The Star Wars movies hit the screens in 1977 to revolutionize the Hollywood film industry. Since the first installment by George Lucas, the franchise has released nine Skywalker Saga episodes, three spin-off movies, and four television series, expanding the realm to various strange planets.
In all these productions, one thing you cannot ignore is the stunning landscapes George Lucas presented to ground his vision in the actual world.
The amazing landscapes may make you think that the films, especially the new ones, were created in tech-advanced studios. But in reality, Lucas has captured locations from all over the world to depict many fantastical planets in the Star Wars universe.
All in all, many Star Wars locations might elicit your desire to jump on a spaceship. But in reality, you only require to hop on a plane to visit these locations. You only need to know where they were picturized. So, here we bring the best 10 Star Wars locations you can visit in real life.
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Chott el Djerid, Tunisia
In Star Wars: Lars Homestead on Tatooine
Tunisia homes Tatooine. Mos Espa and the iconic Mos Eisley Cantina are only two of the many filming locations from the Original and Prequel Trilogies that remain intact (albeit deserted). The Lars homestead is the most well-known because it was from there that Luke saw the famed twin sunset.
The set was left unattended and soon fell into disarray. The set was rebuilt in 2012 by a group of six devoted fans who wanted it to resemble what it did in the film’s debut year of 1977. Because of its proximity to numerous iconic Star Wars filming locations, Tunisia is an ideal vacation destination. You may learn more at the official tourism website for Tunisia.
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Tikal, Guatemala
In Star Wars: Yavin IV
Regarding space combat, the Battle of Yavin is still head and shoulders above everything else in the series. The fact that fans can visit the ancient Masassi Temple base that Rebels used in the movie is the most intriguing thing about Tikal. Another interesting fact is that the ancient Maya civilization actually constructed the Tikal ruins.
In honor of Oscar Isaac’s Guatemalan heritage, the Lucasfilm narrative group cleverly decided to make Yavin IV Poe Dameron’s home planet. The planet was last shown in Rogue One. No other Star Wars film has featured the planet since then.
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The Plaza de España Seville, Spain
In Star Wars: City of Theed on Naboo
When Padme and Anakin travel to Naboo for safety in Attack of Clones, they film it at Seville’s beautiful Plaza de Espaa. Although it is only briefly shown in the movie, the location is home to some of the world’s most stunning architects. Notably, the structure barely dates back to 1928.
The square was designed to look more classical by including Baroque and Renaissance elements. Nevertheless, it’s a place worth visiting, even if you are not a Star Wars fan.
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Phang Nga Bay, Thailand
In Star Wars: Kashyyyk
Even though a portion of Kashyyyk was made with CGI, most of it was shot at Phang Nga Bay, which is close to the tourist hub of Phuket. Quite a few Star Wars enthusiasts have predicted that it would be a popular tourist spot in the future, and they were right.
A beach was used for sequences depicting Wookiees assaulting Separatist Droids. As reported by Vogue, the water is very shallow in the bay, and there are many caverns that can be explored. It is an ideal beach for a relaxing getaway.
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Wadi Rum, Jordan
In Star Wars: Jedha and Pasaana
Wadi Rum has been featured in several recent major films, making it a sought-after location for shoots. For example, Oscar Isaac, who plays Poe Dameron, has recently shot Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Dune, and Moon Knight in that location.
Star Wars fans got the first look at the moon of Jedha, one of the galaxy’s oldest moons/planets, in Rogue One. Because of its significance to the early Jedi and its abundance of Kyber crystals, Jedha has a fascinating history in Star Wars. Pasaana, on the other hand, was merely another generic desert planet compared to Jedha, which had a lot of character.
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Canary Wharf Tube Station, England
In Star Wars: Scarif Imperial Base
Even though most of Rogue One’s Scarif scenes were shot in the Maldives, the Canary Wharf Tube Station in London provided the perfect setting for the Imperial Security Complex.
According to Movie-Locations, the team would only be able to use the station between the hours of midnight and four in the morning due to the high volume of customers. The entire facility was decked out in “Star Wars” garb. It’s wonderful that even familiar and close-to-home places might pop up in Star Wars.
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Hardanger Glacier, Norway
In Star Wars: Hoth
The skirmish on Hoth will live in infamy forever, and so will the venue, Hardanger Glacier. It is a cool location featured in what many fans consider the best Star Wars film, Empire Strikes Back. But, unfortunately, the place lives up to its moniker by being a dangerous one.
Traveling some sections of the glacier without the right gear and knowledge of the terrain is quite dangerous. Where the war actually took place isn’t a safe place to walk about, but there are safer sights to explore in the region. This stunning location will transport you to a galaxy far, far away you have seen in Star Wars.
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Redwood National Park, California
In Star Wars: Forest Moon of Endor
The scenes depicting the forest moon of Endor were shot in Redwood National Park. The United States government protects this area as a national park. It has spectacular trails in areas where Ewoks wandered in the Return of the Jedi.
The park’s proximity to the Pacific Ocean indicates that there are beaches in the area. According to CultureSlate, Peter Mayhew was assigned additional protection throughout filming out of fear that hunters would mistake him for Bigfoot.
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Royal Palace of Caserta, Italy
In Star Wars: Naboo Royal Palace
The exterior of the Caserta Palace does not resemble the Naboo Palace from the Star Wars prequels. Thus, most Star Wars fans would not be able to recognize it. However, things are very different on the inside. Because Star Wars Battlefront II features only the palace’s interior, fans will be immediately at home with the layout.
The palace’s grounds, aptly named “The Park,” are as impressive, with a botanical garden and five different fountains to complement the palace’s outstanding architecture.
Image Courtesy: Irishpost.com
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Skellig Michael, Ireland
In Star Wars: Luke’s Island on Ach-To
Skellig, named after the archangel Michael, literally means “splinter of stone.” Skellig Michael, located in County Kerry, Ireland, is a stunning island filmed for Luke Skywalker’s Island. He went into exile in the sequel trilogy. The island homes puffins, which probably became Porgs’ inspiration.
Even though Luke’s isolation and death on the island are tragic, the site is nonetheless interesting to see. Skellig Michael Cruises explains that the “Jedi” temples scattered throughout the island are ancient remains built by monks in the 6th century.
