Romance Hall of Fame: Top 10 Romantic Travel Movies
Through the magic of movies, viewers can not only vicariously live out romantic fantasies, they can also enjoy a virtual vacation wherever they please. In a Lovetripper poll, readers chose the following flicks as the most romantic cinematic sojourns of all time:
#1Titanic-- Both the splendor and the sorrow of the doomed Whitestar liner are brought back to the surface through a fictionalized love story which continues to resonate with romantics.
#2Somewhere In Time-- In the search for his soul mate, a contemporary playwright (portrayed by Christopher Reeve) finds himself in the presence of the past.
#3P.S. I Love You-- A movie missive to the eternal bond of love.
#4Dirty Dancing-- Romantics still have the time of their lives with each viewing of this coming of age classic.
#5The African Queen-- Two polar opposites are transformed into forces of nature as they find themselves magnetically drawn to each other while the river pulls them toward their destiny.
#6Under The Tuscan Sun-- Like the Italian vineyards brought back to life each year by a caring climate, the movie's heroine experiences an emotional rebirth which warmed the hearts of movie viewers.
#7Sleepless in Seattle-- A sentimental Valentine to the cinematic love stories of Hollywood's golden era.
#8The Holiday-- Emotional Baggage gets left behind when two women take a vacation from their romantic vexation by swap houses.
#9A Room with A View-- A room without a view leads to a new look on life and love for a young English girl.
#10Some Like It Hot-- The silver screen sizzled when two gender-swapping gents on the run ( played by Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon) meet a ukulele-strumming siren (Marilyn Monroe.)
Titanic: #1 in Romance Hall of Fame Romantic Travel Movies Category
Although the waters of the Atlantic have acted as a shroud since the pre-dawn hours of April 15, 1912 for those lost during the maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic, the waves which silenced 1,517 souls still ripple like an echo of the past in the ocean, beckoning to all in the present to keep the memory of the splendor, sadness and sacrifice of that fateful day alive.
Years after its initial release, James Cameron's movie epic brought the heroism and heartbreak of actual events back to the surface with an intimate tale of two fictionalized lovers, whose story continue to touch the hearts of romantics who raised Titanic to the top of Lovetripper's most romantic travel movies of all time list.
Filming Locations
While most of the movie was filmed at Fox Baja Studios, scenes of a mature Rose recalling the past for a crew of treasure seekers searching for the Heart of The Ocean took place aboard the Akademik Mstislav Keldysk, a Russian scientific research vessel. Scenes in the engine room were shot aboard the S.S. Jeremiah O'Brien in San Francisco.
Lovetripper Reader Recommendations
TITANIC-a scattered dream...The movie itself is a timeless masterpiece that captured my heart forever, a real tragedy inspired an incredible movie which is indeed a life lesson.The story majestic ship that took with it so many lives is just heartbreaking.... The plot involves various themes such as tragic and lost love, death,courage and sacrifice, dreams and undying memories of past...to put it briefly, all it takes to keep you glued to the screen throughout the movie. A pair of amazing actors ( Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet) bring to life two young souls, Rose and Jack, whose powerful romance echoes from a distant past. What have I learnt? One should be free to pursue his dreams because you only have one life, you have to live it to the fullest; death ends a relationship, but not love itself, as long as you keep the memories in your heart, love won't fade, but it will keep you warm through dark times.Just like Rose, life can makes us undergo traumatizing experiences, but as long as you're able to get up after the fall, you know you won't be defeated, hope will guide your way. This is the inspirational message of the movie, one of the main reasons why I love it so much. Every detail is unique, I mean Kate and Leo's performances , I'm definitely struck by the their emotions, the haunting soundtrack is so special, I can actually "feel" the pain, the heartache of losing your love or celebrate life, like the cheerful tune at the third class party.The accurate recreation of the Edwardian era , the beautiful costumes, the recreation of the ship are fantastic, they prove without a doubt the hard work that's been invested into making the movie. Thanks to people like Leo, Kate and James Cameron, we all have this film to enjoy -TITANIC is a journey to eternity and also a voyage to the bottom of our own soul, to find there the inner power that makes our hearts go on. I have been into many other fandoms ever since, some came and go, but TITANIC has always remained no.1. Here I would love to quote Cathy from Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights- "the love I have for other fandoms is like the foliage in the woods, time will change it, as winter changes the tress, my love for TITANIC resembles the eternal rocks beneath-a source of little, visible delight, but necessary."-- Manuela
Kate Winslet and Leo DiCaprio had fantastic chemistry, and even though in the movie their characters love affair was short-lived, it oozed infinite romance. Titanic is THE romance movie of the 90's.-- Amber
Just a classic love story.-- Diane
Titanic is one of the most romantic movies I have ever seen. It includes heartbreak,sacrifice,passion for love and life along with hope and truth that even after death love can still go on. In the end all that matters are those you have loved and who have loved you as the ending shows when Rose walks down the stair case to see everyone and meets up with Jack again. She greets him with a smile that proves love doesn't die.-- Dawn
It's a classic! It has everything, the forbidden romance, the jealous "other man", some mystery, suspense. Even knowing the ending doesn't ruin the movie!-- Jennifer
It had everything, the Romeo and Juliet- type romance , the good guys and bad guys, disaster and great effects and the romance... well, what can you say with LEO! Love him.-- Stacey
This was the most successful romantic movie in recent time. Millions of people fell in love with the story.-- Edgar
two strangers are destined to meet unknowingly on the maiden voyage of one of the grandest ocean liners ever built...love is made and then lost forever...-- Deanna
It was a toss up between this one and Dirty Dancing. But this is such a great movie. When it cam out I was in high school so I was completely sucked in by this movie. I could watch it today and probably still cry when Jack dies. This movie has it all and it's really well made.-- Nicole
It tells of how Rose loses her love at sea.-- Kaylon
It is the biggest selling movie of all time, it has laughs, tears and most of all love. it is one of the most romantic movies ever to be made, it has the best director ever - James Cameron.... and to top it all off it stars Leonardo DiCaprio.-- Jade
Somewhere In Time: #2 in Romance Hall of Fame Romantic Travel Movie Category
"Love vanquishes time. To lovers, a moment can be eternity, eternity can be the tick of a clock." -- Mary Parrish
The passage of the years has done little to slow the steady tick of the antiquated pocket watch carried by playwright Richard Collier. Bequeathed by a seeming stranger, its rhythm mirrored the heartbeat of its former owner Elise McKenna, whose own heart would only be whole when her lost love finds a way to turn back the hands of time.
Although Elise McKenna and Richard Collier's love story unfolded at the Hotel Del Coronado in Bid Time Return, the cinematic-style splendor of Mackinac Island's Grand Hotel was chosen to play a pivotal role in the silver screen adaptation of author Richard Matheson's novel.
INSITE
Working as an extra on the film, Jo Addie's love for the contemporary romance classic inspired INSITE (International Network of Somewhere In Time Enthusiasts), which offers quarterly newsletters filled with both reminisces of the movie and the latest news of its stars as well Grand Hotel's annual homage to Richard and Elise's romance. INSITE's founder tells about her connection to the cinematic classic in the following Lovetripper interview.
Lovetripper Reader Recommendations
This movie shows we all have one true love and not even time can separate us.-- Lynn
Somewhere In Time is a romantic time travel movie because it is very emotional and would make a great date movie for couples. The way Christopher Reeve's character Richard, wills himself into the past to romance Jane Seymour's character Elise after falling in love with her portrait convincing himself with a hotel register he was their before is the type of deep love the movies of today do not make enough of.-- Joyce
It's an amazing journey both across time, and a personal transformation as falling in love changes the characters. It's beautiful and timeless.-- Maria
The perfect love story, set in different times but become one in the end!-- Mireille
It was beautiful from start to finish. The era, the island, who wouldn't fall in love with this lovely film. This is a classic love story.-- Sherrell
Like all topics close to my heart, I find it hard to express my feelings for a movie that has meant so much to me over the years. Somewhere in Time proves that true love can defy any obstacle in its path.-- Alice
Like many other people, there have been times when I have felt as though I was born in the wrong era, and maybe I've missed my soul mate because of it. Somewhere In Time lets you dream of the possibility that your love will find you, no matter the distance.-- Laurie
I was one of the lucky few who saw Somewhere In Time during its initial release. The beauty of Richard and Elise's romance tugged on my heartstrings then, just as it does now, almost 30 years later.-- Ruth
I was so moved by Somewhere in Time that I felt compelled to visit Grand Hotel. It's just as breathtaking as in the movie! I'm hoping to one day go back during their Somewhere In Time weekend.-- Katherine
P.S. I Love You: #3 in Romance Hall of Fame Romantic Travel Movies
Although unable to walk through life with his wife Holly (played by two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank), Gerry's (Gerard Butler) epistles after his passing help to guide the woman he loves back on to the path of happiness in a heartwarming movie that leaves its viewers reaching for both a hanky and a hug from their own special someone.
Filming Locations
While most scenes were filmed in New York City, Holly's trip to her late husband's homeland provided romantics with views of the sweeping scenery of County Wicklow, including Enniskerry, Glendalough and Lacken Village. The director also yelled "Action!" at Whelans Pub, a watering hole whose musical acts have provided the heartbeat of Dublin's city center for the past two decades.
Lovetripper Reader Recommendations
The entire idea behind knowing the person you love on such a deep level to know how they will react when you pass on. It shows how even in death people who are truly in love really care for one another and know that they will live on in each others memory and know that in the end they love you and just want you to be happy. Isn't that what love really is? Caring more for the person than you do for yourself.-- Shayna
Gerard Butler was fabulous as Gerry, the sweet and sexy husband who died and reached out to heal his wife with letters sent to her after his death. Laughed and cried through the whole movie. As far as travel, it made the beauty of Ireland so obvious that, if you didn't want to go there before, you certainly did after the movie.-- contributed by Marylucia
One, because it starred the most handsome actor on the planet, Gerard Butler and two, because it took place in Ireland, the land of my ancestors and the home of my heart. Ireland is not only beautiful but has an unconquerable spirit that came to life in this movie.-- Susan
(more Lovetripper Reader Recommendations after the following video clip)
Travel to Ireland and reliving courtship and falling in love after your partner's passing and, perhaps, finding a new love. P.S. I Love You has a profoundly beautiful message.-- contributed by Jane
The reason I chose PSILY as the most romantic travel movie is because Holly's husband, Gerry, sent his wife and her friends to Ireland AFTER he had died. Prior to his death, he made sure that his wife was able to return to the place where they first met, go the places that were important to him so that she would be able to get over him and move on. It was a surprise to her months after his death. Instead of focusing on his death, Gerry chose to make preparations for his wife's comfort. To me, that's is a very romantic and selfless thing to do.-- contributed by Lisa
P.S. I Love You showed the heart ache that a person goes through after the death of a love one and the trip that a person goes through not only in a trip way but in a emotional way to get over that pain. It made the movie not a depressing movie about the death of a love one but the hope that one day you will see them again and even in death they aren't far away.-- contributed by Courtney
Because love does not die.-- contributed by Stephanie
This was the first romantic movie my current boyfriend (of three years this October!) and I watched together. I will never forget renting this movie, watching it on my couch in my apartment and snuggling at all the sad parts. Never liked Hilary Swank that much, but I loved her in this film.-- Tara
Dirty Dancing: #4 in Romance Hall of Fame Romantic Travel Movies Category
Summer romances, much like the season itself, are often frivolous and all too fleeting. However, as the nation enjoyed its last days of innocence in 1963, Frances "Baby Houseman learned that a connection between two people, no matter how brief their time together may be, can be likened to a beautifully choreographed dance whose steps can lead toward a promising tomorrow.
Travelers still have the time of their lives at the Mountain Lake Hotel, the sandstone sanctuary and outlying cottages in Pembroke, Virginia that played the pivotal role of Kellerman's Resort. An homage to the 1987 Hollywood hit is held several times a year at the 2,600 acre retreat, complete with tours of the various filming locations, a trivia contest, and dancing lessons.
Trivia
Dirty Dancing devotees who make a pilgrimage to Pembroke, Virginia to see the contemporary classic's sites can book a stay in the same Mountain Lake Hotel suite Swayze stayed in during filming-- room 232.
Cameras began to roll on September 5, 1986. The director yelled "That's a wrap!" the following month, on October 27th.
Lovetripper Reader Recommendations
This has the best romance, Good girl meets bad boy, falls in love. Secretly I think we would all love to be in their shoes. The soundtrack especially Patrick Swayze singing could make any girls knee weak, throw in the romantic and hot dancing, and you have it all.-- contributed by Theresa
Whenever I watch this movie I instantly travel back to my high school days-- sitting in a darkened theater, giggling with my friends, munching on a box of buttered popcorn and dreaming of dancing with Patrick Swayze. I will be forever grateful to Dirty Dancing for giving me some of my most treasured memories.-- contributed by Natalie
I developed a crush on Patrick Swayze back in the days of North and South, and I remember rushing to the theater to see DirtyDancing on its opening day. I've lost track of how many times I've watched it since!-- contributed by Tania
The chemistry between Patrick Swaze and Jennifer Grey made that a standout movie...and the score is outstanding. The other movies are great like Gone with the Wind, Titanic etc but Dirty Dancing gets my vote.-- contributed by Nancy
When they both dance to "The Time of Your Life"-- contributed by Julie
What girl doesn't want to be Johnny Castle's "Baby"? *Sigh...*-- contributed by Bonnie
This movie reminds me of my summer romances when I was young.-- Carla
I remember playing the soundtrack over and over, trying to dance like the people in the movie. It's been more than 20 years--I still have two left feet, and I still love every frame of this movie!-- contributed by Donna
Dancing on a hot summer night. Ymmm.....-- contributed by Jason
I've always had a weak spot for dancing couples in the movies-- I can watch Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers or Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron trip the light fantastic over and over again. Having grown up after Hollywood's Golden Era, I had always felt that I was born in the wrong time until Dirty Dancing came along. Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey (and Patrick with Cynthia Rhodes) are dancing duos who can rival any movie pairing from the past.-- contributed by Anne
The African Queen: #5 in Romance Hall of Fame Romantic Travel Movies Category
The waters of a Central African river becomes a visual metaphor for the romance between world-weary seaman Charlie Allnut (Humphrey Bogart in his Oscar-winning performance) and prim preacher's sister Rose Sayer (Katharine Hepburn) in this 1951 classic.
Just as the mosquito-infested region mirrored the characters' early irritation with one another and the life-threatening rapids mimicked their growing sexual tension, so the river's eventual marriage to the sea seemed to paint a poignant cinematic portrait of two souls who, though lost alone, discover that together they are invincible.
One of the silver screen's most beloved love stories, The African Queen-- which ranks at #14 in AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions-- docks at the half-way point in Lovetripper's look at the top 10 most romantic travel movies of all time.
Filming Locations
As equally stellar on the big screen as Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart is the majestic scenery. Unlike other movies of its time, The African Queen was filming partially on location, with the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ruiki River and Ponthierville Falls and Uganda's Kabalega Fall National Park and Port Butiaba playing prominent roles.
Trivia
Charlie Alnutt's beloved boat may have chugged to her doom in the final reel of the movie classic, but in real life The African Queen is moored in the Florida Keys, bringing a touch of Tinseltown magic to the tourists booking a stay at the Holiday Inn Key Largo, situated adjacent to the canal which is now the tugboat's home.
Everyone who has ever boarded the Jungle Cruise ride at Disneyland has The African Queen to thank for the experience, as the attraction took inspiration from the 1951 classic.
Lovetripper Reader Recommendations
This was what love is all about, it is easy to believe and they had very hard and trying times, they did not give up on each other. When they looked like they were to die, they wanted to be married and die that way. What a excellent story.-- Edna
Although not in a beach paradise with instant sexual attraction, Bogart and Hepburn showed that real romance comes from character and respect.-- Flora
Bogart and Hepburn at odds in the brutal African interior battling each others wants/needs and the formidable environment made the movie one of the most thought provoking films ever. It made both sexes realize that their differences can be overcome with the proper understanding and compassion for the other.-- David
It's a movie I can watch over and over and enjoy again and again.-- Mary
You can't get any better than the pairing of Bogart and Hepburn, and under the direction of a powerhouse like John Huston this movie was destined for greatness.-- Roger
The African Queen should definitely be on the list of the top 10 most romantic travel movies of all time as it was one of the first movies with scenes shot on location. It's a common occurrence now, but I remember seeing the movie in theaters and the African landscape made quite an impression on me.-- Michael
Katharine Hepburn's Rosie is one of the most inspiring women ever in the movies.-- Sarah
Aside from the leeches, bugs and torrential rain, watching The African Queen makes me want to take a chance and explore the world. There's not many movies today that inspires that sort of feeling, unfortunately.-- Nelson
Under The Tuscan Sun: #6 in Romance Hall of Fame Romantic Travel Movies Category
More than merely the providers of succulent spirits, the vineyards which blanket the Tuscan landscape are visual metaphors for life. Although left barren after each harvest, time will bring rebirth to the vines, and just as new leaves unfurl in the caring climate, so does heroine Frances Mayes, who finds herself experiencing an emotional reawakening in her new Tuscan surroundings which, like the grapes destined for bottles of wine, makes for a very good year.
Trivia
According to IMDB, the man heard crying in apartment adjacent to the leading lady's divorce digs is actor Matthew Laborteaux, a former star of the family favorite, Little House On The Prairie.
Already a star from its appearance in Under The Tuscan Sun, the main square in Montepulciano-- which echoed with the shouts of spectators as Pawel performed in a flag-throwing demonstration-- will share the big screen with the cast of New Moon when the supernatural love story premieres in November 2009.
Diane Lane's first acting experience at age 14 partially took place in Italy when cameras rolled on A Little Romance, which also starred Sir Laurence Olivier.
Frances and Mr. Martini wished each other "Buon Natale" at Piazza della Repubblica in the Tuscan town of Cortona, where much of the filming took place.
Just as they did for Pawel and Chiara, the bells of Farneto Abbey still ring out the happy news of nuptials. Located in the hills of Valdichiana not for from Cortona, the 11th century house of worship also houses a museum featuring architectural finds.
Lovetripper Reader Recommendations
This movie is all about hope,love and crazy risks. It shows how someone who goes through bad times can find love and a life full of joy. By taking risks we can move on and start anew. To all of us who have had our dreams vanish, this movie is pure inspiration!-- Nan
Diane Lane is the star of two of my favorite romantic travel movies-- Under The Tuscan Sun and A Little Romance. Both films capture the spirit of a new love and leave you with the feeling that anything is possible.-- Diana
At the risk of sounding cliche, this movie warms your heart just like the Tuscan sun! From the time Frances arrives in Italy, each frame is filled with a joy of life that will rub off on anyone who watches it!-- Nicole
I've always dreamed of touring Tuscany. For anyone who may never get the chance, this movie is the next best thing! The cinematographer really captured the beauty of the landscape.-- Kristen
It was cute, brought back some memories for me.-- Linda
I love this movie!! I just wish that I had had the same results as Diane Lane when I renovated my house! :)-- Pamela
This movie does more than just entertain you for two hours. It inspires you to take a chance on love.-- Catherine
Whenever I feel down I watch this movie. It's one of the most uplifting films I've ever seen.-- Stephanie
Why is Under The Tuscan Sun the best romantic travel movie? It just is!!!-- Jhawn
