10 free movie locations in Italy

There are so many reasons why Italy makes the perfect filming location.  

Its diverse scenery, green, fertile lands and idyllic historic towns and villages capture the hearts of many.  
Through film, they showcase the diverse landscapes of Italy, making it a popular destination among filmmakers across various genres. 

And in this guide, I'm taking you to the world of some of the movies filmed in Italy. I’ll be showing you 10 of the best free movie locations in Italy and how you can visit them. 

Set in chronological order, the post is a fun list of on location vacations and makes a unique travel itinerary for Italian movie lovers. 

Writing about different filming locations in Italy is turning into somewhat of a growing theme on this site.

I’ve previously written about The Godfather movie locations in Sicily and The White Lotus film locations. 
All are unique ideas to add to your Italy bucket list and a fun way to visit Italy.  

Featuring some of the best places to visit in Italy, use this post to help plan your Italy trip. 

Italian cinema 

For diehard Italian cinema movie buffs, the list of some of the best movies set in Italy is endless. 

Some of the most notable Italian movies include: 

• Ladri di biciclette (The Bicycle Thief) (1948) – Vittorio De Sica  
• I Vitelloni (The Young and the Passionate) (1953) – Federico Fellini  
• Un Americano a Roma (An American in Rome) (1954) – Steno 
• La Dolce Vita (1960) – Federico Fellini  
• Cinema Paradiso (1988) – Giuseppe Tornatore 
• Il Postino (The Postman) (1994) – Michael Radford 
• La vita è bella (Life is Beautiful) (1997) – Roberto Benigni 
• Malèna (2000) – Giuseppe Tornatore 
• La Grande Bellezza (The Great Beauty) (2013) – Paolo Sorrentino 

These are just a few examples of movies that capture the beauty, and cultural richness, of Italy on screen. 

10 free movie locations in Italy 

American movies filmed in Italy 

1. Roman Holiday (1953)  

Roman Holiday tells the story of a European princess (Audrey Hepburn) that meets an American journalist (Gregory Peck) in Rome. The enchanting romantic comedy is one of many movies filmed in Rome. 

Roman Holiday showcases several famous places in Rome.

They include: 

• the Colosseum (Colosseo) – an ancient Roman amphitheater  
• Roman Forum (Foro Romano) – the heart of ancient Rome, the area contains several ancient government buildings 
• Spanish Steps (Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti) – one of the most famous and iconic staircases in Rome 

All three of these attractions are free to visit in Rome. However, you must book tickets to visit the Colosseum grounds and to explore the Roman Forum.  

Where was the final scene of Roman Holiday filmed? 

The final scene of Roman Holiday was filmed at the Roman Forum, where Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck share a poignant moment. It's a fitting setting to the movie’s romantic conclusion.  

2. Summertime (1955)  

Summertime tells the story of an American woman (Katharine Hepburn) traveling solo in Venice for the first time. Here, she meets and falls in love with a married Italian antiques dealer (Rossano Brazzi). 

Summertime is one of several movies set in Venice Italy. Some notable filming locations in the city include Piazza San Marco and the beautiful island of Burano. 

3. Don't Look Now (1973)  

Don’t Look Now tells the story of a grief-stricken couple that travel to Venice for work. 

There are several free movie locations in Venice where the psychological thriller was filmed. They include: 

• Hotel Gabrielli (very close to the Grand Canal) 
• Church of San Nicolò dei Mendicoli (close to the University of Venice campus) 

Director Nicolas Roeg decided against featuring classic Venice landmarks to avoid the movie coming across like a travel documentary.

4. Tea with Mussolini (1999)  

Tea with Mussolini tells the story of a young Italian boy’s upbringing by a circle of British and American women. The movie is set in the period before and during the Second World War. 

The movie's locations feature some of the most beautiful places in Tuscany. They include: 

• Florence – the capital of the Tuscany region 
• San Gimignano – a beautiful medieval town 
• Montepulciano – another town in Tuscany that’s best known for its wine production 
• Lucca – a Tuscan city famous for its intact Renaissance walls and historic architecture 
• Cortona – a picturesque town in Tuscany. The charming narrow streets, historic buildings and scenery make Cortona one of the best free movie locations in Italy 

5. Gladiator (2000) 

Gladiator tells the story of Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe). After his father is murdered, he becomes a gladiator and rises through the ranks to avenge his family’s deaths. 

Gladiator features several scenes that were filmed in Rome and across Italy. This was to best represent ancient Rome and other locations from the Roman Empire.  

They include: 

• The Colosseum (outside) – however, many of the gladiatorial scenes were filmed at a replica of the Colosseum at Fort Ricasoli in Malta 
• Roman Forum – parts of the Forum were also recreated to represent ancient Rome 
• Orcia Valley (Pienza walls) – the scene of Maximus’ home in Tuscany

Map of Italy

6. Under the Tuscan Sun (2003) 

Under the Tuscan Sun is about a recently divorced American woman (Diane Lane) that buys a villa in Tuscany.  

While many scenes were filmed in Tuscany, the movie was also filmed in other locations across Italy.

Where was Under the Tuscan Sun filmed?

Some of these include: 

• Cortona  
• Montepulciano 
• Positano – the coastal town of Positano on the Amalfi Coast was another filming location. 

7. Eat Pray Love (2010)  

Eat Pray Love is a movie about an American woman’s (Julia Roberts) quest of self-discovery through travel. Her first destination is Rome Italy where she discovers the pleasure of eating pasta and gelato (just not together).  

Where was Eat Pray Love filmed in Rome? 

Eat Pray Love was filmed in several locations in Rome. They include: 

• Piazza Navona – a grand square with fountains and historic buildings 
• Campo de' Fiori – a lively market square  
• The Pantheon – an ancient Roman temple with an iconic dome 
• Trastevere – a Rome neighborhood characterized by quaint narrow streets and bars and trattorias 

Aside from entering the Pantheon, for which you must book tickets, the rest are fabulous free movie locations in Italy. 

8. The American (2010) 

The American tells the story of American spy Jack (George Clooney) who’s hiding out in a village in Abruzzo. 

Most of the movie locations in Italy were filmed in and around the Abruzzo region. They include: 

• Castel del Monte – a hillside medieval town in L’Aquila, northern Abruzzo 
• Sulmona – a small city in the L’Aquila province 
• Castelvecchio Calvasio – a small town in the same province 
• Campo Imperatore – mountain grassland area located in the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park 
• San Domenico Tunnel (Galleria San Domenico) – a tunnel that connects Rome to Torano and Pescara

9. When in Rome (2010) 

A title that’s a dead giveaway to its movie location, When in Rome is an American romantic comedy. 

The movie was mainly filmed in Rome and features classic attractions like Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps and the Colosseum. The other half of the movie was filmed in New York City. 

10. To Rome with Love (2012)  

To Rome with Love is a romantic comedy, in the style of a love letter, told through four separate stories. Directed by Woody Allen, the most famous Rome movie filming locations include: 

• The Spanish Steps 
• Trevi Fountain – an iconic fountain in Rome that’s sometimes referred to as the ‘Fountain of Love’. Many visitors come to toss a coin over their left shoulder using their right hand into the fountain. Legend has it that by following this tradition it ensures a return trip to Rome.  
• Piazza Navona 
• the Colosseum 

English movies filmed in Italy 

Below is a list of English movies filmed in Italy. I’ve included the movie locations in Italy by each of the titles. 

• The Italian Job (1969 and 2003) – both movie versions featured car chases that were filmed in Turin  
• A Room with a View (1985) – several pivotal scenes were filmed in Florence, Tuscany 
• The English Patient (1996) – around Tuscany, and the Church of St. Anna in Camprena near Pienza
• The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) – Ischia, Naples, Rome, Venice, Positano, Cortina d’Ampezzo 

What are your thoughts of this list of free movie locations in Italy? Is it an itinerary that you’d enjoy following when visiting Italy? Let me know in the comments below.