Grounded at Home? Please Your Travel-Hungry Soul with the Ultimate Quarantine Watch-list

If your travel plans have been disrupted by the unfortunate spread of the Coronavirus and boredom is hitting your hard at home, we’ve got the perfect plan for you! Hold on to the thought of travel and binge-watch these 8 amazing movies and series, which are an absolute treat for travel lovers.

1. Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011)

Three friends, reunite to relive the nostalgia and indulge in heart-racing adventure! If that is not total #travelgoals, we hardly know what is! The movie picks three friends, Kabir, Arjun and Imran from their mundane lives and sets them on the trip of a lifetime through lovely Spanish cities. Be it racing with the bulls in Pamplona, skydiving in Andalucia, scuba diving at Costa Brava or the celebration of La Tomatina in Bunol, the movie inspires major wanderlust through its scenes, and brilliant performances by the actors.

Stream on: Netflix

2. Into The Wild (2007)

There’s hardly a person who hasn’t thought of giving up the city life, packing their bags and heading out for an endless adventure! Well, there’s one person who actually did that and ‘Into The Wild’ is the true story of that true traveller. Christopher McCandless, a recent college graduate, gives up his life savings and hitchhikes to Alaska to live in the wilderness. On his way, Christopher encounters different people with unique stories, allowing him to come face to face with the true essence of life. Though the movie is a bag of mixed emotions, it succeeds in every frame to deliver the message that, “The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.”

Stream on: Netflix

3. Letters to Juliet (2010)

Almost all of us have grown up listening to the story or reference of the romantic tale of Romeo & Juliet. This movie is set in the city of Juliet – Verona, Italy. It all begins when an aspiring writer, Sophie, and her fiancé head to Verona for their pre-wedding honeymoon. Fates of multiple characters are entangled and before we know, Sophie is accompanying a woman to find her love through the wineries, gardens and landscapes of Italy. Letters to Juliet is a movie for anyone who wishes to indulge in light-hearted romance and some great visuals.

Stream on: Netflix

4. Queen (2013)

If there’s one movie that truly pushes your fears aside and motivates you to act on that plan of a solo trip, its Queen! When Rani’s (Kangana Ranaut) marriage is called off, she decides to head for her honeymoon, by herself. Making new friends and encountering new cultures, Rani is forced out of her comfort zone and eventually makes her way through a foreign country. Queen takes you through Paris and Amsterdam, and portrays the remarkable journey of a shy Indian girl turning into a confident traveller, while rediscovering herself with experiences that come her way. By the end of the movie, you’ll be smiling for the lead and probably shedding some happy tears too.

Stream on: Netflix

5. Departures (2008)

If there is any show that establishes unshakable friendship and travel goals, it has to be this! Departures revolves around the lives of two best friends, Scott and Justin, who decide to head for a year of adventure after getting bored with the sheer monotony that surrounds them. The friends embark on a road trip that brings them face to face with challenges, unique experiences and new cultures. What you’ll truly enjoy, is the witty commentaries of the duo on food, or literally anything. The 3 seasons and 42 episodes are sure to keep you busy for a while and allow you to virtually travel through several cities.

6. Call Me by Your Name (2017)

‘Somewhere in Northern Italy’, is the opening title of the movie and honestly, that is enough! Once in a while a movie comes which is as good in content as it is in generating the strong desire to travel. Adapted from the novel by the same name, the movie revolves around a happening summer, when the paths of Elio and Oliver cross in a small Italian town. The bursting greenery of apricot gardens, the gentle flow of backyard stream, the silent lanes and the unspoiled beaches are perfectly captured in different frames.  The movie even takes you to Rome for a tour through its ancient streets. This Academy Award winner packs soulful music, an epic tale of love and the unexplored beauty of rustic Italy.

7. Long Way Round (2004)

This fun British television series documents the life of two friends in one epic journey, spanning more than 19,000 miles across 12 countries and 115 days. Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman set out for a thrillng journey, that takes them from London to New York, on their motorbikes, through Europe, Asia and Alaska. The show beautifully captures the struggles and joys of the duo during the course of their journey. The mesmerizing portrayal of Ewan and Charley’s experiences is too magical to miss. There’s hardly a dull moment in the show, and to say that you’ll be gearing up for a road-trip after watching it is to say the least.

Stream on: Amazon Prime Video

8. Street Food (2019)

“There is no love sincerer than the love of food!” Street Food is a show that resonates highly with this quote by G.B. Shaw. Focusing on the food while taking you through the streets of popular Asian countries, the show is a must-watch for foodies. Getting you acquainted to the vibrant cultures of Thailand, Japan, India, Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia, South Korea and Philippines, Street Food unearths some best-kept culinary secrets of Asia.

Stream on: Netflix

So, beat the quarantine blues and set tone for some all new bucket list adventures that’d be coming your way as soon as things turn normal again!