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Certified “fresh feta”: 4 movies to watch before going to Greece
When it comes to movies, it’s hard to know what’s real and what’s movie witchcraft (i.e. CGI, green screens, or literal witchcraft).
When it comes to movies, it’s hard to know what’s real and what’s movie witchcraft (i.e. CGI, green screens, or literal witchcraft). But when it comes to these movies set in Greece, the blue skies, white-washed buildings, and sandy beaches are 100% real. So sit back, read on, and get ready to feel FOMO for all things Greece.
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Mamma Mia! (2008)
If reading the name of this movie doesn’t make you immediately start dancing, then you must not know Swedish pop sensation, ABBA. In 1999, some really smart people decided to turn the band’s greatest hits into a musical called “Mamma Mia!”. Nine years later, Hollywood turned it into a star-studded (hello, Meryl Streep) film.
Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) secretly invites three men from her mother’s past to her wedding in Greece in hopes of finding her real father. Hilarity ensues when the three men show up, and Sophie’s mom (Streep) is face-to-face with her ex-lovers, as well as Pierce Brosnan’s questionable singing abilities.
The movie received mixed reviews, but everyone certainly agrees the Greek island setting is 10/10. It takes place on the made-up island of Kalokairi, but was filmed on the real island of Skopelos.
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003)
Join title character, Lara Croft (Angelina Jolie), as she travels the world in search of Pandora’s box. Will there be obstacles? You betcha. Actions scenes that make your palms sweat? Definitely. A hunky co-star? How does Gerard Butler sound?
The opening sequence looks an awful lot like Santorini. And that’s because it is. You can’t miss those white-washed, blue-domed buildings, and for the rest of the movie, you won’t be able to stop thinking about Greek beaches, wine, and gyros. Which is fine. The plot isn’t that great. Think away.
For Your Eyes Only (1981)
This is James Bond at his best, with plenty of cool cars, gadgets, and shaken martinis. Watch as agent 007 races around the world to find a secret military device before it falls in the wrong hands. The best part though, is where some of it was filmed—Corfu and the Meteora monasteries.
As you take in 127 minutes of pure adrenaline, get ready to wish you were James Bond, be glad you aren’t James Bond, and then immediately make plans to visit the places featured in the movie.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005)
What would you say if there was a pair of pants that could fit a group of friends of varying shapes and sizes? If you were to say “that’s the plot of a movie based on a successful book series,” then you would be correct.
Four girls go their separate ways in the summer (including Alexis Bledel’s Lena, who heads to Santorini), and face unexpected illnesses, family trouble, and—of course—boy problems. It’s cheesy as can be, but if one thing’s for sure, it’ll make you feel things. Especially a desire to hop on the next available flight to Greece. Just don’t forget to pack your magic jeans! And some sunscreen.
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