Movies filmed in Greece (30 Greek Islands including Santorini)

Movies-filmed-in-Greece

The movies filmed in Greece and the Greek Islands shown here offer glimpses of Santorini, Mykonos, Crete, Corfu, Rhodes, Ios, Hydra and many more Greek Island gems.

Are you dreaming about a particular Greek Island? If the answer is yes, then I have made it easy for you because all of these 30 Greek Islands are in alphabetical order.

Keep in mind that all of the movies in this list are placed under one Greek Island heading only, even though some of the movies have scenes from two or more Greek Islands.

The best example of this is in the classic movie Summer Lovers (1982), which created a fictional Greek Island super paradise with scenes from several Greek islands including Santorini, Mykonos, Delos and Crete, though Santorini easily stands out as the film’s main location.

Try and watch the movie recommendations mentioned if you haven’t seen them already. Some of the movies filmed in Greece on these 30 Greek Islands will certainly arouse your interest. There is something for everyone here.

1. Aegina – Movies filmed in Greece (Greek Islands)

The Journey (2014) | Adventure, Drama, Mystery
– Jason visits Greece for the first time and makes his way to a small island on the advice of a stranger. While on the island a few locals befriend him and help him through a difficult time. This thought provoking movie filmed in Greece by Lance Nielsen ended up winning Best Directing Honours at the St. Tropez Film Festival.

2. Amorgos

The Big Blue (Le grand bleu) (1988) | Adventure, Drama, Romance
– Two competitive free-divers compete for the world title. This has to be one of the best movies of all time. If you’re into scuba-diving you’ll really love it. Directed by Luc Besson. (Highly Recommended)

3. Andros

Little England (Mikra Anglia) (2013, Greek) | Drama, Romance
– During the 1930s-1940s, the wives on the island of Andros try and cope during long absences while their men are out at sea.

Play Little England (2013) movie trailer.

Brides (Nyfes) (2004, Greek) | Drama, Romance
– This movie is about the women who left Greece as mail order brides in the 1920s.

Girls in the Sun (1968) | Romance, Drama (B&W)
– A naive shepherd falls in love with a foreign tourist holidaying in Greece.

Best Movies Filmed in Greece Girls in the Sun 1968

 

Rough Seas (Fouskothalassies) (1966, Greek) | Comedy, Romance (B&W)
– A rugged seaman returns to his island home of Andros after many years at sea only to find that his wife is wanting to marry their daughters off to landsmen.

4. Antiparos

Suntan (2016, Greek) | Drama, Comedy, Romance
– An ageing doctor is befriended by a group of wild young partygoers. This movie is very surprising. It’s very different and you won’t know what to expect. The movie has won numerous awards and should have won an Oscar. (Recommended)

Movies filmed in Greece Suntan

 

Madalena (1960, Greek) | Comedy, Drama, Music
– A determined girl decides to earn a living using her father’s trade after he passes away, carrying passengers and cargo on a little boat, so she can care for her brothers and sisters.

5. Chios – Movies Filmed in Greece (Greek Islands)

Xoris Elpida Epiviosis 2 (2016) | Horror
– Amateur Zombie flick. Won awards at the Thessaloniki Film Festival and Berlin Film Festival.

The Four Seasons of the Law (I earini synaxis ton agrofylakon) (1999, Greek) | Drama, Adventure, Comedy
– An agronomist attempts to find a replacement for a job after a local field watchman from a small village dies.

Me and the Gods (aka Farticus) (1997) | Comedy
–  An old man gets the walking farts every time a beautiful woman enters the room. The movie poster of Farticus on the IMDb website doesn’t seem to match the storyline though. It has a cyclops on one side and a minotaur on the other in the sky above the Parthenon.

The Tree We Hurt (To dendro pou pligoname) (1986, Greek) | Drama
– Two youngsters between the 4th and 5th grade spend an ideal summer on the Greek isle of Chios in 1960.

6. Corfu

Slaves in their Bonds (Oi sklavoi sta desma tous) (2008, Greek) | Drama, Romance
– Forbidden love and marriage interest themes.

Chariton’s Choir (I horodia tou Haritona) (2005, Greek) | Comedy, Drama, Music
– A School Master in a small town prepares his students for the Choir Olympiad contest, with the hope of winning the 50th annual Chorale Olympiad.

My Family and other Animals (2005) | Comedy, Drama
– A boy lives an ideal childhood filled with adventure after his English family moves to the island of Corfu. (Recommended)

Hired to Kill (1990) | Action, Adventure
– A photographer goes undercover with 7 models pretending to do a photo-shoot, however he’s really there to try and free a rebel leader held prisoner. Whoever came up with this idea is definitely a genius.

Movies Filmed in Greece Sexy Scene

 

Who killed the aunt Elvira (Poios skotose ti theia Elvira) (1989) | Comedy
– An exploited writer goes to Corfu with a film star to write a script. Stars: Panos Michalopoulos.

Orma Rena … in the arena (Orma Rena stin arena) (1988, Greek) | Comedy
– When investors consider a home and tavern, the daughter also arouses interest.

The Price of Love (I timi tis agapis) (1984, Greek) | Drama, Romance
– A decadent aristocrat going through hard times at the beginning of the 20th century wants to marry a girl, but only if he receives a good dowry. The girl’s mother can’t afford it, as she has other children to raise. After the girl in question learns that the guy’s prime motive for marrying her is to obtain a good dowry, she decides it isn’t in her best interest to marry him after all.

For Your Eyes Only (1981) | Action, Adventure, Thriller
– Excellent James Bond 007 adventure. (Highly Recommended)

Best Movies Filmed in Greece For Your Eyes Only
James Bond Movie Poster made For Your Eyes Only

Jupiter’s Thigh (On a volé la cuisse de Jupiter) (1980, French) | Adventure, Comedy
– Charles, an archeologist, unearths the buttocks of a classical statue. He wants to donate it to the Louvre, while his flirty partner wants to sell it. She gets a local sailor to get it appraised but he gets murdered which leads to an investigation.

Fedora (1978, French) | Drama, Romance
– Can a Hollywood producer lure the eternally youthful looking film actress, Fedora, out of retirement to star in a new screen adaptation of Anna Karenina?

Movies filmed in Greece Goddess

 

The Countess of Corfu (Corfu’s Column) (I komissa tis Kerkyras) (1972) | Musical, Comedy
– An entrepreneur wants to buy a mansion in Corfu from an aristocratic lady, with the intention of turning it into a hotel.

The Burglars (Le Casse) (1971) | Crime, Action, Thriller
– The movie was shot twice, once in French and once again in English, by the same cast. The beach scenes are filmed in Corfu.

The Executioner (1970) | Thriller, Drama
– A British intelligence agent tracks down a fellow spy suspected of being a double agent.

An Onassis Offal (1969, Greek) | Comedy
– When a fake accountant learns that he only has a very short time to live, he decides to live his final days like the rich.

Best Movies Filmed in Greece Apollo

Apollo Goes on Holiday (Epiheirisis Apollon) (1968) | Comedy, Musical, Romance
– A northern European Prince falls in love with a Mediterranean beauty who works as a tour guide. This movie will take you back to 1960s Greece.

The Lady and the Tramp (I arhontissa ki o alitis) (1968, Greek) | Romance, Comedy, Musical
– Rena’s rich father wants her to marry Dinos, the son of a ship owner. Rena isn’t interested so she dresses up as a boy and goes into hiding. She meets Lefteris who assists her and things get complicated. Who will Rena end up marrying?

The Road to Corinth (La route de Corinthe) (1967, French) | Thriller
– A widow is under suspicion of killing an undercover NATO security man. She tries to find out who really did it.

The Girl from Corfu (1957, Greek) | Comedy, Musical, Romance

Sissi: The Fateful Years of an Empress (Sissi, Schicksalsjahre einer Kaiserin)
(1957, Austria) | Drama, History, Romance
– This is the final film of a trilogy. I remember being totally mesmerised by a few of the beautiful scenes as a kid, especially of the three ladies holding their umbrellas walking along the mountains. It came back to me quickly after seeing it again as an adult. As a kid I always wondered where this beautiful place was located. Sadly this movie wasn’t filmed on Corfu, but does that really matter.

The history of Sissi is quite interesting. Check out the Palace she built in Corfu. She’s obviously a fan of the Greek Gods. (Recommended for romantics)

7. Crete

The Bachelor 2 (2017, Greek) | Comedy

Attempted Greek remake of the Hangover movie.

The Bachelor 2 Greek Movie 2017

The Last Note (2017, Greek) | Drama
– German occupiers in Crete execute 200 Greek resistance fighters and Communists on May 1st, 1944, in Kaisariani, during World War 2.

Tsatsiki, Dad and the Olive War (Tsatsiki, farsan och olivkriget) (2015, Sweden) | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
– Tsatsiki and his friends have to find a way to save his dad’s olive farm from being sold to an evil corporation. Won 2nd prize at Giffoni international children festival in Italy, July 2016.

Xenia (2014, Greek) | Drama, Romance
– Two teenagers cross the entire country in search of their Greek father, after their Albanian mother passes away.

The Inbetweeners Movie Crete Greece

The Two Faces of January (2014 | Romance, Thriller
– A con artist, his wife, and a stranger flee Athens after one of them is caught up in the death of a private detective.

The Inbetweeners Movie (2011) | Comedy
– Four immature 18-year-old friends from England go for a holiday to Malia on the island of Crete, which is a popular summer tourist destination for Brits. The film shoot in Malia apparently turned into chaos. For the most part, the movie was filmed in Magaluf, Mallorca/Spain, which doubled for Malia. I’ll let it slide through.

Bang-Bang Wedding! (2008, Greek) | Romance, Comedy
– A wedding invitation error causes chaos on the island of Crete.

Paperboat (2008, Greek) | Drama
– A short 18 minute film about a girl who faces the dilemma of having to choose between her love of Greece and a career in the USA.

Cool (Psyhraimia) (2007, Greek) | Comedy
– Follows the lives of several very different young people during summer.

Films from Greece Cool

 

First Time Godfather (Little Greek Godfather) (Proti fora nonos) (2007) | Comedy, Drama
– A young 11-year old boy is brought to Crete as a hopeful parliamentary candidate.

Uranya (2006, Greek) | Comedy
– Boys face a dilemma. Either they buy a TV set or spend some time with gorgeous Uranya. This all happens around the time of the Apollo launch to the moon in the summer of 69. (Recommended just to see this scene)

Movies Filmed in Greece Uranya

 

Dad Goes Nuts (Apám beájulna) (2003, Hungary) | Adventure, Comedy, Romance
– Two young girls visit Greece when travelling through Europe.

Thelma (2002) | Drama
– A French taxi driver in desperate need of cash accepts a charter for a trip to Greece. After a bit of flirting the taxi driver learns that the passenger is a transexual.

Beware of Greeks Bearing Arms  (Beware the Greeks) (2000) | Comedy, Drama, Romance
– A woman wants her eldest grandson to revenge the death of her husband. This movie was filmed in Australia and the island of Crete.

Tsatsiki, Mum and the Policeman (Tsatsiki, morsan och polisen) (1999, Sweden) | Family, Drama
– A mother and son holiday in the very same Greek village, the same place the son was conceived a decade earlier.

Love Knot (Eleftheri katadysi) (1995) | Drama, Romance
– A diver and two women get involved in a passionate love affair on a Greek Island. One of them is married and the other has just been released from prison.

Bull Dance (Forbidden Sun) (1989) | Drama, Mystery, Thriller
– A girl’s gymnastic school on Crete can never be the same after a rape incident raises an ancient ritual. Apparently this movie wasn’t filmed on Crete. They did an incredible job if it wasn’t. There had to be at least one scene in Crete. Come on, there has to be one. I wonder why anyone wanted to change the movie name to Forbidden Sun? Bull Dance is a much better movie title. (Recommended)

Movies Filmed in Greek Islands Bull Dance

 

Hidden Love (Versteckte Liebe) (1987, German) | Drama
– An isolated German outcast starts developing erotic thoughts towards a young girl.

Patton: A Salute to a Rebel (1970) | War, Biography, Drama
– Takes in the career of American General, George S. Patton.

My Hippy Aunt (I theia mou, I hipissa) (1970, Greek) | Comedy, Music
– A hotel cleaner isn’t happy when her daughter and her daughter’s fiancé take refuge in a happy commune of free spirits. Has scenes at the Caves of Matala in Crete.

Movies filmed in Crete Greece The Naked Brigade

The Naked Brigade (1965) | War, Adventure, Drama
– A British girl attempts to get her archaeologist father off the island of Crete and back to England just ahead of the Nazi invasion. She ends up trapped on the island finding refuge with an all-female force of guerrillas led by one man.

Zorba the Greek (1964) | Drama, Adventure
– An English author travels to inspect an abandoned mine his father owns in Crete, and meets the exuberant peasant named Zorba (Anthony Quinn). Zorba convinces the Englishman that he has mining experience and that it would be beneficial to the newcomer if he tags along. Zorba offers worldly wisdom to the younger Englishman, especially when he finds the Englishman attracted to a young widow.

The Moon-Spinners (1964) | Family, Mystery, Drama
– A British teen and her aunt get caught up in a mystery. This movie is an American Walt Disney Production. It stars Hayley Mills and is especially suited for kids. I was mesmerised by the windmill scene as a youngster. (Recommended)

Watch a preview of The Moon-Spinners (1964) windmill scene.

Crazy Blood (1963, Greek) | Comedy
– The tales and adventures of a young Cretan Casanova.

He Who Must Die (Celui qui doit mourir) (1957, French) |Drama
– Assistance provided to refugees on a Greek Island occupied by the Turks causes an uproar.

Ill Met by Moonlight (Night Ambush) (1957) | Drama, Action
– The British army and members of Cretan resistance try to kidnap the island’s German Nazi commander, with the intention of sending him to Cairo to humiliate the occupying force. It’s based on real-life events which occurred during World War 2. (Recommended)

8. Hydra

Movies filmed in Hydra Greek Island
Hydra, Photo credit: dronepicr – Flickr

Summer in Greece (Ein Sommer in Griechenland) (2015, German) | Comedy, Drama, Romance
– German TV movie.

Fugitive Pieces (2007) | Adventure, Drama, War
– A Jew orphaned during the turmoil of World War II in Poland escapes to Greece with the help of a Greek national, before coming of age in Canada.

Play Fugitive Pieces (2007) movie trailer.

Boat Trip (2002, USA) | Comedy
– Two straight guys are tricked into going on a cruise for gays only. This movie is credited as helping to destroy Cuba Gooding Juniors career straight after his Academy Award win for “Jerry Maguire”. Less than ten minutes of the movie is filmed in Hydra.

Peppermint (1999, Greek) | Comedy, Drama, Family
– Stefanos, a man in his 40s, travels back in time when attending a reunion party and remembers his youth, especially the special relationship with his cousin Marina.

The Blue Villa (Un Bruit Qui Rend Fou) (1995, French, Greek, English) | Crime, Drama, Mystery
– The death of a Eurasian woman leads to the disappearance of a young man. One day the villages are unnerved to see the man’s ghost-like return.

Out of the Shadows (1988) | Thriller
– An American Embassy worker is assisted by an Interpol agent in regard to a murder in the Greek isles. Won best Fiction Film and numerous other awards at the Thessaloniki Film Festival.

Greek Comedy Movie Stars

Let’s get to love each other darling (Ela na… gymnothoume, darling) (1984, Greek) | Comedy, Musical, Romance
– A group of Greek lovers do their best to keep the lonely female tourists happy.

The Love of Ulysses (O erotas tou Odyssea) (1984, Greek) | Comedy, Drama
After family man Odysseus is fired from his job, he boards a boat to the isle of Hydra, where he finds himself tempted by a dark-haired nymph.

The Fruit is Ripe (Griechische Feigen) (1977, Germany) | Sex Comedy, Romance
– An attractive German woman visits a Greek island and finds herself the star attraction.

Incense of the Damned (Bloodsuckers) (1970) | Horror
– A group of friends search for a young Oxford student missing in Greece. There they find him under the spell of a beautiful Vampire.

Mermaids and Rascals (Gorgones kai mages) (1968) | Comedy, Drama, Musical
– Petros and Flora try to buy up cheap land with the hope of selling it to foreign investors.

Koritsia Gia Filima (1965) | Romance, Musical, Comedy
– A travel agency director visits Greece with her niece.

Island of Love (Not on Your Life) (1963) | Comedy
– A con man gets a drunk out-of-work writer to come up with a screenplay in an attempt to obtain funds from a rich producer. Enables you to see Hydra as it was in the 1960s.

Phaedra (1963) | Drama
– A shipping magnate proposes marriage to Phaedra, however when Phaedra meets his son, she falls in love with him and seduces him. This leads to family tragedy. It’s a modern retelling of the myth of Phaedra.

Boy on a Dolphin (1957) | Adventure, Drama, Romance
– A poor beautiful sponge diver (Sofia Loren at age 23) finds an ancient brass/gold statue of a boy riding a dolphin. She soon gets torn between two men, one who wants to gift it to Greece, and another who wants to sell it. You have to watch it once.

Movies filmed in the Greek Islands Boy on a Dolphin

The residents of Hydra even placed a statue near the port to commemorate the film.

Movies in Greece inspired Boy on dolphin statue
Photo credit: Vaggelis Vlahos (Mod) – Wikimedia Commons

Just behind an old mill, the bronze stature titled ‘Boy on a Dolphin’ mimics the statue found on the bottom of the sea in the movie.

A Girl in Black (To koritsi me ta mavra) (1956, Greek) | Drama, Romance
– Marina falls in love with Pavlos, however due to a cruel trick played on Pavlos by the other young jealous men in town, tragedy strikes.

The Song of Separation (The Parting Song) (To tragoudi tou horismou) (1939, Greek) | Drama, Romance
– A woman holidaying on Hydra falls in love with the local fisherman. She steals him from his girlfriend and takes him to Athens where she promotes him as a singer.

9. Ios

Ginger and Cinnamon (Dillo Con Parole Mie) (2002, Italian) | Drama, Romance
– Stefania, a 30-year old, takes her teenage niece on a Greek Island holiday. The young girl thinks it would an ideal time to find a guy. The problem is the cute guy she really likes actually turns out to be none other than her aunt’s recent ex-boyfriend. (Recommended)

Aliki My Love (1962, Greek) | Comedy, Romance
– A playboy thinking he’ll get rich from his Uncle’s famous sauce recipe gets the surprise of his life when his lawyer informs him that the recipe has been lost after his Uncle’s passing. The only thing left to inherit is a small Greek Island in the Aegean. Once there he meets Aliki, a beautiful teacher. This romantic movie on the Greek island of Ios is considered a Greek classic.

10. Kastellorizo – Movies Filmed in Greece (The Greek Islands)

Mediterraneo (1991, Italian) | Drama | Romance, Comedy
– The shenanigans of a group of Italian soldiers stationed on a Greek Island during World War 2 are played out. This very amusing film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Movies filmed in Greece don’t get much better than this. (Highly Recommended)

11. Kefalonia

Magnetic Fields (Magnitika pedia) (2021, Greek) | Drama, Comedy
– Elena and Antonis meet on an island by chance after his car beaks down on his way to the island cemetery.

Captain Corelli’s Mandolin (2001) | Drama, Romance
– An Italian commander romances the daughter of a local doctor during World War II, while being stationed on the island of Kefalonia. It starts out a bit slow but it gets better and better. (Recommended)

12. Kos

You Only Live Once (2016) | Romance, Drama
– Four leading female characters face relationship challenges.

The Island of Secrets (Lomasankarit) (2014, Finnish) | Romance, Family, Adventure
– A holiday for 3 boys changes after a local girl is kidnapped.

Loafing and Camouflage – Sirens in the Aegean (Loufa kai parallagi: Seirines sto Aigaio) (2005, Greek) | Comedy
– Greek soldiers serving their military service on the island of Kos are sent to guard the skerry of Pitta. Things get interesting when a Turkish boat arrives and drops off a few castaways.

 

Signs of Life (Lebenszeichen) (1968, German) | Drama
– A German paratrooper slowly goes mad after being sent to the quiet island of Kos, where he and two other soldiers guard a munitions depot.

Zito i trella (1962, Greek) | Comedy
– Romaios’ uncles want to obtain his mother’s wealth. They come up with a plan and send him to Kos with a harebrained scheme in mind.

Poia einai i Margarita (1961, Greek) | Comedy
– A girl from Athens working in fashion visits Kos to promote her clothing.

13. Kythera

Winter on Kythera (2018) | Black Comedy
– A girl named Aphrodite tries to find a purpose in life.

Kythera mon Amour (2016, Greek) | Short, Romance
– A bachelor has the dilemma of choosing whether he should leave his mother and home island for a possible brighter future in Australia, during economically tough times.

Voyage to Cythera (Taxidi sta Kythira) (1984) | Drama
– Won Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival.

14. Lesvos (Lesbos)

Love Struck (Apo erota) (2014, Greek) | Drama, Comedy, Romance
– The ex-girlfriend of a guy about to marry turns up out of the blue.

Summer Lover (Sappho) (2008) | Drama, Romance
– A newly married young woman on her honeymoon in Lesbos falls for the daughter of a Russian archeologist. She finds herself in the grip of a love sexual triangle and experiences the feelings of unrequited love, like Sappho, the famous Greek lesbian poet.

I enjoyed watching this film. This artistic movie is really for mature adults only as it has strong sex scenes. It’s definitely an unappreciated classic. (Recommended)

15. Milos – Movies Filmed in Greece (Greek Islands)

A Greek Type of Problem (Tu honoreras ta mère et ta mère) (2012, French) | Comedy
– Could the Greek Gods be out to punish this family?

Movies Filmed in Greece Bon Plan

Link to IMDb website where you can watch a preview of A Greek Type of Problem (2012).

Tashan (2008, Bollywood) | Action, Drama, Romance
– The song ‘Dil Haara Re’ was filmed at Sarakiniko Beach, which is famous for its unique grey and white rocks. Play Dil Hara Re filmed at Sarakiniko Beach, Milos.

Bon Plan (Great Idea) (2000) | Comedy, Drama
– A group of boys and girls on a rail-trip through Europe end up on a small Greek isle, where they discover themselves.

16. Mykonos

Movies filmed in Mykonos
Mykonos, Photo credit: Richard Martin (Mod) – Flickr

A Summer in Mykonos (Ein Sommer auf Mykonos) (2020, German) | Comedy
– A German tourist has her purse stolen which leads to romance with the island police officer Nikos Sakalidis.

Greed (2019) | Comedy, Drama
– An Ancient Greek themed party is held on Mykonos for the super-rich.

The Seeds of Discord (2014, German) | Thriller

Jodi Breakers (Jab Main Tumhare Saath) (2012, Bollywood) | Comedy, Musical, Romance
– Sid and Sonali provide assistance to couples who aren’t happy in their married life.

The Kings of Mykonos (2010) | Comedy, Romance
– A guy from Australia inherits a beach on the isle of Mykonos from an uncle he’s never actually met. A classic funny movie filmed in Greece and Australia. (Highly Recommended)

 

Kamaki (2007) | Drama
– Kamaki is the story of 5 people with hustling and seduction in mind, during a summer in Mykonos.

Chalte Chalte (2003, Bollywood) | Drama
– Raj follows Priya to Greece with the intention of wooing her.

The Bourne Identity (2002) | Action, Thriller
– The movie finishes in Mykonos. What a great place to go after filming a major Hollywood movie blockbuster.

Shirley Valentine Mykonos Movie Poster

Doli Saja Ke Rakhna (1998, Bollwood) | Drama, Romance
– An MBA student meets an attractive young female student. Play the song ‘Kissa Hum Likhenge’ from the film – Doli Saja Ke Rakhna.

Shirley Valentine (1989) | Comedy, Romance, Drama
– A frustrated middle-aged housewife from Liverpool accompanies her female friend on an all expenses paid trip to Greece. (Highly Recommended)

Gemini – The Twin Stars (1988) | Adventure, Drama
– A young man travelling the world gets caught up in the drug dealings of a friend. One of the places he finds himself is on the party island of Mykonos.

The Time Traveller (The Next One) (1984) | Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
– The widow of an astronaut and her young son meet someone from the future on a Greek Island.

Movies Filmed in Greece Greek Islands The Time Traveller

Play The Time Traveller (1984) trailer.

Greece Movies Fantasies

Fantasies (1981) | Drama, Romance
– Sixteen year old Anastasia and her adopted brother live on a Greek Island with their pervy grandfather. Stars Bo Derek, the beauty from the movie 10.

The Greek Tycoon (1978) | Drama
– Tells the story of Onassis, a Greek shipping tycoon, who married Jacqueline Kennedy, the wife of the former US President.

Island of Death (Ta paidia tou Diavolou) (1976) | Horror
– A couple of crazy killers get loose on a Greek Island.

L’homme de Mykonos (1966, French) | Drama, Mystery
– A young painter meets a rich older woman and marries her. After some time passes, he meets a former mistress while on business trip to Mykonos. What will he do?

17. Naxos

Perimenontas ti Nona (2019, Greek, German) | Comedy
– Friends arrive on Naxos, including woman of Greek descent who leaves Germany to visit Greece for the first time. There they experience life and loss. This looks as if it would be a good movie to watch. Not sure if it is available with English subtitles. A song and music video by Demy is linked to the movie – Έλα (Περιμένοντας Τη Νονά OST).

Tiger Zinda Hai (2017, Bollywood) | Adventure, Action, Drama, Thriller
– An Indian intelligence agent leads a rescue mission in Iraq to save a group of Indian and Pakistani nurses from a hospital before a planned American airstrike blows it up. This is a sequel to the Indian blockbuster Ek Tha Tiger.

Testosterone (2004, Greek) | Comedy
– A 20 year old guy returns to an island he used to spend his summers on. Something isn’t quite right though. All the women on the island are lusting after him and there are no other men in sight. What’s going on?

18. Paros

The Immature: The Trip (Immaturi – II viaggio) (2012, Italian) | Comedy
– A group of friends reunite by going on a holiday to Paros as a way of making up for a post-graduation trip they never took immediately after high school. This movie is the sequel to the first film: The Immature (Immaturi) (2011). There are some good moments in this movie. The feature image with the brunette beauty at the very top of this post seen walking in Paros comes from this movie. (Recommended)

 

To see how it all started you should also watch the first movie: The Immature (Immaturi) (2011). This movie is about a group of friends from the same high school who have graduated years ago and then find out to their dismay that their high school examinations will be made null and void due to a bureaucratic bungle. It’s basically your worst nightmare. All of them are forced to sit their exams again if they want to keep any of their existing credentials, including a doctor.

The Immature (Immaturi) was a commercial success at the Italian box office grossing over 19 million dollars. They say the movie is a comedy, but I’d say it’s more of a drama/romance focussed on relationships with a little bit of humour mixed in. It is quite sophisticated.

19. Patmos

Opa! (2005) | Comedy, Romance
– An Archeologist (Mathew Modine) falls for a local female restaurant owner.

Play Opa! (2005) movie trailer.

Beautiful Days (Omorfes meres) (1970, Greek) | Comedy, Drama, Musical

20. Rhodes – Movies Filmed in Greece (Greek Islands)

Swing Away (2016) | Comedy, Drama, Sport
– A professional golfer returns to her grandparents’ village to escape from media attention after a suspension. She soon rediscovers her Greek heritage. I always knew Shannon Elizabeth (more famously known for “American Pie”) was a Greek Goddess.

Update: I have seen the film Swing Away now and I found it very entertaining. Loved the beautiful beach scenes in Rhodes. In my original film description, as shown above, I did mention that Shannon to me is a Greek Goddess. In the movie, there are even a couple of scenes where she talks about the Greek Gods. So, I’m thinking it must be a big hint. The movie would be fun viewing for young girls since the storyline involves Shannon assisting a young Greek girl to improve her golf game. At the end, it all comes to together in a high stakes golf tournament. (Recommended)

 

The Anderssons in Greece (Sune i Grekland – All Inclusive) (2012, Swedish) | Family, Comedy
– A family holiday in Greece doesn’t go to plan.

Play The Anderssons in Greece (2012) movie trailer.

El Greco (2007) | Biography, Drama
– Do you know anything about the famous Greek artist and fighter known as El Greco? If you don’t then this movie will probably shed some light.

Into the Blue (1997) | Crime, Drama, Mystery
– A failed businessman living on the island of Rhodes is caught up in a murder.

Movie filmed in Greece High Season 1987

High Season (1987) | Romance, Comedy
– An expatriate English photographer living on the isle of Rhodes has to deal with the influx of tourists, as well as her ex-husband and an old friend. Stars: Jacqueline Bisset. I’m a massive fan of hers. She’s so…so classy. Loved her in the movie Class (1983).

Play High Season (1987) movie trailer.

Hard Bodies 2 (1986) | Romance, Comedy
– A sexploitation movie probably worth checking out.

Una Vacanza Del Cactus (1981, Italian) | Comedy
– Mr. Zerboni tries to seduce Angela, an employee of his, while on vacation in Greece with his wife.

Escape to Athena (1979) | Action, Adventure, Comedy
– A World War II adventure, mainly known for people sitting around in cheap chairs looking like they’re on some sort of vacation.

Olympian Holiday (Loma) (1976, Finnish) | Romance, Comedy
– After a mix-up at the airport, a shy Finn ends up on the isle Rhodes instead of his planned destination at the Winter Olympics.

Medusa (1973) | Mystery

Play Medusa (1973) movie trailer.

Girls in Kisses (Koritsia gia filima) (1965, Greek) | Romance, Musical, Comedy
– A director of a travel agency goes with her niece to Greece for a holiday and business. There they meet a group of Greek men.

Male Hunt (La chasse a l’homme) (1964, French) | Comedy
– A guy about to get married has his bachelor friend desperately trying to talk him out of it, after his own bad experiences and misfortunes with the opposite sex.

To Doloma (1964, Greek) | Comedy, Romance
– A beautiful woman, a card shark and their smooth friend try to take advantage of wealthy tourists.

Crucero de verano (1964, Italian) | Comedy, Musical
– It stars actor Gabriele Ferzetti.

Young Aphrodite (1963) | Drama, Romance
– Sounds like it could be about love or sex, or both.

The Guns of Navarone (1961) | War, Adventure, Drama
– The Nazis have established a giant cannon on a Greek Island. Heroes go on a mission to destroy it. This is an Academy Award winning film. (Recommended)

Surprise Package (1960) | Comedy
– An American gangster is sent back to the Greek Island where he was born. Superstar Yul Brynner plays the gangster.

Best Movies in Greece

 

Anna of Rhodes (Anna Roditi) (1948) | Adventure, Drama, Romance
– During World War II, a Naval officer goes on a secret mission to help the residents of Rhodes. There he falls in love with Anna Roditi, a member of the resistance.

They Who Dare (1954) | Drama, History, War
– During World War II, British commandos are sent on a mission to destroy a Luftwaffe airfield on a Greek Island.

21. Samothrace (Samothraki)

The Valiants of Samothrace (Oi gennaioi tis Samothrakis) (2003, Greek) | Comedy
– Turks invade Cyprus, forcing the Greek dictatorship to send troops to Cyprus. The dictatorship falls soon after, leaving a small squad of troops on Samothrace awaiting their orders.

22. Santorini

Santorini Greek Gods Paradise

 

With a Kiss I Die (2017) | Fantasy, Drama, Romance
– A dark love story about eternal love.

Beijing Love Story (Bei Jing ai qing gu shi) (2014, Mandarin) | Drama, Romance
– A couple visit Greece in the hope of overcoming infidelity.

Bang Bang! (2014, Bollywood) | Action, Adventure, Comedy
– A bank receptionist gets involved with a mysterious man. Play the song ‘MEHERBAAN’ from BANG BANG! set in Santorini and Mykonos.

Santorini Blue (2013) | Drama, Comedy
– The cast of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” attempt to make a movie. A marriage unravels after a devastating betrayal. Can it be fixed? Moves from New York City to Santorini.

Play Santorini Blue (2013) movie trailer.

D’Agostino (2012) | Drama, Sci-Fi
– A very weird disturbing thriller. Why they chose to film on Santorini is anyone’s guess.

Engeyum Kadhal (2011) | Romance
– A girl living in France falls in love with an Indian guy.

Wanted (2009, Bollywood) | Action, Crime, Thriller
– An Indian Film produced by SK Films & Eros Entertainment (India). Good to see a Greek God has played a part in producing this film. The movie broke many box-office records. It also helped to revive the film career of Indian superstar Salman Khan. Play  the song Dil Leke — from Wanted (filmed in Santorini).

The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants II (2008) | Comedy, Drama, Romance
– Four college freshmen and best friends share a pair of jeans to help them stay in touch as their lives go in different directions.

For the First Time (2008) | Romance, Drama
– This love story between a playboy and a prude has two attractive film stars from the Philippines romancing on a Greek island.

Greek Kisses (Griechische Küsse) (2008, German) | Comedy, Romance

Movies filmed in Santorini Small Crime

Small Crime (Mikro eglima) (2008, Greek) | Crime, Comedy, Drama, Romance
– A police officer assigned to a small remote island in the Aegean who doesn’t really want to be there finds himself investigating a mysterious death after an old man is found dead at the base of a cliff. Angeliki, a famous Greek female TV personality is somehow linked to the unfortunate victim. When she returns to her one time island home where her mother lives, she learns about her family past and her connection to the man. The movie was filmed on the island of Therasia, also known as Thirasía, part of the volcanic island group of Santorini in the Greek Cyclades.

It is an entertaining movie by Greek standards and I really enjoyed watching the film. (Recommended)

Das Wunder der Liebe (2007, German) | Drama
– A German version of ‘Shirley Valentine’ set in Santorini rather than Mykonos.

The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (2005) | Comedy, Drama, Romance
– Four best girlfriends share a pair of jeans. This is one of those movies filmed in Greece, showcasing the beauty of a Greek island so well, that you’ll desperately want to visit Santorini one day, if you haven’t already. The views on Santorini are dreamy. (Recommended)

Che ne Sara’ di Noi (2004) | Drama, Comedy
– Three 18-year old Italian boys follow a girl to Santorini in this coming of age story.

Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003) | Fantasy, Action, Thriller
– The wedding scene was filmed in the town of Oia at the vista point where tourists go and see the sunset, right at the top of the steps that lead down to Amoudi Bay. Movies filmed in Greece don’t get more Greek God than searching for Pandora’s box. The beginning of the movie is fantastic.

Lara Croft Movie Santorini Greece

Bonus (Efapax) (2001, Greek) | Comedy
– A married man who works as a garbage collector is nearing retirement which means he’ll be in the money. His family have their eyes on the prize as well. It’s supposed to be a very entertaining comedy.

Summer Lovers (1982) | Comedy, Drama, Romance
– Just watch it. This is one of my favourite movies filmed in Greece. It’s a classic. The movie is extremely hot and it has some fantastic music in it. Have a listen to “I’m So Excited” by The Pointer Sisters, which is the best song in the film. (Highly Recommended)

23. Sifnos

Nicostratos the Pelican (Nicostratos le pélican) (2011) | Comedy, Drama
– A 14-year old boy befriends a pelican.

Play Nicostratos the Pelican (2011) movie trailer. The trailer is not in English, but it is still very good to watch.

Nosos 2: To kynigi tou hamenou thisavrou (2011, Greek) | Comedy
– In Nisos 2, the main actors return to the island after rumours of a hidden treasure.

Nisos (The Island) (2009) | Comedy, Crime, Drama
– Corruption is revealed on a Greek Island as a result of the death of a prominent citizen.

To Fili Tis Zois (2007, Greek) | Comedy, Romance
– A guy about to be married finds himself accidentally stranded on the island of Sifnos just before his marriage in Milos. Along the way he meets another woman who could change his fate. This is quite a good movie by Greek standards. If only Greek movie makers could come up with more of this. If it were fine tuned a bit this could have been a really great movie. (Recommended)

Here is the more popular theme song music video for the movie To Fili Tis Zois performed by Helena Paparizou.

24. Skiathos

The Telemachy (2012) | Drama, Adventure
– A highly rated movie inspired by Homer’s Odyssey. Telemachus, a boy who is half Greek runs away from home to find his true father on the island of Skiathos.

Play The Telemachy (2012) movie trailer.

Act of Piracy (1998) | Action, Crime, Thriller
– After a yacht trip, a guy finds out that his girlfriend is a member of a terrorist organisation. This triggers an international TV campaign to hunt them down.

25. Skopelos – Movies Filmed in Greece (Greek Islands)

Mama Mia! (2008) | Musical, Romance, Drama
– Everyone should see this great musical based on ABBA songs. This movie was also filmed on Skiathos. (Highly Recommended)

26. Spetses

Knives Out 2 (2022) | Crime, Comedy, Drama
– Haven’t seen it yet, but I really enjoyed watching the first movie.

The Lost Daughter (2021) | Drama
– Tells the story of Leda, a middle-aged professor on vacation at a beach resort. After coming across a mother who is having family problems, Leda begins to have flashbacks on her own life, career, marriage, and children.

Soula Ela Xana (2009, Greek) | Comedy, Romance
– Soula, a woman in her early 30s, decides that she has limited choices in the romance department and must revise her previous relationships.

Top Movies Made in Greece

 

Fishtales (2007) | Comedy, Family, Fantasy
– A single-parent professor of classical studies from Oxford University is given the opportunity to spend time with his young daughter on the Greek Island of Spetses to complete his research on ancient Greek love spells. His daughter wants her father to fall in love and seeks to find him a love interest on the island. After meeting a mermaid Goddess, she tries to set them up together. (Recommended for mermaid fans)

I do recommend watching the movie, especially if you’re into mermaids and Greek mythology, but it had so much more potential. It could have been a classic! Fishtales stars Billy Zane, a Greek who played the villain in the Titanic movie.

If you want to watch more films starring Billy Zane, check out the best Billy Zane movies.

Voyage: Killing Brigitte Nielsen (2007) | Comedy
– This is a hidden camera comedy. Who killed Bridget Nielsen in Greece? Bridget Nielsen for those of you that don’t know, was once married to Sylvester Stallone.

The Freediver (2004) | Action, Adventure
– A talented young woman is trained by a mad scientist to become the Freediving champion of the world.

Play The Freediver (2004) movie trailer.

The Magus (1968) | Drama, Fantasy, Mystery
– A teacher on a Greek Island gets sucked into bizarre mind-games with the island’s magus (magician) and an attractive young woman.

A famous celebrity (often linked to Woody Allen) once stated that if he had to live his life again he’d do everything the same except he wouldn’t go to see The Magus! The thing is the movie stars Anthony Quinn, Michael Caine, and Candice Bergen. The critics gave this movie a mauling, but maybe they were playing mind games of their own.

Play The Magus (1968) movie trailer.

Movies from Greece The Magus

 

Jenny Jenny (Tzeni Tzeni) (1966) | Comedy, Romance
– Jenny agrees to marry a political rival to her father.

27. Symi

The Thirteenth (2017) | Horror
– A man learns from a beautiful woman that his father died while investigating an ancient mystery. This movie won an Odysseus Award at the London Greek Film Festival.

Anna’s Summer (Annas Sommer) (2001) | Drama
– A photojournalist inherits a house on a Greek Island. She welcomes the friendly spirits of her Sephardic-Jewish ancestors into the family home. (Recommended)

Pascali’s Island (1988) | Drama
– In 1908, a spy for Istanbul’s Sultan has his suspicions roused when a British archeologist arrives.

28. Thassos

Let the Women Wait (As perimenoun oi gynaikes!) (1998, Greek) | Comedy
– This is one of those movies filmed in Greece which portrays the decadent society existing in Greek society during the 80s-90s.

29. Tinos

Highway to Hellas (2015, German) | Comedy
– An employee of a German (Munich) based bank visits a Greek Island on official business to check-up on the Greeks. His superiors want him to verify loan securities that includes a hospital and power generating plant. The local Greeks find themselves resorting to desperate measures to stop him finding out the truth.

The big laugh for me was just before the finger. Definitely worth watching once. (Recommended)

 

I, Giannoulis Chalepas (Ego, o Giannoulis Halepas) (2010) | Biography, Drama

Lucifer et moi (2008, French) | Comedy
– The myth of Faust revisited Greek myth style. It’s on a Greek Island after all.

30. Zakynthos (Zante) – Movies filmed in Greece

Life Will Smile (2017) | Short, Documentary
– A forty minute documentary that tells the story of the complete survival of Europe’s only Jewish community during the Holocaust on the Greek Island of Zakynthos.

Moussaka and Chips (2005) | Adventure
– A getaway driver who has witnessed the murder of an underworld boss is hidden away on a Greek Island together with a female MI5 officer.

The variety of movies filmed in Greece on these 30 Greek Islands is quite amazing when you think about it. This should keep Greek Island movie fans busy for a while. I still have quite a large number of movies I want to see myself.

Want some more movies to watch? Check these out:

  1. 20 Romantic Movies for Greek Mythology Fans
  2. 20 Greek Mythology Movies You Must See

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Movies Filmed in Greece Greek Islands Santorini