Set-jetting: four exceptional properties in the footsteps of Nolan’s ‘L’Odyssée’

Cinema has never influenced our desire to travel as much as it has this summer. Released in mid-July 2026, Christopher Nolan’s cinematic masterpiece L’Odyssée has revived a major trend in high-end travel: set-jetting. This aesthetic quest consists of choosing your next destination based on the spectacular landscapes seen on the big screen. To retrace Ulysses’ mythical journey from Troy to Ithaca, the director set up his cameras in wild and contrasting territories. To extend this narrative adventure without compromising on exclusive comfort, four exceptional Airbnb properties stand out in the immediate vicinity of the filming locations, offering total immersion in the elements.

The rise of set-jetting: travel guided by cinema

Travel is no longer limited to simple geographical discovery; it becomes a narrative quest where the traveller seeks to capture the atmosphere of a work. This phenomenon, dubbed set-jetting, is experiencing a spectacular acceleration in 2026 among demanding clients. Spectators no longer just want to admire Christopher Nolan’s dizzying shots; they aspire to feel the physicality of the locations, to breathe the same sea or desert air as the protagonists. By breaking away from traditional tourist routes, these aesthetes seek out private homes of character that echo the grandeur of cinema backdrops.

The strength of L’Odyssée lies in its ability to transpose Homer’s myth into raw, beautiful real-world landscapes, avoiding green screens in favour of a palpable authenticity. From the Icelandic tundra to the Sicilian shores, each natural backdrop becomes a character in its own right. Staying in an architect-designed villa or a historic estate located just a few kilometres from these shoots offers a rare transitional experience, between cinematic fiction and sensory reality.

The raw forces of North and South: Iceland and Morocco

The contrast of temperatures and textures forms the visual thread of the first part of the film. Christopher Nolan chose to oppose ice and fire, the North wind and the desert sun, to symbolise the physical trials experienced by Ulysses. This duality is perfectly reflected in two exclusive properties selected for their unique character, one nestled in the volcanic valleys of Iceland, the other hidden in the Moroccan palm groves.

Villa Deluxe, a Nordic lookout facing the Northern Lights

It is on the south coast of Iceland, in the immediate vicinity of the majestic Hvolsvöllur waterfall, that Villa Deluxe stands. This contemporary chalet with a minimalist design can accommodate up to four guests thanks to its two elegantly appointed bedrooms and sleek bathroom. Designed to blend harmoniously into its environment, the property features large bay windows that open onto green valleys and black lava fields, creating a living canvas in perpetual mutation.

In the feature film, these windswept Icelandic landscapes serve as a backdrop for scenes of great dramatic intensity, transposing Greek mythology into an almost mystical Nordic atmosphere. From the villa’s terrace, residents can watch the sky light up with the first Northern Lights of the season, while enjoying absolute thermal comfort. It is the ideal address for lovers of contemplative solitude and wild nature.

Oasis Riad Chay, Art Deco elegance at the gates of Troy

Thousands of kilometres away, Morocco offers a radically different setting under the sun of Ouarzazate province. Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the fortified village of Aït Benhaddou was chosen by the production to portray the legendary city of Troy. To soak up this historic atmosphere, Oasis Riad Chay offers a stopover of rare poetry in the heart of a lush palm grove. This place brilliantly combines the geometric lines of Art Deco with the finest Moroccan craftsmanship.

Featuring three beds and en-suite private bathrooms, this exceptional riad guarantees total privacy for its guests. The shaded terraces allow you to contemplate the surrounding desert stretching as far as the eye can see, recalling the epic scenes from the beginning of the film. The contrast between the coolness of the interior gardens and the aridity of the red earth hills creates a striking sensory experience, worthy of the greatest travelogues.

Mediterranean sanctuaries: Greece and Italy

Ulysses’ return to his homeland unfolds under the golden light of the Mediterranean, where turquoise waters mingle with limestone cliffs. To illustrate this central part of the story, the filming crew favoured sites steeped in history in Greece and Italy. The properties selected in these regions stand out for their stone architecture and their capacity to welcome groups of aesthetic travellers in search of reconnection.

Villa Arte Spetses, the splendour of stone in Messenia

In the Peloponnese peninsula, not far from the historic town of Pylos, lies Nestor’s Cave, a key location where the hero faces the fearsome Cyclops. It is in this wild setting that the majestic Villa Arte Spetses unfolds its charms. Sheltered behind an imposing ashlar stone facade, this extraordinary property is configured to accommodate up to twelve privileged guests thanks to its six sumptuous suites and five and a half bathrooms.

Life here is organised around a huge outdoor swimming pool, bordered by a Mediterranean garden with scents of pine and aromatic herbs. The sunny terraces offer an exceptional panorama over the Gulf of Messenia, inviting mythological daydreaming. The interior architecture, which gives pride of place to noble materials and contemporary furniture, offers a refuge of timeless elegance to analyse the Greek scenes of Nolan’s work.

Baglio della Sorgente, the spirit of Ithaca in the heart of Sicily

To represent the island of Ithaca, the promised and long-awaited land, the director set his sights on the island of Favignana in Sicily, and more particularly on the spectacular Castello di Santa Caterina. Further south, near Syracuse, Baglio della Sorgente stands as the ultimate base camp for exploring this rural and maritime Sicily. This former country house, restored with infinite care, can accommodate more than sixteen demanding guests within its nine bedrooms and nine private bathrooms.

The estate is built around a traditional paved courtyard, a private vineyard, stables and a crystal-clear freshwater swimming pool. Although it is not the exact filming location, the atmosphere of this Sicilian baglio beautifully captures the nostalgia and rustic beauty of Ulysses’ island. Every detail, from the exposed beams to the stone flags worn by time, contributes to creating a stay of absolute refinement, far from the hustle and bustle of the world.

Our take: residential hospitality meets the cinematic imagination

This selection of high-end properties highlights a major shift in the expectations of affluent clients. It is no longer simply a matter of booking a standardised luxury hotel room, but of treating oneself to a bespoke narrative immersion experience. Travellers seek the freedom of a private residence combined with the evocative power of major cinematic landscapes. By positioning themselves close to the film sets without being artificial replicas, these homes preserve their authenticity while stimulating the imagination.

The analysis of these four properties also demonstrates that set-jetting has become a powerful driver of attractiveness for confidential destinations. Whether it is the Sicilian countryside or the remote valleys of Iceland, cinema offers a new perspective on the territory, transforming raw landscapes into sanctuaries of contemplation. For owners of exceptional homes, this trend represents a unique opportunity to promote a unique architectural heritage to a cultured international clientele.

Getting there

To best organise your stay in the footsteps of L’Odyssée, you should plan your trip taking into account the geographical specificities of each destination. We advise you to book well in advance for these confidential properties, which have been particularly popular with aesthetes and film enthusiasts since the release of the film this summer.

Also remember to adapt your logistics, particularly regarding travel times between your prestigious accommodation and the natural filming locations. Whether you choose the freshness of Icelandic waterfalls or the warmth of Sicilian stones, each stay promises total disconnection under the sign of exclusivity and the big screen.

Villa Deluxe: Hvolsvöllur, Iceland (Capacity: 4 guests)

• Villa Deluxe: Hvolsvöllur, Iceland (Capacity: 4 guests)
• Oasis Riad Chay: Ouarzazate, Morocco (Capacity: 6 guests)

Villa Arte Spetses: Messenia, Greece (Capacity: 12 guests)

• Villa Arte Spetses: Messenia, Greece (Capacity: 12 guests)
• Baglio della Sorgente: Santa Croce Camerina, Sicily, Italy (Capacity: 16+ guests)