The latest instalment in the Star Wars saga, The Last Jedi, is released on December 15, which means fans across the country are reaching peak excitement levels, and even newbies to the franchise can’t help but get caught up in the hype.
The end of the year also happens to be the ideal period to start making holiday plans for 2018, so why not combine a love of travel with a love of Star Wars when planning your next trip? That’s exactly what Celebrity Cruises has done, scouring Europe for destinations that mirror the famous locations of the films so closely, you might be left expecting an AT-AT Walker to stomp past. This is the ideal bucket list for any Star Wars fan.
Finse, Norway – Hoth
Finse in Norway provides a much more serene setting, but with the exact same views; it was actually a filming location for exterior shots of Hoth. The small village leads off to wide-ranging, Arctic-like expanses of fresh snow, glistening in the sunlight. A must if you’re in Norway… especially if you’ve always fancied re-enacting your favourite scenes from Episode V.
Skellig Michael, Ireland – featured in The Force Awakens & The Last Jedi
Located off the Southwest coast of Ireland, you’ll recognise this as the place Luke Skywalker has been hiding out, and where Rey finds him before the credits roll on The Force Awakens.
Steeped in history, Skellig Michael was home to monks between the 6th and 8th centuries, who practiced Christianity for around 600 years! Now, the island is a tourist attraction, that can be visited by boat or seen from the mainland.
Bardenas Reales National Park, Spain – Tatooine
One of the most famous landscapes throughout the rich history of Star Wars has to be the other-worldly desert of Tatooine. It plays home planet to Luke and Anakin Skywalker, characters who need no real introduction but are two of the most pivotal characters in the fight between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance.
Surprisingly, planet Earth’s equivalent can be found much closer than you might think, in Bardenas Reales National Park in Spain. This huge park reaches across 100,000 acres of clay, chalk and sandstone, that have been eroded away by wind and rain to leave shapes that look like they’re straight out of a sci-fi film set.
Glenmore Forest, Scotland – Endor
The original filming location of Episode VI is in California but since filming in 1982 it has sadly fallen victim to heavy logging, leaving the landscape almost unrecognisable. A much more affordable journey up to Glenmore Forest in Scotland is the next best thing, with dense untouched forest and lush greenery transporting you to Endor in the heart of Cairngorms National Park.
Krafla Volcano, Iceland – Starkiller Base
For Star Wars, the volcanic landscape brings us right up to date, featuring in both The Force Awakens and Rogue One as the Imperial Starkiller Base. (For the Game of Thrones fans wondering, Krafla Volcano and its surrounding area has been used for scenes beyond ‘The Wall’ in wildling territory).
With Iceland being so high up on so many bucket lists, it’s well worth tying in a visit during your trip.
Mount Etna, Italy – Mustafar
Star Wars fan or not, Sicily is a must visit location, with the active volcanic bursts of Mount Etna just one of the many attractions on the sun soaked island.
Whippendell Woods, Watford, England – Naboo Forest
But even he can’t ruin this beautiful English woodland, especially when bluebell season hits. In The Phantom Menace, this is the location the Gungan that shan’t be named (Jar Jar) first meets Obi-Wan Kenobi, with Whippendell becoming Naboo Forest. This transformation is all thanks to some substantial computer-generated additions, with Naboo’s underwater cities that dive down from the picturesque forest (or any water for that matter) surprisingly hard to come by in the real life Whippendell.
Platja de Alcudia, Mallorca – Scarif
Although the filming location for Scarif was in the Maldives, you can soak up similar scenery much closer to home in Platja de Alcudia in Mallorca. With shallow, turquoise waters, 7km of white beach and plenty of facilities available, you can luxuriate in a tropical paradise without being bothered by a single Stormtrooper.
Plitvice lakes, Croatia – Waterfalls of Naboo
While a lot of this scenery was CGI, you can find similar landscapes in central Croatia, at the Plitvice Lakes National Park. These 16 lakes are renowned for distinctive blue-green colours, their many tumbling waterfalls and the surrounding dense green vegetation.
Villa del Balbianello, Italy – Varykino, Naboo
The real-life setting for these scenes was Villa del Balbianello, a gorgeous villa overlooking the shores of Lake Como in Italy. This dramatic spot draws visitors from all over the world, hoping to wander around the lush gardens, while soaking up the panoramic views across the lake. The villa can even be booked for weddings, so you can recreate some of the franchise’s more romantic moments for your own nuptials.