Where was Star Wars filmed? Explore these iconic, spectacular Star Wars filming locations from deserts to forests, and keep your lightsaber handy.
You’ve watched the movies, you’ve heard the legends — now it’s time to actually visit the Star Wars filming locations!
Whether you’re a Jedi in training or an out-of-work smuggler, you’ll be geeking out at these iconic filming spots from Tatooine to Endor (and beyond).
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Spectacular Star Wars Filming Locations
From the scorching sands of Tatooine to the towering trees of Endor, the Star Wars universe is full of real-world magic. So, grab your lightsaber and let’s embark on a journey to discover where Star Wars was filmed.
🏜️ Tunisia – Tatooine
Filming Locations:
Tunisia is where it all began. Step into the twin suns of Tatooine, which, as Obi-Wan Kenobi might say, is “a hot, dry place” that actually exists on Earth!
So, where was Star Wars filmed in Tunisia? Ksar Hadada was used to depict parts of Mos Espa, Anakin Skywalker’s hometown, while the Chott el Jerid desert is the birthplace of Luke Skywalker’s humble beginnings, and Matmata‘s troglodyte dwellings doubled as Luke’s home.
Wondering where Obi-Wan was filmed? The hermitage where he spent his days pondering the galaxy’s fate was filmed at the Amghar Mosque in Ajim.
The Lars Homestead, Luke Skywalker’s childhood home, was captured at the Chott el Jerid salt flats. The Obi-Wan filming locations, desert-wise, are pure Star Wars magic — perfect for channeling your inner Jedi and exploring these iconic scenes!
Live your best galactic life on this 7-day Star Wars tour from Djerba! Visit epic filming locations in Djerba, Medenine, Matmata, Tataouine, and Tozeur — yes, that includes the actual Lars Homestead.
You’ll sleep in a hotel that literally witnessed the making of Episode IV, with sets still intact. Accommodations vary, but every stop is rich in Jedi history and Berber charm.
🏰 Italy – Naboo
Filming Locations:
Wondering where Star Wars was filmed in Italy? Well, if you’re dreaming of Padmé Amidala’s palace (and who isn’t?), Lake Como is where romance and lightsaber duels happen.
Villa del Balbianello on the shore of the lake was the picturesque setting for Padmé and Anakin’s secret wedding in Attack of the Clones (you know, before the whole “dark side” thing). If you’ve ever fantasized about jumping in a gondola with a Jedi, this is the place to do it — though, remember, no Sith allowed.
Walk in Anakin and Padmé’s footsteps with this full-day Villa Balbianello and Flavors of Lake Como tour. Explore the charming towns of Bellagio and Varenna, sample local olive oil from a hilltop castle, and indulge in pasta at a cozy lakeside restaurant.
Then hop aboard a private Venetian water taxi (very Naboo-chic) for a scenic cruise to Villa del Balbianello — yes, that wedding scene from Attack of the Clones — and the lush gardens of Villa Melzi.
🌲 Ireland – Endor & Ahch-To
Filming Locations:
For fans wondering where Star Wars was filmed in Ireland, prepare to explore a forest wonderland straight out of the galaxy’s greenest corners.
Endor may be home to rock-hurling Ewoks, but its lush, towering forests were brought to life in the wilds of County Wicklow and County Kerry.
This was where Leia, Luke, and their fuzzy allies helped bring the Empire to its knees in Return of the Jedi.
Now, if you’ve ever dreamed of exiling yourself to a remote island to train (or dramatically mope) like a Jedi Master, Skellig Michael is your real-world Ahch-To.
Off the windswept coast of County Kerry, this UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its beehive huts and vertigo-inducing stairs, served as the filming location for Star Wars: The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.
It’s where Rey took her first steps into a larger world, Luke tossed a lightsaber like a Frisbee of regret, and porgs stole the show. With no CGI needed, Skellig Michael truly feels like the birthplace of the Jedi Order.
🏜️ Death Valley, California – Tatooine
Filming Locations:
Fans who ask where Star Wars was filmed in California probably haven’t been to Death Valley, where Tatooine looks like it’s on a permanent vacation.
Channel your inner Jedi (or desert hermit) on this full-day small-group adventure from Las Vegas to Star Wars’ real-life stand-in for Tatooine — Death Valley National Park.
The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes were used for the opening scenes in Episode IV – A New Hope, where Luke Skywalker dreams of leaving his sandy home, proving that Tatooine is really just a scorched corner of California.
Zoom past the eerie Rhyolite Ghost Town, then explore iconic spots like Dante’s View and Zabriskie Point — locations so surreal, they could’ve been CGI but weren’t.
The Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America, is where the Jedi might have trained… if they liked it hot. If you love desert landscapes, this is where you’ll feel most connected to your Jedi heritage.
And may the sand dunes be with you!
🏖️ Seville, Spain – Naboo
Filming Locations:
Where was Star Wars filmed in Spain? Seville’s Alcázar Palace has appeared in multiple Star Wars scenes, including Jedi training.
Some scenes from Episode I, The Phantom Menace, were filmed in the Plaza de España in Seville, Spain. This grand semicircular square served as the exterior of the Theed Palace on Naboo.
You can spot it when Anakin, Padmé, R2-D2, and Jar Jar Binks stroll through the colonnades. With the sweeping staircases and ornate architecture, it’s easy to see why Seville was the perfect Star Wars filming location for a galaxy far, far away.
🌿 Morocco – Tatooine
Filming Locations:
If you’ve ever asked where Star Wars was filmed in Morocco, Ait Benhaddou and Ouarzazate are where the real desert magic happens.
Featured in A New Hope and The Phantom Menace, Ait Benhaddou was the location for Anakin Skywalker’s podracing scene. The Ouarzazate film studio is where many of the desert scenes came to life.
Feeling adventurous? Head to Morocco for a real-life Tatooine adventure — just avoid sandstorms, they’re a little bit more chaotic than a podrace.
🌲 The Redwoods – Endor
Filming Locations:
If you’ve ever wondered where Star Wars was filmed in the Redwoods, California has the answer!
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park were the filming locations for Endor — the moon full of Ewoks and giant trees.
This is where Leia, Han Solo, and Chewbacca teamed up with some adorable fuzzy warriors to take down the Empire. If you’re lucky, you might even find R2-D2 hidden among the trees.
You know, just a typical Tuesday in the Star Wars universe.
🌑 Jordan – Pasaana & Jedha
Filming Locations:
If you’re wondering where Star Wars was filmed in Jordan, let’s talk about Wadi Rum, Jordan — aka the Martian-looking paradise which played double duty in the Star Wars galaxy.
In The Rise of Skywalker (Episode IX), it stood in for Pasaana, where Rey pulled off Force-fueled parkour, Finn shouted “Rey!” on repeat, and Lando made his fabulous comeback in a cape that deserved its own spinoff.
This was also home to the Aki-Aki Festival of the Ancestors — yes, those joyful dancers were real humans, not CGI wizardry. Wadi Rum also stood in for Jedha in Rogue One, the sacred moon with exploding kyber mines, Force monks, and a sense of doom that only Darth Vader could top.
It’s where Jyn Erso met Chirrut Îmwe, the blind monk who believed, “I am one with the Force, the Force is with me” — and where things exploded faster than the Millennium Falcon in hyperspace.
🌲 Scotland – Peridea & Aldhani
Filming Locations:
Scotland, you sly old Jedi Master! The craggy realms of Coigach and Assynt in the Highlands swapped their bagpipes for battle cries, standing in for Peridea in Ahsoka.
If you thought the Nightsisters’ temple looked eerily ancient, that’s Suilven, pulling double duty as the Mortis Gods’ backyard. And those sweeping finale shots? All Stac Pollaidh, looking like it was carved by a Force-wielding stonemason.
Andor filmed key scenes in Scotland, with Cruachan Dam standing in for the Imperial vault on Aldhani, where Cassian and crew pulled off a daring heist.
Glen Tilt and Loch Awe provided the rugged terrain of Aldhani, setting the stage for the Rebellion’s early days with stunning, galaxy-defying views.
❄️Norway – Hoth
Filming Location:
Where was the ice planet Hoth filmed in Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back? It wasn’t on another planet — it was in Finse, Norway, right on the edge of the Hardangerjøkulen Glacier.
The blizzards? Not CGI. The crew got snowed in at the hotel while Luke (aka Mark Hamill) filmed scenes solo outside. Talk about dedication to the Rebellion.
This is where the Empire unleashed its mighty AT-ATs and Echo Base became the coldest open-plan office in the galaxy in one of the saga’s most iconic battles.
So, if you want to walk like a Wampa or run like a tauntaun, Finse, Norway is your frozen destination.
🌿 Portugal – The Acolyte
Filming Locations:
Wondering where The Acolyte was filmed? The Madeira Islands in Portugal are where it comes to life, complete with misty trees perfect for Jedi meditations or Sith scheming.
Madeira truly offers a galactic backdrop where every rock could be hiding a secret…or maybe just a droid. It’s remote and rich in natural beauty — ideal for secretive Jedi training, suspicious Force-sensitive events, and the kind of shadowy intrigue the Sith might enjoy while sipping dark side espresso.
The Fanal Forest is straight out of your Jedi training daydreams, while Caniçal, Ribeira da Janela, and Seixal serve up dramatic coastlines that’ll make you want to grab your lightsaber and take a stroll.
The Stranger (played by Manny Jacinto) makes a broodingly stylish entrance by swimming in Madeira’s dramatic Porto Moniz rock pools — like a Sith on a spa day. Just remember: it’s not on the typical Star Wars route — and the Force is definitely… complicated there.
🧙♀️ Wales – Brendok
In The Acolyte, the mysterious witches’ planet, Brendok, was brought to life entirely in Wales, specifically within the wild beauty of Brecon Beacons National Park.
The shadowy, spellbound setting of the witches’ world was anchored by the Upper Neuadd Reservoir and Dam, which moonlit as the formidable entrance to their fortress — think dark side meets civil engineering.
Meanwhile, Cadlan Woods served up one of the show’s most iconic visuals: that glowing, yellow, willow-like tree standing proudly among the pines, basically nature’s own Force beacon. If trees could be Jedi, this one’s getting a spin-off.
🎲 Croatia – Canto Bight
Filming Location:
Dubrovnik, Croatia, with its stunning Old Town and limestone streets, took a hyperspace jump into the Star Wars universe when it was transformed into the glitzy casino city of Canto Bight in The Last Jedi.
Known for its real-world medieval beauty, Dubrovnik became the playground of the galaxy’s wealthiest beings — where aliens sipped space cocktails and bet big on fathier races.
The city’s iconic architecture, already famous from Game of Thrones, got a high-tech makeover to become a symbol of luxury, corruption, and fast-paced speeder chases. It’s not every day a UNESCO site becomes a galactic Monte Carlo.
From Tunisia’s scorching sands to Italy’s lakefront palaces, the Star Wars universe is closer than you think! These filming locations are more than just sets — they’re gateways to the galaxy.
So, grab your hyperdrive, head out on your next adventure, and explore these epic places where Star Wars history was made. After all, if you can’t be a Jedi, at least you can visit the places where they trained!
Disclaimer: Star Wars and all related names, images, and content are the property of Lucasfilm Ltd. and The Walt Disney Company.
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