Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ has only just been released but has already been inspiring travellers from around the globe. Stepping in the filmmakers’ footsteps, we listed all the destinations featured in the blockbuster and worth a visit.
Several thousand years after it was first told, Homer’s epic ‘The Odyssey’-telling the homebound journey of the Greek war hero Odysseus after the Trojan War – continues to intrigue scholars and mere history enthusiasts alike. Many authors have put their own spin on the story throughout the years, and now Christopher Nolan, the filmmaker known for ‘Oppenheimer’ and ‘Interstellar’ among others, has joined their ranks. And even though ‘The Odyssey’ has only just been released, the movie has already – quite aptly – reached a mythical status.
First, there is the cast. Matt Damon plays Odysseus, Anne Hathaway can be seen as Penelope, Tom Holland as Telemachus, Robert Pattinson as Antinous, Zendaya as Athena, and Lupita Nyong’o as Clytemnestra, just to name a few. With such a collection of A-listers, expectations are high from the start.
Then, there is the eye-watering price tag. Reportedly, the movie took 91 days to film, two million feet of IMAX film, and $250 million. However, during its opening weekend, the picture was able to make no less than $264 million, which proves its immense global success.
Last but not least, there is the filming process. The 91 days that were needed to capture the entire movie were spread over several countries and even more locations, resulting in a logistical nightmare. During CinemaCon 2026 in April 2026, Nolan himself said, ‘The Odyssey’ proved to be a nightmare to film… in all the right ways.
“For me, being on a real location, shooting certain things like when the crew is out setting sail on that boat, or going through a storm, I want it to feel almost like a documentary. I want to just put the audience there, like they’re really there”, Christopher Nolan told news agency Associated Press (AP).
Contrary to what one might expect from a movie telling the story of an ancient Greek hero, travelling from Troy (set in what is now Türkiye) to his home on Ithaca (Greece), the filming of ‘The Odyssey’ took place at a myriad of locations. Greece, Italy, Morocco, Scotland, and even Iceland were featured in the movie and led to a true ‘The Odyssey’ Summer. Curious? We list some of the most unforgettable locations, ready to visit.
Greece
In a story about a Greek hero, the choice to film at least part of ‘The Odyssey’ in Greece obvious. The production was centred around the (southwestern) Peloponnese region and included several locations worth a visit. For example, Nestor’s Cave – located above the Messenia beach of Voidokilia – functioned as the backdrop of the Cyclops scenes. The Venetian-built Methoni Castle and Navarino Bay were reportedly also used as filming locations, among others.
@expedia Set-jetting through Greece to discover the real places that inspired The Odyssey. 🏛️⛵ From caves once believed to be home to Cyclops, to beaches tied to ancient Greek legends, sailing between islands and staying in a traditional stone villa this trip felt like stepping into mythology. Book your flights, stays, rental cars and activities all in one place with Expedia. 📍 Greece 📸: @eddiequinnlemon_ ♬ original sound – expedia
Italy
Although the Italian island of Favignana, located just off Sicily, was actually featured in Homer’s epic as Goat Island, Christopher Nolan turned to it for an entirely different part of the story. Instead of filming Odysseus’ home on Ithaca, where it was located according to the epic, the filmmaker used a ruin known as the Castello di Santa Caterina on Favignana as the setting of his palace – which included long hikes and helicopter rides due to its remote location. Other Italian locations seen in ‘The Odyssey’ include the Aeolian Islands of Basiluzzo, Lipari, and Vulcano.
Morocco
The most memorable scenes filmed in Morocco for ‘The Odyssey’ are undoubtedly those that take place at Troy. Instead of going to Türkiye, the Moroccan town of Aït Benhaddou – featured on UNESCO’s World Heritage List – was used to represent the famous city and the battle that took place there. Other scenes were filmed throughout the country, including at El Haouz, Essaouira, Marrakech, and Tahanaoute.
@atlas.nomads Watching The Odyssey come to life in Ouarzazate with open fires, smoke, and this giant Trojan horse under the desert sky 🎥🔥 #morocco ♬ nhạc nền – Hugh Dud – Cu Bin
Scotland
Whereas Greece, Italy, and Morocco might be considered as somewhat logical filming locations for a Greek epic about a hero wandering around the Mediterranean, one of Nolan’s more unique choices is undoubtedly Scotland. For example, the pine woodland of Culbin Forest, located on the Moray Firth coast in northern Scotland, was the backdrop of Odysseus’ meeting with the Laestrygonians. Nearby Findlater Castle, ruins that were once home to the Earls of Findlater and Seafield, stood in for Aeaea, home of sorceress Circe.
Iceland
The most eery part of ‘The Odyssey’, perhaps, was filmed on Iceland.
“I knew early I wanted the landscape of Iceland to portray Hades. This journey north, further and further into the cold, couldn’t be further away from Odysseus’ home in Ithaca,” Nolan explains inn the production notes of the movie.
The scenes in the movie that show Odysseus visiting the Underworld to consult with the Theban prophet Tiresias were therefore filmed around the black sands and caves of Hjörleifshöfði mountain during June perma-daylight. Reportedly, the Snæfellsnes peninsula and the port of Landeyjahöfn were also among the featured location in ‘The Odyssey’.
