These Romance Movies Will Take You Around the World

Amélie is a shy, imaginative young woman living in Montmartre, Paris, whose sheltered childhood shaped her into a quirky, quietly mischievous adult. After discovering a hidden collection of childhood treasures in her apartment, Amélie decides to secretly improve the lives of those around her through small acts of kindness.

But while she spends her days helping others find happiness, she struggles to pursue her own, especially when she becomes intrigued by the eccentric Nino Quincampoix. Blending romance, comedy, and whimsy, the film turns Paris into a storybook setting, with much of the action set around Montmartre and landmarks like the Sacré-Cœur Basilica.

Call Me by Your Name follows 17-year-old Elio during the summer of 1983, as he spends his days reading, playing classical music, and enjoying the Italian countryside with his family at their villa in Lombardy. His quiet summer changes when 24-year-old Oliver, an American graduate student working as an intern for Elio’s father, arrives to assist with his academic research. 

As the two grow closer, a secret summer romance develops between them, becoming a transformative experience of first love and desire. Based on the 2007 novel by André Aciman, the film was shot throughout Northern Italy, including the towns of Crema, Moscazzano, and Bergamo. The family villa is Villa Albergoni, a historic 16th-century estate in Moscazzano.

In the Mood for Love, a romantic drama from popular Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar-Wai, tells the story of two neighbors in a crowded Hong Kong apartment building in the 1960s who form a close bond after discovering that their spouses are having an affair with each other.

As their spouses frequently travel, Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung) and Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung) spend more time together, discussing what they know and finding comfort in the pain they share. Although they develop feelings for one another, the two agree to keep their relationship platonic so they do not commit the same wrongdoings as their spouses.

Their complicated relationship gradually becomes the center of the film as they navigate their growing feelings and the circumstances that brought them together. Despite being set primarily in Hong Kong, many of the film's outdoor scenes were shot in Bangkok because its streets and architecture resembled 1960s Hong Kong and matched Wong Kar-wai's vision for the film. A brief portion of the film is also set in Singapore.

Y Tu Mamá También begins in Mexico City, where two teenage friends, Julio and Tenoch, meet an attractive older woman named Luisa who agrees to join them on a road trip through Mexico. As the three travel southeast toward the coast, their relationships with one another become increasingly complicated, and the trip brings questions of friendship, sex, attraction, and jealousy to the surface. Julio and Tenoch both develop an attraction to Luisa, while their own friendship is tested as they confront insecurities and changing feelings toward one another. 

The film combines romance, sexuality, and coming-of-age themes with a vivid portrait of Mexico. Director Alfonso Cuarón described the film as reimagining the American road trip genre through the lens of his Mexican heritage. The journey takes the characters through Oaxaca and to destinations including Bahías de Huatulco and the secluded Playa San Agustín.

Breathless, a 1960 French classic from filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard, combines crime and romance as it follows Michel, a small-time thief who steals a car and impulsively murders a motorcycle policeman. Wanted by the authorities, Michel attempts to persuade Patricia, an American journalism student, to run away with him to Italy while the police close in on them. 

Played by Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg, Michel and Patricia have an affectionate relationship marked by strong chemistry and a constant sense of urgency as they navigate their complicated feelings for each other. The film uses Paris as its backdrop, featuring recognizable landmarks including the Arc de Triomphe and brief shots of Notre-Dame.

Lost in Translation, a 2003 film from Sofia Coppola starring Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray, follows Charlotte, a young woman visiting Tokyo with her photographer husband while he works on a business trip. Left alone for much of his time away, Charlotte struggles with loneliness in the unfamiliar city. She soon meets Bob, a washed-up American movie star who is in Tokyo to film a whiskey commercial. 

The two form an unexpected friendship that gradually develops into a deeper emotional connection, finding comfort and a sense of freedom in each other's company. The film was shot throughout Tokyo, particularly in the Shinjuku and Shibuya districts, with additional scenes filmed in Kyoto.

Based on the 1937 autobiographical novel by Danish author Baroness Karen Blixen, this film retells the story of the 17 years she spent in British East Africa, now Kenya. Karen, played by Meryl Streep, moves to Africa with her husband, Bror, who uses their money to establish a coffee plantation instead of the dairy farm they originally planned. As Bror spends more time away on safari and Karen discovers that he has been unfaithful, she finds herself increasingly independent from her husband and drawn to Denys Finch Hatton, a hunter she meets in Kenya, played by Robert Redford.

Unlike Bror, Denys understands Karen and shares her love for the freedom of the African landscape. As they begin a romance, their relationship takes them across Kenya, where their love grows alongside their struggles to reconcile their different ideas about independence and commitment.

The classic 1813 novel by Jane Austen is just as romantic on screen as it is on the page. The 2005 adaptation starring Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet takes place among historic estates and landscapes across England. Matthew Macfadyen plays Mr. Darcy, a wealthy and reserved man who initially seems like an unlikely match for Elizabeth because of his proud and often snobbish personality.

As their lives become increasingly intertwined, Elizabeth begins to see a different side of Darcy and finds herself falling for the man she once misunderstood. The film explores romance, family, social expectations, and the importance of looking beyond first impressions. Several historic landmarks in England were used as filming locations, including Chatsworth House, Burghley House, and Lyme Park.

With time off from work, New York magazine editor Juliette (Patricia Clarkson) travels to Cairo to visit her husband, who works for the United Nations. When her husband is unexpectedly stuck in Gaza, he asks his friend Tareq (Alexander Siddig), a longtime Cairo resident, to show Juliette around the city. As they explore Cairo together, Juliette becomes fascinated by the city's history and culture, while her growing connection with Tareq develops into an unexpected romance.

The film captures Cairo through scenes at the Great Pyramids of Giza, the historic Shepheard Hotel, and streetscapes throughout the city, making its setting an important part of Juliette's experience.

The 1953 romantic comedy Roman Holiday helped launch Audrey Hepburn's Hollywood career, with Hepburn starring alongside Gregory Peck. The film follows Joe Bradley, an American journalist in Rome who is frustrated with his job and struggling to get a major story. He misses the opportunity to interview Princess Ann (Hepburn), who is visiting Rome as part of a goodwill tour across Europe. 

That night, Ann secretly leaves the embassy and, after taking a sedative prescribed by her doctor, falls asleep on a street bench. Joe finds her and brings her back to his apartment, not realizing she is the princess until the next morning.

Hoping to get the interview he missed, Joe offers to show Ann around Rome, and what begins as a potential story soon becomes a romantic adventure. As they spend the day exploring the city together, Joe must decide whether to reveal Ann's identity and sell their story or keep their time together private. The film was shot at several historic locations throughout Rome, including the Arch of Septimius Severus and Via Condotti.

Feature Image: Oscars