X

12 Star Wars filming locations you can visit today (pictures)

It takes a planet to create a galaxy far, far away. We compiled this list of locations on Earth that stood in for key places in the Star Wars universe, including a few from "Episode VII: The Force Awakens."

Eric Mack
Eric Mack has been a CNET contributor since 2011. Eric and his family live 100% energy and water independent on his off-grid compound in the New Mexico desert. Eric uses his passion for writing about energy, renewables, science and climate to bring educational content to life on topics around the solar panel and deregulated energy industries. Eric helps consumers by demystifying solar, battery, renewable energy, energy choice concepts, and also reviews solar installers. Previously, Eric covered space, science, climate change and all things futuristic. His encrypted email for tips is ericcmack@protonmail.com.
Eric Mack
sw-lars.jpg
1 of 12 Mark Dermul

Exterior of the Lars homestead, Tunisia

Filming locations for the seven Star Wars films have spanned continents and climates over the past five decades. Whether you consider "Episode IV: A New Hope" or "Episode I: The Phantom Menace" to be the correct starting place for the franchise, the Skywalker origin story runs through Tunisia, which stood in for Tatooine in both films.

The exterior of the home where Luke Skywalker grew up still stands in Chott el Djerid, Tunisia. The decades since filming in the 1970s were not kind to the set, which became the focus of a preservation effort a few years ago. That project has since been completed, and fan Mark Dermul, who helped spearhead the "Save Lars" initiative, sent CNET this photo of the fully restored exterior for the Lars homestead.

sw-skellig.jpg
2 of 12 Bold Puppy YouTube screenshot by Eric Mack/CNET

Skellig Michael, Ireland

Ireland's Unesco world heritage site Skellig Michael was one of the locations for the filming of "Episode VII: The Force Awakens." A monastery was founded on the rocky island in the 6th century, only to be abandoned six centuries later. Eight more centuries on, the Force has finally arrived. Local YouTuber Bold Puppy edited together some footage of the group's home county with a Death Star in the sky above.

sw-tikal.jpg
3 of 12 Lucasfilm video screenshot by Eric Mack/CNET

Tikal/Yavin 4, Guatemala

Filming at iconic world heritage sites is something of a Star Wars tradition. The Mayan ruins of Tikal in Guatemala became the rebel base Yavin 4 in "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope." The interior shots were filmed in a studio because centuries-old pyramids don't tend to be that roomy or have the best lighting.

20140403095515-sam4280.jpg
4 of 12 Tourism Chamber for the Oasis and Sahara regions

Excavating Mos Espa, Tunisia

The desert community of Mos Espa on Tattoine was a lively place in "Episode I: The Phantom Menace" as the hometown of Anakin Skywalker, but the set was built in a very windy part of Tunisia's desert and sands began to overtake it, prompting an Indiegogo campaign to dig it out. Unfortunately, the crowdfunding effort fell far short of its goal and recent satellite images show sand dunes beginning to swallow part of Mos Espa (PDF).

sw-seville.jpg
5 of 12 Lucasfilm video screenshot by Eric Mack/CNET

Seville, Spain, as Naboo

In "Episode II: Attack of the Clones," the main plaza in the Spanish city of Seville stands in for the city of Theed on Naboo, although computers were used in post-production to make both the city skyline and the plaza itself appear much bigger than Seville actually is.

sw-greenham.jpg
6 of 12 YouTube video screenshot by Eric Mack/CNET

Greenham Common, UK

In 2014, a drone flew over Greenham Common, a retired British air force facility, just as the crew was packing up from filming "Episode VII: The Force Awakens."

f3a3c71e-155d-4519-3efb6cc35322cb85-large.jpg
7 of 12 National Parks Service

Death Valley

The colorful area known as Artist's Pallette in Death Valley also stood in for Tatooine in some desert scenes. Darth Vader made a homecoming here of sorts a few years back when a dude in a Vader outfit ran a marathon in the summer heat.

normaldsc8981a.jpg
8 of 12 Jungfrau Region Tourism

Grindenwald as Alderaan

Images of these Swiss mountains were used as the backdrop for Princess Leia's home planet, the ill-fated Alderaan. Don't worry, we're not letting this guy's Death Star anywhere near this place.

among-the-giants.jpg
9 of 12 California Dept. of Parks and Recreation

Northern California is Ewok country

Northern California's giant redwood forests doubled as home to the Ewoks on planet Endor. There won't be any Ewoks in "Episode VII: The Force Awakens," but if you need your fix of the furry guys, you can check out the 1984 "Ewok Adventure" spin-off.

20141128-star-wars-force-awakens-screenshots-hr-009.jpg
10 of 12 Lucasfilm/Screenshot by CNET

Abu Dhabi desert

With Tunisia a little less stable today than it was in the 1970s, Abu Dhabi ended up being the principal locations for desert scenes in "Episode VII: The Force Awakens."

hoth.jpg
11 of 12 Mark Dermul/Lucasfilm

Hoth/Finse, Norway

A glacier in Finse, Norway, stands in for the frozen planet Hoth in the Star Wars canon. Author and Star Wars fan Mark Dermul was so taken with the place that he wrote a travel guide specifically for other fans planning to make the pilgrimage.

naboo004239.jpg
12 of 12 Lucasfilm

Naboo/Lake Como, Italy

It's possible to have your own nuptials at the spot where Anakin and Padme wed by traveling to Lake Como, Italy, which is beautiful in its own right, but unlike Planet Naboo, lacks a metropolis perched atop cliffs flanked by waterfalls that literally make it out-of-this-world gorgeous.

If visiting filming locations on Earth just doesn't seem satisfying for your Jedi heart, astronomers have located a few worlds beyond our solar system that might resemble a real-life Tatooine or Hoth. Unfortunately, we don't yet have the means of traveling there, although NASA does have the tourism poster ready.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos