Here’s what “The Odyssey” (2026)’s filming locations actually look like

Christopher Nolan’s upcoming summer blockbuster The Odyssey is generating a lot of buzz this week. And no wonder! The July 17 release date is creeping up fast, and millions of fans of Nolan and ancient Greek mythology alike are excited to tune into the star-studded retelling of history’s most celebrated epic.

But not all of the chatter is positive. The Odyssey 2026 trailer that came out last week has commenters in a tailwind, wondering…where’s all the color?  The filming locations of The Odyssey are some of the most vibrant, visually dynamic places in the entire world. But Nolan’s creative team has opted for a gloomy, grey hue, befuddling Mediterranean locals and visitors.

For us over here at Ferryscanner, it’s personal! The Odyssey was filmed in some of our favorite destinations across Italy, Greece, Morocco, Scotland, and beyond. Many of which you can easily reach by ferry, of course.

Here, we’ll show you what some of the destinations look like in real life, and give you tips on how to reach them by ferry. Bewarned, however, you never know what may be lurking under the seas…👾🌀

Source: iStock

“The Odyssey” 2026’s filming locations, by country

Greece

Despite Odysseus’ journey back to Ithaca spanning the seas and islands of the Mediterranean, Nolan actually captured all of his Greek footage on the mainland. Most of the filming locations take place in Messenia (of the southwestern Peloponnese) and Acrocorinth in the northeast.

Odysseus’ palace on Ithaca, where his wife Penelope and son Telemachus are left to fend off hundreds of greedy suitors, appears to have been filmed at Methoni Castle. But don’t let the moody, candlelit interiors and Robert Pattison’s taunts fool you: Methoni Castle is a magnificent sight to behold in the light of day. Situated in shallow cerulean waters off the coast of Messinia, this medieval fortress was erected by the Venetians in the 13th century, and was the site of many battles throughout the Ottoman empire and even the second World War. If you’d like to see this marvel yourself, in full color, it’s open from 0:800-20:00 all summer long (but closed on Tuesdays). Find more specifics on the fort’s official tourism page.

Can you picture strong-armed Penelope on the horizon? Source: iStock

Around 30 km north of Methoni lie Voidokilia Beach and Nestor’s Cave, which Nolan appears to have used as the setting for Odysseus’ meeting with Athena, and the infamous Cyclops lair, respectively. We’re not going to risk a copyright fiasco with Universal to post the image here, but if you watch the trailer, you’ll notice that Athena (Zendaya) and Odysseus (Matt Damon)’s meeting on the beach looks…well, bleak. In this case, there actually is textual reinforcement for the vibe of the Book 7 scene, where Athena “Veil(s) Odysseus in dense mist, so that none of the brave Phaeacians meeting him, would challenge him, or ask who he was.”

Nevertheless, Voidokilia Beach looks a lot different in real life. See for yourself!

The good news is that when you visit Voidokilia the goddess of Wisdom will probably not make it rainy. Source: iStock

How to visit Voidokilia by ferry

While we don’t host direct ferry routes to the filming locations at the moment, we cover some key Peloponnesean ports. Kyllini, for example, is a very popular departure port to reach Kefalonia (which some scholars argue is the true birthplace of Odysseus!) or Zakynthos. Patra in the north can connect you to beautiful Italian destinations like Bari and Ancona. And speaking of Italy…

Italy

The rugged Sicilian coastline clearly caught Christopher Nolan’s eye. A large bulk of The Odyssey 2026 was shot in Italy, particularly on the Egadi Islands, Aci Trezza, and the Aeolian Islands. In April of 2025, a 500-person crew reportedly landed on the Sicilian island of Favignana and set up shop. Shop being, of course, luxury helicopters, made-for-screen warships, and the transformation of a local tuna factory into a storage depot for props. Unlike the Greek locations, it’s a bit harder to tell from the trailer alone what they’ll be used for, but we have a hunch that Favignana’s Fortress of Santa Caterina will serve as the palace of Menelaus in Sparta. In the trailer, Telemachus and Menelaus appear before it as the noonday sun barely breaks through treacherous clouds. In real life, it looks a little more like this:

The star of the Edgadi archipelago shines in the sun. Source: iStock

How to visit Favignana by ferry

Favignana is an island off the coast of Sicily, and extremely accessible from major nearby ports. If you’re planning a trip to Sicily, you absolutely cannot skip it.

1. From Trapani: Book a 40 minute ferry ride
2. From Marettimo: Book a 45 minute ferry ride
3. From Levanzo: Book a 10 minute ferry ride
4. From Marsala: Book a 30 minute ferry ride

Nolan’s crew reportedly also filmed some scenes in the Aeolian Islands, which thousands of our passengers sail to each year. It’s a bit of a shot in the dark, but there’s a chance that the scene where we see Odysseus meeting the sea-witch Circe (Charlize Theron) was filmed on Salina. The Greeks knew it as Didyme, and some Italian scholars suggest is as the real-world reference for Circe’s home. (That said, scholars have been arguing over its “real geographical location” since antiquity.) We only see Circe for a split second in the trailer, as she walks towards us across a desolate shore at low tide. But fear not. If you visit Salina, you won’t be greeted by a witch who wants to transform all your pals into pigs. You’ll be greeted by the Church Santa Marina, pictured below.

It’s a bit crazy to think Nolan saw this and said “no thanks, let’s do grey”. Source: iStock

How to visit Salina by ferry

The largest of the Aeolians, Salina is a volcanic island famous for its lush landscapes. To reach it, you’ll first need to take a ferry from the Sicilian mainland. Once you’re on the Aeolian islands, you can easily hop between them on a ferry.

1. From Milazzo (Sicily): Book a 2h ferry ride
2. From Rinella: Book a 10 minute ferry ride
3. From Vulcano: Book a 45 minute ferry ride
4. From Lipari: Book a 30 minute ferry ride

Morocco

Even if you’re never been to Morocco, you’ve almost certainly seen it on the silver screen. Morocco’s otherworldly landscapes make it an ideal filming location for fantasy, sci-fi and historical settings. Game of Thrones, Dune, Gladiator, and now, The Odyssey, have all set up significant productions throughout its strikingly unique, vast regions over the years.

In the Odyssey 2026, the UNESCO World Heritage site Aït Benhaddou will serve as the mythical city of Troy. We see only glimpses of it in the latest trailer, as Odysseus and his men rush from the burning entrance in the dark of night after their successful siege. Aït Benhaddou is a truly jaw-dropping sight, speckled with towering kasbahs made from adobe, clay bricks, and rammed earth. It dates back to 11 BCE. (If you’re also a fan of epic poem, you’ll know how remarkable that is, considering the Trojan war of myth is said to have taken place in 12 or 13 BCE.)

In the light of day—without any fires, or men hiding in wooden horses—Aït Benhaddou looks like this.

In quiet ways, the ancient world remains. Source: iStock

How to visit Morocco by ferry

Aït Benhaddou, as well as Marrakech (another alleged filming location!), are not on Morocco’s coastline. You’ll first have to sail to a port town like Tangier. Most of our passengers do so from Spain, as the Spanish peninsula reaches down to nearly touch North Africa.

1. From Tarifa: Book a 1h ferry ride
2. From Motril: Book a 5h ferry ride
3. From Algeciras: Book a 2h ferry ride

Feeling called to an adventure?

Between the explosive beauty of the Odyssey 2026’s filming locations, and the epic poem that inspired it all, we certainly are. If so, there’s no better way to kick off your next journey that using our high-powered search tool to explore destinations all throughout Europe, East Asia, and even the Americas. Booking with Ferryscanner gets you a best-price guarantee, exceptional access to customer service, and the only loyalty program in the entire ferry travel industry that lets you earn points across all ferry companies. Thanks for reading, we hope you enjoyed the journey.