20 Star Wars locations you can visit in real life

Skellig Michael, Ireland

So you’ve been to Luke Skywalker’s childhood home – how about visiting his hiding place from The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi?

You too can follow Rey’s footsteps to find the Jedi Master, and travel to the Irish island known as Skellig Michael.

It is a twin-peaked crag that is cast perfectly as Ahch-To, the place reclusive Luke retreats to after the rise of the First Order and whilst we can’t promise you any sightings of Porgs, there are plenty of other birds to be spotted (including the porg’s closest relative, the puffin) and even a colony of Grey Seals bobbing around.

JJ Abrams described Skellig Michael as “sort of a miracle,” and he’s not wrong. Monastic settlements on the island date back to the 6th century, as Skellig Michael became “the chosen destination for a small group of ascetic monks who, in their pursuit of greater union with God, withdrew from civilisation to this remote and inaccessible place.”

It is now a World Heritage site, due to its unique historical and ecological value, and is visited now by both Star Wars fans and bird watchers alike (of course, the two are not mutually exclusive).

The island is best visited during the summer months, as official landing season is between mid-May and early-October due to high waves making the main landing cove being hard approach at other times of the year.

There are tours that take a boat trip around the island that are a little more flexible, running from April through to late October, but make sure you book a landing tour if you actually want to traverse the “Jedi Steps” (get ready to play that track on your phone, for sure).