Filmed in Italy

The beautiful hills of Montepulciano, famous for Brunello wines, is also the setting for many movies filmed in the Tuscany region of Italy.  Tuscany offers old world charm and newfound love if you believe all of the movie plots.  The most popular movie of recent is "Under the Tuscan Sun" (2005) starring Diane Lane.  The Chiesa Di San Biagio church (right) was the setting for the young Polish man's wedding at the end of the movie.  It's also been the backdrop to the Best Picture, The English Patient, (1996, Ralph Fiennes) and Midsummer's Night's Dream, 1999, (Michelle Pfeiffer) among other films.  Speaking of the movies,....

Val d'Orcia (upper left and lower right) in Siena is a very popular is the spot for filming, photos, and postcards...also the setting for Gladiators (Russell Crowe) and Under the Tuscan Sun.  Gladiators and Tea with Mussolini 1999 were also filmed in very nearby hilltop town of San Gimignano.  

The English Patient also used beautiful Pienza in the movie.  This town is full of charm and beautiful flowers provided by the locals to decorate the outside of their shops and homes (below).

Montepulciano

Upper left:  Val d'Orcia as it looked in the movie, "Under the Tuscan Sun" and the Madonna Church also seen in the movie where the young couple is married at the end.  This is the same church I photographed for my header at the top of the page.

Collegiete Church in San Gimignanom, lower left, a popular destination, was a location for Tea with Mussolini.  The English Patient and The Portrait of a Lady (Nicole Kidman) were filmed close to Lucca, right.  All of these towns are in Tuscany.

Letters to Juliet  (Amanda Seyfried) was filmed in Tuscany and Verona

The towns of Montalcino and Montepulciano are in the heart Tuscan rolling hills, vineyards and farmlands where some of the best grapes and wines are produced.  

Under the Tuscan Sun one of the most popular movies was filmed in Tuscany and the towns of Cortona, Positano.

 

My recent photo on right and below

  

Positano is a favorite for the tourists and the movie Under the Tuscan Sun when Diane Lane's character goes to "surprise" her boyfriend and learns he's already with another woman.  Positano is a quaint town built on the terraced hillside where shopping and dining is plentiful.   I'd advise visiting in the off season as we did because there's less people.  The shop and restaurant owners couldn't be nicer!

Nearby to the North of Positano is the very large city of Naples where Julia Roberts' character in Eat, Pray and Love visited to sample the renowned Neapolitan Margherita pizza was allegedly introduced to the world.  It's comprised of simple,  delicious (preferably San Marzano) tomatoes and olive oil with fresh basil and mozzarella cheese.  The place is hopping so plan on waiting outside awhile to get into eat.  She also went to Rome and Tuscany on her Italian travels.  

                                                                                          One of the sandal craftsmen in Positano

Our taxi driver said there's nothing like the people of Naples and they don't consider themselves "Italian" but more "Neapolitans"--so that's from the taxi driver...Naples is the hub for all boats going to Sorrento, Capri, Ischi, Positano and more... And remember, Naples is so close to Pompeii and Herculaneum, you can simply hop the train and go for the day.  See my other post links at the end of this post.

Palazzo d' Taverno, left, and Palazzo Sacchetti, right, where Nicole Kidman's role resided in 

Portrait of a Lady

The English Patient also filmed in Viareggio (the field hospital) near Pisa and the Grand Hotel Bains in Venice.  Johnny Depp's movie, The Venitian was filmed in Venice as well as many other movies including the James Bond movies.


The beautiful city of Florence not only has the statue of David but many movies were filmed there over the years.  These include A Room with a View, 1985, with Maggie Smith where she had a great view of the city from a pension Bertolini.  They also visited   
Feiosole, Florence; Piazza San Croce, Florence, Piazza dell Signoria, Florence, Quissana Pointe Vecchio, Florence; Villa de Maiano, Florence.  Tea with Mussolini used Florence's beautiful city for filming.

We can't leave out Lake Como, the subject of a Month by the Lake 1995, with  Vanessa Redgrave Uma Thurman,  They stayed at the Villa Barbianello.

The English Patient 1996 Best Picture--Another popular movie filmed in Santa Anna in Camprena.  Le Grand Hotel Rome. Ripafratta, Pisa,  Trieste, and Venice/

Stealing Beauty  Bernardo Bertolucci Director and starring Liv Tyler filmed in the rail station in Sienlio Castiligon Florentno and filmed in the beautiful areas of Arrezzo, Tuscany; San Regolo, and Chianti, Siena.

Life is Beautiful  Cortona, Arezzo Tuscany region; Papigno, Termi, Umbria;  Montevarchi, Arezzo.  

Midsummer Nights Dream 1999  filmed in Montepulciano starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Kevin Kline.  They also ventured to Villa Lante, Viterbo gardens;  Caprarola, Viterbo, Lazio;   Sutri, Viterbo,   Tivoli (Interiors)

James Bond movies  Talemone, Venice, Lake Como

AmeriQua is presently wrapping up and will be out out 2-13.  Features  Alec Baldwin in Tuscany. Barga, Naples and Bologna.

Presently a film is in the process of being made about a young Italian student Derek Barnabei who was executed for killing his girlfriend.  The Piazza del Campo in Siena was used as well as recreated settings such as the Tabaccaia of Monteroni D’Arbia and the prison of Pescia.

To Rome with Love 2012  Woody Allen's movie with Alec Baldwin filmed in Rome; piazza Venezia, Rome;  La Villa d'est, Tivoli;  Piazza Mattei; Piazza Santa Maria, Trastavere; Piazza del Popolo;  Station Termini; the Forum; and Trevi Fountain.

See my posts:
Pompeii here
Positano here
Capri
Tuscany
Rome
Da Michele restaurant from Eat Love Pray in Naples here

Some material from movie locations.com