Iconic movie & television landmarks that are worth a visit
Forever embedded in film and television history, these iconic monuments, buildings and trails have become signature tourist attractions for their fans the world over.
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Located some three hours from Berlin, the sleepy town of Goerlitz has seen a number of Hollywood productions there. With picturesque views and historical pre-war buildings, Goerlitz has provided the perfect backdrop for films like Inglourious Basterds, The Reader and The Book Thief. However, its most prominent landmark; the Goerlitz Department Store provided the inspiration for Wes Anderson’s Grand Budapest Hotel. With a grandiose setting, Anderson fell in love with the building, which provided the interior setting he wanted for his film. Now, with the movie becoming a bonafide hit, the Goerlitz Department Store has somewhat become a star in its own right with visitors journeying to the town just to catch a glimpse of the Grand Budapest Hotel.
Walking Dead Tours
The Walking Dead is arguably one of the biggest shows on television at the moment and it’s even managed to inspire its very own tour. Fans of the AMC series are now journeying to Atlanta and Georgia where the series is based at to tour the area and follow the trail set by the zombie survivors of the show. Tour company Atlanta Movie Tours have managed to capitalise on the show’s massive fanbase by creating a ‘Big Zombie’ tour that brings tourists to key locations filmed in the show. Each tour costs USD65 and it encompasses a tour that follows closely to the trail that Rick Grimes and his crew of survivors travel in the show.
The Double R Diner (Twin Peaks)
When David Lynch wanted a café setting for Twin Peaks, he decided on Twede’s Café and the rest they say is history. Although its claim to fame is mostly down to the popularity of the series, Twede’s is nevertheless an integral part of the town of North Bend, Washington ever since it was built in the early 1940s. Located some 40km north of the city of Seattle, Twede’s today has become a famous stopover for fans of the Twin Peaks series and the owners have capitalised on its fame with signature diner fare including a signature Twin Peaks Cherry Pie.
Gold & Silver Pawn Shop
Pawn Stars has been a ratings juggernaut for the History Channel and it’s even made reality stars out of Rick Harrison and his family. But the true star of the show is none other than Rick’s Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, which has managed to turn itself into a major Las Vegas tourist attraction. Located in downtown Las Vegas, the building is continuously attracting thousands of visitors each day, many of whom line up in the sweltering desert heat just to get in to catch a glimpse of Rick and his crew. No surprise really considering that Pawn Stars boasts over six million viewers in the U.S. alone.
Hashima Island
The secret lair of Raoul Silva played by Javier Bardem in Skyfall was fittingly chilling and cold. But little did James Bond fans know that the island is actually real. Hashima Island is situated off the Japanese coast in the East China Sea and was once a prominent and important coal mining facility. The company that mined the coal decided it was more cost effective to house its workers and families there instead of ferrying them back and forth. Over the course of a century, the island became a metropolis with apartment buildings and schools set-up but once the coal mines exhausted itself, Hashima became a ghost town. These days the island, which is accessible via a 30 minute boat ride from Nagasaki, has become a prominent tourist destination for visitors the world over.
