If you are a movie buff like me then chances are your first glimpse of the world through the silver screen. I think cinema is what introduced us to the world of travelling. From the grand establishing shots to the breath taking song sequences, movies have romanticized travelling and how! So as a self confessed cinema buff and travel enthusiast here’s a list of the places I think every movie lover should explore.
New York
Spiderman, Working Girl, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Rosemary’s Baby, King Kong, Sex and the City, from rom-coms to sci-fi thrillers, New York City has been home to many iconic movie sets. Move around the city on a cab like a local lite or use the Union Square Subway just like Preity Zinta did in Kal Ho Na Ho. Walk through Brooklyn Bridge Park and visit the Wall Street where iconic movies like Kal Ho Na Ho and Anjaana Anjaani were shot. Take a ferry to Staten Island where grandfather of the modern mafia movie, The Godfather was shot. Marvel lovers would love to know that The Avengers has also shot a sequence at the Island whenIron Man chases a nuclear missile around the Verrazano Bridge. Walk through Times Square which is a main spot for many movies like London Paris New York and Ta Ra Rum Pum. Enjoy the Broadway musical experience in the Musical district of New York. Binge on your favorite snack at Planet Hollywood restaurant. Drink, dance and listen to music all night at one of the many locations in a city that has best night life and dance like Preity Zinta who let her hair down in one of the night clubs of New York on Kal Ho Na Ho.
Spain
Spain has been a main location for the Bollywood movie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. Take a flight to Barcelona& stay at modernist 5 star Hotel Casa Fuster at the top of elegant shopping street Passeig de Gracia where you can shop like a fashionista. Take a drive though beautiful coastline beaches of the Costa Brava, north of Barcelona and click pics near Lloret de Mar. You can also opt to take a 1 day tour to the Costa Brava beaches near Barcelona to see the exact locations and beaches where themovie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara was filmed. You can also enjoy water sports like scuba diving and snorkeling. Head to Bunol for the tomato festival, La Tomatina which is a Spanish tradition. Also, experience bull running in Pamplona followed by flamenco dancing in Seville just like the movie. Also visit Plaza de Espana where Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones was filmed.
Switzerland
Bollywood has proved time and again that there is no place like Switzerland for love to blossom! Its snow-capped mountains were first showcased in Indian cinema through Sangam. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, the longest running Indian film has defined romance for many and a Euro trip without visiting the locations where the movie was shot would be incomplete. Hire a car and roam around the lush green Swiss valleys and hope for a ‘Raj’ who would charm you with his words… “Senorita, bade bade deshon mein aisi choti choti baatein hoti rehti hain“. Most of the regions where Yash Chopra has shot many iconic scenes and songs of his movies can be covered in one day when you board the beautiful and luxurious Golden Pass train covering the scenic Golden pass route which covers most of the Bernese Oberland region in Switzerland. Head to Interlaken next and you are bound to admire this lovely little town surrounded by lakes. Stroll through Interlaken promenade and you can catch a glimpse of the famous Victoria Jungfrau Hotel. Take an unforgettable train journey to Jungfrau, the highest railway station in Europe, a Jungfrau Railways train named after Yash Chopra cannot go unnoticed. You can also visit Zytglogge Tower in Bern is scenic and a picture at this scenic location is a must where Yes Boss and Deewana Mastana were filmed. Upcoming Bollywood movie, Fever is completely shot in Switzerland too.
Hungary
Budapest in Hungary is one of the most beautiful places and also economical and maybe that’s why Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam was shot here and passed off as some city in Italy. Aks was also shot at Royal Castle and Heroes square. You can take a Danube cruise for beautiful panoramic views of both Buda and Pest, Try some traditional Hungarian food, like Langos at Central Market Hall for some local authentic experience. You just cannot miss Toenjoy a performance at the world famous Budapest Opera House. Szechenyi Chain Bridge is one famous location where Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’s climax scene was shot. Recently released movie, Sultan is also being shot at this bridge along with scenes at Budapest University of Technology and Economics. Buda Castle, Hungarian Parliament Building, Matthias Church, Hungarian National Museum and Liberty Bridge are some of the must visit places in Budapest. Walk through a river side town called Szentendre where the song Succhi Muchhi from Sultan was shot.
Corsica
Who thought that an island hidden between the borders of France and Italy, called Corsica would be featured in movies? Bastia is located in the Haute Corse area and is the liveliest place. You will know of its liveliness if you stroll through Place Saint Nicolas, a popular hangout-place for locals, or the Place du Marche. After a tour of the old port, walk along rue Napoleon to explore the town’s shops and attractive boutiques. Other more spiritual sights include the town’s Baroque churches. Enjoy some local cuisine or an evening coffee at Museum Cafe where Matargashti song from Tamasha. Ajaccio is shaped around one of the world’s most beautiful gulfs, with a backdrop of mountains. Wander down to the old port, through its lively and bustling markets, and along the narrow streets of the old town, lined by aristocratic private mansions. Later in the day, indulge in the pleasures of Ajaccio’s white sandy beaches, where you can swim until late-autumn. Not only does Corsica offer a million pretty sights to see, it also gives you amazing options for outdoor activities. You can opt for mountain biking, horse trekking and quad biking, white water activities and more.
While you’d love to hop on a plane and fulfill all your cine fantasies, you’ll need to manage your finance and currency woes. And the perfect thing for that is a forex card. While there are options available, the Axis Bank Multi-Currency Forex Card stands out for its amazing features. It supports up to 16 currencies on one card and lets you swipe across countries without any transaction charges so nothing comes in the way of your celluloid adventure. For more dope on the card, visit: http://www.axisbank.com/IGotPlans/index.html
New York
Spiderman, Working Girl, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Rosemary’s Baby, King Kong, Sex and the City, from rom-coms to sci-fi thrillers, New York City has been home to many iconic movie sets. Move around the city on a cab like a local lite or use the Union Square Subway just like Preity Zinta did in Kal Ho Na Ho. Walk through Brooklyn Bridge Park and visit the Wall Street where iconic movies like Kal Ho Na Ho and Anjaana Anjaani were shot. Take a ferry to Staten Island where grandfather of the modern mafia movie, The Godfather was shot. Marvel lovers would love to know that The Avengers has also shot a sequence at the Island whenIron Man chases a nuclear missile around the Verrazano Bridge. Walk through Times Square which is a main spot for many movies like London Paris New York and Ta Ra Rum Pum. Enjoy the Broadway musical experience in the Musical district of New York. Binge on your favorite snack at Planet Hollywood restaurant. Drink, dance and listen to music all night at one of the many locations in a city that has best night life and dance like Preity Zinta who let her hair down in one of the night clubs of New York on Kal Ho Na Ho.
Spain
Spain has been a main location for the Bollywood movie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. Take a flight to Barcelona& stay at modernist 5 star Hotel Casa Fuster at the top of elegant shopping street Passeig de Gracia where you can shop like a fashionista. Take a drive though beautiful coastline beaches of the Costa Brava, north of Barcelona and click pics near Lloret de Mar. You can also opt to take a 1 day tour to the Costa Brava beaches near Barcelona to see the exact locations and beaches where themovie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara was filmed. You can also enjoy water sports like scuba diving and snorkeling. Head to Bunol for the tomato festival, La Tomatina which is a Spanish tradition. Also, experience bull running in Pamplona followed by flamenco dancing in Seville just like the movie. Also visit Plaza de Espana where Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones was filmed.
Switzerland
Bollywood has proved time and again that there is no place like Switzerland for love to blossom! Its snow-capped mountains were first showcased in Indian cinema through Sangam. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, the longest running Indian film has defined romance for many and a Euro trip without visiting the locations where the movie was shot would be incomplete. Hire a car and roam around the lush green Swiss valleys and hope for a ‘Raj’ who would charm you with his words… “Senorita, bade bade deshon mein aisi choti choti baatein hoti rehti hain“. Most of the regions where Yash Chopra has shot many iconic scenes and songs of his movies can be covered in one day when you board the beautiful and luxurious Golden Pass train covering the scenic Golden pass route which covers most of the Bernese Oberland region in Switzerland. Head to Interlaken next and you are bound to admire this lovely little town surrounded by lakes. Stroll through Interlaken promenade and you can catch a glimpse of the famous Victoria Jungfrau Hotel. Take an unforgettable train journey to Jungfrau, the highest railway station in Europe, a Jungfrau Railways train named after Yash Chopra cannot go unnoticed. You can also visit Zytglogge Tower in Bern is scenic and a picture at this scenic location is a must where Yes Boss and Deewana Mastana were filmed. Upcoming Bollywood movie, Fever is completely shot in Switzerland too.
Hungary
Budapest in Hungary is one of the most beautiful places and also economical and maybe that’s why Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam was shot here and passed off as some city in Italy. Aks was also shot at Royal Castle and Heroes square. You can take a Danube cruise for beautiful panoramic views of both Buda and Pest, Try some traditional Hungarian food, like Langos at Central Market Hall for some local authentic experience. You just cannot miss Toenjoy a performance at the world famous Budapest Opera House. Szechenyi Chain Bridge is one famous location where Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’s climax scene was shot. Recently released movie, Sultan is also being shot at this bridge along with scenes at Budapest University of Technology and Economics. Buda Castle, Hungarian Parliament Building, Matthias Church, Hungarian National Museum and Liberty Bridge are some of the must visit places in Budapest. Walk through a river side town called Szentendre where the song Succhi Muchhi from Sultan was shot.
Corsica
Who thought that an island hidden between the borders of France and Italy, called Corsica would be featured in movies? Bastia is located in the Haute Corse area and is the liveliest place. You will know of its liveliness if you stroll through Place Saint Nicolas, a popular hangout-place for locals, or the Place du Marche. After a tour of the old port, walk along rue Napoleon to explore the town’s shops and attractive boutiques. Other more spiritual sights include the town’s Baroque churches. Enjoy some local cuisine or an evening coffee at Museum Cafe where Matargashti song from Tamasha. Ajaccio is shaped around one of the world’s most beautiful gulfs, with a backdrop of mountains. Wander down to the old port, through its lively and bustling markets, and along the narrow streets of the old town, lined by aristocratic private mansions. Later in the day, indulge in the pleasures of Ajaccio’s white sandy beaches, where you can swim until late-autumn. Not only does Corsica offer a million pretty sights to see, it also gives you amazing options for outdoor activities. You can opt for mountain biking, horse trekking and quad biking, white water activities and more.
While you’d love to hop on a plane and fulfill all your cine fantasies, you’ll need to manage your finance and currency woes. And the perfect thing for that is a forex card. While there are options available, the Axis Bank Multi-Currency Forex Card stands out for its amazing features. It supports up to 16 currencies on one card and lets you swipe across countries without any transaction charges so nothing comes in the way of your celluloid adventure. For more dope on the card, visit: http://www.axisbank.com/IGotPlans/index.html
