If film genres were destinations…

Awards season is so back. We’ve already had the Golden Globes and the BAFTAS, which blessed our social feeds with viral memes and cultural moments. Next up is the highlight of every film bro’s calendar… The Oscars. While we hold space to find out if Cynthia Erivo wins an Academy Award for Wicked and if Timothée Chalamet shows up on a Lime bike, we’re getting into the award-season spirit with a few nominations of our own. Here’s our take on what film genres would be if they were holiday destinations, so you can go straight from your Netflix for-you page to the flight…   

Romance – Venice  

If you love a film that gets you in your feels, Venice is a bit of you. Its romantic energy is so strong, sparks will be flying left, right and centre, no matter your situation. Platonic? This city doesn’t know her… It’s been a go-to for couples’ trips, surprise engagements and honeymoons for centuries, thanks to its rizz. The whole place is car free and carefree, which means you can stroll hand-in-hand with your love and soak up the fairytale vibes – we’re talking ornate basilicas, Renaissance palazzos and waterside scenery. If you feel like laying it on thick, go for a private gondola down the Grand Canal at sunset and see parts of the city you can’t reach from the pavements. For extra points, try slipping the gondolier a couple of euros for a serenade… that’s amore.  

Thriller – Berlin  

Grab your longest trench and your chunkiest boots, because Berlin’s giving suspenseful spy realness. The German capital’s featured in big thrillers like Atomic Blonde and Bridge of Spies, and it makes sense. The city’s basically the blueprint for that edgy aesthetic – the cool combo of Medieval, Brutalist and contemporary architecture make for an epic backdrop. Enter your secret agent era with sights like the mega Brandenburg Gate and the graffitied remains of the Berlin Wall. Then, have your mysterious main character moment in an underground techno club. If you can get into Berghain, major kudos… but there are plenty of other spots, too, like Anomalie and TRAUMA. 

Fantasy – Iceland 

Iceland is the closest thing to seeing another world IRL. It’s basically a ready-made sci-fi set, with big productions like Thor, Star Wars and Game of Thrones filmed here. We’re talking steaming geysers and frozen waterfalls sat next to lava fields and an active volcano – no CGI needed. Even its nickname – the land of fire and ice – sounds like something from a Harry Potter film. It might be science, but the island’s geothermal activity is pure magic to us… you can literally bake bread by burying it in the sand. And did you even go to Iceland if you didn’t visit the Blue Lagoon? The toasty geothermal water is heated by the steam from the volcano and its rich minerals give it a milky blue colour. Live your best life with a drink from the swim-up bar and a free face mask, soaking up the snowy fjord scenes around you.  

Horror – Mexico City 

Hello horror fans… You might think Mexico City’s all tequila and tacos, but if you dig a little deeper, you’ll find a strong belief in the supernatural. The city’s covered in spots that are apparently haunted, from the ancient Aztec ruins of Teotihuacan and creepy underground catacombs to spooky colonial mansions. Living with spirits is a huge part of local life and lots of legends are passed down through the generations, like La Llorona, a famous ghost story in Mexican folklore, which was made into a Hollywood horror in 2019. It’s not all supposed to be scary, though – just look at Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. The city gets a ghoulish glow up for this 3,000-year-old festival that’s all about celebrating loved ones that have passed away. It might sound like a funeral, but it’s far from it. Everyone goes all out with face paint and fancy dress, so don’t freak out when you see crowds of skeletons walking about.   

Action – Dubai 

Dubai loves the luxe life, so it’s the perfect setting for a big-budget action film. Huge productions like Mission: Impossible and Fast & Furious already got the memo – everyone with a fear of heights is still not over Tom Cruise climbing the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. Downtown Dubai’s futuristic skyscrapers are the ideal set-up for high-stakes stunts – or just a cool new profile pic. The Marina’s filled with superyachts and boujie rooftop bars, which is where the main character would meet their glam love interest (spoiler – they’ll turn out to be the enemy later, ofc). And you already know there would be some serious speedboat scenes around the Palm Jumeirah’s sandbanks…  

Ready for your main character moment? Check out our deals to make it happen.  

Looking for more articles? You’ll find them on the Inspire homepage.  

Author: Daisy Colley (she/her)
Last updated: 21/02/2025