10 famous film sets you can visit today

Join us as we look at 10 film sets from around the world that you can visit today. And while Paul Fraser Collectibles may be dedicated to collecting, in this instance we are strong advocates of the mantra: "take nothing but memories". 

10. Star Wars - Nefta, Tunisia

Five Star Wars films were shot in Tunisia. The country has served as the location of the desert planet Tatooine, one of the series' most exotic locales.

Mos Espa Tunisia
Image: Wikimedia Commons

Much of the sets from the films remain standing today, including the Lars homestead (where we first meet Luke Skywalker) and the Mos Espa spaceport - a key location in the prequels.

Fans wanting to take a tour of the site will have to hurry - some of the locations are soon to be buried beneath the encroaching sand dunes.

In 2012, a miniature X-Wing used in A New Hope sold for $225,000 at Profiles in History.

9. Lord of the Rings - Matamata, New Zealand

Hobbiton NZ
Image: Wikimedia Commons

Close to the town of Hamilton on New Zealand's North Island stands the town of Matamata, the setting for the Shire in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings.

You can take a full tour of the site, which retains most of the original set - including hobbit holes, a mill and the Green Dragon Inn.

In December last year Gimli's axe sold for $180,000 at Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills.

8. Looper - Louisiana  

Looper diner
Image: Bailee Grissom

The diner where Joseph Gordon-Levitt meets his future self in the 2011 movie Looper can be found near the small town of Napoleonville in rural Louisiana.

It was built especially for the film and stands alone in the middle of nowhere, having survived the devastating Hurricane Isaac in 2012.

7. The Motorcycle Diaries - Machu Picchu, Peru

Machu Picchu
Image: Wikimedia Commons

The ancient site is a hugely popular tourist attraction in Peru and featured prominently in The Motorcycle Diaries, which tells the story of a young Che Guevara.

6. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - Petra, Jordan

Treasury Petra
Image: Wikimedia Commons

One of the most fascinating archaeological sites on the planet, the treasury of Petra is thought to have been built in around the 5th century BC.

Despite thousands of years of history, it remains best known as the resting place of the Holy Grail in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

5. Lost in Translation - Tokyo, Japan

New York Bar
Image: Park Hyatt Hotel

The Park Hyatt Hotel's New York Bar is where Scarlett Johannson and Bill Murray meet for the first time in Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation.

It's one of few film locations that can offer a truly immersive experience, with live jazz and views across the Tokyo skyline.

4. The Beach - Koh Phi Phi, Thailand

Maya Beach
Image: Wikimedia Commons

Before The Beach was released in 2000, Maya Bay on Koh Phi Phi Lei was relatively off the beaten path.

Since then it has become a popular tourist destination as people flock to its pristine white sands and aquamarine waters.

3. The Graduate - Laverne, California

The iconic wedding scene in The Graduate was filmed at La Verne United Methodist Church in California. The scene was later parodied in Wayne's World 2.

2. Pirates of the Caribbean - Wallilabou Bay, St Vincent

Pirates Carribean
Image: Wallilabou Bay

Wallilabou Bay on St Vincent was the setting for Port Royal in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. After the series wrapped, the buildings were left standing and sold to a local resort - which welcomes thousands of visitors every year.

1. Breakfast at Tiffany's - Tiffany's, New York

Tiffany's breakfast
Image: Wikimedia Commons

The opening scene where Audrey Hepburn eats a Danish pastry outside Tiffany's while dressed in that unforgettable gown is one of the most famous in all of cinema history.

Despite a huge range of problems, including the electrocution of one of the crew, only a single take was needed.   

A Givenchy hat belonging to Hepburn auctioned for $46,500 in May this year.

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