A Galaxy on Earth: Where Was Star Wars Filmed? 🌍

While the Star Wars saga takes us to exotic planets across the galaxy, the filmmakers didn't need a spaceship to bring those worlds to life. From the start, George Lucas and subsequent directors masterfully used real-world locations on Earth to create the stunning backdrops for Tatooine, Hoth, Naboo, and more.

Here’s a look at some of the most famous Star Wars filming locations you can actually visit.

Tunisia: The Land of Tatooine 🏜️

Perhaps the most iconic filming location is Tunisia, which served as the primary setting for the desert planet Tatooine in A New Hope, The Phantom Menace, and Attack of the Clones.

• Luke Skywalker's Homestead: The famous exterior of the Lars Homestead, Luke's childhood home, is a real-life underground hotel called the Hotel Sidi Driss in Matmata. You can stay there and see the set pieces that were used in the original films.
• Mos Espa: The pod-racing arena and marketplace on Tatooine were constructed as a massive set in the Tunisian desert near the town of Tozeur. While the structures are just facades, you can still walk through the town and feel like a local.
• The Dune Sea: The iconic scene of R2-D2 and C-3PO's escape pod landing on Tatooine was filmed in the linear dunes of the Gour Beni Mzab.

Italy: The Scenery of Naboo and Mustafar 🇮🇹

Italy's diverse landscapes provided the perfect backdrop for some of the prequel trilogy's most important moments.

• Theed Palace and Lake Retreat: The elegant Plaza de España in Seville, Spain, was used for the exterior of Theed on Naboo, while the romantic Villa del Balbianello overlooking Lake Como in Lenno, Italy, served as the site of Anakin and Padmé's secret wedding.
• Mustafar: For the epic duel between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, filmmakers used footage of a real-life volcanic eruption! The active volcano Mount Etna in Sicily erupted during the filming of Revenge of the Sith, and a crew was sent to capture the molten lava flows.

California, USA: Endor and Tatooine in the Home State 🌲

George Lucas didn't have to go far from his home state to find a few "alien" landscapes.

• Endor: The towering redwood forests of California served as the Forest Moon of Endor, home of the Ewoks in Return of the Jedi. The crew filmed in Redwood National and State Parks.
• Tatooine: Some of the Tatooine scenes that weren't filmed in Tunisia were shot closer to home. Death Valley National Park provided the desolate landscape for scenes like Obi-Wan Kenobi’s first meeting with Luke, R2-D2, and C-3PO.

Other Notable Locations Around the World

The saga's vast reach has taken production to even more incredible places:

• Hoth: The snowy planet of Hoth from The Empire Strikes Back was filmed on the Hardangerjøkulen Glacier in Finse, Norway.
• Ahch-To: The remote island where Rey finds Luke Skywalker was filmed on Skellig Michael, off the coast of Ireland.
• Crait: The stunning salt flats of Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia doubled as the mineral-rich planet of Crait in The Last Jedi.

The next time you rewatch your favorite Star Wars film, keep an eye out for these familiar landscapes that prove you don't have to travel to a galaxy far, far away to find a piece of the Star Wars universe.

Speaking of unique experiences, remember to check out our Las Vegas-based lightsaber company, where you can build your own custom lightsaber and become part of a passionate fandom right here on Earth! Visit www.702sabers.com for more.