Greek island Skopelos (main photo) was thrust into the limelight when the first Mamma Mia! blockbuster was filmed there, so could the same happen to Croatia, backdrop to the movie’s sequel? We take a closer look and cherry-pick some other destinations used in famous ‘beachy’ movies

Vis Island, Croatia
The beautiful Croatian island of Vis, located in the Adriatic Sea just over two hours by ferry from Split, is expecting a surge in foreign interest over coming months after serving as the shoot location for the fictional island of ‘Kalokairi’ in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. During filming, Hollywood A-listers, including Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Seyfried and singer Cher, were more than happy to decamp there.

It’s hard not to be wowed by the shots of Vis’s natural scenery and its picturesque waterfront that appear in the blockbuster musical. Perhaps enough to want a house there? It’s smaller and much quieter than the neighbouring Dalmatian island of Hvar. Highlights of the 35-square-mile island include its clean beaches with gloriously clear water, its 17th-Century architecture and the fantastic fish and seafood restaurants. Not many people know that Vis’s Stiniva beach, tucked between high cliffs, was voted Best Beach in Europe 2016 by tourism organisation European Best Destinations.

Hvar, with its exclusive night spots, attracts super yachts and the international jet set – which in the past have included Prince Harry. Vis, on the other hand, will appeal more to those who prefer a traditional, low-key island experience. Much of life there revolves around the harbour and sea, but the island’s pretty vine- and olive-covered interior is equally appealing – both its red and white wines come recommended. Historically off the radar to the rest of the world, so much so it was used by plotting Yugoslav revolutionaries in the Second World War and later as an off-limits naval base, Vis is now waiting to feel the effects of its starring role in the latest Mamma Mia! movie.

Other beach film locations…
There would have been few complaints from the cast and crew involved with the filming of psychological thriller The Talented Mr Ripley. Much of the 1999 blockbuster, the cast of which included Matt Damon, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett and Philip Seymour-Hoffman, was filmed on the two dazzling islands of Ischia and Procida in Italy’s Gulf of Naples. Ischia in particular has a long history of attracting the world’s jet set and is known for its annual film festival in July.

The Greek islands especially have felt the presence of Hollywood movie teams over the decades. Kefalonia was the backdrop for 2001 big screen hit Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, starring Nicholas Cage and Penélope Cruz. Kefalonian villages and beaches that featured particularly heavily included Antisamos, Argostoli, Fiscardo and Sami. The latter was partly reconstructed to look like before the Ionian islands’ earthquake of 1953.

Meanwhile, Mykonos was the predominant shoot location for the 1989 romantic film Shirley Valentine, so much so the Agios Ioannis beach there today is better known as Shirley Valentine beach. The same island also features in the final scenes of the action-thriller The Bourne Identity. Still in the Aegean, the dramatic scenery of volcanic Santorini has served as a backdrop for number of movies, including Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life, Summer Lovers and D’Agostino.

And ever wondered where Tom Hanks had to sweat it out for the filming of the highly acclaimed Cast Away, a role that saw him nominated for an Academy Award? The answer is one of the Mamanuca Islands in Fiji – not the most convenient destination for a holiday home, but nonetheless an exciting one! That’s probably the reason why the Castaway’s director used the same film crew and setting to shoot another popular movie, namely What Lies Beneath, while he was there.