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Set jetting: it’s the biggest travel trend of 2023, likely due at least in part to the two years we spent travelling vicariously through everything from Ozark to David Attenborough documentaries. Game of Thrones tours in Dubrovnik and the Hobbiton set in New Zealand may have been on the go for years, but now the concept has a catchy name to go with it.

Maybe you want to base a whole trip around a pilgrimage to your favourite film sets, themed accommodation and all. Or perhaps you just want to swing by a famous spot while you’re in the area? Either way, it’s always good to know if the trip is going to be worth it.

Thankfully, JFC film buff Olivia has the low-down on what to expect when you visit these 11 film locations. Here are a few of her exciting set-jetting destinations to whet your appetite:

Petra (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade)

Of course, Petra in Jordan has been around since way before Indiana Jones ever picked up a whip – over 2,300 years, to be exact – but you might recognize its treasury from the climax of The Last Crusade. The ancient town went from a few thousand annual visitors to about a million after the film was released.

It’s such a popular site that an entire city has grown up within walking (or shuttle, or camel) distance. The city is much bigger than just the iconic treasury, so most visitors stay long enough to explore the caves, monasteries, and tombs.

How to Visit Petra: It’s easiest to set up base in Wadi Musa, which is about a three hour drive from Amman. Options there range from five-star resorts to Bedouin-style tents.

The region can get pretty crowded, so get there early (which should be easy if you’re already staying in Wadi Musa). Sunrise is both gorgeous and quiet, if you’re up for it. While prone to both highs and lows, the weather here stays mild in spring and autumn.

Just keep an eye out for rain – Petra gets flooded easily.

You may want to pass on this one if you have trouble walking for long periods or across unlevel ground. It definitely requires a lot of hiking, but you can rent a donkey if you want to get off your feet and onto someone else’s.

Our Verdict: Petra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the new seven wonders of the world. It’s one of the oldest towns in the world that’s still standing, and the Indiana Jones connection is just the cherry on top. It’s an obvious must for both cinephiles and archaeology enthusiasts.

Skopelos (Mamma Mia)

It’s rare for film sites to stay a well-kept secret, but this one has flown well under the radar.

Often passed over in favor of hotspots like Santorini or Mykonos, Skopelos is a more laid back Greek island experience. You can shop around small towns for local honey and coffee, wander through monasteries, and even hike to a pirate graveyard. Aside from a few popular beaches, it’s usually pretty quiet and most people you’ll meet are locals.

Highlights from the film include Kastani Beach and Agios Ioannis Kastri, the famous church perched up on the cliffs from the wedding scenes (hunky fiancé not included).

Photo by JFC teammate Fran

For a Greek island even more off the beaten path (but not a film set), check out Mt. Athos from our list of weird places.

How to Visit Skopelos: You can’t fly directly to the island, so you’ll need to take a ferry. Fortunately, the Greeks are super troupers when it comes to ferries. You can reach Skopelos from Agios Konstantinos, Alonissos island, Skiathos, Volos, Kymi and Skyros. Skiathos has its own international airport, but reaching the other ferries will require some island-hopping (not that that’s a downside!).

Our Verdict: You don’t even need to be an ABBA fan to enjoy Skopelos. Feel free to reenact “Voulez-Vous” while you’re there, but we say the island is well worth a stop for the views and as a calm escape from typically hectic Greek islands alone.

Tunisia (Star Wars Episodes IV, I & II)

Scattered around the Tunisian desert, you’ll find several of the Star Wars sets used as the Skywalkers’ home planet Tatooine. Some were built by the film crew, some are natural formations, and many others are Berber homes and granaries that have stood for centuries.

Hopefully you don’t hate sand, because this trip is all desert. But if you’re willing to trek over dunes through the arid Sahara, you can find iconic locales like the Mos Eisley Cantina and Tosche Station (no word on whether they sell power converters).

You can even stay in Luke’s childhood home at the Hotel Sidi Idriss, which is particularly full of memorabilia and set pieces from the films. We hear it’s a bit of a bare-bones accommodation so don’t expect too many amenities – Luke was a farmer, after all. But this kind of troglodyte dwelling is pretty unique to the Berber regions and keeps you cool from the desert heat. Cave rooms come with just a bed, a hearty Tunisian dinner, and loads of friendly conversation.

How to Visit the Star Wars Sets in Tunisia: Most locations are free and can be approached with rented 4x4s, but they aren’t exactly clustered together and easy to find. Most are around 5-6 hours and over 400 km from Tunis.

Your best bet is to book a multi-day tour. Some are solely Star Wars-focused, while some take you to other locations in Tunisia, so you can shop around and pick one with just the right amount of sci-fi for your group.

Our Verdict: This one is for only the most hardcore Jedi.

Star Wars enthusiasts will leave satisfied and ready to brag at the next convention. However, it might be a little out of the way for anyone else. While the area has historic value, archaeology fans will be plenty busy in Tunisia already.

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Reply to this email to let us know which film locations you’ve visited and how they lived up to your expectations. We want to hear it all—the good, the bad, and the ugly!

All aboard the midnight train! We’ve got Georgia on our minds, and earworms stuck in our heads. The state is packed with landmarks honouring the many members of music royalty who grew up or cut their teeth there, as well as some that just got them all shook up.

Street art in Atlanta's Little Five Points neighbourhood

Macon is undeniably the place to be for all things Southern Rock. You’ll stroll past street names like Little Richard Penniman Boulevard, and landmarks like Otis Redding Memorial Bridge, next to which you’ll find a life-size Otis sitting on the dock of the bay.

And then there’s the Allman Brothers Band Museum, the Little Richard House, the Otis Redding “Mini” Museum, Capricorn Sound Studios… just as well the Macon Music Trail app can keep you on track.

But Macon is hardly alone—Athens has seen its fair share of legends, launching the careers of bands like REM and the B-52’s nonetheless, so much so that it has its own Music Walk of Fame. Columbus is home to the Ma Rainey House and Blues Museum, while Augusta’s Museum of History has an exhibition on locals like James Brown and Brenda Lee.

Things get a little more contemporary (and perhaps a little niche?) over in Atlanta at the Trap Music Museum. Actually, things in Hot ‘Lanta just get more unusual in general. Want to take a scenic hike? You get dolls’ heads. Want to go through a colourful door? You’ll have to be under 7 inches tall. Need a visit to church? Prepare for karaoke and ping pong.

Georgia’s intrigue doesn’t end there. Essential stops include the 13-foot smiling peanut in Plains, famous for featuring in Jimmy Carter’s 1976 election campaign, although one savage TripAdvisor review states, “It’s just a smiling peanut”. Or for an art trail more abstract than you could probably ever imagine, head to Rock City on Lookout Mountain.

All the important (or silly, or strange) travel news from across the web this week.

• For the first time in 100 years, we’ll soon be allowed to finish off our romantic strolls along the banks of the Seine with a dip in the water. The city is carrying out an intense clean-up ahead of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics to make the water safe for athletes and locals alike.
• If you’ve ever found yourself trapped in the window seat on a long-haul flight and wondered how you’re going to escape to the loo during the night, CN Traveller has you covered. Top tip: clambering probably isn’t the best idea.
• Concorde 2.0 is on its way. Boom Supersonic’s Overture jet is set to reduce the flight time between London and New York to only 3.5 hours, flying faster than the speed of sound. Production will begin next year, with passenger carriage set for 2029.
• And finally, we have a solution to smelly feet invading our space during a flight: good old-fashioned revenge! All you need is a little liquid and zero shame.