FROM Barcelona’s buzzing streets to the sun-soaked coves of the Costa Blanca, Spain is once again stealing the spotlight on Netflix.
The streaming giant’s latest romantic hit, People We Meet on Vacation, may whisk viewers from Tuscany to New York and beyond, but much of what you see on screen was actually filmed in Spain.
Based on the bestselling novel by Emily Henry, the feel-good rom-com follows two friends, Alex and Poppy, as they reconnect on a series of trips across the world, mixing nostalgia, humour and slow-burn romance.
READ MORE: FIESTA! The best festivals in Spain for your 2026 travel bucket list
They are played by Tom Blyth, best known for playing a young President Snow in The Hunger Games, and Emily Bader, who starred in Amazon’s hit historical romance My Lady Jane.
While their love story hops between the US, Italy and Canada, the cameras stayed much closer to home.
According to director Brett Haley, around 65% of the film was shot in Barcelona and its surrounding areas, with the rest filmed in New Orleans, Louisiana.
“It was impossible to recreate New Orleans in Spain,” he explained, “but Barcelona and its surroundings allowed us to double for Tuscany, New York, Ohio, Boston and even parts of Canada.”
Barcelona’s central streets and El Prat airport appear throughout the film, standing in for various international backdrops.
But it’s the coastline that really steals the show.
Several key scenes were filmed along the Mediterranean, with Spanish locations cleverly used to mimic the rolling hills and romantic charm of Tuscany.
READ MORE: Revealed: Which Costa del Sol beaches are more prone to maddening jellyfish invasions – and why
The Costa Brava features prominently, with Cala Boadella, the elegant Jardins de Santa Clotilde and the 12th-century Can Llambi masia all making appearances.
The manicured gardens of Santa Clotilde, perched above the sea near Lloret de Mar, have already hosted international productions such as House of the Dragon, and now add another Netflix hit to their growing list.
Sun-bleached stone, cypress trees and sweeping coastal views helped the Spanish Mediterranean pass convincingly for northern Italy.
Even New York wasn’t off limits.
Poppy’s Manhattan apartment, a key location in the film, wasn’t filmed in the Big Apple at all, but recreated on a set in Barcelona.
“Almost everything you see is practical,” said Haley. “We didn’t rely on many studio builds. Spain gave us the flexibility to fake a lot of different places.”
The result is a globe-trotting love story that quietly doubles as a travel showcase for Spain.
Click here to read more Olive Press Travel News from The Olive Press.
