There is something about Greece that keeps directors coming back. Janine Kelso reports on the country’s hotspots that featured on the silver screen
The film musical Mamma Mia!, which was shot in Greece last September, is set to be a money-spinner for agents as well as the cinemas this summer.
Operators are already reporting an increase in sales to the regions where shooting took place – Skiathos, Skopelos and Pelion.
Ionian and Aegean Island Holidays agency sales manager Bernadette Askouni predicts the film will do more for Greek tourism than Captain Corelli’s Mandolin did for Cephalonia.
Vintage Travel overseas manager for Greece Andrew Duncan added:
“When Captain Corelli’s Mandolin came out, Cephalonia became the place to be in Greece. Thomas Cook and Thomson had to put on extra flights as the demand was so great. Now, nine years later, we are still selling the island off the back of the film.”
But Duncan recommends clients book early if they want to visit Skiathos or Skopelos as the regions are unable to cope with large numbers of visitors. Travellers can fly direct to Skiathos while Skopelos is accessible by hydrofoil from Skiathos.
He said: “Skiathos has a tiny airport and I don’t think they will increase the number of flights there, so people need to get in quick if they want to go there.”
Here is a selection of hit movies that used Greece as a backdrop.
Crete
Filmed there: Zorba the Greek
What is it about? The legendary music from this popular 1964 movie still pumps out of bars and restaurants in Crete. Based on a novel by acclaimed Greek writer Nikos Kazantzakis, the film stars Alan Bates as English writer Basil who travels to Crete to write a book.
While journeying to Crete by boat, he meets local peasant Zorba (Anthony Quinn) and the two become friends with vivacious Zorba teaching the reserved Englishman how to live life to the full.
Regions of Crete featured in this film include Chania, Apokoronas and the Akrotiri peninsula. The film’s most memorable scene where Zorba dances on the beach (video) was shot in Stavros.
Sample product: Classic Collection offers seven nights’ bed and breakfast at the Blue Palace Resort and Spa for £1,141 per person this May, including flights and transfers.
Cephalonia
Filmed there: Captain Corelli’s Mandolin
What is it about? Despite being slated by the critics, the film version of Louis De Bernières’ bestselling novel, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, put this remote Greek island on the map when it was released in 2001.
Starring Nicolas Cage and Penelope Cruz, the movie tells the tale of a fisherman who leaves his fiancée Pelagia (Cruz) to fight with the Greek army during the Second World War. While he’s away, Pelagia falls in love with a charming Italian commander (Cage).
Thanks to the film’s impressive cinematography, tourism to Cephalonia increased dramatically, but it remains beautiful and unspoilt. The resort of Katelios is particularly popular as it is authentic but has a good infrastructure.
Hotels4u.com’s sales and marketing director John Harding said: “Cephalonia is the true star of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin and it is a great destination to escape the crowds and relax. There are many hotels with fantastic views over the sea and the island where you can just imagine Penelope Cruz strolling along the unspoilt beaches.”
Sample product: Vintage Travel offers a week’s rental of the two-bedroom Kiparissi house (sleeps four people) in Trapezaki for £750 in June.
Meteora and Corfu
Meteora and CorfuFilmed there: For Your Eyes Only
What is it about? In this classic movie, fearless James Bond scaled the dizzying heights of a towering rock pillar at Meteora to reach the monastery at its peak and the villainous Kristatos.
Sample product: Sunvil offers a seven-night Hidden Greece flydrive to central and northern Greece, including the Pelion Peninsula and the vibrant city of Thessaloniki, for £729 per person in May, including flights, bed-and-breakfast accommodation and car hire.
Mykonos
Filmed there:The Bourne Identity, Shirley Valentine
What is it about? The final scene of The Bourne Identity shows the stunning panorama of the Greek island of Mykonos. Matt Damon plays central character Jason Bourne, an amnesiac hitman struggling to find his identity.
Also filmed on the island was Shirley Valentine, which starred Pauline Collins as a fed-up Liverpudlian housewife who finds romance with local waiter Costas. The film’s town scenes were shot in the harbour in Mykonos Town.
Sample product: Kosmar offers seven nights’ bed and breakfast at Aeolos Hotel in Mykonos Town for £459 per person in June, including flights and transfers.
Santorini
Filmed there:Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life
What is it about? Screen siren Angelina Jolie plays British archaeologist Lara Croft. The movie opens with Croft raiding an ancient tomb off the coast of Santorini.
Within the tomb, Croft discovers a globe that contains directions to Pandora’s Box. While there, she is attacked by a Chinese criminal gang who want to sell the globe to the evil Jonathon Reiss.
Most of the filming was done in the peaceful village of Oia.
Sample product: Planet Holidays offers seven night’s half-board at the Venus Hotel in Kamari for £689 per person in September, including flights and transfers.
Skopelos, Skiathos and the Pelion Peninsula
Filmed there: Mamma Mia!
What is it about? Big-name stars Pierce Brosnan, Meryl Streep and Colin Firth brought a touch of glamour to the islands of Skopelos and Skiathos last September during the filming of this adaptation of a West End musical.
The film’s finale is set in the mountainous Pelion Peninsula, at the corner of the mainland on the edge of the Aegean Sea, where pine forests descend into orchards and vineyards.
Watch out for the film, which is due to hit cinemas in July.
Sample product: Ionian and Aegean Island Holidays offers seven nights’ half-board at the Skiathos Princess Hotel for £929 per person in July, including flights and transfers.
