With the new film hitting cinemas this month and Star Wars fever setting in we take a look at the iconic Star Wars locations that you can actually visit without needing a Millennium Falcon.
When you say Star Wars, you think of a galaxy far, far away. When in reality, the planets from the movies are filmed right here on Earth. To celebrate the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, we’ve put together a travel itinerary devoted to visiting the memorable movie sites. You could step into Queen Amidala’s Palace, walk in the footsteps of the Ewoks or even have a sleepover at Luke Skywalker’s house.
With that in mind, here are 9 of our favourite ‘intergalactic’ travel destinations.
1. Naboo: Queen Amidala’s Palace (Naples, Italy)
Some of the most incredible interior scenes in the saga take place in The Reggia di Caserta, one of the largest 18th-century buildings on the planet. With incredible gardens and a majestic interior, the palace is well worth a visit.
Flights from UK airports to Naples start at £72 return.
“L’architettura è musica nello spazio, una sorta di musica congelata.” Friedrich Schelling
A photo posted by Valeria Monachese (@vali_pervanille) on
2. Hoth (Hardangerjøkulen Glacier, Finse, Norway)
Norway was an obvious choice for the remote, icy planet of Hoth. The site featured one of the series’ most epic battle scenes. Although not quite as intergalactic as the planet of Hoth, the snowbound landscapes do offer some breath-taking views and a pretty impressive 10-mile ice sheet.
Flights from UK airports to Oslo start at £53 return and then travel onward by train.
#Hardangerjøkulen #blåisen #ilovenorway #glacier #crevasse #nature #isbre #bresprekk #jøklagutane #finse A photo posted by Robert Haug (@guahtrebor) on
3. The forest of Naboo (Whippendell Woods, UK)
The spot where Jar-Jar Binks first meets Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn in 'The Phantom Menace' was filmed a little closer to home in Watford near the Leavesden Film Studios.
Flights from UK airports to Heathrow start at £40 return.
Beautiful bluebells in the woods. . #cassioburypark #whippendellwoods #bluebells #beautiful #woods A photo posted by @annabrooks66 on
4. Kashyyyk: The Wookiee homeland (Phang Nga Bay, Thailand)
The famous limestone peaks of Phang Nga Bay in Southern Thailand served as the Wookiee kingdom of Kashyyyk. The luscious greens and endless blue water make the perfect setting for a planet that only has one season. You’ll recognise this location in the aerial battle that went down in Revenge of the Sith.
Flights from UK airports to Phuket start at £508 return.
pretty enough to put on a postcard #jamesbondisland #phuket #phanggnabay @__brad.adams
A photo posted by amy evans (@amychunk) on
5. Naboo (Lake Como, Italy)
In Attack of the Clones, Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala go into hiding at a jaw-droppingly beautiful location in the planet of Naboo. In real life, this lakeside retreat on Italy’s Lake Como is a popular choice for a destination wedding. You’ll be sure to recognise the balcony where Anakin and Padme kiss.
Flights from UK airports to Milan start at £20 return and then travel onward by train.
#italy #lombardia #2015 #lake #lenno #villadelbalbianello A photo posted by Pasquale (@pasqualedacchille) on
6. Tatooine (Death Valley, California)
Although a large portion of Tatooine scenes were filmed in Tunisia, George Lucas and the unit team grabbed some extra shots in Death Valley. Remember the scene when Obi-Wan Kenobi meets Luke Skywalker, C-3PO, and R2-D2 for the first time? Yep, that's here.
Flights from UK airports to Las Vegas start at £575 return and then travel onward by car.
Death Valley. Zabriskie Point #zabriskiepoint #zabriskie #deathvalley #deathvalleynationalpark #naturelovers #outdooradventures #outdoorfamilies #hikingadventures #roadtrippin #usaroadtrip #ouryearincalifornia A photo posted by Magdalena (@magdalenakolarova) on
7. Endor (Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, California)
The home of the furry Ewoks, was filmed among California’s giant redwoods. The forest offers 20 miles of hiking and nature trails which will leave you with the feeling that you just stepped onto the moon of Endor. The two locations still accessible to the public are the Humboldt Redwoods State Park and Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park, a fantastic woodland adventure for the intrepid Star Wars fan.
Flights from UK airports to Sacramento start at £580 return and then travel onward by car.
8. Yavin (Tikal, Guatemala)
"We are approaching the planet Yavin..." Featured in the 4th episode, Star Wars fans will know the Guatemalan site of Tikal better as Yavin. In real life, the towers at the Massassi Outpost belong to the Ancient Mayan Civilisation of Tikal, in the film they are the main base for the Rebellion and were almost destroyed by the first Death Star.
Flights from UK airports to Belize City start at £493 return and then travel onward by local bus.
Views from the 6. #tikal #guatemala #travel #jungle A photo posted by Dana Beristain (@danabears) on
9. Jakku (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
If you’ve watched the trailer for the new film, you’ll see snippets of a sandy landscape of the planet Jakku. Director J.J. Abrams chose the sands of the United Arab Emirates to recreate this Tatooine-like desert planet. We can’t wait to see more.
Flights from UK airports to Abu Dhabi International start at £479 return.
