Movies that will inspire some serious wanderlust.

From classics like Out of Africa to modern movies such as Eat, Pray, Love, travel films tend to ignite a longing for a life-changing adventure. Here are a selection of movies that will have you planning your dream itinerary even before the movie is over.

THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES

Based on the journals of medical student turned Latin American revolutionary Che Guevara, the film documents a 14,000km trip that begins in Argentina and ends in Peru. Ernesto Guevara (Gael Bernal) and his friend Alberto ‘Mial’ Granado (Rodrigo De la Serna, Guevara’s real-life second cousin) hop on a motorbike and ride across South America for eight months, travelling through five different countries. Guevara found his life’s calling through the trip. The movie, which features amazing footage of desert and rainforest, will inspire you to book your tickets to this captivating continent.

AWAY WE GO

This hilarious road movie is about a couple (John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph) expecting their first child and looking for the perfect place to start their family. They set off on a whirlwind tour of disparate locations where they have family and friends, sampling the different cities and climates. Their journey takes them from Phoenix and Tucson to Madison and Montreal, and gives the viewer a wonderful tour of North America’s cities.

UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN

Starring Diane Lane, this 2003 film was based on Frances Mayes’ book of the same name. It centres around a recently divorced San Francisco writer who buys a villa in Tuscany on a whim. As Frances meets new people, has a new romantic interest, and starts enjoying her life once more, she realises love will find you when you least expect it. Under the Tuscan Sun was shot mainly in Cortona, located in the province of Arezzo in southern Tuscany, and in the hills around Tuoro sul Trasimeno, a picturesque lakeside town in Umbria. The movie touched a chord with countless viewers, inspiring them to pack their bags for Italy.

EAT, PRAY, LOVE

Based on the bestselling memoir of the same name, the movie stars Julia Roberts as Elizabeth Gilbert, a well-respected New York writer who embarks on a year-long journey to “find herself”. Her quest takes her to Rome and Naples, where she enjoys the food and learns Italian; to an ashram in India for meditation and prayer; and to Bali, where she discovers true love and inner peace.

THE WAY

After his son, Daniel, is killed in a storm in the Pyrenees while tackling the Camino de Santiago — a centuries-old pilgrimage over Spanish mountain country to the Cathedral de Santiago — American doctor Thomas Avery, played by Martin Sheen, heads to Spain to identify his son’s body. After cremating his son, he decides to scatter the ashes along the journey Daniel had planned to trek. The 800km expedition forces him to make friends and arrive at a reconciliation with his son for having undertaken what he had once considered a foolhardy journey. The movie captures the beautiful countryside, scenes of which may persuade you to make the famed pilgrimage yourself.

OUT OF AFRICA

If Africa isn’t on your bucket list, this is the movie that most likely may change your mind. Meryl Streep and Robert Redford star in this true story about Karen Blixen, a Danish woman who moves to Nairobi with her new husband, and builds a new life there despite their many marital issues. Out of Africa features panoramic shots of Nairobi and won seven Academy Awards, including one for Best Cinematography.

Yearning to travel? The Automobile Association of Singapore will be gearing up for a 98-Day AA Autoventure London-Singapore Expedition Drive from 4 August to 10 November 2023. For enquiries, please email us at aa-events@aas.com.sg for more information.