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7 TV shows and movies to watch to feel like you're on holiday during self-isolation

Travel vicariously through these shows

Nichola Murphy
Deputy Lifestyle Editor
March 23, 2020
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Fears over the spread of the coronavirus have led to recommendations to self-isolate at home, with the prospect of going on holiday looking bleak in the immediate future. If the thought of not being able to physically leave the country and jet off on a beautiful holiday is getting you down, then we've got just the thing for you. Many people are passing the time with a good book or snuggled up on the couch with a movie, so why not choose travel-related content that will make you feel like you're on holiday? We've looked through Netflix, Amazon and Hayu for travel-related films and TV shows to keep you entertained over the coming weeks…

Eat, Pray, Love

Don't you just love it when a book is made into a film? The Elizabeth Gilbert story has been around since 2007, but it's certainly worth the read (or watch), especially if you want to be immersed in her world travels. From learning Italian in Rome to finding enlightenment in India and peace in Bali, the story provides three holiday destinations in one! If you're more of a movie person then the 2010 film starring Julia Roberts is available on Amazon Prime.

eat pray love

Eat, Pray, Love, £4.99, Amazon

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Keeping up with the Kardashians

Get a healthy dose of reality TV with Keeping up with the Kardashians, set predominantly in Los Angeles, California. As well as feeling like you're a part of their local shopping trips in America, you can also catch a glimpse of their lavish holidays, such as their luxury Bali break in 2019. During the trip, they stayed in a ten-bedroom apartment at luxury private resort called Soori Resort Hotel, complete with five infinity pools, a gym, a spa therapy room, a library and even a helipad. Sounds dreamy!

kourtney bali

Keeping up with the Kardashians, £4.99/month, Hayu

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MORE: 10 celebrity homes we wouldn't mind self-isolating in

The Durrells

If you want to be transported to the Greek island of Corfu, then it's time to get watching The Durrells on Amazon Video. Based on Gerald Darrell's autobiographical novels of My Family and Other Animals, the story follows Louisa Durrell, a widow who moves her family from England to Corfu in 1935. 

In early 2019 when the show was coming to an end, Keeley Hawes - who plays Louisa - said on This Morning: "Corfu is so beautiful. It has become a bit of a second home. And we are all going back, not together, but separately. Partly out of habit and partly just because we love it, it's so beautiful and the people are just such wonderful, generous people." If the cast love the destination this much then it's sure to win your heart, too!

durrells

The Durrells Season 1, £3.99, Amazon

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Death in Paradise

Filmed on the stunning French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, Death in Paradise is full of white sandy beaches and hot sunshine - it looks pretty idyllic if you ask us, minus the murder cases, of course! Granted, there are some parts of the show that will make you pleased you're not physically visiting the fictional Caribbean island of Saint Marie, such as the bugs - which the cast revealed are just as pesky in real life. While Executive Producer Tim Key described the island as a "wonderful, beautiful place," Nina Wadia identified certain creepy crawlies as the worst thing about filming. "Scolopendras are these really hideous insects," she said, before describing them as "a centipede with scorpion bits." We're happy watching the drama unfold from our house!

death in paradise

Death in Paradise, £5.99/month, BritBox

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Murder on the Orient Express

The Agatha Christie novel is sure to keep you gripped until the last page, but if you're struggling to envisage the beautiful scenery then why not watch the 2017 movie starring Johnny Depp? Famous detective Poirot attempts to solve a murder on the trans-European train in the 1930s, but the film was actually filmed in London, Switzerland, Malta and New Zealand. Travelling to these countries in real life would cost a fortune in plane tickets, so we're happy to settle with the movie for now!

murder on orient express

Murder on the Orient Express, £7.99, Amazon

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Lord of the Rings

The popular trilogy may be set in fictional locations, but the movies are the perfect tourism advert for New Zealand. From Mount Ngauruhoe which is the real-life Mount Doom, to the Hobbiton set in Matamata, you'll feel as though you're getting the full travelling experience from the comfort of your own couch.

lord of the rings

Lord of the Rings, £7.99, Amazon

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Gossip Girl

The classic TV drama has been around since 2007, but following the dramas of the Upper East Siders in New York never gets old. If Manhattan wasn't already at the top of your travel bucket list, it will be after getting a taste of the lavish lives of main characters Blaire Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen. Aside from the New York Palace Hotel, Empire State Building and Grand Central Station of New York, the storyline also heads to Paris and LA.

gossip girl

Gossip Girl, £5.99/month, Netflix

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RELATED: 10 celebrities exclusively share tips on how to self-isolate at home

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