Dynamic patterns of glowing green, pink and purple have been spotted by stargazers as far south as Kent and Cornwall. The natural light display, also known as an aurora, is typically seen in high-latitude regions around the Arctic and Antarctic. It is formed by a solar flare erupting on the Sun, which releases electrically charged particles that collide with gas molecules in Earth’s upper atmosphere. The interaction emits green and red colours over our poles, meaning in the UK the Northern Lights are often only visible in Scotland and parts of northern England. However, in a rare occurrence, the phenomenon has been seen in the South of England, and is expected to be visible in parts of the UK again tonight.
Movies have a way of taking us on incredible journeys, transporting us from our seats to magical places we may never have dreamed of visiting. Whether it’s embarking on an international adventure like James Bond or living in a mysterious Transylvanian forest like Netflix’s Wednesday, films have the power to capture our imagination and fuel our wanderlust. Join us as we take you on a thrilling journey to some of Europe’s most cinematic destinations. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and get ready for an epic adventure!
Wednesday, Transylvania, Romania
Fans of the hit Netflix TV show Wednesday will be delighted to know that you can explore many of the series’ filming locations in Romania! The series is set in the fictional town of Nevermore and was primarily filmed on location in Romania, including Transylvania. Known for its stunning landscapes, medieval castles, and association with vampires and other creatures of folklore, Transylvania is the perfect setting for the show inspired by the spooky Addams Family! The filmmakers took advantage of the region’s unique landscapes and architecture to create a visually stunning and immersive world that will transport viewers to a world of darkness, magic, and mystery. Go deep into the heart of Transylvania on one of our many Romanian Experiences to see firsthand the beauty of this region!
Gladiator, Ait Ben Haddou, Morocco
Due to its unique appearance, historical significance, and stunning red desert landscape, Ait Benhaddou, a tiny town in southwestern Morocco, has been featured in a number of films and television shows, including Gladiator, Lawrence of Arabia, The Mummy, and Game of Thrones. In Gladiator, the city was used as a filming location for the fictional city of Zucchabar, where the protagonist Maximus (played by Russell Crowe) first meets the slave trader Proximo (played by Oliver Reed). Ait Benhaddou is a fortified city or ksar near the city of Ouarzazate. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is known for its stunning examples of earthen architecture, particularly its kasbahs, which are fortified houses or palaces. Ait Benhaddou is a popular tourist destination in Morocco, attracting visitors interested in its history, architecture, and cultural significance. Visitors can explore the city’s narrow streets, see the kasbahs and other buildings up close, and learn about the traditional way of life in this part of Morocco. Visit this stunning location on our 7-night Sahara Desert experience!
Argo, Istanbul, Turkey
While the film Argo is primarily set in Iran, much of the movie was actually filmed in various locations in Turkey, including Istanbul. Istanbul is a major city in Turkey that straddles Europe and Asia, and it is known for its rich history, stunning architecture, and unique cultural blend. In Argo, Istanbul was used to portray the streets of Tehran, Iran, during the 1979 hostage crisis. Many of the film’s key scenes, including the chaotic airport scenes and the tense chase through the narrow streets of Tehran, were actually filmed in and around Istanbul. The filmmakers chose Istanbul for its similarity in architecture and urban design to Tehran, which helped to create a convincing sense of place for the film. Additionally, the city’s vibrant energy and unique mix of cultures and influences added a sense of authenticity and richness to the film’s portrayal of the Middle East. Overall, Istanbul played an essential role in helping to bring the world of Argo to life on the big screen. The city’s rich history and culture provided the perfect backdrop for the film’s themes of political intrigue, espionage, and the complex relationship between Iran and the United States. Join us on a 4-night Hot Air Balloon experience with a stop-off in the stunning city of Istanbul!
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Petra, Jordan
Known for its stunning architecture and unique rock formations, the ancient city of Petra has become a world-renowned tourist attraction after appearing in Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade in 1989. In the film, Petra, one of the seven wonders of the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is portrayed as the location of the fictional “Canyon of the Crescent Moon”, which leads to the Holy Grail. The iconic scene where Indiana Jones (played by Harrison Ford) rides through the narrow passage between towering cliffs and emerges to see the ancient city of Petra in front of him was filmed on location in Petra. The filmmakers used Petra’s unique rock formations and ancient buildings to create a sense of mystery and awe, which helped to make the scene and the film as a whole so memorable. Today, visitors to Petra can see the same buildings and rock formations that were featured in the movie and experience the same sense of wonder and awe that Indiana Jones did on the big screen!
Mad Max: Fury Road, Namib Desert, Namibia
The stark, dramatic dunes of Namibia replaced Australia in the filming of the fourth installment of Mad Max after the first three were shot more locally. Originally planned to be shot in Broken Hill, unusual rainfall transformed the barren landscape into an oddly lush backdrop, which wasn’t ideal for the post-apocalyptic wasteland they were going for. The filmmakers chose the Namib Desert for its otherworldly landscapes and vast, open spaces, which helped to create the sense of a desolate, post-apocalyptic world. Many of the film’s most memorable scenes, including the car chases and battles, were filmed in the desert, often using practical effects and stunts rather than relying solely on computer-generated imagery (CGI). The Namib Desert provided the perfect backdrop for the film’s themes of survival, redemption, and the struggle for power in a harsh, unforgiving world. The filmmakers took advantage of the desert’s unique geological features, such as towering sand dunes and rugged canyons, to create a visually stunning and immersive film that has become a modern classic of the action genre. Today, visitors to Namibia can visit many of the locations used in the film and experience the same sense of awe and wonder that the filmmakers did when they first arrived in the Namib Desert to shoot Mad Max: Fury Road.
Game of Thrones, Dubrovnik, Croatia
In Game of Thrones, Dubrovnik was used to film many of the show’s most iconic scenes, including the infamous “Walk of Shame” sequence in which Cersei Lannister walks through the city streets while being humiliated by the people of King’s Landing. Other notable locations in Dubrovnik used in the show include Fort Lovrijenac, which served as the exterior of the Red Keep, and the Jesuit Staircase, which was used for the iconic scene where Cersei watches the destruction of the Sept of Baelor. The filmmakers chose Dubrovnik for its stunning architecture, which provided the perfect backdrop for the series’ medieval world. The city’s well-preserved walls and fortifications, narrow streets, and historic buildings helped to create a sense of authenticity and immersion that helped to make the show a global phenomenon. Today, visitors to Dubrovnik can take Game of Thrones-themed tours that will take them to many of the locations used in the show and provide a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the series. Dubrovnik has become a must-visit destination for fans of the show, and it continues to attract visitors from all over the world who want to experience the magic of Game of Thrones for themselves. Enjoy time in Dubrovnik before embarking on a Mini-Bosnian adventure!
James Bond ‘No Time to Die’, Matera, Italy
Matera, a city in southern Italy, was one of the primary filming locations for the James Bond film “No Time to Die”. The city is known for its unique architecture, including the ancient cave dwellings ” Sassi ” carved into the side of a hill, and has a rich cultural history spanning thousands of years, which the filmmakers used to create a sense of depth and authenticity for the film. The city’s ancient cave dwellings, churches, and palaces provided a rich tapestry of locations and settings that helped to bring the film’s story to life. The city’s rugged terrain and dramatic vistas provided the perfect backdrop for high-speed car chases, intense action scenes, and breathtaking aerial shots. Visit Matera on our 4-night Dolce Vita experience, we can’t guarantee you’ll feel as cool as 007 but we can guarantee a good time!
Did any of these movie locations surprise you? If any of the destinations mentioned above have sparked your interest please get in touch! info@untravelledpaths.com
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With remote mountain cabins, glacial lakes, and the incredibly pretty capital of Ljubljana, Slovenia offers the perfect outdoor getaway. Don’t believe us? Check out these 12 images instead!
Tolminska Korita (Also called Tolmin gorge) is a 1km long gorge located in the southern part of the Triglav National Park. The gorge is easily accessed by a well-maintained trail with various viewpoints, providing incredible views of these stunning blue waters. The entrance to the gorge is a 15 min walk from the town Tolmin – Images by @nix_on_an_adventure
Predjama Castle in Slovenia has been perched in the middle of a 123-metre-high cliff for more than 800 years. Behind the castle is a network of secret tunnels and underneath you’ll find the second longest cave in Slovenia. The longest cave is the one in Postojna, which is just around the corner and can easily be combined on a day trip. – Images by @visual.passport
Velika Planina is another small piece of paradise in Slovenia. It’s a perfect place to visit, admire nature, and eat some great food at any time of year. But we love to hike there the most when it’s totally covered in snow and it feels almost as if you were hiking somewhere in Lapland! – Images by @mihael.cc
Lake Jasna is a small, aquamarine lake with white sand around its rim and the high mountain peaks of the Julian Alps as a dramatic backdrop. – Images by @coconutsandcamels
Sitting high on the hill above the pretty Slovenian port town of Piran you will find one of its most remarkable landmarks: The Church of St. George. This church was reconstructed in the early 17th century in a Venetian Renaissance style and the bell tower is actually modeled after St. Mark’s Campanile in Venice. – Images by @visual.passport
Lake Bled is undoubtedly one of the most popular highlights in Slovenia and it’s immediately clear why.
Amidst the mountainous landscape lies a beautiful clear blue lake. In the middle an enchanting little island with a beautiful church. Bled Castle towers above the lake and idyllic boats and little ducks glide across the water. – Images by @visual.passport
Often described as one of the most liveable cities in the world. Copenhagen is a haven for foodies, art lovers, design enthusiasts, and history buffs. Whether you plan to taste your way around Copenhagen’s famous food scene, ride a bicycle along its pretty roads or visit one of its many museums, there’s plenty to explore in the Danish capital! Here’s our pick of the best things to see and do in your short visit to Copenhagen.
Top tip: A Copenhagen Card (copenhagencard.com), which can be purchased online or at the airport, gives unlimited use of public transport and free entrance to 72 museums and attractions for 24 or 48 hours (DKK379 or DKK529, or from about £43, up to two children under 10 free).
Day 1:
Morning: Start the day grabbing a bite to eat at the hip Kaffekalaset before exploring Copenhagen’s colourful streets
Head to the laidback Kaffe kalaset to grab a bite to eat in the morning. The neighbourhood cafe/bar is run by an Italian-Swedish couple and has a super informal vibe and homely vintage decor. All-day breakfasts and brunch can be partnered with an alcoholic drink as this place is a great spot for early birds and night owls alike! We suggest getting the fluffy pancakes topped with local berries for a sweet fix to set you up for the day. Yum!
Now you’ve satisfied your hunger, head over to one of Copenhagen’s most iconic areas. The colourful houses of Nyhavn were once frequented by rowdy sailors seeking female company in its many taverns, now a popular tourist area, it has transformed into a lively space full of restaurants and shops. If you are looking for somewhere to sit back and people-watch during the summer, this is the place. From here you can catch a boat along the canal to admire the city and a fun way to see Copenhagen’s sights. With the company of a tour guide, the boat departs from Nyhavn and takes you to the city’s main attractions. National Bank of Denmark, the Opera, the Little Mermaid, Amaliehaven, and Our Saviour’s Church are only some of which you’ll come across, while you sit back and enjoy the cool breeze. After that walk over to Snaregade and Magstræde and marvel at the higgledy-piggledy array of different-sized houses with brightly painted plasterwork. They are two of the oldest streets in the Old Town of Copenhagen and still have their original cobbles.
Afternoon: Head toTorvehallerne food market before walking up the Round Tower
For lunch head to Torvehallerne food market. Situated right by Nørreport Station, it is one of the most diverse food halls in Europe, offering more than 80 shops, bars, and eateries to choose from. Here you’ll find everything from fresh fish, local butcher stalls, seasonal veg, bottle shops, and deli counters selling artisan produce. Seafood lovers should make a stop by Hav, a great fish shop that consists of a fresh department where you can buy the sea’s best catch, as well as an open kitchen where you can sample gourmet fish tapas, freshly cooked shellfish, freshly fried herring in vinegar, terrines, pies, fish meatballs and whatever other exciting ideas the chef has caught. It was my birthday and I was feeling fancy so we ordered the champagne and oysters which the woman behind the counter suggested pairing with a fiery mango hot sauce, such a delicious birthday experience and a food market worth visiting!
Walk over to one of the best-known and most popular structures in Denmark, the Round Tower has been a distinctive feature of the Copenhagen skyline since 1642. Located today on one of the city center’s busy shopping streets, it’s easy to escape the crowds and walk up the wide spiral path to the top of the tower to witness some of the best city views below. This is another attraction that is covered by the Copenhagen Card!
Evening: Slurp away at Slurp Ramen Joint before a nightcap at Lidkoeb
With no real plans for dinner, we decided to wander around until something caught our eye and it didn’t take long before spotting the electric pink neon sign that is Slurp Ramen Joint. A cosy 21-seat restaurant dedicated to making the best ramen in all of Scandinavia, that gives you the experience of a buzzing ramen joint with good vibes, great music, and even better food! While the menu is small, it has options for both meat lovers and vegetarians making it the perfect spot to get your slurp on. End the evening with a nightcap in Lidkoeb, a cosy cocktail bar hidden away in a back alley in the cool district of Vesterbrogade. Expect old chesterfield sofas, a roaring fire, and some of the best whiskey-based cocktails out there. The perfect spot to end the first day.
Day 2:
Morning: Fill up on Danish pastries before admiring some incredible modern art and danish design
A trip to Denmark is not complete without sampling the delicious danish pastries! Copenhagen has an array of cafes and bakeries offering baked goods but I recommend Hart Bageri to really satisfy your sweet tooth. It was an incredibly hard decision to pick just one but ended up going for the spandauer, a mouth-watering cutard-y treat. No regrets.
You won’t experience what is inside this building anywhere else in the world. The Danes care about design in a way that deserves to be seen and not just read about and nowhere is it more obvious than at the Designmuseum Denmark. Denmark is incredibly influential in the world of modern design so this is a must-see if you are interested in that. Again this is free entry with your Copenhagen card so it’s worth a visit!
Afternoon: Try a traditional danish Smørrebrød at Ibens Smorrebrodbefore visiting the medical museum
Again like many of the places we visited, we stumbled across Ibens Smorrebrod after our visit to the Design Museum. Serving some of the city’s best smørrebrød, I found Ibens Smorrebrod to be incredibly welcoming and very well-priced compared to a lot of places in Copenhagen. The Danish smørrebrød, also known as the open-face sandwich, is a beloved part of Danish cuisine that you should try at least once while visiting, and what better place to try!
Take advantage of your Copenhagen pass and visit the Medical Museion. Dating from 1787, the building originally housed the Royal Danish Academy of Surgery however nowadays it is home to a collection of fascinating medical curiosities from preserved body parts to old medical equipment. At the centre of the museum is the anatomical theatre in which generations of medical students witnessed dissections of corpses and learned about anatomy. The anatomical theatre is still used for public lectures, doctoral defences, and teaching. Medical Museion also hosts concerts, performance art and theatre in its historical surroundings, and arranges public events based on the exhibitions. This is one museum that is definitely not for the squeamish!
Evening: Head to the meatpacking district and dine in an old pâté factory
Copenhagen’s trendy Meatpacking District is home to numerous restaurants, bars, and markets to check out. While we were there we booked a last-minute table at Paté Paté, the oldest restaurant in Meatpacking District. This pâté factory-turned-restaurant presents itself as a wine bar, eatery, and tapas bar all roll into. Between the two of us, we ordered seven dishes which was probably a bit too many but everything looked too good not to try. The food is inspired by Spain, France, the Middle East, and Morocco and the menu regularly changes but I highly recommend the burrata with salted courgette, spring onions, chili, basil, and walnuts! Sharing food at its best!
Morning: Carb up at a Danish bakery before catching the train to the Louisana Museum
There is no better way to start a day of exploring than with a sticky Kanelsnegle, otherwise known as a cinnamon swirl. In Denmark, you will find them in every single bakery, lining the window display cases in all their beautiful, sweet, spiced glory. We somehow managed to find the largest cinnamon swirls in the whole of Denmark (added my head for size comparison).
After filling up, take the train to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. Often hailed as one of the most beautiful museums in the world, It’s home to constantly changing exhibitions of modern works by international artists and an outdoor sculpture park, and lucky for us the entrance fee is covered by the Copenhagen pass. It’s located in Humlebæk, North Sealand, in a beautiful old park offering magnificent panoramic views of the Sound and is fairly easy to reach by train. The park provides a magnificent setting for Louisiana’s large sculpture collection and the building itself is absolutely stunning so it’s definitely worth a visit, even if you aren’t too fussed about modern art. The gift shop also serves as the perfect place to pick out a souvenirs and the restaurant/cafe serves up some tasty meals!
Afternoon: Head back to Copenhagen and visit the hippy town of Christiania
Christiania is a former military base that sat abandoned for many years before becoming the neighborhood we know today. In 1971, a group of hippies broke down the barricades and began squatting there. Nowadays, approximately 900 people live in the area, comprising a community that has its own rules and regulations completely independent of the Danish government. From breakfast and brunch to hamburgers and vegetarian restaurants, Christiania is a place to suit all food tastes and a perfect spot for lunch.
Even though Copenhagen is a small city, it has so many things to see and do that it feels that 72 hours isn’t enough time to properly explore it. However, this guide is proof that all you need is a good plan and the eagerness to dive in! So what are you waiting for?
