I finally saw Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey with my son, who had already seen it four times. Yes, you read that correctly: four times. Apparently, I was the one running behind on this particular journey.
The movie is certainly epic in scale, but as a travel advisor, I kept finding myself distracted by a different question: Where was that filmed, and how quickly can I plan a trip there?
Rather than relying heavily on computer-generated scenery, Nolan filmed across real coastlines, islands, fortresses, forests, deserts, and glaciers. The production traveled through six countries over 91 days, and the result is a collection of locations that feel almost too dramatic to be real.
They are real—and many can be visited. Even better, several are close to exceptional wineries and distilleries, which makes this the kind of movie-inspired travel I can fully support.
Greece: Ancient Fortresses, Wild Beaches, and Nemea Wine
It would be difficult to tell the story of Odysseus without Greece, and the Peloponnese supplied some of the movie’s most impressive settings. Filming locations included the hilltop fortress of Acrocorinth, the seaside Methoni Castle, the nearly perfect curve of Voidokilia Beach, and nearby Nestor’s Cave.
These are not polished movie sets created for tourists. They are places with layers of history, uneven stone paths, wide-open views, and very little separating you from the landscape. Acrocorinth, which rises above ancient Corinth, has served as a strategic fortress for centuries. Methoni Castle sits on a peninsula surrounded by the Ionian Sea, while Voidokilia looks almost impossibly symmetrical from above.
This part of Greece also offers an easy way to add wine to the story. Near Acrocorinth is Nemea, one of Greece’s most important wine regions and the home of Agiorgitiko, a native red grape known for producing everything from fresh, fruit-forward wines to richer bottles capable of aging.
One appealing stop is Palivou Estate, located near the archaeological site of Ancient Nemea. Visitors can tour the vineyard and cellar before tasting the estate’s wines. From May through October, Palivou also offers private tastings in a beautifully converted train carriage overlooking the vines.
Movie locations, ancient ruins, and Greek wine without a giant tour bus in sight? That sounds like a very good itinerary to me.
Sicily: Odysseus’ Island and a Glass of Marsala
Sicily plays a major role in the film, particularly the island of Favignana, the largest of the Egadi Islands off Sicily’s western coast. The cast and crew spent months filming along its rocky shoreline, quiet coves, and historic harbor. Castello di Santa Caterina, perched above the island, is among the landmarks featured.
Favignana feels like the sort of place that should be approached by water. It is reached by hydrofoil from Trapani and is best explored slowly—by bicycle, boat, or a combination of both. Cala Rossa, sea caves, limestone cliffs, and clear Mediterranean water create the kind of scenery that needs very little cinematic assistance.
Filming also took place around the volcanic Aeolian Islands, including Lipari, Vulcano, and Basiluzzo. These islands lie off Sicily’s northeastern coast, so they should be treated as a separate part of a Sicilian journey rather than squeezed into the same day as Favignana.
The wine connection here is particularly fitting. Trapani is close to Marsala, birthplace of the famous fortified wine. Historic Cantine Florio dates to 1833 and offers cellar experiences focused on how Marsala is made and aged, often ending with guided tastings and food pairings.
For travelers who have only encountered Marsala in a recipe, tasting a dry, aged Marsala inside the coastal cellars where it matures may be a revelation. Pairing Favignana with a night or two in western Sicily—and a serious Marsala tasting—would add depth without adding chaos.
Scotland: Circe’s Island Meets Speyside Whisky
Scotland may be one of the movie’s more unexpected stand-ins for the ancient Mediterranean. Nolan’s team spent roughly six weeks along the Moray coast, filming at Findlater Castle, Culbin Forest, Burghead, and Buckie.
The ruins of Findlater Castle, balanced dramatically on cliffs above the North Sea, represent Circe’s island. Culbin Forest provides a completely different atmosphere with its dense pines and shifting dunes, while Buckie Harbour hosted a full-scale Viking longship that stood in for an ancient Greek vessel.
Of all the filming regions, this one may offer the easiest whiskey pairing. The Moray coast sits beside Speyside, home to one of the world’s greatest concentrations of Scotch whisky distilleries.
Benromach in Forres is well placed for a journey that includes Culbin Forest and the Moray coast. It is a working distillery known for a subtly smoky Speyside style. Glen Moray in Elgin also welcomes visitors for tours and tastings in a smaller, working-distillery setting.
This could become a wonderful road trip: ruined castles, fishing villages, a windswept coastline, and thoughtfully selected distillery visits. It is also exactly the sort of Scotland experience I prefer—smaller, slower, and well away from the flag-following crowds.
Morocco: Ancient Troy, Atlantic Coast, and an Unexpected Vineyard
The fortified village of Aït Benhaddou reportedly serves as ancient Troy in the movie. This UNESCO World Heritage site, built from earthen clay along a historic caravan route, already has a long screen résumé that includes Lawrence of Arabia and Game of Thrones.
Additional scenes were filmed around Marrakech, Tahannaout, El Haouz, and Essaouira. Together, these locations show very different sides of Morocco: the ochre walls and maze-like streets of Marrakech, the High Atlas landscape, Aït Benhaddou’s towers, and Essaouira’s windswept Atlantic shoreline.
Wine may not be the first thing that comes to mind when planning Morocco, which makes Domaine du Val d’Argan even more interesting. Located outside Essaouira, the estate grows Rhône varieties such as Syrah, Grenache, and Viognier in an Atlantic-influenced climate. Visits and tastings should be arranged in advance.
An itinerary combining Marrakech, Aït Benhaddou, and Essaouira would need enough time to account for the mountain roads and distances. This is not a trip to rush. But with a private driver, a beautiful riad, the right local guides, and a vineyard stop near the coast, it could be extraordinary.
Iceland: The Edge of Another World
Iceland has appeared in several of Nolan’s films, and it is easy to understand why. For The Odyssey, production used remote highland and glacier landscapes, with a full-size ship set constructed near Landeyjahöfn harbor on the south coast.
The scenery is the attraction here: black volcanic earth, ice, waterfalls, harsh weather, and an enormous sense of space. The south coast can be combined with Vík, glacier experiences, and a stay far enough from Reykjavík to enjoy the quieter hours after the day tours leave.
There are Icelandic distilleries, but I would not force one into this particular route simply to check a box. The filming area is about the landscape, and sometimes the best itinerary decision is knowing when a detour adds value—and when it does not.
A Movie-Inspired Trip Without Turning It Into a Checklist
Trying to visit every Odyssey filming location in one trip would be its own ten-year journey. The better approach is to choose one region and use the movie as a starting point rather than a checklist.
For wine, I would choose Greece or western Sicily. For whisky, Scotland is the clear winner. For dramatic contrast, Morocco combines ancient architecture, mountains, desert tones, and the Atlantic coast. For pure, otherworldly scenery, Iceland is difficult to beat.
The best movie-inspired travel is not about stepping off a bus, taking the same photo everyone else has taken, and moving on. It is about letting a story introduce you to a place—and then experiencing that place on its own terms.
And if my son decides to see The Odyssey for a fifth time, perhaps I should consider it research.
