20 Star Wars locations you can visit in real life

Matmata, Tunisia

Rogue One director Gareth Edwards is as big a Star Wars fan as they come and in 2005, before he became a Lucasfilm alum, he spent a wonderful birthday in Tunisia, drinking blue milk in the homestead of Owen and Beru Lars.

You, too, can do just that, thanks to the Hotel Sidi Driss in Matmata, the filming location that, clearly as per the example, remains open for guests.

Reports on TripAdvisor suggest that the hotel is far from luxury (though the food is good!), but with prices at less than $10 a night, it is surely a must for any Star Wars fan who wishes to play the Force theme and stare off into the distance like Luke Skywalker himself.

Of course, Tatooine is a family thing for the Skywalkers, and you can also visit Mos Espa, Anakin’s hometown from the Phantom Menace, should you so wish to experience the place where Anakin’s mum Shmi somehow ended up with a son, thanks to midichlorians. And, better, where C3PO was built. Exciting, right?

Located nearby the town of Nefta, much of the Mos Espa set is still intact, with soranews24 reporting that it “is composed of 15-20 buildings, though some are only facades.” You can find the podracing arena, Watto’s shop, the market, and Sebulba’s Café, all in the vicinity.

Machinery and gadgets from the films are still visible too, unlike at the Hotel Sidi Driss, but what that lacks in fake tech, it makes up for in literally being the interior of Luke Skywalker’s house.

Probably best to rent a car for this one, or book with a travel agency. There are specific Star Wars tours that take you all across Tunisia, from the Lars home to the canyon where the Jawas are attacked. After all, getting lost in the desert is no fun at all, not even if you’re a droid, and these sets are dotted all over.