Ten cities made famous in movies

Couldn’t make it to the Tribeca Film Festival? Fret not, because we have 10 iconic films and their respective cities to inspire major travel lust.

New York City: Manhattan (1979)

New York City

Want an indelible image of New York City in the late 1970s? Watch a Woody Allen film. Few directors managed to capture the essence of the city better than Mr. Allen himself, who in the span of two years, made two films (the other being Annie Hall) that would iconize the city.
Honorable mentions: Taxi Driver, Dog Day Afternoon

Manhattan 

Rome: La Dolce Vita (1960)

Rome

Federico Fellini’s classic 1960 film is forever associated with the eternal city. The film, which follows restless reporter Marcello Rubini as he drifts through life in Rome, was filmed at Cinecittà Studios and on location (including the infamous scene involving the Trevi fountain).

La Dolce Vita 

Paris: Amélie (2001)

Paris

We’d like to think of Paris, particularly Montmartre, as ‘before Amélie’ and ‘after Amélie.’ Few other films had such an effect on tourism and the image of Paris. Some decry the loss of authenticity of Montmartre, while others rejoice in its signature quirks. 
Honorable mention: Midnight in Paris

Amélie

Los Angeles: L.A. Confidential (1997)

Los Angeles

A throwback to noir films of the 1940s, L.A. Confidential is the ultimate retro L.A. movie. Its plot, loosely based on the 1990 James Ellroy novel of the same name, centers on L.A.P.D. officers and the rabid police corruption of the 1950s. The neighborhoods of Silverlake and Echo Park served as the backdrop for old-school L.A. glamour.
Honorable mention: Pulp Fiction

L.A. Confidential

Boston: The Departed (2006)

Boston

Martin Scorsese may be a New Yorker born and bred, but he gave Boston one of its most iconic films to date with The Departed. Inspired by the story of mobster Whitey Bulger, Scorsese’s film is an ode to hard scrabble South Boston and its questionable denizens. It was largely filmed on location in Boston, including the Brutalist-style City Hall.

The Departed

London: Blowup (1966)

London

Inspired by the life of fashion photographer David Bailey, Blowup epitomized Swinging London in the 1960s. With real-life model Veruschka as muse, director Michelangelo Antonioni employed icons of the era in addition to well-known locations like Maryon Park and Charlton.
Honorable mentions: An Education, Notting Hill

Blowup 

San Francisco: Vertigo (1958)

San Francisco

Alfred Hitchcock’s most memorable film, surprisingly, wasn’t shot in his native England but rather in the hilly cityscape of San Francisco. With its steep hills and tall, arching bridges, the Bay Area became the ideal set for the psychological thriller starring Jimmy Stewart as a retired detective suffering from a case of extreme acrophobia.
Honorable mentions: Point Blank, Bullitt

Vertigo

Tokyo: Lost in Translation (2003)

Tokyo

Sofia Coppola’s dramedy starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson as unlikely comrades put Tokyo into a whole new light. The frenetic city looked positively romantic and the drop-dead gorgeous views from the Park Hyatt didn’t hurt, either.

Lost in Translation

Stockholm: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009)

Stockholm

The 2011 version of the Swedish thriller might get all the credit, but we think the 2009 film starring Noomi Rapace gives a more vivid realization of the city. Plenty of Stockholm locations pop up in the film, including the Stockholm Hilton, Stockholm Central Station, Arlanda Airport, and many, many others.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Chicago: The Untouchables (1987)

Chicago

This Brian De Palma flick embodied Chicago’s notorious mob history. Even though a lot of gangster films have been based in Chicago (e.g. Road to Perdition, Public Enemies), a lot of the scenes in The Untouchables were filmed in actual historic buildings around town, including the opulent Chicago Theatre and Union Station. 

The Untouchables

Ten hotels with jaw-dropping views

A room with a view…no, not the romance novel by E.M. Forster, but high up on many a traveler’s list when choosing a hotel. Whether you prefer waking up to a skyscraper or an azure ocean, these ten hotels have some of the best views around.

Glitz and glamor at Hong Kong’s finest

See the Hong Kong skyline from the floor-to-ceiling windows at this hotel. “Occupying arguably the finest waterfront position in the territory, the InterContinental tilts at modernity while bowing to colonial traditions” (Lonely Planet).

Take in the beauty of Central Park without leaving your bed

Gaze towards Central Park from one of New York City’s best hotels. “The luxurious rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows to make the most of the spectacular views” (Time Out).

Oh hello, Sydney Opera House

No hotel offers better view of the Sydney harbor: “You’ll be able to spot this superbly-located high-rise hotel from many vantages. Inside, the higher the floor number, the better the view.” DK Eyewitness

Channel your inner SJP

Sex and the City fans, you may remember this hotel as the setting for Carrie’s big move to Paris. Wake up to the sight of the Eiffel Tower majestically in the foreground while you savor a croissant and cappuccino on your private balcony. Constructed at the height of Art Nouveau in the early 1900s, the Plaza Athénée “may be a classic but it is no museum” (Table)t. It’ll cost you a pretty penny (make that $1,200+ a night), but that view? Priceless.

Luxury meets Berlin’s most iconic monument

Berlin’s symbol of unity and peace is your personal view. “Berlin’s most storied sleep right by the Brandenburg Gate, with Michelin-starred dining, yoga and an indoor pool” (Jetsetter).

Toast to the Hagia Sophia from the rooftop bar

“A regular entry in ‘Best Hotel in the World’ lists, this place oozes quality and comfort,” says Lonely Planet. OMG views of the Hagia Sophia don’t hurt, either.

Amalfi Coast…Mafioso

Teetering high above the Amalfi Coast, Frommer’s says “this striking red-and-white 18th-century villa with terraces overlooking the bay is a picturesque sight.”

Beat the crowds to Taj Mahal from your bed

Less than a half mile from the Taj Mahal, the Oberoi Amarvilas is not only the top hotel in Agra, but one of the most luxurious in India. Fodor’s says “one of India’s best resorts emulates the opulent lifestyle of the Mughal emperors—complete with your own butler.” Five star service coupled with 360 degree views of the Taj make for one unforgettable experience.

Rugged mountain meets ocean views

Of this drop-dead gorgeous resort on Chapman’s Peak Drive, DK Eyewitness says “sandwiched between the mountains and the Atlantic Ocean, this secluded five-star retreat has uninterrupted views of the pristine coastline.”

Luscious views in St. Lucia

Perched 1,100 feet above the sea, Ladera Resort in St. Lucia is not for everyone. But if you’re hoping for jaw dropping views of the Pitons, this 5-star resort will just about do it. “Anticipate “the experience of a lifetime” at this eco lodge built with Caribbean timber, local stone, and terracotta tiles on the site of a former cocoa plantation” says Conde Nast Traveler. It’s also the only resort in St. Lucia located on the UNESCO World Heritage Site.