The cinema has long been a place for us to lose ourselves into a fantasy land. But these days it's possible to live a bit of movie magic — a simple trip to the travel agent can be the first step towards a celebrity-inspired celluloid holiday.

There are hundreds of standout films that scratch our itch to grab our passports. Let's take a look at the best of the best when it comes to turning a trip to the movies into a visit to the travel agent.

LA Story — Los Angeles, California, USA

Who can forget Steve Martin as the wacky weatherman looking for love in the city of smog and starlets? A Los Angeles freeway sign informs him that the weather will change his life in two ways — cue a spunky Sarah Jessica Parker, some early '90s comedic charm, and a few of our favourite stereotypes from Santa Monica to Sunset Boulevard.

Sex and the City — New York, New York, USA

SJP continues her role as travel muse in the big screen adaptation of her the HBO series by the same name. Four attractive, outspoken women take to the streets of New York in an all-star tribute to the city's finest food, fashion and famous highlights. It's impossible to not be in that 'New York state of mind' after this Manhattan movie.

Out of Africa — Kenya

This love story's setting is even more evocative and romantic than the tale itself. Sweeping grasslands, African sunsets and a glimpse into a world untouched by Western worries give Out of Africa it's classic, timeless appeal. Though the film can be a bit slow at times, the landscape is enough to leave you daydreaming about your next safari holiday.

Before Sunrise — Vienna, Austria

A French grad student (Julie Delpy) and an American boy (Ethan Hawke) meet on a train from Budapest to Vienna and form a bond onboard. On arrival they decide to spend the day together before catching their respective onward journeys. And over the subsequent 14 hours, the two fall in love with both Vienna and each other. Sigh. Although the storyline can verge on saccharine at times, the romance of Vienna is a sure hit every viewing.

French Kiss — Paris, France

However unlikely the couple (in this case Meg Ryan, playing a woman hell- bent on reclaiming her straying fiancé, and Kevin Kline, a petty thief on the run), Paris is one of those ultimately romantic destinations in which it is nearly impossible not to fall in love. Who can help but swoon for the city of lights after watching the misadventures of these two very different characters fall for one another?

Casanova — Venice, Italy

The plotline is enough to do your head in: Casanova (Heath Ledger) is in love with Francesca (Sienna Miller), although he is engaged to Victoria (Natalie Dormer), who is the love of Giovanni (Charlie Cox), Francesca's brother. Francessca is betrothed to Paprizzio (Oliver Platt), who thinks Casanova is actually the feminist writer Guardi, which is really just Francesca's nomme de plume. If that wasn't Shakespearean enough for you already, the plot takes a turn when the Catholic Church brings Casanova ... no, wait ... Guardi ... to trial for heresy! We recommend you stop trying to follow the plot after a quarter of an hour, and just kick back to soak in the ambience of Venice, one of the world's most beautiful cities.

Roman Holiday — Rome, Italy

This is an all-time favourite starring Audrey Hepburn at her Oscar-winning best, and the ever-enchanting Gregory Peck in the Italian capital. Hepburn plays a privileged princess confined to a strictly regimented life of luxury. Upon arrival in Rome, the princess takes matters into her own hands and escapes her five-star hotel, only to be discovered by an American newspaper man played by Peck. Cue the requisite high jinks and hilarity of a 1950s romantic comedy, enjoy romantic Rome, and you've got a 'let's go THERE!' film for sure.

Il Postino — Italian seaside

Keep your Italian phrasebook at hand — this sensual country's seaside is the next stop on our list of top travel-inspiring flicks. A simple postman in an even simpler coastal village turns his daily deliveries to famed Chilean poet Pablo Neruda into the opportunity to learn the language of love. He successfully seduces his beloved Beatrice, and all is right in paradise. Fast forward a few years later and political violence in Naples has disrupted utopia — that said, one Amalfi view is enough to have you on the phone to Alitalia for the next flight out ... pronto, pronto!

Australia — Outback, Oz

We've yet to see Baz Luhrmann's epic tribute to our nation's Outback, but who will be able to resist Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman getting loved- up amidst the scenery and atmosphere we hold so dear? Expectations are high for Australia ... it would be a pity to bump into a movie goer on the street to hear that our home sweet home wasn't worth the $15 price of admission.

Lost in Translation — Tokyo, Japan

Travelling often involves exercising our patience — language barriers, cultural difficulties and the general unsettledness that accompanies an experience in a different land are part of why we love to hit the road, but also why we love to return home. In Lost in Translation we get to see how Bill Murray, playing an American actor past his prime, and Scarlett Johansson, wife of a newly famous photographer, come together as unlikely travelling companions in the beguiling and beautiful city of Tokyo.

Indochine — Halong Bay, Vietnam

This classic film about French Indochina sees legendary actress Catherine Deneuve experiencing the darker side of colonialism in some of the most beautiful settings in South-East Asia. The 1993 Oscar winner for best foreign film is inspiration enough to convert your strong Aussie dollars to Vietnamese dong and to hop on the next flight north.

Have you ever seen a film that's inspired you to travel? What movie and where?