What Are The World’s Most Cinematic Destinations For Set-Jetting?

On Sunday, we get to see who wins an Oscar for their cinematic achievements, which is the perfect time to look at the world’s most cinematic destinations. While those destinations won’t win an Oscar themselves, Sydney’s iconic Opera House comes up tops, but there are some surprises on the list, besides New York and London in the list of winners.

World’s cinematic set-jetting destinations in 2025

With the 97th Academy Awards playing out on Sunday, some cinematic destinations are the perfect visit for movie buffs. Admittedly, they won’t receive an Oscar Award, but they are also scene-stealers that bring movie magic to life. Read on to find out which locations are popular set-jetting locations. Meanwhile, some are not surprising and other, unexpected spots come up high in the list.

New research from film location experts Giggster has revealed the top-most filmed landmarks in the USA, the UK and more. Moreover, besides being famous for filming locations, they are already popular tourist destinations where visitors can experience the landscapes and walk in the footsteps of movie legends.

California, USA

It probably doesn’t surprise readers that the most-filmed locations in the US are in Hollywood’s home state of California, which has starred in more than 380,000 movies. Meanwhile, they weren’t all set in Hollywood, as the indie movie Sideways highlights the Santa Barbara wine country, while Hitchcock’s movie, Vertigo, was filmed in San Francisco.

New York City, New York

New York comes in second place with more than 294,000 movies set in the Empire State. However, the Big Apple is the top-most locations for movies, with more than 273,569 filmed in the city, including the iconic Taxi Driver and the original King Kong.

Filming locations outside the US

Meanwhile, outside of the US, Australia, Italy and Paris take top positions. In Australia, Sydney’s Opera House has featured in more than 160 movies. Meanwhile, the UNESCO World Heritage Site has starred in movies ranging from rom-coms to thrillers, including Anyone But You and Pacific Rim Uprising.

Moreover, in Paris, the Eiffel Tower is known for 158 movies and in keeping with its romantic nature, has been seen in romantic classics like Midnight in Paris and Amélie’. Meanwhile, the Louvre Museum has been featured in 110 films and the Arc de Triomphe with 73 movies.

Italy boasts the highest number of most-filmed landmarks, including the Colosseum – known for Gladiator – the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Pompeii ruins. This makes Italy one of the best locations for more jet-setting in a single trip.

The world’s most filmed destinations

While most of those locations are no-brainers when it comes to filming locations, Giggster’s research revealed some surprises. For example, Madrid in Spain has been featured in the most movie scenes, besides the American and UK destinations. This is likely due to Spain’s 300 minimum sunny days each year, along with its beautiful and historic architecture. In fact, the Spanish capital has starred in almost 55,000 movies, including The Bourne Ultimatum and Spartacus.

Meanwhile, Argentina comes up tops as the most-filmed country, while featuring in more than 112,000 movies. From the busy city streets of Buenos Aires to the rugged landscapes of Patagonia, the country’s diversity has grabbed the attention of producers of films like the Eva Perón biopic, Evita and Seven Years in Tibet, a movie about the Dalai Lama starring Brad Pitt.

Oscars – where were 2025’s Best Picture nominees filmed?

While at this time the winners have not been revealed, the Oscars nominations, like the romantic comedy Anora, were mostly filmed in Brooklyn, New York, and other popular locations like Coney Island and Las Vegas.

Meanwhile, The Brutalist, starring Adrien Brody, was filmed in Tuscany, Italy, and Budapest, Hungary. Conclave, a political thriller about the Papal selection, and a popular dark horse for Best Picture, used Rome as a landscape and also features a replica of the Sistine Chapel.

View more articles about set-jetting to choose the best filming locations worldwide.