It happens very often that after watching a good travel movie, we feel a strong urge to travel to the location where the movie was filmed. Travel movies sometimes work as a perfect stress-buster, sometimes open up possibilities to discover yourself and sometimes motivate you to dream big in life.
Here, we have compiled a list of top 12 best travel movies of all time which are surely going to fuel your wanderlust and set a new vision for your life!
No list of the best travel movies would be complete without including this gem. Into The Wild is based on a true story of a promising student and athlete who leaves everything behind and hitchhikes all the way to Alaska to live the rest of his life in the lap of the nature. The brilliant story coupled with the amazing landscapes of Alaska makes this movie a must-watch for every travel enthusiast! Truly deserves a place in the list of top travel movies of all time. Watch on Amazon Prime or get it from here!
2. Eat Pray Love
This is one of Julia Roberts’ most iconic movies in which she travels to Italy, India and Indonesia and experiences different cultures and meets different people in a bid to rediscover herself and ultimately finds greater meaning in life and love. This movie is widely accepted as one of the best travel movies of all time. Watch it on Netflix!
3. Wild
Based on a memoir of the same name, the movie revolves around a woman who decides to set out for a solo trek along the 1,100 mile-long Pacific Crest Trail in a bid to recover from a personal tragedy. She faces a lot of challenges on her way but nothing can stop her and she keeps on going with her immense determination and courage. The character was played by Reese Witherspoon who also received Oscar nomination for her powerful acting. Get it from Amazon!
4. Out of Africa
Undoubtedly, Out of Africa is one of those best travel movies which are highly inspirational. This story is about a rich woman who travels to Kenya only to find her husband’s unfaithful actions. She embarks on a new journey in life and grows feeling for a simple man while exploring the beautiful Africa. This is surely Meryl Streep’s one of the best iconic movies. Watch it on Netflix or get it from Amazon!
5. Under The Tuscan Sun
Filmed in the rural side of Tuscany, this movie is extremely inspirational, romantic and beautiful. This movie is about a woman who, after finding her husband cheating on her, decides to go for a tour to Italy to recover herself from depression where she impulsively buys a rural villa in Tuscany. Under The Tuscan Sun offers some breathtaking views of the countryside of Italy and some powerful acting by Diane Lane and Sandra Oh. Get it from Amazon!
6. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
This star-studded movie is about a group of British retirees who go on for a tour to India post retirement from their respective jobs to spend the life of luxury. They get impressed by an advertisement for the newly renovated Marigold Hotel in Rajasthan and decide to put up in the hotel only to find that their expectation was far from reality. The movie takes you through the ups and downs of each family and how they discover new relationships in the last stage of their lives. Don’t miss the spectacular acting by the star cast- Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy and others. Get it from Amazon!
7. The Motorcycle Diaries
This inspirational movie is based on a memoir by Che Guevara and depicts the journey of Che Guevara, a medical student and his friend on a motorcycle to ride across South America for 8 months to cover 14,000 kilometres. During their motorcycle adventure trip, they witness huge inequalities between the wealthy class and the poor class. The film revolves around the friendship, the struggle of common people and the happiness of these people even in the smallest of things, all beautifully captured during their motorcycle ride. A must-watch travel movie. Get it from Amazon!
8. Seven Years In Tibet
This movie is the story of an Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer who plans to summit the Himalayan peak of Nanga Parbat and eventually finds himself in trouble due to the Second World War. A lot of adventure and struggle takes him to Tibet where he happens to meet the young Dalai Lama. The film shows the great landscapes of Tibet and the strong emotional friendship between Harrer and Dalai Lama. Seven Years In Tibet offers everything- adventure, happiness, uncertainty, joy, compassion, friendship and what not. Don’t miss the incredible performance by Brad Pitt. Watch on Netflix or get it from Amazon!
9. Lost In Translation
Lost in Translation is the story of a middle-aged movie star Bob Harris and a young woman Charlotte, the neglected wife of a photographer. They happened to meet in a hotel bar when they were going through crisis in their own personal lives. This sudden meeting soon develops into a strong bond as they set out for amazing adventures in the streets of Tokyo. Lost In Translation offers a balanced combination of classic comedy and subtle romance which makes this movie a special one. The city of Tokyo is also beautifully presented in the movie. Powerful performances by Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson are bonus!
10. Sideways
Sideways is a movie about a wine-tasting road trip of Miles, a middle-aged wine enthusiast and his engaged friend Jack. The trip suddenly becomes more dramatic when they meet two local women, Stephanie and her friend Maya. Jack sleeps with Stephanie and Maya grows bond with Miles. Things get really ugly as the movie progresses. This one is an iconic travel movie and must not be missed. Get it from Amazon!
11. The Way
The Way is a powerful and inspirational story of an American father who decides to travel overseas to retrieve the dead body of his son who died in a storm while walking ‘El Camino de Santiago’ trail in Spain. He takes the pilgrimage himself and on his way he grows bond with new people, faces new challenges and understands new meaning of life. Don’t miss this soulful journey amidst some spectacular landscapes and beautiful scenery.
12. Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
This Hindi movie is about the friendship of three friends, Kabir, Imran and Arjun, who go for a vacation to Spain before Kabir’s marriage. During the trip, they rediscover their friendship, heal the past wounds in their bond and they come out stronger overcoming their worst fears in life. The movie offers a complete visual tour of Spain, some wonderful adventures and delivers a message that life has to be celebrated in every possible way setting aside the worries and tension. Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is a must-watch for every age. Watch it on Amazon Prime or Netflix!
So, these are some of the best travel films that we thought should be in the list of top 12 best travel films of all time. If you watch any of these, do let us know your thoughts in the comment section below! Happy binge-watching and happy travelling!
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