Planning a trip to bella Italia? Here are 10 fun must-see movies to watch before you visit Italy. Just click on the titles to open each film’s IMDB page!
1. Roman Holiday (1953)
Swoon over Gregory Peck along with Audrey Hepburn, in her Hollywood feature film debut, Roman Holiday. This is as Roman as an American-made film can get: it was the first American film to be shot entirely in Italy, and features just under two hours of hijinks, sights, and romance as the couple tour their way through all the best sights of Rome. This film won Audrey her one and only Oscar (although she was nominated several times more!), and behind the scenes, Gregory Peck privately overcame the heartache of his divorce whilst falling in love with the woman who would soon become his second wife (Veronique Peck), whilst shooting. On-screen and off, this movie is magical in every way.
2. The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003)
The plot is simple: American girl goes on a school field trip to Rome, Italian boy mistakes girl for Italian superstar girlfriend (who has fled the country), girl agrees to impersonate Italian superstar girlfriend for big performance and enlists the help of American boy to keep school chaperone in the dark… okay, maybe it isn’t so simple. But it is FUN! This is the movie that first made me dream about visiting Italy, and if you remember it from your childhood, it’s worth a refresher before visiting the Eternal City.
3. Call Me By Your Name (2017)
Swoon. Moving out of Rome, Call Me By Your Name is another Oscar-winning love story, but this one is set in rural Northern Italy. Mainly filmed in Crema (about an hour from Milan), I watched this film for the first time on the airplane leaving Italy after spending a whole summer there, and I felt so verklempt. It’s a beautiful story, and so quintessentially Italian, and I only wish I’d seen it before I went!
4. The Borgias (2011-2013)
Travel back in time to the Renaissance with the unholy family themselves: the Borgias! This is actually a TV show, but I couldn’t resist including it. The show is three seasons long (29 episodes total). And it’s set during the Italian Renaissance, from 1492 to 1500.
These years ushered in the papal rule of Rodrigo de Borja, as Pope Alexander XI. He was a scandalous Pope, notable as the first Pope to openly recognize his children born out of wedlock. And his children (like their father) went on to live scandalous and lusty lives filled with immense wealth and power. If you love period dramas (and can stand the violence of—say—Outlander), then this show is for you.
5. Luca (2021)
Do you love animated movies? Luca is a sweet fish-out-of-water story of 3 children living on the Italian Riviera. Luca and Alberto are sea monsters who realise they can turn human on land. Giulia is a human girl who’s being bullied by a band of brute boys in town. She, Luca, and Alberto team up to fight for the Potorosso Cup in a triathlon… But Giulia doesn’t know their secret. What could possibly go wrong?
6. Love Wedding Repeat (2020)
Sam Claflin and Olivia Munn in a Netflix rom-com? Sign me up! Jack (Claflin) has travelled to Italy for his sister, Hayley (Eleanor Thomlinson)’s wedding. There, he runs into the girl who got away and, as he struggles to make Hayley’s day perfect, he gets stuck in a Groundhog Day situation. It’s cute and fun and a worthwhile watch if you want some Italian wedding inspo.
PS. If you were a fan of the popular BBC drama, Poldark, then this movie will leave you reeling! Antagonist George Warleggan (played by Jack Farthing) and the ultra-cool Demelza Poldark (played by Eleanor Thomlinson) are modern-day exes in this fun romp! Why oh why does George always have to get in the way?
7. When In Rome (2010)
Speaking of Italian weddings, before there was Love Wedding Repeat, there was When In Rome. Kirsten Bell stars as Beth, an always-the-bridesmaid-never-the-bride character. While in Rome for her little sister’s wedding, Beth drunkenly swipes a couple coins from a magical fountain of love. Suddenly, she’s bombarded with more love than she can handle! This one is so cute, and the little sister’s life is truly Italian ex-pat inspo. The film’s action happens in both Rome and New York. It’s a little less Italy-centered than others on this list, but a worthwhile watch!
8. Letters To Juliet (2010)
Completing this subsection of rom-coms is Letters To Juliet. Set in the Northern Italian town of Verona, which was the setting of Shakespeare’s famous Romeo and Juliet, writer Sophie travels to Italy for a pre-honeymoon with her chef fiancé, and becomes embroiled in an exciting mystery! It’s cute, it’s kitchy, and it serves great Italian inspo.
9. La Terra Trema (1948)
English Title: The Earth Trembles
The Italian neo-realist film tradition is a bleak and beautiful one, and there are countless pictures that are heralded by critics and audiences alike (Bitter Rice, Umberto D, Bicycle Thieves, Stromboli, and many more). This genre of film came out of WWII and is characterised by stories that put real every-day life and real every-day people at the fore. They are filmed on-location, and the stories they tell are those of the poor and working class — often with casts of non-professional actors, and sometimes moving into the territory of the docu-fictional genre. La Terra Trema, whose story centres around the citizens of a poor fishing village in Sicily, features a full cast of actual Sicilian fisher-people. It’s a beautiful film — sad and stark and true.
I’ve delved into the Italian neorealism film genre since leaving Italy, but wish I’d had as much perspective when I visited. I’d suggest watching at least one of the neorealist must-see movies before you visit Italy — it’ll make you see Italy in a slightly different, deeper way than is typically shown onscreen.
10. Before Sunrise (1995)
Okay, I’m definitely cheating here, but you have to watch Before Sunrise if you love to travel! It isn’t set in Italy, but it does follow two solo travellers, Jesse and Céline (played by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, respectively), who meet on a train, vibe, and decide to disembark together to spend the night walking around Vienna, until Jesse has to catch his flight back to America. It has a 100% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes, is a traveller’s dream, and is literally my favourite film ever. Before Sunrise ends on a cliffhanger, and has two sequels, each taking place with the same actors, nine years apart (Before Sunset in 2004, and Before Midnight in 2013). If you’re dreaming of travelling to Europe, go and watch it — you won’t be sorry.
This post was all must-see movies to watch before you visit Italy. Looking for more Italy posts? Click here.
Brit says
This is such a great list! I’ll absolutely have to watch some before I visit Italy <3