Croatia best filming locations:
What is your first association when you hear the words Croatia, tv shows, and filmmaking? Your mind probably goes straight to the popular HBO series Game of Thrones.
But, what it is not so known is that Croatia’s international production started back in 1920. The first foreign movie was Finances of the Grand Duke, directed by Fridrich Wilhelm Murnau. This movie presented the countries locations in the best light possible and caught the attention of other movie production companies worldwide.
Offering a lot of diverse landscapes and magnificent architecture from different eras makes it a perfect place for filming. The locations often “play a role” of Italy due to its similar Mediterranean features, or a fantasy medieval town for its stone walls and buildings.
Top 5 films and TV shows that were filmed in Croatia VS Croatia best filming locations
Game of Thrones
GoT cast showcased the beauty of Dubrovnik’s most famous locations, making it even more popular than it already way. Dubrovnik was turned into Kings Landing, capital of the seven kingdoms that exist in the series, and Lokrum island into city Quarth.
The series was also filmed in the Split region. Split’s most famous landmark, Diocletian’s palace, served as a place for dragon training. The great Roman emperor surely did not see this coming in the future while building that stunning architectural piece.
The last location is Klis fortress. This fortification building gives an amazing city view and is a must-see even if you are not a big GoT fan.
The best way to explore the GoT world in Croatia is by doing a Game of Thrones Private tour Split.
Doctor Who
Your favorite time-traveling doctor has traveled from the UK to the town of Trogir to shoot a few scenes. How did they manage to fit in a TARDIS in this historical little town? You can find the answer in two episodes called “Vincent and the Doctor” and “The vampires of Venice” where he meets Vincent van Gogh and goes back to the 16th century Venice.
Visiting Trogir is possible a private tour Unesco Tour Split Trogir that showcases all the historical parts of these stunning towns. Experience Croatia best filming locations with us!
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
The world’s most-loved science fiction movie franchise recognized Croatia as a fantastic filming location. The star is once again Dubrovnik town, but this time it is depicted as a casino city Canto Bight with a little bit of help from high tech equipment. This move made it seem like it is in a galaxy far away but it is actually in a stunning Croatian town at the palm of your hand.
Mamma Mia! Here we go again
The plot of this romantic musical is situated at the fictional island of Kalokairi. In reality, it was filmed in the towns and beaches of island Vis. The action itself was mostly filmed in town Komiža and Barjoška Bay, but you can also get a glimpse of the island’s most famous landmarks. One of them is Stiniva bay, voted top beach in Europe in 2016.
The island is also known as “The Mamma Mia island” due to its increased popularity among tourists shortly after the film was made.
For anyone wishing to visit the island, especially the renowned Stiniva bay, the best way would be making the Private Blue Cave Tour from Split.
Robin Hood: Origins
The story about Robin Hood, the celebrated outlaw who took from the rich and gave to the poor, was also filmed in town Dubrovnik streets. Locations like Stradunstreet, Sveti Dominik street, the city walls, and the Gradski Porat area were chosen to depict the medieval city of Nottingham. Turning a UNESCO World Heritage site into a movie set was quite challenging but in the end, you can see that the director Otto Bathurst got the best out of it.
The film crew also shot some scenes in the Istria region, in Zavrsje, which was nominated for The Best European Filming Location.
These movies are just five out of many that have been filmed all over the country. They surely are not the last ones as Croatia is beginning to rise in the film production world.
One of the projects in the making is The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard with popular actors like Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, and Salma Hayek. Filming took place in Italy, Bulgaria and the United Kingdom alongside Croatia. In the Croatian portion, you can see towns Rovinj, Rijeka, Zagreb, and Karlovac which impressed the film crew.
Hollywood is not the only one recognizing the advantages of this small but fascinating country. In 2016, a Bollywood action thriller movie called Fan was released in cinemas. It stars Shah Rukh Kahn, the most famous actor in South East Asia. The movie is about a man named Gaurav, a fan of a movie star that looks just like him. After he goes to Mumbai to meet his hero, Gaurav gets disappointed because his favorite star does not notice him. That action triggers rage in him and he decides to destroy him.
You will notice that town Dubrovnik stands out the most and that is usually the first choice for many directors. Its magnificent stone streets and constructions make a spectacular stage for performing and producing valuable works of modern art. Once you visit this town on the Adriatic Coast, you will experience its charm and understand what is so captivating about it.
The easiest way to get there is by taking a Private Day trip from Split to Dubrovnik which shows you the greatest parts of that region.
If you are planning your trip to Croatia make sure you include these amazing filming spots and feel like your favorite character and see all croatia best filming locations !
Croatia best filming locations