Maps of Movies

La Dolce Vita (1960)

Where La Dolce Vita says it takes place, and where it was really shot.

The Via Veneto and St. Peter's dome of Fellini's Rome were built in a studio, but the Trevi Fountain was real

Scenes and places

The helicopter and the statue of Christ (1960)

A helicopter carries a statue of Christ across the sky, and Marcello's news helicopter follows it.

Set in Skies over Rome — A helicopter carries a statue of Christ over an ancient aqueduct toward the city. Google Maps · Apple Maps

A park south of central Rome built around Roman aqueduct ruins.

Filmed at Parco degli Acquedotti, Rome — The aqueduct ruins of the opening flight are in this park, according to the BFI. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

Climbing the dome of St. Peter's (1960)

After her press conference Marcello shows Sylvia St. Peter's. She climbs the dome staircase and he follows, and they nearly kiss.

Set in St. Peter's Basilica — The Vatican basilica whose dome staircase Sylvia climbs. Google Maps · Apple Maps

The basilica at the Vatican; the film's version of its dome was built in a studio.

Filmed at Cinecittà Studios, Teatro 14, Rome — The dome of St. Peter's and its staircase were built as a set at Cinecittà; the coordinates are the studio lot. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

Into the Trevi Fountain (1960)

At night Sylvia wades into the Trevi Fountain and Marcello follows her in. The spell breaks when the water is turned off.

Set in Trevi Fountain — The Baroque fountain where Sylvia wades in at night. Google Maps · Apple Maps

A Baroque fountain in central Rome; going in today is punished.

Filmed at Trevi Fountain, Rome — Filmed at the real fountain, which the BFI says is pretty much as it was. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

Sylvia's hotel on Via Veneto (1960)

Marcello and Sylvia return to her hotel while paparazzi gather around his car. At dawn her boyfriend Robert confronts them.

Set in Via Veneto — The Rome street where Sylvia's hotel stands and the paparazzi gather. Google Maps · Apple Maps

Rome's celebrated 1950s society street.

Filmed at Westin Excelsior, Via Veneto, Rome — The BFI names the Westin Excelsior as Sylvia's hotel; the coordinates are the street, not the hotel door. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

Filmed at Cinecittà Studios, Teatro 5, Rome — Most of the street was rebuilt in a studio with a handful of real shots mixed in; the coordinates are the studio lot. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

Picking up a woman in Piazza del Popolo (1960)

Marcello and Maddalena pick up a woman in the square and drive on to her apartment.

Set in Piazza del Popolo, Rome — Marcello and Maddalena pick up a woman in a car in a square at night, just before going to her apartment. Google Maps · Apple Maps

A large neoclassical square at the northern gate of old Rome.

Filmed at Piazza del Popolo, Rome — Two independent Italian tourism sources place this scene in the real square; whether any of it was rebuilt in a studio is not stated. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

The reported sighting of the Madonna (1960)

Marcello, the photographer Paparazzo and Emma cover a reported Madonna sighting outside Rome. A crowd gathers through the night.

Set in Countryside outside Rome — A field where two children claim to have seen the Madonna and a crowd gathers.

Wikipedia says the episode echoes a 1958 case of two children near Terni.

Filmed at Bagni di Tivoli area, near Tivoli — The Italian Wikipedia places the scene in the then-countryside of Bagni di Tivoli; the coordinates are the town of Tivoli, not the exact field. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

The aristocrats' party in the castle (1960)

Aristocrats gather at a castle and explore its ruins. Marcello meets Maddalena again, and she proposes to him in an echo chamber.

Set in A castle north of Rome — A castle north of Rome where aristocrats explore its ruins.

A village north of Rome with a large noble palace.

Filmed at Palazzo Giustiniani-Odescalchi, Bassano Romano — Filmed in the real palace at Bassano di Sutri, north of Rome. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

Filmed at Passoscuro beach and trattoria — Marcello meets Paola, a young waitress, at a seaside restaurant Google Maps · Apple Maps

Filmed at Fregene pine forest — The beach-house party Google Maps · Apple Maps

Filmed at Piazza of San Giovanni Bosco Basilica, Rome — Steiner's home Google Maps · Apple Maps

Filmed at SS. Martiri Canadesi church, Viale G. B. De Rossi, Rome — Steiner and the organ Google Maps · Apple Maps

Filmed at Tor de' Schiavi, Centocelle, Rome — Marcello goes to a woman's apartment Google Maps · Apple Maps

Filmed at Palazzo dei Congressi, EUR, Rome — Marcello rushes Emma to the hospital Google Maps · Apple Maps

Filmed at Baths of Caracalla (nightclub set modelled on them), Rome — Sylvia and Marcello dance at a nightclub Google Maps · Apple Maps

Characters

• Marcello — A Rome gossip journalist drawn to the nightlife he writes about.
• Sylvia — A Swedish-American film star who arrives in Rome and is swarmed by the press.
• Maddalena — A wealthy woman Marcello meets at a nightclub.

Questions answered on the map

• Was the Trevi Fountain scene really filmed in the fountain?
• Where is the St. Peter's dome staircase from La Dolce Vita really?
• Was La Dolce Vita's Via Veneto filmed on Via Veneto?