Journey with The Last Jedi
Every new Star Wars film released has come with a slew of unique locations to provide a stunning backdrop and the latest installation, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, is no exception. Booking.com, the global leader in connecting travelers with the widest choice of incredible places to stay, staked out these beautiful destinations and found accommodations apt for the travelling Star Wars fan.
Skellig Michael, County Kerry & Brow Head, County Cork, Ireland
Ireland is definitely enjoying its times in the travel spotlight in no small part thanks to its starring roles as the backdrop to the phenomenally popular TV series, Game of Thrones. Whilst that takes you to Northern Ireland, The Last Jedi heads to the southerly part of Ireland.
Skellig Michael and the environs of Brow Head provided the backdrop for the Outer Rim planet, Ahch-To, with its deep blue oceans and rugged landscape. Carrying on from The Force Awakens, where Rey manages to track Luke down on Temple Island, filming took place at the 6th century monastic settlement of UNESCO, Skellig Michael. This ancient Jedi pilgrimage site though proved difficult to shoot, and with environmental concerns, a replica of the monastic structures was built atop the Ceann Sibeal headland in the Dingle Peninsula. Brow Head in County Cork, provided awe-inspiring panoramas, along with craggy caves and mine shafts made for captivating scenery. The only thing you won’t be able to spot are Porgs.
Where to Stay: The Moorings Guesthouse & Seafood Restaurant in Portmagee provides a great base if you’d like to explore Skellig Michael. It overlooks the harbor and provides elegant rooms with marble bathrooms. The Bridge Bar provides award-winning food and traditional Irish music and dancing.
To further explore the beautiful Southern Peninsulas, stay in Schull at the Rock Hill House. This Bed and Breakfast is fitted with free WiFi and rooms with a terrace and private bathroom. A vegan breakfast is provided each morning.
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Another film and TV location favourite, you’ll most likely recognize this stunning ancient walled city with its orange terracotta tiled roofs and views of the emerald Adriatic Sea as King’s Landing from the series, Game of Thrones. It also proved to be a great location for Canto Bight, a casino city and a veritable playground for the galaxy’s ultra-rich.
Where to Stay: Relax at Hotel Neptun Dubrovnik, a peaceful beach-front property on the Lapad Peninsula. Featuring magnificent panoramic sea views, you can jump in the cliff-top swimming pool or enjoy a spa treatment. It’s a 10-minute drive from Dubrovnik’s Old Town.
Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
The cracked, luminous Bolivian Salt Flats (Salar de Uyuni), stretching over 11,000-sq-km, is genuinely breathtaking, making it a perfect location for the mineral world, Crait. The world’s largest and most famous salt flat became a haven for the fleeing Resistance forces in an abandoned rebel base. This harsh landscape (and the resident flocks of ostentatious pink flamingos) is best viewed from the Incahuasi Island: a rocky outcrop on an extinct volcano that is dotted with giant cacti.
The Bolivian Salt Flats are also famous for being the ‘world’s biggest mirror’ when it rains and the flats are covered with a thin layer of water. The resulting landscape is absolutely surreal, so much so that you will want to travel during the rainy season.
Where to Stay: Built out of salt bricks and featuring salt furnishings, Hotel Palacio de Sal offers stunning views of the salt flats and the surrounding landscape. Free WiFi, public parking and bicycle hire are provided. The restaurant offers a regional menu of dishes like llama, meat, lamb and chicken