Wanderlust ahead

For those in the Northern Hemisphere, the sun is out, the days are longer, the sky looks bluer than usual, and you might be feeling ripe for a warm-weather adventure.

Not sure where to head for a little break away from it all? We’ve got you covered, with destinations inspired by movies we’ve recently rewatched and loved — not just for their cinematic merits, but for the sense of wanderlust, fun, and haute sophistication they’ve left us with.

If you think booking a vacation based on a film is a flight of fancy, think again. When Roman Holiday came out in 1953, Americans swarmed to the Eternal City in the hope to replicate Audrey Hepburn’s escapades. Similarly, Croatia became the place to be after the release of Game of Thrones, as the coastal city of Dubrovnik became one of the series’ most prominent — and stunning — filming locations.

There’s more. Eat Pray Love made us yearn for the lush beauty of Bali, and Lost in Translation led to an uptick of trips to Japan among devoted cinephiles eager to delve into Tokyo’s crazy nightlife. New Zealand, too, wasn’t on too many people’s radar until The Lord of the Rings came out and showed us just how wildly magical the country is.

So, without further ado, here are some movie-themed suggestions for your next vacation. May your vacation planning commence.

Paris — Amélie

There are countless Paris-based movies that will make you long for a visit to the City of Lights, but Amelie is one of our personal favorites. The 2001 romantic comedy about a whimsical young woman who discreetly orchestrates the lives of the people around her, creating her own fantastical world, was shot in more than 80 Parisian locations, from Montmartre to Notre-Dame de Paris and Canal Saint-Martin. Vividly shot and utterly delightful, it shows the French capital in all its charm — and will make you want to hop on a flight pronto.

Singapore — Crazy Rich Asians

Colorful, vibrant, and impeccably stylish (but also deliciously mouthwatering, thanks to a handful of richly shot food scenes) Crazy Rich Asians, which came out in 2018, shows Singapore in all its over-the-top glory — from its wild outdoors to its elevated lifestyle and down-to-earth hawkers’ markets. Snapshots of the city’s most iconic landmarks like the Singapore Flyer and Marina Bay Sands are interspersed throughout, alongside heritage buildings like CHIJMES (where Colin’s wedding is held), and iconic streets like Bukit Pasoh Road. And then there are the beaches, the lush gardens, the striking panoramas... Rewatch it — you’ll be searching flights before the credits end.

New York — The Devil Wears Prada

Beautiful clothes: check. Striking locations: check. Unmatchable sass: check. We love The Devil Wears Prada for its fun, tongue-in-cheek take on the fashion world and, just as importantly, its glamorous representation of New York. As we follow Andy (Anne Hathaway) in her job adventures as the personal assistant of diabolical editor Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) of fictitious Runway magazine, we’re taken from Brooklyn to Central Park to the Lower East Side and back — always in a series of impeccably curated outfits. In its comedic lightness, this 2006 movie shows the City that Never Sleeps in all its fabulousness, and it’s a tribute to its style, fast-paced living, and sheer sense of ambition that still feels timely today. We’ll see you there!