If I told you that some of the Star Wars Episode II scenes were filmed in Spain, would you believe me?

Spain has been the filming location for many movies, more than you can imagine! Movies coming from Hollywood itself that have been a worldwide success!

The fact is that our country has breathtaking landscapes that many film directors fall in love with. When they come to Spain, many of them are inspired by the environment finding the perfect setting for their next film. In this article, I have prepared a list of some of the most popular movies that have made history with scenes filmed in Spain.

Hmm, and it’s not all movies… There’s an extra one! A super famous TV series that drove everyone crazy! Do you want to know which one it is? Then keep scrolling to find out which one it is!

Here’s a list of some of the best movies set in Spain. I ordered them according to the highest score on the IMDb platform to date (2022).

If you are unfamiliar with the American film rating system, click here to better understand.

List of Movies set in Spain

1. Game of Thrones - “Juego de Tronos”

The directors are Mark Mylod, Alex Graves, and David Nutter, among many others. The actors in this film are Emilia Clarke, Sophie Turner, Kit Harington, and Jason Momoa.

Although, in this case, we are not talking about a movie, the incredible and famous Game of Thrones series deserves a position in this list.

Game of Thrones has been filmed in Spain many times, yet the point where they recorded in Spain the most was in the 6th season. It was filmed in Seville, much of it in the Alcazar of Seville, which represented the Palace of the Kingdom of Dorne (house of the Martells).

The actors and producers said: “Spain is the most wonderful place we have ever filmed. Osuna is wonderful, and Seville is incredible”.

In fact, the writer of Game of Thrones visited Spain on several occasions in search of inspiration. He thought Andalusia was one of the points that were going to set well.

Fun Fact: When they were shooting the series, the restaurants in Seville took advantage of the occasion to change their tapas and menus to medieval type, with designs, fonts, and names of Game of Thrones tapas.

Game of Thrones is the story of the struggle for an iron throne forged with the swords of defeated enemies. Seven kingdoms and many houses will dispute the crown: the heirs, the exiles, the despoiled, and the current regents. The series takes the viewer to the places of the seven kingdoms. The general shots will show us scenery that will amaze us for its delicate aesthetics.

Nowadays, there are 7 seasons, it is one of the most viewed series, and almost every person that sees it finishes loving it.

Now that you know a little bit more about this saga’s background, it’s a good time to start watching it!

2. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - “El bueno, el feo y el malo”

The director of this movie was Sergio Leone. You can see in this movie the famous actors Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and the beautiful woman Rada Rassimov.

What I like the most about this movie is that it was shot in Spain and Rome’s interiors. In Spain, they shot in locations such as; Almería, Madrid, and Burgos. In the “Sierra de la Demanda,” located between Burgos and La Rioja, there’s a route to visit the places seen in the film.

The 5.000 tombs that appear at the film’s end were installed in the Arlanza River. In Madrid, it was filmed in Hoyo de Manzanares and in Almería in the famous Tabernas desert.

If you want to know more about Tabernas desert and everything about our Spanish deserts and our dunes, I highly recommend the following article:

Is Spain a Desert? Get to Know Our Stunning Filmset Landscapes

I really enjoy watching adventure movies, and this one is one of them!

This movie is set out during the Civil War; three men were looking for an ark containing $200,000 in gold coins stolen from the South American army. Tuco knows the treasure is in a cemetery, while Joe knows the name inscribed on the tombstone that serves as a hiding place. They need each other. But a third man appears, Setenza, a heartless man who does not hesitate to massacre women and children to get what he wants. Will they get the ark?

Well, you will have to watch it to discover it!

3. Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade - “Indiana Jones y la última cruzada”

Indiana Jones has many different movies, but today I’m going to recommend one of my favorite ones, Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade.

The director was Steven Spielberg. He has done movies from all types of genres. There are some great actors in this movie, such as; Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, George Lucas, and Alison Doody, among many others.

Did you know that more than half of this film was shot in Spain? Yes, it was filmed in Almeria, but do you know why they decided to film it here? Very simply, Almeria is the most similar place to the Middle East. They decided to shoot it because it’s closer to America and safer than the Middle East.

Come to Almeria and Granada and visit these places, to understand from a first-hand point of view why they decided to film this movie here. I’m sure you won’t regret it!

But what is the plot of this movie about? Professor Henry Jones suddenly disappears. So the archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones must face an evil billionaire to follow in the footsteps of his father until the moment he’s kidnapped. Elsa will go to the rescue of his father. She will continue searching for the Holy Grail, a precious relic that also wants the Nazis, with whom he will have to fight to get it since they plan to use it to dominate the world.

Indiana Jones will be immersed in an exciting adventure in which he will have to defy death again. Will he manage to find Professor Henry Jones? Who will get the relic Elsa or the Nazis?

I recommend you watch the movie as soon as possible to find out!

4. The Bourne Ultimatum - “El Ultimátum de Bourne”

The Director is Paul Greengrass. This movie has some great actors like Matt Damon, who has a lot of experience as he started working as an actor in Grade 9. You will find other actors such as Julia Stiles, David Strathairn or Joan Allen.

One thing that characterizes the Bourne films is that the sequences are usually shot in the country where the script places them. That’s why it was shot in London, Berlin, Morocco, Paris, and Madrid. During the footage, you can see Canaletas Square, where Paddy Considine’s character is supposedly in Turin, investigating Blackbriar’s operations. The film will also feature Atocha Station, Castellana, Plaza de Santa Cruz, and many other magnificent places in Madrid.

In this new adventure, Jason Bourne is hunted by the people who made him what he is. He lost his memory and the one person he loved; he is undeterred by the barrage of bullets and a new generation of highly-trained killers. A British reporter puts Jason Bourne on a new clue about his identity, providing him with the name Blackbriar, whose main objective is to find out who he is. In this movie, you will see how Bourne will hunt down his past to find the future he always wanted. He must travel from Moscow, Paris, Madrid, and London to find the real Jason Bourne.

I can’t recommend this movie more highly, especially if you are a fan of action movies!

5. Doctor Zhivago

The director of this movie is David Lean. He brings to life the protagonists of Boris Pasternak’s 1957 novel of the same name. The actors he uses to represent the protagonist are; Julie Christie, Omar Sharif, Geraldine Chaplin, and Tom Courtenay, among many others.

Because of the prohibition of his literature during the Soviet communist regime, it was necessary to look for other locations that would impact the viewer, similar to the Russia of 1917.

Then, they decided to choose Spain for the movie. Some of the locations were Salamanca, Soria, and Madrid.

The movie won 5 Oscar Awards. During his footage, you will see the old Delicias train station and our neighborhood Canillas, located in Hortaleza.

They were turbulent and fiery times in the love story of Zhivago, his wife, and the passionate and tender Lara. The Russian Bolshevik revolution (1917) produced a general convulsion in a divided country. During the conflict, we witness the intimate drama of a man struggling to survive. This man is Zhivago, poet and surgeon, husband and lover, whose war-torn life affects the lives of others, including Tonya, his wife, and Lara, the woman with whom he falls in love.

What happened with Lara and Zhivago? To answer this question, I invite you to watch this incredible movie!

6. Fast and Furious 7

James Wan is the director of Fast and Furious 7, and he’s mainly known for his movie Saw. Fast and Furious 7 has some of the world’s best actors: Paul Walker, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jason Statham, and Elsa Pataky, among others.

I’m sure everyone has watched one of the Fast and Furious movies. Still, I highly recommend you watch Fast and Furious 7.

There are thousands of beautiful roads in Spain, and we can find some of the most beautiful ones in Tenerife. That’s why Tenerife was the place chosen by the Americans to film some scenes of the film.

They came with their impressive cars to shoot on the roads crossing the island’s deserts. They cut the road on several occasions, which caused chaos among the Spaniards. As a result of filming here, we can see impressive scenes in the movie, like the explosion of a bridge by a tank. But I won’t tell you more because I don’t want to spoil it for you!

It has been a year since Dominic and Brian were pardoned and were able to return to the United States. After their arrival, they want to adapt to their new life within the law, but things are difficult. Dom wants to get closer to Letty, and Brian gets used to living in a housing development with Mia and her son. However, the tranquility does not last long, and everything changes when a British assassin enters their lives seeking revenge. He becomes their greatest enemy!

Check this movie out to understand the real threats they have to face with the British assassin!

7. 55 Days in Pekin - “55 Días en Pekín”

Nicholas Ray, Guy Green, and Andrew Marton are the great directors of this film. His cast includes incredible actors like Nicholas Ray, Ava Gardner, David Niven, and Flora Robson.

After the great experience of Nicholas Ray filming “Rey de Reyes,” where they recorded the film in Almeria, this time he chose Madrid, specifically the municipality of “Las Rozas.” The film has many scenes in Las Matas, where an incredible set was built, including a replica of the entrance to the Imperial Palace in Beijing.

This movie takes you back to 1900, during the Boxer Rebellion, which opposes foreign influence in China. The international legations in Beijing are besieged by the revolt. Major Matt Lewis, a U.S. Army Marine, leads a multinational force defending the embassies. In the diplomatic compound, the British ambassador organized the defense. The empress Tzu Hsi, leader of the uprising, tries to overcome the besieged’s resistance with the Chinese army’s help. Still, an alliance of eight countries abolishes the rebellion, and everything changes completely.

One of the cinema classics you can’t miss!

8. Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones

One of the most well-known and longest sagas in cinema history in Spain is Star Wars! Did you know that part of Star Wars: Episode II was filmed in Spain?

Although it was only a scene of a few minutes, they were in Seville for two entire days. It was made in the Plaza de España with up to 7,000 people constantly trying to get an extra role in the mythical galactic saga.

Curiously, a few of them succeeded, and up to 50 Andalusians managed to be extras and walk around the square characterized as inhabitants of Naboo. The director was George Lucas, mainly known for his Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies.

Some of the main actors were Hayden Christensen (as Darth Vader), Ewan McGregor (as Obi-Wan Kenobi), Natalie Portman (Padmé Amidala), and many other great characters.

In this Star Wars episode, unrest reigns in the Galactic Senate. Thousands of solar systems have declared their intention to leave the Republic. This separatist movement, led by the mysterious Count Dooku, has made it difficult for the limited number of Jedi Knights to maintain peace and order in the galaxy. Senator Amidala, former Queen of Naboo, returns to the Galactic Senate to cast her vote on creating a Republic army to aid the overburdened Jedi. This is everything I’m going to tell you about! To know more, watch the movie if you haven’t done it yet!

9. Vantage Point - “En el punto de mira”

The director is Pete Travis. In this action movie, you will be able to enjoy the presence of actors such as Ayelet Zurer, a beautiful israelí actress, the famous actor Forest Whitaker, and Matthew Fox.

The filmmakers wanted the action to take place outside North America and found the Plaza Mayor in Salamanca an ideal location.

It was technically impossible to film the explosions and chases on the original set, considering that a large part of the set had to be destroyed. So, they looked for a solution which was to build an exact replica of the Plaza Mayor in the south of Mexico City.

Although everyone that has been to Salamanca can notice that the film was not shot in Salamanca as they missed some details and documentation failures. Subsequently, some shots from Salamanca were added.

This movie is a fascinating one! Eight strangers attempt to uncover the truth behind an assassination attempt on the President of the United States. When the President is shot shortly after arriving in Spain, chaos ensues. Among the crowd, there’s an American tourist who believes he has filmed the sniper with his video camera. If you watch the movie, you will be able to understand that there are much darker motivations than it appears at first glance. What happens with the sniper? If you want to find out, you must watch the film! You will be in tension for most of the movie!

10. Die Another Day - “Muere otro día”

Another action film I love is the one by the director Lee Tamahori. In this movie, you will find some actors like Pierce Brosnan (this is the last movie where he interprets the figure of James Bone), Halle Berry, Toby Stephens, and Rosamund Pike.

They chose one of our beautiful cities to shoot this film, Cádiz. They chose Cádiz because, according to them, it is very similar to Cuba, and the film was set in Havana.

The film was shot on the beach of La Caleta, in the Castle of San Sebastian, and in the city center of Cádiz. However, it must be confessed that the film has been criticized for its poor documentation because it was clearly seen that it was filmed in Spain and not in Cuba. For example, in a part of the movie where people run the bulls, as in San Fermin.

What is this movie about? In a covert operation on the border separating the two Koreas, American agents are killed by a traitor’s tip-off. During this operation, renegade Colonel Moon is killed, his lieutenant, Zao, is badly wounded, and James Bond is captured. After his release, Bond will try to discover the plans of Moon and his ally, the mysterious Gustav Graves, to dominate the world. How will the plot unfold, and what will be the mysterious ending?

I’m not giving you any more spoilers; just watch it!

11. Exodus: Gods and Kings - “Exodus: Dioses y Reyes”

The director, Ridley Scott, loves Spain, so he decided to film this movie in Fuerteventura. Some of the characters you will see are the famous Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton, Sigourney Weaver, and Aaron Paul. Christian Bale performs a completely different role in this movie from what he was used to doing in Batman.

They decided to shoot in Fuerteventura because many of its landscapes can resemble the deserts of Egypt and to the Red Sea.

The film was shot in many different scenarios as; Fuertevalley, Cofete beach, Mal Nombre beach, Jandia or Sotavento. However these are just some of the places where it was filmed, but actually the film was shot in almost all the islands.

The film narrates the life of Moses from the day he was born until his death. It reviews vital moments such as his adoption into the Egyptian royal family or his defiance of the Pharaoh. Although it mainly focuses on the feat of freeing 600,000 Hebrew enslaved people and his journey through the Sinai desert.

It’s a fascinating movie that I highly recommend you watch as I’m sure you will learn many things.

Have I surprised you with all these movies?

Honestly, I knew about some of them, like The good, the Bad, and the Ugly, or Vantage Point, but there are others I had no idea about!

In Spain, we are fortunate to have such beautiful places, and it is an honor that people come from abroad and find inspiration to shoot their next movie.

Now that you know where some scenes were filmed, you can include a stop in your next itinerary. Which one would you most like to visit?