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Dreaming about future travel can be a welcome relief from the heavy news of the day. Who doesn’t love a movie with grand landscapes and memorable characters dressed in attractive costumes? Great films can provide a nice escape from reality, and help you research a future journey to a foreign destination. From Africa, Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, India, Bali, Paris, Ireland, Australia and more, here are the 10 Best Movies for Women to Inspire Travel Plans for the Future, and one sequel (just for fun!)

Out of Africa

Favorite Lines: “I don’t want to live someone else’s idea of how to live. Don’t ask me to do that. I don’t want to find out one day that I’m at the end of someone else’s life.“

If you’ve ever dreamed of travel to the continent also known as the Garden of Eden, Out of Africa (starring the powerhouse duo of Meryl Streep and Robert Redford) will be all the travel inspiration you need to plan a trip there. This epic love story revolves around the life of an upper class Danish woman named Karen Blixen (Streep) who moves to British East Africa (now Kenya) to be with her husband who has purchased a coffee plantation.

 After she discovers he is unfaithful, she falls in love with a big game hunter named Denys Finch Hatton (Redford) when he appears at just the right moment during an encounter with lions on her property. From sweeping shots of golden tipped vegetation growing on the savannah, to an aerial scene from Hatton’s biplane showing wild animals running across the plains, you will be forever drawn to the beauty of Africa.

Mama Mia 

Favorite Line: “It’s called karma. And it’s pronounced ha!”

This former Broadway comedy musical was filmed on the beautiful small island of Skopelos in Western Greece. Mama Mia! has a star-studded cast that includes Meryl Streep, Christine Baranski, Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan, and more. While Donna (Streep), gets her rustic inn ready for her daughter (Amanda Seyfried) Sophie’s wedding, Sophie invites three men from Donna’s past to the island ceremony to see which one of them will admit to being her father.  

From picturesque white washed houses, an old Greek church high on a hill, and rocky beaches surrounded by the stunning blue Aegean Sea, this movie is a travel poster for Greece. Mama Mia! is a fun movie to watch because you can’t help but sing along to the well known songs by Abba, and be impressed by Streep’s singing. The sequel (Mama Mia! Here We go Again) also includes scenes in London and Paris, and a wonderful performance by Cher who belts out the song “Fernando” with such power, you feel like you are at one of her concerts. 

Last Holiday

Favorite Line: “Next time… we will laugh more, we’ll love more; we just won’t be so afraid.”

When an introverted retail clerk named Georgia Byrd (Queen Latifah) learns she has a terminal illness, she decides to quit her job and take one Last Holiday abroad. She cashes in her savings and treats herself to a life of luxury on her trip. By the end of her journey, Georgia finds herself and realizes her true gifts while enjoying a fabulous meal and conversation with the hotel’s renowned chef. 

From her small town life in New Orleans, Louisiana to inspired worldwide travel in Tirol, Austria and the Czech Republic, Last Holiday provides a great scenic contrast and an introduction to both Western and Eastern Europe. The historic Grand Hotel Pupp (where she stays) in the Czech Republic is simply stunning.

Under the Tuscan Sun

Favorite Line: “Unthinkably good things can happen, even late in the game.”

If you’ve ever grown tired of your life and fantasized about packing up and moving to Italy, Under the Tuscan Sun will be a treat. Newly divorced Frances Mayes (Diane Lane) is given a trip to Italy by friends and on a whim, buys a rustic Tuscan villa she notices from the window of her tour bus. While processing her feelings over her divorce, she gets to know and befriends many of the locals who come to repair her house. Her life begins to change after meeting an inspiring stylish older woman in town who helps her embrace who she is at this stage of life, and a gorgeous younger Italian man who becomes her lover.  

This female travel movie shines with scenes of sun-drenched Tuscany, rolling hills of lush vegetation, and lots of mouth-watering food. The charm of the Italian people and Frances’ crumbling old villa are more than enough to inspire wanderlust. Under the Tuscan Sun is a lovely movie to watch while you settle into a comfy spot and enjoy a glass of wine (or your favorite beverage of choice). And when it ends, start planning your future trip to Tuscany.

Eat, Pray, Love

Favorite Line: “Listen, balance, my darling, is not letting anybody love you less than you love yourself.”

If you love movies about traveling the world, this one’s for you. Yet another female travel movie of a woman who sets off on a quest to redefine herself after divorce, but with the added benefit of a journey to three different continents. Liz Gilbert’s (Julia Roberts) first stop in Eat, Pray, Love is Rome and Naples (Italy) where she finds comfort in food and wine, and challenges herself with lessons in Italian. Next up is Delhi and Patudi (India) where she joins an Ashram and tries to find peace through meditation and prayer. Finally, she goes to Ubud and Bali (Indonesia) where she learns wisdom from an old medicine man, and finds love with another expat (Javier Bardem).

Based on the true story of writer Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love is rich in travel scenery. From the opening roof top shots in New York city (upscale life before divorce) to endless close-ups of true Italian treats (gelato, pizza, pasta), and iconic sights like the Colosseum, you’re hooked. In India, the crowded, colorful markets teeming with vendors selling wares contrasted with the absolute peace in the ashram is fascinating. At the end, the tropical beauty of Bali and the luxurious outdoor bedroom made me add this destination to my bucket list.  

Wild

Favorite Line: “What if what made me do all those things everyone thought I shouldn’t have done was what also got me here?”

Wild is a woman’s wilderness adventure based on a true story. In 1995, Cheryl Strayed took a 1,100 mile solo hike along the rugged Pacific Coast Trail. Motivated to stop her downward spiral from depression after the death of her mother and the end of her marriage, Cheryl (Reece Witherspoon) straps on a backpack and hits the trail. Along the way, she is tested by bugs, wild animals, thirst, blisters, difficult terrain, threatening male hikers, and her own thoughts before coming to the end in better shape mentally and physically.

The Pacific Crest trail spans from the edge of the Mexico/California border all the way to the Washington/Canada border, but Cheryl hiked from the Mojave Desert of California all the way through the state of Oregon. The movie, Wild, perfectly conveys  the vivid beauty of this natural wilderness, and captures the subtle changes of light on the landscape from dawn to dusk. If you’re an adventure loving traveler, you’ll be inspired to test your skills along the PCT. And if you never plan to visit the trail, this journey movie will still help you feel like you’ve experienced forest and desert hiking. 

P.S. I Love You

Favorite Line: “They say that nothing lasts forever, but I am a firm believer that for some, love lives on even after we’re gone.”

This classic love story begins when an American girl (Hillary Swank) meets a local guy (Gerard Butler) in Ireland. Holly and Gerry marry and go through the ups an downs of married life in New York City, until he dies from a brain tumor. On her birthday, she gets a cake and a series of letters from her deceased husband Gerry to only be opened once a  month. Each letter challenges her to do something new to get out of her comfort zone and get on with life. One of the final letters tells her to take a trip back to Ireland where it all began.

I’ve been to Ireland and the beauty of this European country is nicely captured with the movie’s scenes of a slow walk on a winding road, fishing in a large, peaceful lake, and drinking with friends in a boisterous pub. P.S. I Love You is a love letter to Ireland, and  provides a nice contrast to the hurried pace of life in New York city. 

Thelma & Louise

Favorite Lines: “You’ve always been crazy. This is just the first chance you’ve had to express yourself.”

For the ultimate female adventures trip, settle in for a wild ride with Thelma & Louise (Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon) as they search for freedom and change from their boring lives. An innocent Girls Getaway weekend turns into an escape from the law after a drunken Thelma meets a man in a bar, and Louise shoots him when he tries to rape Thelma in the parking lot. Later, Thelma has a positive night of passion with a stranger named J.D. (a young Brad Pitt) before he takes off with the women’s money. A classic police chase at the end seals their fate.

Filmed in California and Utah, the movie shows small towns and the vast open skies of being out West. Thelma & Louise provides a life-changing road trip experience and showcases the power of female friendships.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Favorite Line: “The only real failure is the failure to try, and the measure of success is how you cope with disappointment.”

When seven British retirees decide to move to India for it’s exotic flavor and bargain prices, they choose their destination based on a hotel flyer and its catchphrase “Come spend your autumn years in an Indian palace.” Unluckily for them, the hotel is also past its prime although the new innkeeper (Dev Patel) tries his best to make it a hospitable place. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel features veteran British stars including Judi Dench and Maggie Smith.

From the airport in Essex, England to various locations in the popular tourist destination of Jaipur, India, this is a visual treat as well as a cleverly written movie with seven sub-plots. Vivid colors in the market, beautiful architecture of old, historic buildings , and a sense of the unique culture of India makes The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel a treasure. 

Midnight in Paris

Favorite Line: “I can never decide if Paris is more beautiful by day or by night.”

This entertaining tale revolves around a struggling novelist named Gil (Owen Wilson) vacationing in Paris with his fiancee Inez (Rachel McAdams) and her wealthy parents. After drinking too much at dinner one night, Gil takes a walk by himself and becomes disoriented on a lonely road at midnight. Just then, strangers in a 1920s era car pull up and invite him to go to a party. 

The rest of Midnight in Paris follows Gil as he time travels, falls in love with a woman from the past, and accompanies her to various high points in Parisian history. Along the way, they meet famous literary and artistic superstars including Hemingway, Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Picasso and others. Gil’s nighttime journeys to the past help him to finally see his present life in a new light. 

Midnight in Paris was filmed in late summer, and the City of Light was portrayed beautifully. All the most iconic landmarks in Paris are included from the sweeping view of the city from the high hill of Montmartre, the majestic Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower, to the flowering Tuilleries Garden and the cobblestone paths along the Seine. This film gives you the sense of a mini-vacation in Paris. 

Ladies in Black

Favorite Line: “Perhaps you will be a business woman. There are worse things.”

When a shy young woman takes a job at the high end Goode department store in Sydney, her world expands and her confidence grows. Set in the 1950s, this film is a fun coming-of-age story with great fashions and witty dialogue by the female employees known as the Ladies in Black. It reminds me somewhat of the shopgirl scenes in the Netflix show, the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

If you plan to visit Australia some day, Ladies in Black primarily gives you a taste of urban Australia with a few nature locations thrown in for fun. Filmed in several areas in New South Wales, Australia, it shows the lush Royal Botanic Garden and wonderful old architecture of buildings and stores in downtown Sydney. In one scene, the characters look down at a curving strip of Bondi Beach, famous for attracting surfers and sun worshippers. The Blue Mountains (a World Heritage site known for its endless span of Eucalyptus trees and hiking trails) is also included. 

Enjoy the Movies!

From the past to the present, and visits to Asia, Africa, North America, Europe and Australia, these 10 Best Movies to Inspire Travel Plans in the Future should provide hours of entertainment and double as travel research. Enjoy!

What’s your favorite travel inspiration movie? Please share it in the comments below.

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