25 Memorable Movies Set in Italy (By Genre!)

With its stunning landscapes, magnificent cities, charming towns, and captivating culture, Italy has been a favorite place to film movies for decades–and as a result, there are plenty of wonderful movies set in Italy to choose from.

Classic films full of old Hollywood glamour? There are plenty of those.

Action movies? Of course.

Romances and rom-coms? Certo.

We originally curated this blog post back in the days of global armchair travel, but it has been lots of fun to continue to refer back to it over the years, especially when we have an exciting Italy vacation coming up.

Whether you’re gearing up for your own trip to Italy and hope to get inspired, or you just want to enjoy some delightful travel movies on a rainy day that may or may not leave you browsing for plane tickets, here are some of the best movies about Italy to watch!

Classic Films Set in Italy

These classic movies set in Italy edge toward being a bit older, and all are either based on classic books set in Italy or are classics in their own right… or both!

Roman Holiday (1953)

Perhaps the best-known and most classic movie set in Italy, Roman Holiday is Audrey Hepburn’s beloved comedy about a princess setting off to explore Rome.

You may remember the iconic Spanish Steps as a filming location for this movie, and it is also largely responsible for the immense popularity of the Mouth of Truth (pictured below: we enjoyed our quick visit, but wouldn’t consider it a must-see in Rome)!

A Room With a View (1985)

Based on the classic 1908 novel by E.M. Forster, A Room With a View opens with the adventures of a young Englishwoman, Lucy Honeychurch, as she explores Florence.

A Room With a View features plenty of places that are recognizable to visitors today, driving home just how long travelers have been infatuated with Tuscany!

If you haven’t already read it, I highly recommend the novel, as well.

La Dolce Vita (1960)

The Italian movie of La Dolce Vita (translated to “The Sweet Life”, a common phrase in Italy) chronicles the adventures and many romances of a gossip columnist as he explores the streets of Rome over the course of a week.

One of the best-known and most classic Italian movies, you’ll see references to La Dolce Vita in some of the other movies about Italy that are included on this list!

Enchanted April (1991)

Four English women in the 1920s are determined to leave the gray weather of the UK behind for the month of April… and where better to go than the coast of Italy?

So opens Enchanted April, a story of friendship that is set (and was filmed in) Castello Brown in stunning Portofino.

While the plot of this classic Italy movie (and the book it was based on) is interesting in and of itself, the views of Portofino alone would make this film well worth watching!

The Godfather (1972)

Perhaps the most famous of all of these movies set in Italy, The Godfather follows the exploits of the Corleone crime family for ten years, centering primarily on the family’s patriarch, Vito Corleone, and his son Michael Corleone.

The movie was filmed in both New York and Sicily and remains one of the most celebrated movies of all time.

And, while the original is the most critically acclaimed, there are two sequels to put on after watching, too, if you’re not quite ready to let the characters go!

Romantic Movies Set in Italy

While virtually all of the movies set in Italy included in this blog post have some kind of romantic plot or subplot, these 3 movies about Italy center primarily on a love story!

When in Rome (2010)

A skeptical New Yorker takes a trip to Rome and accidentally places several would-be suitors under a love spell: so begins the plot of When in Rome, a lighthearted romantic comedy that doesn’t take itself too seriously, while sharing plenty of scenes of beautiful Rome.

And, while it isn’t explicitly stated, the fountain of love that is featured in the movie is most likely based on the Trevi Fountain.

Letters to Juliet (2010)

Verona, vineyards, and plenty of romance: Letters to Juliet is a fun romantic comedy set, like its namesake, in fair Verona.

When Sophie tags along on a trip to Verona with her fiance, she finds herself with a lot of time on her hands–and eventually finds a “Letter to Juliet” written by a heartbroken woman in the 1950s.

Hoping to help the woman find her love decades after he was lost, Sophie returns the letter to its owner and sets off on an adventure across Italy.

Only You (1994)

Faith believes that her true love is set in stone: she and a man named Damon Bradley are meant to be… despite the fact that she hasn’t found him.

In Only You, she flies to Venice to track down the mysterious Damon, she finds another paramour instead.

Will she be able to let go of her idea of fate and give in to the possibility of love that is in front of her?

While the movie itself is considered rather unexceptional, the scenes showing off Italy are a delight and stretch across Venice, Rome, Tuscany, and the Amalfi Coast.

Self-Actualization Italy Movies

While a couple of these films could also be classified as rom-coms or romantic movies set in Italy, ultimately their themes run more toward self-discovery than romance.

They also include some of the best-known travel movies for Italy travel inspiration.

Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)

Based on a true story, Under the Tuscan Sun chronicles Frances Mayes’ experience buying a Tuscan villa near Cortona on a whim, and her journey as she renovates the property and gets to know the locals (Italians and ex-pats alike).

While the movie does change some key points from both the book (which is focused much more on the house, Bramasole, itself) and Frances Mayes’ actual life, the movie is a delightful way to experience a sliver of the Tuscan countryside when you can’t actually hop on a plane to see it.

… But if you’re interested in the nitty gritty aspects of buying and renovating Bramasole, as well as the true personal growth story (Frances Mayes arrived in Tuscany with her longterm partner, no rom-com required), I highy recommend the book as well!

Call Me By Your Name (2017)

Adapted from the critically acclaimed 2007 novel by the same name, Call Me By Your Name tells the coming-of-age story of 17-year-old Jewish-American Elio over the course of a summer spent in Italy in 1983.

At the heart of the story is the development of Elio’s romantic relationship with 24-year-old Oliver, also a Jewish-American, but ultimately, Call Me By Your Name is as much about growing up as it is about falling in love.

If you’re familiar with the book, note that the movie moved much of the story from the Ligurian Coast to inland Lombardy. The Roman ruins in the Lake Garda resort town of Sirmione that are pictured below were a filming location.

Eat, Pray, Love (2010)

Elizabeth Gilbert’s runaway best-seller about her one-year journey to find herself in Italy, India, and Indonesia after a hard divorce captivated audiences around the world, and in 2010, the movie adaptation followed in the book’s footsteps.

Fittingly, the Italy section of the movie focuses on the “eat” section of the title.

Featuring plenty of scenes sprinkled across Rome and Naples, watching Eat, Pray, Love will definitely not fail to make you crave several hearty meals worth of delicious Italian food!

Shadows in the Sun (2005)

Set in Tuscany, this made-for-TV movie about Italy tells the story of a young writer who is tasked with traveling to Tuscany to find an older, celebrated author who is suffering from writer’s block, and convince him to write again.

The Tuscan countryside, some clashes with the older writer in question, and a dash of romance, though, distract him along the way.

My Brilliant Friend (2018 – 2024)

I’m technically breaking my own rule here, because My Brilliant Friend is a TV show rather than a movie about Italy, but Elena Ferrante’s series is too wonderful not to include.

Here’s the setting: it’s a poor, violent neighborhood in 1950s Naples.

Two girls befriend each other, defy the non-existent expectations of their academic talents, and dream of achieving great things.

One is able to continue their education past elementary school. One is not. What happens next?

That is the story of My Brilliant Friend, and it’s absolutely one worth experiencing.

While I am separating books from movies set in Italy here, I’d be remiss not to suggest, in this case, reading Elena Ferrante’s phenomenal series the show is based on first.

Not only is her language too riveting not to experience, but the show itself was filmed in Italian, so having context before diving into subtitles helps.

Political Thrillers & Action Movies About Italy

Looking for a mystery, a bit of political intrigue, or just some good, old-fashioned chase scenes through beautiful Italian cities?

If so, these movies that take place in Italy are for you!

Angels & Demons (2009)

Acting as a sequel to The DaVinci Code movie (though the Angels & Demons book was actually a prequel), the Angels & Demons movie brings back the character of Robert Langdon, a symbologist who is tasked with solving a mystery around a plot to murder four Catholic cardinals.

Filmed in Rome, Angels & Demons is packed with scenes that will make you miss Rome, as well as potentially add a few out-of-the-way corners to your list of places to see the next time you visit!

Daniel Craig’s James Bond (2006-2021)

Of course, no list of movies about Italy could fail to include a James Bond movie or two!

James Bond is perhaps the ultimate franchise for inspiring wanderlust via action movies.

Quantum of Solace, the immediate sequel to Casino Royale, opens in Italy, with scenes in and around Lake Garda, the Tuscan countryside, and Siena.

And, while the bulk of Casino Royale takes place in Monaco, if you’re watching James Bond movies, you might want to pop Casino Royale in too: a gorgeous villa on Lake Como was used to film a few scenes.

The Daniel Craig James Bond movies that were filmed after Quantum of Solace, Spectre and No Time to Die, both feature some Italy scenes as well!

The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

Set in the 1950s and boasting an all-star cast including Matt Damon, Jude Law, and Gwyneth Paltrow, The Talented Mr. Ripley is one of the most remarkable Italy movies I have watched!

I’m hesitant to include any details about the plot in this blog post, because I watched it with absolutely no clue what the plot was and ended up enthralled with the twists and turns.

If you’re into psychological thrillers, excellent acting, and/or absolutely stunning cinematography showcasing Italy’s beauty, add The Talented Mr. Ripley to your list of must-see movies about Italy.

The Tourist (2010)

Part intriguing spy movie and part heist movie, The Tourist is a fairly standard, if enjoyable action movie.

Where it truly shines, though, is in how obvious it is that much of the movie was filmed on location in beautiful Venice, and it is complete with chase scenes in the lagoon and across the rooftops.

While the movie’s understanding of Venice’s layout is a little spotty, the movie is a feast for the eyes for those of us who love the city of canals.

Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

If you’re looking for a Spider-Man movie has all the elements of an MCU universe experience, complete with a huge battle that takes place in Venice, then Spider-Man Far From Home is the Italy movie for you!

The movie is set partially in Venice, as well as several other places scattered across Europe.

While a set was built to film the battle scene (the actual Rialto Bridge definitely would not have been suitable for filming), some scenes were filmed on location in Italy.

The Italian Job (2003, 1969)

A classic heist movie featuring Mini Coopers and plenty of Venice (including an epic chase scene through Venice’s canals), The Italian Job tells the story of several criminals banded together to get back at a former colleague who double-crossed them after a successful heist.

While the 2003 version of this movie set in Italy is the one we’re most familiar with (it was a staple of our childhoods), it’s not the original.

The 2003 version was actually a remake of a 1969 British film that was set in Turin and the Italian Alps, rather than Venice!

Tea With Mussolini (1999)

Centered around a young man with a father who would rather not acknowledge him and his relationships with a group of older, wealthy British ex-pats, Tea With Mussolini tells the story of WW2 through the lens of how its characters are affected throughout the rise of fascism and later war in Italy.

San Gimignano (pictured below), Florence, Siena, and more all acted as Italian film locations for the movie.

Teen & Kid Movies Set in Italy

These movies set in Italy are definitely a nod to my generation, but fellow millennials no doubt remember growing up with these lighthearted movies filmed in Italy!

When in Rome (2002)

I’m sure I’m not the only millennial who remembers very early wanderlust inspiration provided by the Olsen twins and their series of movies that took a different pair of fictional twins to an exotic location (in addition to Rome, Paris, Australia, New York, London, and the Bahamas were all featured in a film).

When in Rome centers around a summer fashion internship the twins score, complete with distracting boys, great views of the Colosseum, and sabotaging coworkers.

New Moon (2009)

The second installment of the (in)famous Twilight saga concludes with a distraught Bella Swan tearing through Tuscany to save the life of her semi-immortal love, Edward Cullen, from the Volturi, a dangerous governing body of ancient vampires that he’s determined to anger because (insert teenager reasons).

The whole plot is completely over the top, of course, but the climax was indeed filmed in Italy, complete with installing a fountain for Bella to run through in the piazza. 

The very real Tuscan town of Volterra is the setting in both the New Moon book and movie, but Montepulciano, pictured below, stands in for Volterra during filming.

Note that both towns have beautiful piazzas, and neither is home to the fictional fountain that played a role in the climax of the book!

The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003)

Acting as the conclusion to the Lizzie McGuire Disney Channel show, The Lizzie McGuire Movie is a fun early-2000s teen movie set in Italy.

Memorable scenes featuring Rome include not only 14-year-old Lizzie McGuire singing onstage in the Colosseum, and cartwheeling on the Spanish Steps, but meeting a cute boy on a Vespa at the Trevi Fountain and ditching her school group to hang out with him.

Luca (2021)

Pixar movies may technically be for kids, but we all know that they’re for kids at heart, too!

The whole family will enjoy the lighthearted story of Luca, a sea-monster-turned-human who delights in summer escapades on the Ligurian coast.

While Luca’s village of Portorosso is fictional, many travelers (rightfully) compare it to Cinque Terre and other colorful villages on the Italian Riviera!

Read More About Italian Culture & Travel

Have a trip to Italy coming up and want to learn more about this fascinating corner of the world before traveling there?

We are Kate and Jeremy Storm, and if you add up all our trips, we’ve each spent over a year traveling in Italy (and a lot more time learning about it).

You can browse our ~150 Italy blog posts here, read more about us here, or check out these other Italy travel and culture guides:

• 33 Incredible Books About Italy: A Literary Guide
• How to Spend 2 Weeks in Italy (Itinerary for 14 Perfect Days!)
• 75 Fun and Interesting Facts About Italy: History, Culture & Travel!
• How to Enjoy a Typical Breakfast in Italy (Bar, Hotel, or Home)
• Florence or Rome: Which Classic Italian City is Right for You?