Set-jetting isn’t just a clever play on words. It’s a very real phenomenon.
And while travelling through Thailand earlier this year, I saw it in action. Season three of The White Lotus, set in Ko Samui, was airing at the time, so it naturally came up during a pub crawl conversation. ‘I booked this trip as soon as I saw the trailer,’ a new friend shared. ‘I just knew if I were watching it at home, I’d want to be there.’
That’s set-jetting in a nutshell: seeing a beautiful location on screen and wanting to experience it in real life. If you’re ready to step into real-life sets, here are some top set-jetting spots (movie metaphors and the occasional bad pun included) and some very Intrepid ways to get there.
Move through Matera with more grace than Bond
It’s not often a high-stakes car chase inspires envy, but that’s what a James Bond movie can do. Between the stunts and the suits, No Time To Die spotlights Matera, a UNESCO-listed city in southern Italy, as a must-visit destination.
On Premium Puglia, things move at a slower pace. Sip wine, stroll through the famous Sassi cave dwellings with a local guide and learn how this ancient city (dating back to the Palaeolithic period – long before Bond) became so iconic.
Read more: Northern vs southern Italy
(Sand)walk in Timothee Chalamet’s footsteps in Jordan
Shot for IMAX, Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two make the most of their epic landscapes – and much of what fans see as Arrakis was filmed in Wadi Rum, a protected desert wilderness in Jordan.
On Explore Jordan, you’ll meet the sheikh of a local Bedouin tribe and learn what life is really like in the desert. Dine on traditional zarb, sleep in a simple Bedouin camp and head out on a half-day jeep safari the next morning. The terrain’s vast, the views are unreal and, thankfully, there are no giant sandworms.
Cross Canada like Joel and Ellie
Though set in the United States, much of The Last of Us was filmed in Canada. The post-apocalyptic backdrop of deserted cities and open roads? That’s Alberta.
On screen, Joel and Ellie trek across America – from Boston to Wyoming – dodging infected humans and wrestling with moral dilemmas. You don’t need to follow in their literal footsteps, but if a cross-country journey’s on your list, Canadian Rockies & Northern Lights gives you the drama (minus the zombies) – all with the safety of a small group and an experienced leader.
Transform into someone new in Peru
When a franchise hits its seventh film, it needs to step things up to keep momentum. And Transformers: Rise of the Beasts did precisely that by choosing Peru as the next place for the Autobots to roam. While the movie received mixed reviews, there’s no denying that Machu Picchu makes the most captivating backdrop.
The film shows off Peru’s ancient landscapes, but there’s plenty it doesn’t capture too. On Classic Peru, go beyond the screen with an experience you won’t find in any franchise. Stop for lunch with the Huilloc community in the Sacred Valley and join in a welcome dance.
Read more: The joy of seeing Machu Picchu with the descendants of its builders
Make Poland not A Real Pain
A Real Pain, starring Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin, depicts everything a group tour shouldn’t be. Set on a heritage trip to Poland, the cousins argue in front of strangers, miss train stops and make things awkward for everyone.
For a smoother ride, try Best of Central Europe. Like the cousins, you’ll visit a former concentration camp on a guided tour led by a local expert – a sobering and important part of the trip. But after that, things lighten up. You’ll continue through the Tatra Mountains and Budapest, with plenty of train connections caught and no dinners ruined by passive-aggressive bickering or gross burps (fingers crossed).
Snack like Carmy in Chicago
Forget Smell-O-Vision (it’s a thing, look it up) – watching The Bear makes you wish someone had invented a way to reach into a TV screen and grab the food. While Carmy’s restaurant is fictional, it was inspired by spots that do exist around Chicago.
Join a Chicago Food Experience Urban Adventure to get your hands on the best Italian beef sandwich, as well as a deep-dish pizza. There’ll be no shouting or stress, just really, really good food, cousin.
Step into a K-cinema set in Seoul
Parasite isn’t your typical set-jetting film. Bong Joon-ho’s thriller is all about class division and capitalism; and it’s largely shot inside, showing the disparity between the Park family’s home and that of the Kim family. And yet, it put South Korea on the big screen, becoming the first South Korean movie to win Best Picture at the Oscars.
Go to Seoul on South Korea Highlights, where Parasite is set, and see the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) – the most famous Korean divide of them all – with your local leader. And if that noodle dish from the movie’s climax makes you salivate, you’ll love the street food tour of the Gwangjang markets.
Channel your inner Luke Skywalker in Tunisia
A galaxy far, far away? Not exactly. Filming for scenes set in Tatooine, the fictional desert planet where both Anakin and Luke Skywalker were born in Star Wars, happened across Tunisia – but mainly in the Sahara – and these spots still look as otherworldly as ever.
On the Tunisia Expedition, you’ll explore the Sahara with local Amazigh guides and stay overnight in a desert camp. In Matmata, you’ll visit underground homes built to beat the desert heat, recognisable as Luke’s childhood home. You’ll even stop for lunch at a troglodyte restaurant, where scenes from Star Wars Episodes I, II, III and VI were filmed.
Swap boardrooms for big views in Norway
After three seasons of boardrooms and backstabbing, Succession finally gave us a breath of fresh air in season four. The Norway episode swapped skyscrapers for fjords and pine-covered peaks.
On Scandinavia Explorer, you’ll cruise past mountain backdrops and soak up the stillness that the Roys never enjoyed. End your Norwegian journey in the fishing village of Flam, then ride the scenic railway to Myrdal. Fun without the family drama.
Have a wander around Hobbiton in New Zealand
Hobbiton is one of those places that seems too magical to be real – unless your TikTok is full of Hobbiton half-marathon videos (just me?). Seeing fans run in nylon cycling shorts has a way of positioning the Middle-earth village in the 21st century. Luckily, you don’t need running shoes to visit the Shire.
On Premium New Zealand North Island, take a guided tour, look around the Hobbit holes and sip a drink at the Green Dragon Inn. Then, go beyond the movie set by exploring Tongariro National Park’s volcanic landscapes and sipping your way around Waiheke Island’s wineries.
Inspired to see some movie sets IRL? Take a small group trip with Intrepid and unleash your main character energy.
