Category Archives: Places to Visit

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Time is running out to visit Tatooine

The fictional city of Mos Espa is located within the sand dunes of Tunisia. The characters from Star Wars are walking down the marketplace with many domed buildings and sci fi structures around them.
The fictional city of Mos Espa is located within the sand dunes of Tunisia. The characters from Star Wars are walking down the marketplace with many domed buildings and sci fi structures around them.

Image via starwars.wikia.com

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away, 1999 and Tunisia to be exact, George Lucas gave Star Wars fans the most detailed and strikingly beautiful location that the series had to offer. Just ask any Star Wars fan of the first city that springs to mind, they’ll undoubtedly think of Mos Espa, the hometown of one Anakin Skywalker. Fast forward well over a decade however, this real world location may soon be a thing of the past.

Located just to the west of the Tunisian city of Tozeur, lies one of the most detailed Star Wars sets ever built. Nestled amidst the dunes are around 20 buildings covering an area of around 10,000 square meters. One of the largest Star Wars sets produced, many tourists stumble upon the location thinking they’ve been transported in time.

This area was prominently featured in the first of the Star Wars prequels, Star Wars: Episode I-The Phantom Menace and has since become one of Tunisia’s key tourist attractions. Tourists can currently visit Mos Espa and get the feel as though they are on the fictional planet of Tatooine, the only thing that’s missing are the twin suns.

CNN reports however, that this iconic area may soon be lost by the very location it resides in. The sand dunes next to Mos Espa are currently moving at a rate of around 4cm per day, with the fictional city lying right in its path. Very soon, Mos Espa may be lost forever.

A domed hut is shown with sand creeping up the already decayed walls.

Image via holidaycheck.com. The sand is starting to surround the already weathered Mos Espa buildings.

This news comes at a devastating loss for Tunisia, as the area is frequently included in various holiday packages and draws many visitors, all wishing to gain an insight into this iconic fictional city.

In an interview with CNN, Tahar Karya, an expert in the sand dunes of Tunisia and George Lucas’ personal driver during filming, had this to say about how Tunisia benefited as a result of Mr Lucas:

“More than 1,500 background actors were employed. Agencies and hotels also benefited. Over a period of two-and-a-half months, (Lucas) brought activities to the region and beneficial economic activity. We hope he comes back here again.”

Perhaps George Lucas will return to Tunisia to film the latest Star Wars films? He’d better bring a spade.

The set has remained unused since 2003 after Lucas finished filming Episode 2, the final film that featured Mos Espa. At the time of writing, those interested can still visit the set, but for how much longer?

Better book those tickets sooner rather than later Star Wars fans, as Mos Espa may soon be swallowed up by the Sahara Desert itself. Perhaps a few centuries from now future civilisations may uncover the location and mistake it for a functioning city of our time and not that of a film set.

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Places to visit: Harry Potter Studios tour

Hogwarts castle model in the snow
The set of Diagon Alley at the Harry Potter Studios Tour

Diagon Alley set at The Harry Potter Studios Tour

7 books, 8 films and over £5billion at the global box office; Harry Potter is a global phenomenon. The book series have become the most successful movie franchise in history and the eight films have amassed a huge fortune as well as merchandise, a theme park and a film studios tour.

For over 10 years, Leavesden Film Studios was the home the Hogwarts, Privet Drive and the Ministry of Magic. This really is the place where the ‘magic’ took place, from creating those adrenaline-filled Quidditch matches to the action packed battle over Hogwarts.

Now fans from all around the world have the chance to step behind-the-scenes and into the ‘Warner Bros. Studios Tour London’.

From set design to costumes, props to visual effects, this tour has everything. The attraction, takes up to 5,000 visitors on a journey throughout the 10 years of filmmaking.

Sarah Roots, Vice President of Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, commented: “What makes the Tour so special is that everything on show has been used in the making of the Harry Potter film series. All the sets, props and costumes are authentic and show the incredible detail and craftsmanship that goes into film production. All the films were shot at Leavesden so it’s wonderful to have given the sets a permanent home here.”

Once visitors are welcomed to the tour they are transported through the large golden doors and into The Great Hall.

Here they can walk around this iconic room, see the tables set ready for dinner, and stare in awe at Dumbledore’s cloak.

After the Great Hall, visitors are set free to explore plethora of sets and props and immerse themselves in the magical world behind the scenes.

Take your picture in front of the full-size gates of Hogwarts, step inside Dumbledore’s office and explore the Weasley’s kitchen complete with the self-knitting scarf and the saucepans that clean themselves.

Visitors are given free reign to explore the sets, there is no time limit and you can spend as long as you want to soak up all the magic.

The set of the Weasleys' kitchen used in the Harry Potter films

The set of the Weasleys’ Kitchen used in the Harry Potter films

The makers of the tour haven’t missed a thing, as you walk through the tour you are able to walk through Diagon Alley and knock on the door of No. 4 Privet Drive.

Every step along the way offers a new and exciting aspect of production. Props, costumes, sets and vehicles (of course that includes the brooms) you can take an in-depth view of how the team of artists, builders, makeup artists and costume designers created the magic.

For those who wonder how they built the wizarding world, you are able to view each and every scale model used throughout production. Have you ever thought how film crews begin with designing sets as large as the Ministry of Magic? Well now you can see how, from the first sketches all the way to the full size sets, you can see the whole production process.

There are many secrets and surprises that can be found along the way. For any Harry Potter fan this is a must-see and even for those that are simply interested in the method of producing those blockbusters. The Warner Bros. Studios Tour is one-of-a-kind and the most comprehensive attraction for any film lover.

Tickets prices start at £30 for an adult ticket, and more information about the tour visit http://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/.

The scale replica of Hogwarts castle at the Warner Bros Studios tour

Hogwarts Castle scale replica

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Places to visit: Pride and Prejudice

An old english country house in the sunshine.
An old english country house in the sunshine.

Groombridge Place or Longbourn. (Image via www.flickr.com/photos/turboff)

The 2005 adaptation of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is a period classic. The picture was filmed at a handful of stately homes, historic towns and rural locations. Here are five worth visiting.

Let’s begin with the home of the Bennet family, Longbourn manor, also known as Groombridge Place. In Austen’s novel, and the 1995 film, the real Longbourn was imagined in Hertfordshire. It is thought that the fictional home of the Bennets might lie in the small village of Redbourn(1) (there is even a resemblance in the name). However the 350 year old moated manor house, Groombridge Place, actually resides in the village of Groombridge four miles west of Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

Groombridge Place is now a beautiful tourist attraction home to several stunning gardens, an ‘enchanted’ forest and a bird of prey centre. The house is even available for private hire and offers wedding receptions in the oak panelled Baronial Hall. Adult tickets are £8.95/9.95

Next, Basildon Park, the Georgian mansion that plays the part of Netherfield. Netherfield is the house that Mr Bingly rents near Longbourn and we first see it when Elizabeth visits her sister Jane.

The grand house was rescued from ruin by Lord and Lady Iliffe in the mid 1950’s and today the mansion is decorated with salvaged 18th century fixtures and fittings alongside fifties themed rooms like the 1950’s kitchen which is a still used today. If you visit in the Christmas period you might be lucky enough to sample a homemade mince pie from one of the volunteers.

Basildon Park is situated in Berkshire, seven miles north of Reading. For non-National Trust members, an adult ticket is £10.90.

Moving a little further north we have Burghley house, otherwise known as Rosings Park the home to Lady Catherine De Bourgh. In the Novel Rosings is described as an impressive mansion in which the glazing alone is worth over five hundred pounds. Burghley house certainly does not disappoint.

The Elizabethan house was built in the mid-16th century by William Cecil, and has well over one hundred rooms. The entrance to the house takes you through to the old Brewhouse which has been renovated into a modern visitor center. You can find Burghley House 20 miles from Peterborough, near Stamford where some scenes were also filmed. An adult ticket is £12.70

Two small yet significant locations worth noting are Stourhead Garden and Stanage Edge. Stourhead is a huge 2,650 acre estate with an impressive house built in the early 1700’s. But it is also home to one of the film’s most romantic locations – the Temple of Apollo – where Darcy first proposes while sheltering from the stormy rain. Without a National Trust membership, admission to the garden only is £7.70.

Stanage Edge is a spectacular place; it is four miles long and stands at 458m tall – the highest point of the gritstone crags. It is the peak which Elizabeth stands pensively staring into the distance on her visit to the Peak District. You can find the crag to the west of Sheffield City close to Hathersage. In the summer months buses run to Stanage Edge on Sundays.