12 Star Wars Filming Locations You Can Actually Visit in 2025

Star Wars filming locations span across remarkable places – from Bolivia’s largest salt flat to Guatemala’s ancient Mayan ruins.  These spots bring the galaxy far, far away closer to our world.

Tunisia’s Hôtel Sidi Driss became Luke Skywalker’s childhood home and Ireland’s stunning Skellig Michael transformed into iconic worlds like Tatooine and Ahch-To.  Death Valley National Park’s terrain serves as the backdrop for memorable scenes in “A New Hope” and “Return of the Jedi.” Italy’s Royal Palace of Caserta stands majestically as Naboo’s Theed Royal Palace.  Tikal’s UNESCO World Heritage Site represents the Rebel base on Yavin 4, and Seville’s Plaza de España creates the perfect setting for Naboo in “Attack of the Clones.” These locations give fans a chance to experience cinematic history firsthand.

Death Valley National Park, USA

Death Valley National Park’s barren landscapes and harsh conditions make it one of the most otherworldly Star Wars filming locations on Earth.  This harsh environment on the California-Nevada border became the perfect setting for the alien planet Tatooine.

Death Valley in Star Wars

Death Valley is a vital filming location for both Episode IV – A New Hope (1977) and Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983).  Star Wars fans can now walk the same paths where C-3PO and R2-D2 once roamed through several recognizable spots in the park.

The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes mark the spot where the famous droids crash-landed their escape pod while fleeing from Darth Vader.  Artist’s Palette’s colorful hills hosted two of the most important scenes – the Sandcrawler Station scene and R2-D2’s solo trip before Jawas captured him.

Other notable filming sites include:

• Dante’s View: Became the Mos Eisley overlook where Obi-Wan warned Luke about the wretched hive of scum and villainy
• Golden Canyon: Jawas watched R2-D2 from hiding places among rock formations
• Desolation Canyon: Home to the Tusken Raider attack scenes
• Twenty Mule Team Canyon: Became the road to Jabba’s Palace in Return of the Jedi

Death Valley in Real Life

The park’s movie fame comes second to its remarkable records.  Death Valley holds North America’s hottest recorded temperature at nearly 57 degrees Celsius.  The park sits 86 meters below sea level, making it North America’s lowest point.  The area gets just 6 centimeters of annual rainfall, which makes it the continent’s driest place.

This massive park covers over 13,500 square kilometers – bigger than Connecticut.  Surrounding mountain ranges trap heat and create its famous harsh conditions.  Long before Star Wars, this area lay beneath an inland sea during the Pleistocene Epoch.  The sea’s evaporation created today’s stark, surreal landscape.

Death Valley Travel Tips

Star Wars fans should plan their visits between October and April to avoid the scorching summer heat.  The Furnace Creek Visitor Center offers guided walks, talks and evening programs during these months.

Visitors need plenty of water, sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat.  Poor cell phone coverage means you should tell someone about your plans before you explore.

The free NPS App offers a guided driving audio tour of Star Wars locations.  You might also want to bring paper maps and printed screenshots of film scenes to spot unmarked locations.  Note that the park now bans commercial filming in wilderness areas where many original scenes were shot.

Villa del Balbianello, Italy

Villa del Balbianello sits gracefully on Lake Como’s shores.  This picturesque Italian jewel has become one of Europe’s most recognizable Star Wars film locations.  Its romantic architecture brought the fictional planet Naboo to life with timeless beauty.

Villa del Balbianello in Star Wars

The villa became Varykino, a lakeside retreat where Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala found refuge in Episode II: Attack of the Clones.  Film crews spent four days shooting here in September 2000.  The scenes stay true to the actual location with just a few digital touches.  Star Wars fans can spot the terrace where Anakin and Padmé’s first kiss happened under the majestic “umbrella” holm oak tree.  The same spot later became the setting for their secret wedding ceremony with R2-D2 and C-3PO as their only witnesses.  The loggia shows up in a scene where Anakin faces nightmares about his mother’s fate.

Villa del Balbianello in Real Life

The villa’s story began in 1787 on a former 13th-century Franciscan monastery site.  Two towers still stand today from the monastery’s original campanile.  Cardinal Angelo Maria Durini turned this religious building into a stunning summer home.  Explorer Guido Monzino, who led Italy’s first Mount Everest expedition, became the property’s most notable owner.  After his death in 1988, Monzino gave the villa to FAI (National Trust of Italy).  The villa’s interior now showcases his artifact collection from worldwide expeditions, making it a fascinating museum.

Villa del Balbianello Travel Tips

Cars can’t reach the villa.  You can get to this Star Wars location in real life two ways: take a 20-minute walk on a 1km path from Lenno town or hop on a boat shuttle.  Boat rides cost €8 round trip or €6 one-way.  Choose between garden-only tickets (€14) or a combined garden and guided villa tour (€25).  Book your guided villa tour early because it’s the only way to see inside.  The villa welcomes visitors from March to November, 10am-6pm, except Mondays and Wednesdays.  Wear sturdy shoes to explore the terraced gardens comfortably.

Matmata and Chott el Djerid, Tunisia

Tunisia proudly stands as the true birthplace of Tatooine, hosting more Star Wars filming locations than any country except the United States.  The sweeping desert landscapes of Matmata and Chott el Djerid brought the iconic planet to life and set the stage for George Lucas’s entire galactic saga.

Tunisia in Star Wars

Hotel Sidi Driss in Matmata became the interior of Luke Skywalker’s childhood home, the Lars homestead, in Episode IV: A New Hope.  This underground Berber structure features five connected pit dwellings where filming began in April 1976.  Lucasfilm returned in September 2000 to rebuild the sets exactly as they were for Attack of the Clones.  Visitors can now dine in the main courtyard that still features the original set pieces – the same room where Luke shared meals with Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru.

A small igloo-shaped structure sits thirty kilometers outside Tozeur in Chott el Djerid, Africa’s largest salt flat spanning 5,900 square kilometers.  This location represents the Lars homestead exterior and holds a special place in Star Wars history.  It appears in three films – more than any other Tunisian site.  The dome, dismantled after the original trilogy, came back to life in 2000 for the prequels.  Several crucial scenes unfolded here, including Shmi Skywalker’s funeral in Attack of the Clones and the emotional finale of Revenge of the Sith where Owen Lars receives baby Luke.

Tunisia in Real Life

Matmata’s troglodyte dwellings trace their origins to the late 17th century.  Native Berbers crafted these underground homes as natural shelters against the desert’s extreme temperatures.  These structures stay cool throughout the year.  Modern buildings house most locals now, though some families maintain their traditional underground homes.

Chott el Djerid looks like a vast blue lake on maps but exists mostly as a dry salt flat.  Its otherworldly landscape stretches endlessly toward the horizon, while salt crystals sparkle like silver.  The journey between Matmata and Chott el Djerid covers 300 kilometers of Tunisia’s varied terrain.

Tunisia Travel Tips

Star Wars enthusiasts can choose from various tour options to visit these iconic locations.  Tours range from day trips to week-long adventures, with prices starting at €112 for half-day excursions and reaching €2,000 for detailed week-long experiences.

Hotel Sidi Driss offers visitors several options:

• Overnight stays in four pit dwelling guest rooms
• Meals in the hotel restaurant located in the fifth pit – the actual filming location
• A taste of the “Star Wars themed menu” complete with the legendary blue milk

A standard sedan can reach the Lars homestead on Chott el Djerid without needing a 4×4 vehicle.  Sunset provides the perfect lighting to capture photos reminiscent of the famous binary sunset scene from A New Hope.  The nearby towns of Tozeur and Nefta offer additional filming locations, including “Star Wars Canyon” (Sidi Bouhlel) where many scenes from A New Hope came to life.

Grindelwald, Switzerland

The snow-capped peaks of Europe make Grindelwald one of the more subtle yet most important Star Wars filming locations.  This Swiss hamlet became the ethereal beauty of Princess Leia’s home world, Alderaan, with minimal cinematic changes.

Grindelwald in Star Wars

Majestic Swiss Alps around Grindelwald created the breathtaking mountain backdrop for Alderaan in Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.  The location shows up briefly yet memorably when Bail Organa returns to his homeworld with baby Leia.  The production team found the mountains perfect as a backdrop and used plate photography of the peaks mixed with other images to create the final scenery.

Some sources say the location appears in Attack of the Clones.  However, reliable accounts confirm its main use was showing Alderaan in the final prequel film.  Fans now have a chance to visit a planet that carries emotional weight in the Star Wars saga—Leia’s birthplace that the Death Star ended up destroying.

Grindelwald in Real Life

Grindelwald’s charm comes from its location in the heart of the Swiss Alpen region.  This popular ski resort sits at the foot of the imposing Eiger north face.  The hamlet lives up to its reputation as a natural winter wonderland and gives visitors many chances to ski, sledge and snowshoe.

Visitors can enjoy authentic Swiss culture through:

• The 847-yard-long Grindelwald ZipRider for thrill-seekers
• Delicious fondue dining experiences and mulled wine
• Relaxing gondola rides overlooking spectacular mountain vistas
• Jacuzzis with breathtaking mountain views

Condé Nast Traveler ranks Grindelwald among Switzerland’s best places to ski.  The peaceful setting contrasts sharply with the planet’s fictional fate in the Star Wars universe.  Visitors can enjoy the serene beauty that caught George Lucas and his team’s attention.

Yes, it is worth noting that unlike its cinematic counterpart, the real Grindelwald “isn’t going to be targeted by space marauders anytime soon”.  This makes it a perfect destination for Star Wars fans and nature lovers alike.

Tikal, Guatemala

The magnificent Tikal stands as one of the most breathtaking Star Wars filming locations in the world.  Ancient pyramids pierce through the dense jungle canopy.  This majestic Mayan city brought the rebel base on Yavin 4 to life and created an unforgettable backdrop that helped launch the franchise.

Tikal in Star Wars

George Lucas found Tikal when he saw a poster in a London travel agency window.  The ancient site appears in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope as the rebel base on the fourth moon of Yavin.  The memorable scene shows a rebel lookout watching the Millennium Falcon’s arrival.  The shot was taken from Temple IV’s top and captures Temples I, II and III rising from the jungle canopy.  The scene lasted just nineteen seconds, but it created one of the saga’s most iconic settings.  The rebel base’s interior scenes were shot at RAF Cardington in England.

Tikal in Real Life

Tikal ranks as one of the Maya civilization’s greatest cities, with roots dating to 800 BCE.  The site boasts six major temples and many smaller structures throughout the complex.  This Guatemalan treasure in the Petén department became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.  The city was abandoned around 950 CE and the jungle slowly buried it until its rediscovery in 1848.  Tikal served as a ceremonial, cultural and commercial hub for Maya civilization.  The jungle would take over the site within ten years without constant maintenance.

Tikal Travel Tips

Temple IV offers the best views in Mesoamerica.  Wooden stairs take you to the same platform used in filming.  A guided tour costs about 95 quetzales ($14 USD) plus the 150 quetzales ($22 USD) park entrance fee.  Visitors should:

• Start early morning or late evening to beat the heat
• Pack insect repellent and comfortable walking shoes
• Look out for spider monkeys, exotic birds, and sometimes tarantulas

Most tourists now get to Tikal through guided tours from nearby Flores.  Transportation usually costs 80-100 quetzales.  Star Wars fans should consider hiring a knowledgeable guide to boost their experience with historical context and help spot filming locations.

Plaza de España, Spain

Plaza de España stands as one of Europe’s most visually spectacular Star Wars filming locations with its sweeping archways and ornate tilework.  This semicircular architectural marvel in Seville became the regal planet Naboo, creating an instantly recognizable backdrop that needed minimal CGI effects.

Plaza de España in Star Wars

The plaza made its appearance in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones as Theed Palace on Naboo, where Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala’s forbidden romance took root.  George Lucas and his team spent exactly 48 hours in September 2000 to capture what would become roughly two minutes of screen time.  The sequence shows Anakin, Padmé and R2-D2 crossing the bridge nearest to the South Tower while the fountain and North Tower remain visible behind them.

The characters climb the stairs of one bridge and discuss Padmé’s time as Naboo’s youngest queen.  Their conversation moves to Padmé’s childhood and political career as they walk through the distinctive red-brick walkway with archways.  The scene ends with Anakin’s statement that “the Republic needs Padmé”.  The brief sequence attracted almost 7,000 people seeking supporting roles, though only 50 made the final cut.

Plaza de España in Real Life

Aníbal González’s design from 1914 became reality when the plaza was built specifically for the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition.  This architectural masterpiece covers roughly 50,000 square meters with a 170-meter diameter.  The plaza’s semi-elliptical shape represents Spain’s embrace of its former American territories.

The plaza’s decorative ceramic tile displays stand out as its most striking features.  The walls feature 48 alcoves with tiles that represent Spain’s provinces (all but one of these provinces – the Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, and Seville itself), each showcasing its own map, shield and historical moments.  Four bridges span an ornamental 500-meter canal, nicknamed “The Venice of Seville,” where tourists can enjoy boat rides.

The city preserved the plaza after the exposition and established government buildings inside.  A major renovation project costing 14 million euros led to its reopening in 2010.  Today, the plaza ranks among Seville’s most cherished attractions, welcoming visitors throughout the year while maintaining its relaxed atmosphere.

Phang Nga Bay, Thailand

The Phang Nga Bay dazzles visitors with its emerald waters and dramatic limestone karsts.  This visual masterpiece briefly became an exotic star wars filming location during the prequel trilogy.  The natural wonder sits between Phuket Island and mainland Thailand, bringing Chewbacca’s home world to stunning life.

Phang Nga Bay in Star Wars

Episode III: Revenge of the Sith featured this breathtaking bay as Kashyyyk, the lush homeworld of the Wookiees.  The production team captured the bay’s distinctive limestone rock formations through postproduction filming, which became the backdrop for the Battle of Kashyyyk scenes.  The bay’s unique geography created a memorable alien landscape with its towering limestone karsts rising from turquoise waters.  Fans watching Yoda and Chewbacca plan to save the Wookiees see Thailand’s natural splendor enhanced with CGI Wookiee tree houses.

Phang Nga Bay in Real Life

Ao Phang Nga National Park includes this area of exceptional natural beauty.  The bay lies about 24 kilometers northeast of Phuket in southern Thailand.  Visitors marvel at its sheer limestone karsts, emerald waters, and tropical islands.  Ko Ta Pu, the bay’s distinctive rock pillar at James Bond Island, gained fame in “The Man with the Golden Gun”.  Hidden chambers called “hongs” welcome adventurers who paddle through caves into island centers.  These secluded ecosystems teem with monkeys, butterflies, birds and crabs.

Phang Nga Bay Travel Tips

Tourists can explore the bay through tours leaving from Krabi, Phuket or Khao Lak.  Here’s how to make the most of your visit:

• The bay feels most peaceful during early morning or evening hours
• The weather stays clearer and cooler from mid-October to April
• Guided canoe tours let you discover secluded spots sustainably
• Afternoon tours showcase stunning Thai sunsets

Group boat tours cost around 800 THB (24 EUR) per person, while private boats run about 2500 THB (75 EUR).  A one-day tour gives you enough time to cruise the bay, kayak, swim and enjoy beach picnics.  Remember that drone flying isn’t allowed in Phang Nga Bay.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik’s medieval walls and limestone streets became a glamorous cosmic gambling paradise.  This Croatian gem stands out as one of Europe’s most unexpected Star Wars filming locations.  The ancient Adriatic city served as the perfect backdrop for the sequel trilogy’s opulent casino planet.

Dubrovnik in Star Wars

The UNESCO-protected historical center of Dubrovnik became the high-stakes casino city of Canto Bight in Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi.  Director Rian Johnson saw the location as “a Star Wars Monte Carlo-type environment, a little James Bond-ish, a little To Catch a Thief“.  The production team shot along the city’s main street Stradun in March 2016.  They captured chase scenes featuring Finn and Rose.

The film crew turned prominent areas of Dubrovnik’s historical center into an intergalactic fantasy setting.  The 16th-century Old Town got a futuristic makeover that converted ancient architecture into cosmic luxury.  The theatrical version ended up showing just 50 seconds of Dubrovnik footage.

We modeled Canto Bight after American Las Vegas to mirror its excess and casino culture.  All the same, the city’s design and architectural esthetic drew heavily from Dubrovnik’s distinctive stone buildings and fortified appearance.  Today’s visitors can spot the fortress-like qualities and characteristic stone textures that made this location perfect for an alien world.

Dubrovnik in Real Life

Dubrovnik stands as one of Croatia’s most precious historical sites beyond its movie fame.  The walled city center has centuries of history with limestone streets polished by millions of footsteps.  Star Wars tours now take visitors through filming locations across the Old Town.

These customized tours show where Dubrovnik became part of another galaxy.  Visitors see how ordinary streets turned into exotic alien vistas.  Local guides share production stories and point out exact filming locations.

Movie buffs can explore locations where deleted scenes were shot.  This gives them a peek into content that didn’t make the final cut.  The tours blend Star Wars excitement with Dubrovnik’s rich history.  This creates an exceptional experience for film tourists.

Laamu Atoll, Maldives

The stunning blue waters and white sand beaches of Laamu Atoll set the stage for one of the most important battles in the Star Wars saga.  This tropical paradise ranks among the most exotic star wars filming locations in the world.  These remote Maldivian islands transport visitors from Earth to the Imperial-controlled planet Scarif.

Laamu Atoll in Star Wars

Laamu Atoll served as Planet Scarif in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and hosted the epic final battle where rebels tried to steal Death Star plans.  Several islands across the atoll played crucial roles: Gan Island housed the film crew, Baresdhoo offered thick jungle scenes, Kudarah captured iconic shots of Stormtroopers in turquoise shallows, while Kudafushi/Maafushi became the backdrop for main battle sequences.  The crew spent two weeks in late 2015 to transform this remote paradise into an Outer Rim tropical planet.  Director Gareth Edwards chose Laamu because he wanted “a paradise world surrounded by crystal blue waters, palm trees and sandy beaches”.

Laamu Atoll in Real Life

The Maldives consists of 1,192 islands, and Laamu makes up 82 of them.  The atoll’s 12 inhabited islands are home to about 12,600 residents.  Gan, a key filming location, ranks among the Maldives’ largest islands. Its 8-kilometer stretch connects to nearby islands through causeways.  This creates the longest populated area outside Male and Addu Atoll.  The atoll remains largely untouched by tourism with just one luxury resort—Six Senses Laamu.

Laamu Atoll Travel Tips

Visitors hoping to explore this Star Wars location in real life should:

• Book a 45-minute domestic flight from Male to Kadhdhoo Airport
• Let hotels arrange transfers for easier coordination
• Book complete resort packages for better rates

Travelers can choose from four places to stay: Six Senses Laamu luxury resort, Rahaa Resort, Reveries Diving Village and Nazaki Residences Beach Hotel.  The Rogue One cast and crew’s original base was at Reveries Diving Village during filming.

Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

The Salar de Uyuni stretches endlessly across a white horizon.  This stunning landscape serves as the world’s largest salt flat and maybe even the most surreal Star Wars filming location in the whole saga.  The Bolivian wonder brought the mineral planet Crait to life and set the stage for one of Star Wars’ most stunning battles.

Salar de Uyuni in Star Wars

The salt flats became planet Crait for the climactic battle in Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017).  The location showcased the dramatic showdown between the Resistance and the First Order.  Fighter planes glided close to Crait’s surface and kicked up distinctive red mineral dust beneath the white salt layer.

Rian Johnson thought over this location carefully.  He wanted settings that would “feel like Star Wars”.  The crew created those eye-catching red dust trails with pickup trucks.  They fitted them with red smoke dispensers to drive across the salt flats.  The Crait sequences needed up to 150 people to bring them to life.

The filming was so secret that team members couldn’t tell their family in Bolivia about their work.  The team started pre-production in April 2016 and began filming three months later.  The salt flat’s magnificent white expanse soon became one of the saga’s most unforgettable new worlds.

Salar de Uyuni in Real Life

This natural wonder goes beyond its movie fame. It’s the world’s largest salt flat at over 10,000 square kilometers and Earth’s flattest place.  The site sits 12,000 feet above sea level, shaped by changes between several prehistoric lakes.

The sort of thing I love is how the rainy season creates the “world’s largest mirror” spanning 80 miles.  This perfect reflective surface lets photographers capture amazing perspective illusions.  The salt crust hides valuable resources – about 40% of the world’s lithium reserves.  You’ll also find rich deposits of sodium, potassium, borax and magnesium.

Once a hidden gem, The Last Jedi has made Salar de Uyuni one of South America’s must-see spots.  Visitors can now walk the same ground where Star Wars history came to life.

Redwood National Park, USA

The majestic ancient giants that once gave shelter to Ewoks have mostly disappeared from Earth.  Redwood National Park stands as the most bittersweet of all Star Wars filming locations.  The forest moon of Endor lives on only in film, unlike other destinations from the galactic franchise.

Redwood Forest in Star Wars

California’s Del Norte County became the Forest Moon of Endor in Return of the Jedi.  The crew filmed on Miller-Rellim Redwood Company’s private land.  This location worked well because the company had timber harvesting plans ready.  The crew didn’t need special permits that protected forests usually required.  The elder redwoods’ bark could handle pyrotechnics without damage, which made them perfect for battle scenes between Ewoks and Imperial forces.

The private forest became home to Ewok villages, shield generator battles, and Imperial encounters.  The famous speeder bike chase moved to Humboldt County’s Grizzly Creek State Park along the Cheatham Grove path.  The crew shot more speeder bike scenes along Avenue of the Giants in Humboldt Redwoods State Park.  George Lucas found these locations while looking for natural settings that could show “a jungly kind of place, the color of life, a cradle of life environment.”

Redwood Forest in Real Life

Miller-Rellim Redwood Company cut down almost all trees from the Ewok scenes right after filming ended in 1982.  Today, fans can only see fallen logs from the speeder bike sequence in Cheatham Grove at Grizzly Creek State Park.  A local film commission member says this area still looks like Endor after forty years.

The region celebrates its movie heritage with a yearly Forest Moon Festival.  This event highlights the Redwood Region’s contribution to creating Endor’s forest moon.  Visitors to Humboldt County can now walk through “otherworldly canyons and groves where dinosaurs and Jedi knights once strode.”

Royal Palace of Caserta, Italy

The Royal Palace of Caserta stands as one of Italy’s most magnificent Star Wars filming locations, showcasing baroque grandeur and opulent interiors.  This monumental palace near Naples became the perfect backdrop for the regal splendor of planet Naboo in the prequel trilogy.

Royal Palace of Caserta in Star Wars

Two films in the saga featured the majestic interiors of this Italian masterpiece as the Theed Royal Palace on Naboo.  Queen Amidala’s royal residence came to life in The Phantom Menace, with memorable scenes showing senators and their drone escorts descending the impressive staircase of honor.  The Upper Vestibule made brief appearances in Attack of the Clones. “When we started to scout for locations we looked in various countries and cities, but Caserta was one of the most beautiful places on the planet and once we saw this, there was no question we wanted to shoot here,” George Lucas remarked.

The palace’s galactic legacy lives on in gaming.  Disney has incorporated areas from this UNESCO World Heritage site into Battlefront II, where players explore digital recreations of the palace that serves as Naboo’s government building.

Royal Palace of Caserta in Real Life

This architectural marvel, nicknamed the “Versailles of Italy”, stands as Italy’s largest royal palace and claims the title of world’s largest by volume.  Luigi Vanvitelli designed this masterpiece for Bourbon King Charles III in the 1750s, and construction finished in 1845.

The palace’s immensity becomes clear through its numbers—1,000 rooms, nearly 1,200 chambers and 1,800 windows dot its massive structure.  Visitors can marvel at the Throne Room’s rich decorations, which experts describe as “the most extraordinary environment of the royal apartments”.

The palace park stretches an impressive three kilometers from end to end.  Spectacular fountains and statues line two parallel avenues leading to the Great Waterfall, a natural source that feeds all fountains throughout the grounds.

UNESCO recognized the palace’s cultural significance by adding it to its World Heritage List in 1997.  This astronomical achievement of Italian baroque architecture remains preserved for future generations—and Star Wars fans everywhere.

Comparison Table

Enjoy Star Wars Filming Locations

Star Wars has turned Earth’s most stunning landscapes into memorable interstellar destinations.  The journey spans from Tunisia’s scorching dunes to Italian palaces’ ancient grandeur.  These twelve filming spots give fans a unique chance to walk straight into movie history and experience our planet’s incredible natural and architectural wonders.

The Star Wars saga’s worldwide reach shows in these filming spots.  George Lucas and later directors created believable alien worlds with minimal digital effects.  Death Valley’s bare landscapes, Villa del Balbianello’s romantic design, and Dubrovnik’s medieval beauty did the trick.  Many locations have deep historical value beyond their Star Wars connection.  Take Tikal, a UNESCO World Heritage site, or Bolivia’s natural wonder, Salar de Uyuni.

You can visit most locations throughout the year.  Each place needs its own planning strategy.  Tunisia’s Lars homestead, Ireland’s Skellig Michael and Caserta’s Royal Palace welcome Star Wars fans.  These spots keep their authentic feel and historical importance alive.  The original Endor filming spots have changed a lot since the movies wrapped up.  This makes their place in movie history even more special.

Star Wars fans who start a journey to these famous places will find the galaxy far, far away is closer than they think.  Each spot mixes the excitement of seeing familiar movie scenes with amazing places that caught filmmakers’ eyes.  Death Valley’s empty beauty and Phang Nga Bay’s green waters wait for anyone ready to see the real-life magic behind the Star Wars universe.

FAQs

Q1. Which Star Wars filming location is considered the birthplace of Tatooine?
Tunisia is widely regarded as the true birthplace of Tatooine, with more Star Wars filming locations than almost any country outside the United States.  The desert landscapes of Matmata and Chott el Djerid brought the iconic planet to life, creating the foundation for George Lucas’s entire galactic saga.

Q2. What is unique about the Salar de Uyuni filming location in Bolivia?
Salar de Uyuni is the world’s largest salt flat and the single flattest place on Earth.  During the rainy season, a thin layer of water creates the “world’s largest mirror” stretching 80 miles across, allowing photographers to create stunning perspective illusions.  It was used to represent the mineral planet Crait in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Q3. Can visitors still see the Ewok village from Return of the Jedi?
Unfortunately, most of the original Ewok village filming locations in California’s redwood forests have been logged since production.  However, Cheatham Grove in Grizzly Creek State Park remains accessible and still contains fallen logs recognizable from the speeder bike chase sequence.

Q4. Which Star Wars location doubled as both Naboo and a James Bond film set?
Villa del Balbianello in Italy served as Varykino on Naboo for scenes in Attack of the Clones.  This picturesque villa on Lake Como has also been featured in James Bond films, making it a popular destination for both Star Wars and 007 fans.

Q5. How did Death Valley contribute to the Star Wars universe?
Death Valley National Park in California provided the backdrop for several iconic Tatooine scenes in both A New Hope and Return of the Jedi.  Locations like Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes and Artist’s Palette were used to depict the harsh desert planet where Luke Skywalker grew up.