From White Lotus to The Bear: Top set-jetting destinations for 2023
Set-jetting, which is essentially visiting the filming locations of your favourite TV show or movie, has been around for a while.
Plenty a fan has been inspired to visit New Zealand by the timeless Lord of the Rings trilogy, or the Scottish Highlands thanks to long-running TV hit Outlander, or New York City, which can be seen in just about everything — from Spider-Man to Sex and the City.
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Now, set-jetting has been tipped as a top travel trend for 2023, as more TV and movie locations grab attention on TikTok and Instagram.
Fancy giving it a go yourself? Here are a few classic and recent set-jetting must-visits to keep in mind (plus how to rack up points along the way)...
Taormina, Italy
As seen in: Season two of The White Lotus
Why go there? The HBO series, about the goings-on of wealthy guests at The White Lotus hotels, is one of the biggest shows around right now.
The first season was set in Hawaii, but the second season's main filming location on the island of Sicily has become an equally huge hit — in part thanks to the San Domenico Palace hotel's starring role. However, it's a been a popular tourist destination for hundreds of years, now being rediscovered by a wider audience.
Set on a hill on the eastern coast of Sicily, the town of Taormina is also known for its stunning views over the Ionian Sea, gorgeous beaches, its mountaintop castle (called either Taormina Castle or Castello Saraceno) and the Teatro Antico di Taormina, the remains of an Ancient Greek amphitheatre.
Getting there: The nearest airport is Catania-Fontanarossa (CTA), about an hour away by car. British Airways flies to CTA from London Heathrow (LHR). Low-cost airlines such as easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair and Wizz Air all fly to CTA from various U.K. airports.
As for hotels, San Domenico Palace is a Four Seasons hotel, but it's current popularity surge will likely see it booked up fast. In the nearby resort town Giardini Naxos, you can find Marriott's RG Naxos Hotel. IHG One Rewards members can also book at the villa hotel Monaci delle Terre Nere, about 30 minutes from Taormina itself, earning a minimum 10 points per $1USD spent on eligible room rates.
Finally, if you need a car, Avis operates from CTA, meaning you can earn 5 Avios per £1 spent on your rental.
Chicago, U.S.
As seen in: The Bear
Why go there? Plenty of films and TV shows have showcased the Windy City – from Ferris Bueller's Day Off and various Batman films, to the U.S. version of Shameless. There's even a trio of interconnected shows named after the city: Chicago P.D.,Chicago Med and Chicago Fire.
Most recently, however, was The Bear – an extremely tense and gripping FX drama, which aired on Disney Plus in the U.K., about a world-class chef trying to wrangle the kitchen of the run-down local sandwich shop left to him by his late brother.
The sandwich shop seen in the show actually exists: it's called Mr Beef On Orleans in real life. We see snippets of Chicago cityscape throughout its eight episodes. Of course, there's so much to see and do in Chicago regardless of any show – trying its famous deep-dish pizza, catching a Cubs game at Wrigley Field, wandering down Navy Pier or through Millennium Park, paying The Art Institute a visit…
Getting there: British Airways and Virgin Atlantic both fly from LHR to Chicago O'Hare (ORD).
Hotels-wise, we've rounded up the best points hotels in Chicago to deciding where to stay a bit easier. There are plenty of options at various levels of luxury for members of IHG One Rewards, Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy, too.
Auckland (and Hobbiton), New Zealand
As seen in: The Lord of the Rings trilogy and TV series The Rings of Power
Why go there? LOTR fans will already know that the Hobbiton village set used in the 2000s blockbuster movie trilogy is located in Matamata, New Zealand. It is a fully-fledged tourist attraction, unsurprisingly one of NZ's most popular, and it has been offering tours to the public in some form since 2002.
Once there, you'll see there's little wonder why the lush green landscapes of rural New Zealand were chosen to represent the Shire in Middle Earth. So, it adds up that the latest addition to the LOTR cannon, 2022 prequel TV series The Rings of Power, was also filmed in New Zealand for the same reason – utilising two studios in the city of Auckland just two hours away from Hobbiton by car) as well as the coastal suburb Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana, among other spots.
You don't need to be a fan of Peter Jackson's fantasy films and JRR Tolkien's original books to fancy a trip to New Zealand, though. There's plenty more for the nature lover to explore on both North Island and South Island – including the magnificent Milford Sound in Fiordland National Park.
Getting there: A flight to Auckland (AKL) from LHR will set you back anywhere between 24 and 30 plus hours, with at least one stop.
However, you do have airline options (which you learn more about in our guide): Air New Zealand (which offers Airpoints and is part of the Star Alliance), Singapore Airlines (for KrisFlyer Miles), or for Avios you can book via BA's website.
As for hotels where you can earn or redeem points, check out the Park Hyatt Auckland. New Zealand's tallest hotel is also in Auckland, a Holiday Inn Express, part of IHG.
Cáceres and Trujillo, Spain
As seen in: House of the Dragon
Why go there? Fans of HBO's Game of Thrones will be very familiar with many of the real-life backdrops used in all eight seasons.
Among the filming locations were the forests and castles of Northern Ireland, the volcanic landscapes of Iceland representing Wildling territory, and the golden-hued gates and streets of Croatia and Malta as King's Landing. Seville in Spain also played a part, with its famous Alcazar standing in for Dorne.
But in the seventh season — and in the 2022 prequel show House of the Dragon, about the once-ruling Targaryen dynasty – another Spanish gem shone as King's Landing. The walled city of Cáceres in the Extremadura region easily fits in, thanks to its medieval cobbled streets and an eclectic mix of architecture. Trujillo, a nearby town, also appears as the capital of Westeros.
If you could care less about either programme (or are perpetually disappointed by the former's finale), then this off-beat part of Spain is worth a wander in its own right. If you're keen to day-trip it, Cáceres is just under an hour away from the city of Merida by car.
Getting there: The nearest airport is Badajoz (BJZ) — which isn't really that close — so your best bet for flying is to reach Madrid (MAD) via U.K. airports including London (various), Manchester (MAN) and Edinburgh (EDI) and then go for a domestic flight.
For airlines to MAD, you've got various options, including low-cost options such as easyJet or Ryanair, or British Airways and Iberia.
You could also rent a car (Avios-earner Avis is available at MAD) for a three-hour drive from the capital or opt for a train journey (just ten minutes longer) to get you straight to Cáceres.
In terms of hotels there's the 4* Hotel NH Collection Cáceres Palacio de Oquendo, which is part of the NH Group, meaning you can earn or redeem Avios through their partnership with Iberia Plus. If you're not a member of Iberia Plus, you'll need to join.
Related: How to travel to Spain for (almost) free using points and miles
Wadi Rum, Jordan
Soon to be seen in: Dune: Part 2 and John Wick: Chapter 4
Why go there? This 720 square miles of desert in Jordan has appeared in everything from Lawrence of Arabia to Dune, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, The Martian and plenty more movies about Mars – thanks to its orange-red sand and undeniably otherworldly landscape.
According to IMDB, cinemagoers will next see it in Dune's sequel and the fourth instalment of Keanu Reeves' action-packed John Wick franchise.
It's truly a spectacular sight – and protected by UNESCO in part thanks to its rock formations (among them epic cliffs, gorges, and caverns) and the existence of petroglyphs, which the organisation says 'testifies' that humans have been there for some 12,000 years.
From cities Aqaba or Amman, you won't struggle to find a guided tour taking you to parts of the desert, where you can even stay the night in a traditional bedouin camp. Combine your trip with a visit to the ancient archaeological wonder Petra.
Getting there: Aqaba's King Hussein International Airport (AQJ) is the closest airport to Wadi Rum, which is served by easyJet from London Gatwick (LGW) direct, albeit it seems only at certain times of the year.
From LHR, you have direct options to Amman's Queen Alia International Airport (AMM) with British Airways and Royal Jordanian which is part of the Oneworld Alliance.
Aqaba has plenty of points hotels to peruse, from the 5* Al Manara from Marriott's Luxury Collection to similarly-rated DoubleTree by Hilton Aqaba. For IHG One Rewards, there's the InterContinental Aqaba. For World of Hyatt, there's the Hyatt Regency Aqaba Ayla Resort. There are even Mövenpick, and Kempinski branded hotels, both of which have their loyalty schemes.
It's a similar story in Amman, with the 5* Marriott Amman, Hilton Amman, InterContinental Amman or 5* Crowne Plaza Amman for IHG One Rewards, and the 5* Grand Hyatt Amman, among others.
Porto Heli and Spetses, Greece
As seen in: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Why go there? 2022 film Glass Onion, a sequel to hit Knives Out by director Rian Johnson, recently scored an Oscar nod for Best Adapted Screenplay. Shame there's no Academy Award for Most Beautiful Filming Location, as it would surely be able to take a stab at that category, too.
The murder-mystery plot plays out in the most picturesque way, thanks to the town of Porto Heli and the close-by isle of Spetses, located in the Peloponnese region of southern Greece.
A change of scenery for well-trodden islands like Santorini, Mykonos, Corfu and Crete, this port village offers pretty beaches, relaxing resort hotels, and regular ferries to Spetses for more beaches, easygoing nightlife, and fascinating tributes to historic figure Laskarina Bouboulina, who is widely thought to be the world Navy's first-ever female admiral. There's even a museum devoted to her.
Getting there: The nearest airport to Porto Heli is Athens International Airport (ATH), from which Porto Heli and Spetses are roughly a two-hour ferry ride away.
The airport is served by easyJet, Jet2 and Wizz Air from numerous U.K. airports, among other airlines.
As for places to stay, there are a number of Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy properties near Porto Heli and Spetses, where you can redeem (if not earn) Bonvoy points.
Related: Dreaming of Greece? These new points resorts are waiting for you