When travelers journey to New Zealand, they often feel as though they’ve stumbled into J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. The nation’s otherworldly landscapes served as an integral part of the worldbuilding in “The Lord of the Rings” films, from the story’s forbidding snowy peaks of the Pass of Caradhras to its humble homes of the Shire. Since “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” premiered in 2001, countless fans have made a pilgrimage to the location that served as Hobbiton and other locales featured in the films.
It’s hardly the only cinematic franchise to inspire pilgrimages, however. From the stunning Namibian-desert backdrop in the chase scenes in “Mad Max: Fury Road” to Rome’s Spanish Steps where Audrey Hepburn escapes her royal duties in “Roman Holiday” to the streets of Dubrovnik that famously double as King’s Landing in “Game of Thrones,” stunning movie locations have long attracted “set jetters” in search of a slice of silver-screen magic.
While Hollywood has long driven these journeys, today, ambitious filmmakers from all over the globe and the rise of streaming services have rewritten the map. Some of the world’s most-watched stories come from Seoul, Madrid, Istanbul, or Lagos, made by local filmmakers and set in their own cities. These are thrillers, heist dramas, romances, and crime sagas — places telling their own stories, not backdrops borrowed by foreign productions.
The result is a different kind of travel inspiration, one that comes with built-in cultural context. Here are eight film and TV travel destinations worth visiting— and a hotel to stay in each. As always, check for travel guidelines and closures before planning your trip.
Anime: Tokyo, Japan
Popular Titles: “Your Name,” “Jujutsu Kaisen”
Where to Stay: The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho, a Luxury Collection Hotel
From the ’90s, when series like “Neon Genesis Evangelion,” a darkly philosophical sci-fi thriller, and films like “Ghost in the Shell,” which has since been remade as both a Japanese-language series and English-language Hollywood live-action, became international hits, to the aughts, when Studio Ghibli’s groundbreaking “Spirited Away” became the first non-English film to pick up a Best Animated Feature win at the Academy Awards, anime has been a globally defining genre for decades.
More recently, “Your Name,” Makoto Shinkai’s body-swap romance, is one of the highest-grossing Japanese films of all time, and fans have made pilgrimages to the real spots it drew. Similarly, “Jujutsu Kaisen,” the global anime hit about a high-schooler fighting cursed spirits, set its most explosive story arc in the heart of Shibuya.
Tokyo is city of intense highs and lows, from the Shibuya scramble and the neon of Shinjuku to the serenity of a back alley shrine or the gardens of the Meiji Jingu. You can transition from an inexpensive bowl of ramen slurped standing up to a multicourse kaiseki dinner.
The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho, a Luxury Collection Hotel sits high above the Kioicho district near Akasaka, with sweeping skyline views and subway lines close by to reach Shibuya, Shinjuku, and everywhere else.
K-dramas: Seoul, South Korea
Popular Titles: “Squid Game,” “Crash Landing on You”
Where to Stay: JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul
“Squid Game,” a dystopian thriller and commentary on class, captivated the entire world and became one of Netflix’s most-watched series of all time. “Crash Landing on You,” a romance series about a South Korean heiress, turned millions of overseas viewers into K-drama regulars. And while “KPop Demon Hunters,” an animated musical about a girl group that fights evil on the side, was produced in America starring South Korean voice actors and singers, the Oscar-winning smash hit certainly helped make Seoul one of the most recognizable cities in streaming.
The South Korean capital is a city of stark contrasts, where old palaces like Gyeongbokgung sit one subway stop away from glass skyscrapers. Spend a morning in the hanok lanes of Bukchon. Then eat your way through Gwangjang Market at lunch. Evenings can be spent sipping cocktails in Itaewon or late shopping in the lit-up stalls of Myeongdong.
JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul sits next to the Dongdaemun night markets and the swooping Dongdaemun Design Plaza, with subway access that puts the sights of the city within easy reach.
Spanish Dramas: Madrid, Spain
Popular Titles: “Money Heist” (“La Casa de Papel”), “Elite”
Where to Stay: The Madrid EDITION
“Money Heist” and “Elite” exploded into global hits on Netflix, becoming some of the most watched non-English shows on the platform. Both were filmed across Madrid, putting Spain’s capital front and center.
Madrid runs on its own clock; many businesses still close for the afternoon siesta and dinnertime starts around 9 p.m. and runs well past midnight.
Days are better spent slowly, at Museo Nacional del Prado, one of the greatest art museums in the world. Walk Retiro park or browse the Sunday El Rastro flea market, and save energy for the evening, when neighborhoods like Malasaña and Chueca fill with a young crowd and the music spills onto the street.
The Madrid EDITION sits a few minutes’ walk from Puerta del Sol, putting the Prado, the old-town taverns, and Gran Vía’s shops and theaters all within reach. It doesn’t hurt that the stylish hotel has its own rooftop pool and bar.
Latin Cinema: Mexico City, Mexico
Popular Titles: “Roma,” “La Casa de las Flores”
Where to Stay: Le Méridien Mexico City Reforma
“Roma,” Alfonso Cuarón’s haunting black-and-white memoir of a 1970s household, won three Oscars and put the neighborhood of Colonia Roma on the map for viewers worldwide. Meanwhile, “La Casa de las Flores,” a dark Netflix comedy about a wealthy and scandal-prone Mexico City family, gave audiences another look at the vibrant capital.
Mexico City rewards travelers who wander. Roma and neighboring Condesa are leafy, walkable, and filled with cafés, bookshops, and some of the best restaurants in the world. Spend an afternoon in the Centro Histórico around the Zócalo and take in the murals at Palacio de Bellas Artes. It’s hard to have a bad meal here, whether you opt for streetside tacos al pastor and or an indulgent tasting menu.
Le Méridien Mexico City Reforma sits on Paseo de la Reforma, walking distance from Chapultepec Park and a short ride from the cafés and nightlife of Roma and Condesa.
Bollywood & Beyond: Mumbai, India
Popular Titles: “Mumbai Diaries,” “Sacred Games”
Where to Stay: JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu
While Bollywood has long made Mumbai the face of Indian cinema, streaming has widened the scope. “Sacred Games,” India’s first Netflix original, was distributed in 191 countries, with a gangster-versus-cop chase across Mumbai becoming a global phenomenon. Similarly, “Mumbai Diaries,” a serial medical drama set in a city hospital, cemented Mumbai’s status as one of the most cinematic cities anywhere (which the world’s busiest film industry already knew).
Mumbai moves fast, and it’s an eclectic mix of grand and gritty. Walk Marine Drive at dusk for sweeping views along the Arabian Sea, take in the Gothic sprawl of Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, and snack on a vada pav, a crunchy, deep-fried potato patty loaded with spices and served on a bun with chutney, from a street cart.
JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu sits right on Juhu Beach in the heart of the film industry district, near the cafés and boutiques of the western suburbs.
Turkish Dramas: Istanbul, Turkey
Popular Titles: “Yalı Çapkını” (“The Golden Boy”), “Kara Sevda” (Endless Love)
Where to Stay: The St. Regis Istanbul
With their captivating narratives, Turkish dramas are among the most exported programs on earth. “Yalı Çapkını,” a story of family secrets among the Istanbul rich, sold to more than 130 countries and territories after its 2022 debut. “Kara Sevda,” a romance that won an International Emmy, carried the city’s skyline to audiences from the Persian Gulf to Latin America.
Istanbul straddles two continents, and so much can be done across both sides in a single day. Spend a morning among the domes and tilework of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, haggle through the Grand Bazaar, and then cross the Bosphorus by public ferry from Europe to Asia. End the day with tea on a rooftop as the call to prayer drifts across the city.
The St. Regis Istanbul sits in the upscale Nişantaşı district, an ideal base for exploring near designer shopping and a short ride from the historic peninsula.
Egyptian Cinema: Cairo, Egypt
Popular Titles: “The Yacoubian Building” (“Imārat Yaʿqūbīān”), “Paranormal” (“Ma Wara’ al-Tabi’a”)
Where to Stay: Cairo Marriott Hotel
While the Pyramids of Giza have dazzled travelers since antiquity, these days Egypt is equally renowned as the cinematic and music capital of the Middle East. Its best on-screen stories point to modern day. “The Yacoubian Building,” a landmark of Egyptian cinema, used a real Cairo downtown apartment block to tell the story of a whole society. “Paranormal,” Netflix’s first Egyptian original, sent a ghost hunter through Cairo, putting the country’s modern film scene in front of a global audience.
There’s far more to Cairo than the pyramids, though a visit to those is nonnegotiable. See Giza early; then give the rest of the day to the treasures of the new Grand Egyptian Museum, the medieval lanes and markets of Khan el-Khalili, and the grandeur of downtown over mint tea in a smoky café.
Cairo Marriott Hotel occupies a 19th-century former royal palace on the Nile island of Zamalek, a lush, walkable district a short ride across the water from downtown and its landmarks.
Nollywood: Lagos, Nigeria
Popular Titles: “King of Boys,” “The Wedding Party”
Where to Stay: Lagos Marriott Hotel Ikeja
Nollywood, Nigeria’s booming film industry, is one of the largest on earth, producing roughly 2,500 films each year. Lagos, the country’s largest city, is at the center. “King of Boys,” a political crime thriller, became one of Nollywood’s most talked-about films and spun off a Netflix series. “The Wedding Party,” a romantic comedy of Lagos high society, was the highest-grossing Nigerian film for years and found a second life streaming worldwide.
Lagos does nothing at half volume. Spend time on the beaches and in the galleries of Victoria Island, browse the craft stalls of the Lekki Arts & Crafts Market, and hear the Afrobeats the city has sent around the world in the clubs where it started. The food alone, from richly seasoned jollof rice to spice-dusted suya off the grill to fresh fish at a beach shack, is worth the trip.
Lagos Marriott Hotel Ikeja sits in an upscale district on the mainland, a well-connected spot close to the domestic airport and the city’s business hubs.
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