Italy in Hollywood: 15 films shot in the Mediterranean paradise

The beauty of Italy has captured Hollywood directors and screenwriters who, throughout the history of cinema, have decided to make Italy the backdrop for highly successful films. Curious about where they were filmed? Just take a look at this gallery!

The film is set in the 1950s as the protagonist (Matt Damon) goes to Italy to convince the son of a millionaire to return home.

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The film was shot in Venice, Rome, and Campania, in particular in the Sorrentine Peninsula, Procida, Ischia, and Naples.

Photo: Zsolt Cserna / Unsplash

Julia Roberts in this film directed by Ryan Murphy plays a woman in search of true happiness. She does so by traveling far and wide until she arrives first in Rome and then in Naples.

In Naples, where part of the film was shot, Julia Roberts' character discovers the pleasure of good food.

Photo: Sam van Bussel / Unsplash

One of the most unforgettable scenes in the history of cinema: the enchanting Audrey Hepburn on a Vespa with Gregory Peck around Rome, between the Spanish Steps, Trinità Dei Monti, and the Lungotevere, immersed in the art and beauty of the Eternal City.

'The Tourist', starring Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp, is also set most of the time in romantic Venice.

The film shows the beautiful play of light and color when the sun rises and sets in the canal city.

Photo: Rebe Adelaida / Unsplash

Another American production has chosen Italy as the location for the entire film. It's a romantic comedy with Diane Lane and Raoul Bova.

'Under the Tuscan Sun' is set mainly in the beautiful Tuscan countryside, with a few escapes to the enchanting Amalfi Coast.

Photo: Tom Podmore / Unsplash

Woody Allen also chose Italy's capital to set one of his comedies. Among the star cast were Penelope Cruz and Roberto Benigni.

The film intertwines four funny stories immortalized in the fascinating setting of the Eternal City.

Photo: Michele Bitetto / Unsplash

The protagonist, Tom Hanks, in this film based on Dan Brown's novels, wanders between Rome and the Vatican, while in the next film, 'Inferno', the main setting will be Florence.

Part of the movie was shot in Vatican City.

Photo: Karim Ben Van / Unsplash

One of the protagonists in the history of cinema is undoubtedly James Bond, 007, who in several movies of the saga has to juggle dangers and enemies in an all-Italian setting.

Image: Daniel Craig as James Bond in 'No Time to Die' (2021)

There's Venice, Rome, and Siena, for example, and 'No Time to Die' is set in the wonderful Matera (image).

Once again Florence is in the heart of the cinema: this time in the romantic/dramatic film directed by James Ivory, 'A Room with a view', based on the novel of the same name.

Florence offers a 'view' that conquers not only the hearts of the British but also that of all spectators in the world.

Photo: Jonathan Körner / Unsplash

One of the most successful films in the history of cinema, 'The Godfather,' was directed by Francis Ford Coppola and based on the novel written by Mario Puzo. The first part of the trilogy was released in 1972.

Some fragments of the trilogy recall Corleone's life spent in Sicily among its powerful mafia families.

Photo: Stefano Campisi / Unsplash

Even some animated films have chosen the beautiful country as a setting where the stories of their protagonists can be intertwined.

In the case of 'Luca', a Disney-Pixar film, Liguria was chosen as a backdrop.

In this classic by Hayao Miyazaki, we see Italy from the sky, since the protagonists are almost always in flight.

In the anime, we travel between Milan and the Adriatic coast (photographed here from the neighboring country Croatia) in a period of time about a hundred years ago.

Like James Bond's 'Casino Royale' and many other international successes, this film, directed by F. Gary Gray, chooses Venice as the backdrop for the first scene.

Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron star in this fast movie going through beautiful landscapes.

Photo: Stijn te Strake / Unsplash

While visiting Verona with her boyfriend, the journalist Sophie finds a love letter written a hundred years earlier, addressed to a certain Claire. Hoping to get an interesting story to write about, Sophie sets out on an adventure.

The protagonist, played by Amanda Seyfried, visits places full of magic between Verona and Siena.

Photo: Henrique Ferreira / Unsplash

The film that made Russell Crowe famous in Hollywood, thanks to his role as the Roman general Maximus, was filmed in various parts of Italy. The Colosseum scene is still etched in the minds of the spectators, even if it must be said that it was never filmed in Rome but in a reconstruction at the Studios.

However, other scenes of the film were shot between San Quirico d'Orcia and Pienza, precisely in Terrapille, in the province of Siena.

Photo: Claudio Carrozzo / Unsplash

Obviously, there are many other internationally successful films set in Italy, but they were directed by local directors. We could think of Fellini's 'La Dolce Vita,' Benigni's 'La Vita è Bella,' and Tornatore's 'Cinema Paradiso' - all films that managed to celebrate Italy on the big international screens.

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