches of Elafonisos, and the fortified city of Monemvasia make up an authentic Greece far removed from mass tourism.
Highlights
- Monemvasia, the « Greek Gibraltar »: a medieval city clinging to a rock
- Diros Caves, accessible by rowboat — a spectacular and uncrowded underground network
- A fraction of the visitors compared to Santorini or Mykonos
- Car rental recommended to explore at your own pace
3. Hotel Costiera & Orient Express — Amalfi Coast, Italy
Positano & Ravello — From the Small Screen to a Legendary Train
The Amalfi Coast is doubly in the spotlight in 2026. On one hand, the series Hotel Costiera on Amazon Prime Video, filmed between February and May 2024 in Positano, provides a cinematic showcase for this legendary coast. Villa TreVille, perched on a cliff above Positano, served as the main set for the fictional hotel — a luxury estate where Zeffirelli once hosted Maria Callas and Elizabeth Taylor, according to Travel Noire.
On the other hand, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (Belmond) is launching its very first route from Paris to the Amalfi Coast in May 2026 — a luxury rail experience that brings to life the cinematic dream of traveling on the legendary train.
Highlights
- Stay at Villa TreVille, the actual filming location — an accessible luxury accommodation
- Sentiero degli Dei (Path of the Gods): free hike with sweeping views over Positano
- Budget alternative: stay in Praiano or Minori (30-50% cheaper than Positano)
- Rent a small boat from Amalfi (~100 EUR/half-day) to see the coast like in the show
4. The White Lotus Season 4 — French Riviera, France
French Riviera & Cap-Ferrat — The White Lotus Goes French
After Sicily, Hawaii, and Thailand, France will host the next season of HBO’s hit series. According to Town & Country, creator Mike White has set his sights on the French Riviera. Rumors point to the Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, while Yahoo Entertainment reports filming linked to the Chateau de La Messardiere in Saint-Tropez.
HBO also scouted Paris and the French Riviera as possible settings. The creator expressed his desire to move away from the « vernacular of waves crashing on rocks, » according to The Credits (MPA) — which could mean an alpine or urban setting, a first for the series.
Highlights
- Cap-Ferrat: free coastal path (1.5-hour walk) with movie-worthy views
- Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild: the most spectacular botanical garden on the Riviera
- Villefranche-sur-Mer: preserved fishing village, chapel painted by Cocteau
- Budget alternative: Nice hinterland (100-150 EUR/day vs 500+ EUR on the coast)
5. The White Lotus Season 3 — Koh Samui, Thailand
Koh Samui & Koh Phangan — The White Lotus Effect in Thailand
Season 3, which aired in early 2025, was primarily filmed on the island of Koh Samui, according to CNN Travel. The Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui serves as the fictional White Lotus. Several hotels hosted the production, including the Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort and the Rosewood Phuket, reports Vacations & Travel.
The impact on tourism has been dramatic: Koh Samui has seen a significant increase in visitors since the show aired, according to The Travel Expert. The arrival scenes were filmed at Mu Ko Ang Thong Marine National Park — a day trip that lets you experience the same sense of wonder as the characters.
Highlights
- Mu Ko Ang Thong: marine national park filmed for the arrival scenes
- Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan: filming location for several characters’ storylines
- Secret Na Muang 2 waterfalls in the mountainous interior of Samui
- Backpacker budget possible: $43-85/day (~40-80 EUR — guesthouses in Lamai, street food)
6. Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man — Birmingham & Wales
Digbeth, Birmingham & Pontcysyllte Aqueduct — The Shelby Empire on the Big Screen
Cillian Murphy reprises the role of Tommy Shelby in this highly anticipated film, set for theatrical release on March 6, 2026, followed by Netflix on March 20, according to Wikipedia. Filming began at the Digbeth Loc Studios in Birmingham and the West Midlands, with scenes shot at the former Pilkington Watson Street factory in St Helens.
One of the standout filming moments: Cillian Murphy crossing the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in Wales, standing 126 feet (38 meters) high — the tallest navigable aqueduct in the world, reports What’s on Netflix. VisitBritain notes that you can cross it on foot or, for the more adventurous, by canoe.
Highlights
- Digbeth district: the epicenter of Birmingham’s art and food scene
- Black Country Living Museum: immersive early 20th-century recreation (8 miles from Birmingham)
- Peaky Blinders-themed escape rooms and cocktails in vintage bars
- Pontcysyllte Aqueduct (UNESCO): a vertigo-inducing crossing on foot or by canoe
7. Wicked: For Good — English Countryside & Egypt’s White Desert
Seven Sisters, Ivinghoe & White Desert — The Land of Oz in Real Life
The second installment of Wicked was filmed at Sky Studios Elstree in Borehamwood and on location in Ivinghoe in Buckinghamshire, where a Munchkinland village was built as a permanent set. According to NBC, the 9 million tulips leading to Munchkinland were planted in Norfolk. The waterways of Shiz University were filmed at Seven Sisters Country Park in East Sussex.
For the second installment, Buzzfeed reports that the production spent 10 days in Egypt’s White Desert National Park — one of the most surreal landscapes on the planet, with wind-sculpted white limestone formations rising like otherworldly sculptures.
Highlights
- Seven Sisters Country Park: spectacular white cliffs, free and open access
- Ivinghoe Beacon: starting point of the Ridgeway National Trail (5,000 years of history)
- Norfolk tulips: visit Belmont Nursery in April-May for the fields in bloom
- Egypt’s White Desert: safari from Bahariya Oasis, camping under the stars
8. Wuthering Heights & Downton Abbey — Yorkshire, England
Yorkshire Dales & Haworth — Expedia’s #1 Set-Jetting Destination
Yorkshire is THE #1 set-jetting destination for 2026 according to Expedia and Time Out. It serves as the backdrop for both Emerald Fennell’s highly anticipated adaptation of Wuthering Heights, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, and the final Downton Abbey film.
The windswept moors that inspired Emily Bronte, the lush valleys of the Dales, and the golden-stone villages create a landscape of wild beauty. The village of Haworth, where the Bronte sisters lived and wrote, remains an intimate literary pilgrimage — unlike the neighboring Lake District, Yorkshire offers deserted trails even in peak season.
Highlights
- Haworth: the Bronte sisters’ home and timeless cobbled streets
- Settle-Carlisle Railway: one of the most scenic rail lines in England
- Ribblehead Viaduct: a cinematic spectacle in its own right
- Bronte Way: a 43-mile trail linking the places where the Brontes lived
9. Nolan’s The Odyssey — Iceland, Mythological Lands
Iceland — Otherworldly Landscapes for a Mythic Odyssey
Iceland is among the multiple filming locations chosen by Nolan for The Odyssey. A proven cinematic playground (Game of Thrones, Interstellar, Prometheus), the island offers lunar volcanic landscapes, monumental waterfalls, and black sand beaches that perfectly embody the film’s most supernatural mythological sequences.
According to a report by Future Market Insights, nations like Iceland are implementing conservation policies to protect filming locations from tourist influx. The interior highlands (Landmannalaugar, Askja), inaccessible for most of the year, feature multicolored rhyolite mountains of extraterrestrial beauty.
Highlights
- Snaefellsnes Peninsula: « mini-Iceland, » an alternative to the overcrowded Golden Circle
- Reykjadalur hot springs: a free and wild alternative to the Blue Lagoon (30-min hike)
- Westfjords: Iceland’s least-visited region, with pristine wild beauty
- 4×4 essential for the interior highlands (open in summer only)
Set-Jetting by the Numbers: A Global Economic Phenomenon
The data confirms a major structural trend. The global film tourism market reached $66.2 billion in 2025 and is projected to hit $145.9 billion by 2035, growing at an annual rate of 8.2%, according to Future Market Insights. Nearly 53% of travelers say their desire to take a set-jetting trip has increased over the past year, reports Yahoo.
The impact on local communities is tangible: the White Lotus effect catapulted the small Sicilian town of Taormina to one of Italy’s most searched-for destinations, with Google searches for « White Lotus hotel » surging by over 500%. The UK launched a « Screen Tourism Initiative » to promote its filming locations, while Tourism Ireland invested 200,000 EUR in a marketing campaign around the series Wednesday, according to The Travel Expert.
But this phenomenon also raises sustainability concerns. As EcoFlow points out, set-jetting has turned once-quiet destinations into tourist hotspots overnight. Understanding the environmental and social impacts is essential to protecting the places that bring our favorite stories to life — traveling in the shoulder season, choosing local accommodations, and respecting fragile ecosystems remain the best practices.
Frequently Asked Questions About Set-Jetting 2026
What exactly is set-jetting?
Set-jetting is the practice of visiting real-world locations that served as filming sites for popular movies and TV shows. It is a form of cultural tourism that allows you to emotionally connect with the worlds of your favorite productions. The term combines « set » (film set) and « jetting » (traveling by plane). According to EcoFlow, 81% of Gen Z travelers now plan their trips based on movies and TV shows they watch.
When does Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey come out?
The Odyssey is scheduled for theatrical release on July 17, 2026. With an estimated budget of $250 million, it is the most expensive film of Nolan’s career and the first shot entirely in IMAX 70mm. The film has been ranked as the most anticipated of 2026 by IMDb. Filming spanned nearly five months across Sicily, Greece, Morocco, Scotland, Iceland, and Los Angeles.
Where will The White Lotus Season 4 be filmed?
Season 4 of The White Lotus will be filmed in France. According to Town & Country, HBO has scouted the French Riviera (Cap-Ferrat, Saint-Tropez) and Paris as possible settings. Note: Season 3 (2025) was set in Thailand; Season 4 is confirmed for France. Filming is not expected to begin until 2026, with a release planned for late 2026 or early 2027.
When does the Peaky Blinders movie come out and where was it filmed?
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man will be released in select theaters on March 6, 2026 and on Netflix on March 20, 2026, with Cillian Murphy reprising the role of Tommy Shelby. Filming took place at the Digbeth Loc Studios in Birmingham, at the Pilkington Watson Street factory in St Helens (Merseyside), and in Llangollen, Wales, where the crew filmed on the UNESCO-listed Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
Can you visit the Wicked filming locations?
Yes, several sites are accessible. Seven Sisters Country Park (East Sussex) and the Ivinghoe hills (Buckinghamshire) are open year-round with free access. The Norfolk tulip fields are visitable in April-May. For the studios, free shuttles run to Sky Studio Elstree, according to Travel Noire. The White Desert in Egypt is accessible via an organized safari from Bahariya Oasis.
Is set-jetting a passing fad or a lasting trend?
All the data points to a structural trend. Film tourism is projected to grow from $66 billion to $145 billion by 2035, according to Future Market Insights. Governments are investing heavily: Tourism Ireland spent 200,000 EUR on a marketing campaign around Wednesday, and the UK launched a national Screen Tourism Initiative.
How do you plan a set-jetting trip on a budget?
Three effective strategies: (1) Travel in the shoulder season (May-June or September-October) for rates 30-50% lower. (2) Stay in towns near the iconic locations — Praiano instead of Positano, Lamai instead of Chaweng in Koh Samui. (3) Combine multiple filming locations in a single trip: Sicily alone features sets from The Odyssey, The White Lotus S2, and The Godfather.
What other set-jetting films should you watch for in 2026?
Beyond the productions mentioned, Expedia highlights several films with strong set-jetting potential: Jay Kelly in Tuscany (romantic thriller), the live-action Moana remake filmed in Samoa, 28 Years Later in England’s Northumberland, and You, Me & Tuscany filmed on the Italian Amalfi Coast (releasing April 10, 2026). Yorkshire and Los Angeles are also cited for several upcoming productions.
Sources
- Yahoo — The $8 Billion Set-Jetting Boom
- Expedia Newsroom — Set-Jetting Surge 2026
- NME — The Odyssey Filming Locations
- Visit Italy — Odyssey Sicily Filming Locations
- Time Out — Best Set-Jetting Destinations 2026
- Fandomwire — The Odyssey Filming Locations
- World of Reel — The Odyssey Scotland Filming
- Town & Country — White Lotus Season 4 Location
- Screen Rant — The White Lotus Season 4
- The Credits (MPA) — Le Lotus Blanc in France
- CNN Travel — White Lotus Thailand Locations
- Vacations & Travel — White Lotus Filming Locations
- Immobiliare — Hotel Costiera Filming Locations
- Travel Noire — Hotel Costiera in Positano
- LVMH — Orient Express Paris to Amalfi Coast
- Wikipedia — Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man
- VisitBritain — Peaky Blinders Filming Locations
- What’s on Netflix — Peaky Blinders Wales
- VisitEngland — Peaky Blinders Tour
- NBC — Wicked Filming Locations
- Buzzfeed — Wicked: For Good Filming Locations
- Contiki — Wicked Filming Locations
- The Travel Expert — Top 10 Set-Jetting Destinations
- Future Market Insights — Film Tourism Market 2025-2035
- EcoFlow — Environmental Impact of Set-Jetting
Research conducted in February 2026. Budget estimates may vary depending on season and exchange rates.
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