Eat Pray Love Filming Locations in Rome (and Naples)

I don’t know if this is something I should freely admit or take to my grave… but I’m going with the former. Eat Pray Love is my most read book BY FAR. I read it at least once a year. For someone who maybe reads ten books in a year, that’s a stupidly high percentage. I watch Eat Pray Love (2010) a couple of times a year too. So, obvs I made a point of visiting all the Eat Pray Love filming locations on my trip to Rome in May last year.

The memoir, and now the movie, tells the story of a clichéd single woman’s mid-life crisis as she tries to ‘find herself’ by travelling the world. Except this story is the OG cliché. The cliché exists because of Eat Pray Love. 

Author Elizabeth Gilbert finds herself divorcing her husband aged 34, sinks into a deep depression and isn’t sure who she is anymore. She pledges a year to herself: four months in Rome, Italy because she has been learning Italian (eat), four months in India at her Guri’s Ashram (pray) and four months finding balance in Bali, Indonesia with a medicine man she once met (love).

I hope to eventually follow in her footsteps to both India and Indonesia. But for now, let’s take a look at all of the Eat Pray Love filming locations in Rome and one in Naples, Italy!

Eat Pray Love Filming Locations in Rome (and Naples)

Eat Pray Love Filming Locations in Rome

1. Castel Sant’Angelo, Lungotevere Castello, 50, 00193

After leaving her life behind in New York, Elizabeth Gilbert’s stint in Rome begins at the top of Castel Sant’Angelo. She tells an old Italian joke (via narration) whilst looking out over the city of Rome as the sun starts to set.

Castel Sant’Angelo is one of the top things to do in Rome and I highly recommend visiting as near to sunset as possible for a beautiful, true Eat Pray Love, experience.

2. Via dei Portoghesi, 18, 00186

Next, Gilbert heads to the apartment she is renting in Rome for the duration of her stay. An old Italian woman speaking broken English shows her around whilst pointing out things that are broken.

The exterior of that rundown apartment (I’m not 100% sure about interior, but later on Gilbert looks out to the street from her balcony so it might be used too) is 18 Via dei Portoghesi. It’s situated incredibly near the Piazza Navona (which is next on this list of Eat Pray Love filming locations). So, it’s not far away from the main tourist sites in Rome if you wanted to make a little pilgrimage to this apartment.

3. Ristorante Caffè Domiziano, Piazza Navona, 88, 00186

Right on the Piazza Navona is the café where Liz heads for a morning caffeine fix and finds herself competing for the barista’s attention with every suited businessman in Rome.  Here, she meets Swedish Sofi who saves her butt by ordering coffee for her. And thus, a friendship is born!

Thanks so much for Yany in the comments for alerting me to the name of this Café! You saved MY butt!! 

4. Fiumi Fountain, Piazza Navona, 00186

After meeting Swedish Sofi in the crowded café, Elizabeth goes for a walk to Piazza Navona and admires the Fiumi Fountain. Also known as the ‘Fountain of the Four Rivers’, the statue was created by Bernini, one of Rome’s most famous sons.

The fountain also featured in a poignant Angels and Demons (2009) scene so it’s an Eat Pray Love filming location you can’t miss!

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5. Via dell’ Orso, 00186

After wandering around Piazza Navona, Gilbert attempts to use a water fountain on Via dell’ Orso which is super near her apartment filming location. After that, we can assume she calls it a night!

6. Sant’Agnese in Agone, Via di Santa Maria dell’Anima, 30/A, 00186

It’s a new day and Elizabeth Gilbert is sat on a bench in Piazza Navona outside the Sant’Agnese in Agone church eating gelato with a couple of Nuns. When in Rome and all that…

This shot is one of the most iconic Eat Pray Love filming locations because it was used on a lot of posters and DVD covers.

7. Colosseum, Piazza del Colosseo, 1, 00184

Elizabeth Gilbert doesn’t actually visit the Colosseum, but we are treated to a lovely drone/birdseye shot of one of the most impressive, ancient Roman structures ever. I mean, it was only the largest amphitheatre ever built and one of the seven wonders of the world. Not a big deal.

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8. Antica Trattoria Della Pace, Via Della Pace, 1, 00186

But what’s more important to Elizabeth Gilbert in Rome than visiting old, important monuments? Eating all the Italian food! This is the ‘eat’ part of Eat Pray Love, after all. She has dinner with her new, young and hot Italian teacher and this is where she first hears her favourite Italian word ever: Attraversiamo. The Italian language lesson takes place at a typical Roman restaurant, Antica Trattoria Della Pace. It’s still open if you’d like to visit!

Fun fact: In Italy, there are three different kinds of restaurants based on how formal they are, though the lines are somewhat blurred nowadays. An Osteria is the most casual dining establishment. It used to be a place to buy wine and diners would bring their own food. But now, it’s most comparable to a country pub in the UK. A Trattoria is slightly more formal and family-friendly. What you might call a standard restaurant. And a Ristorante is a formal, fine-dining experience. Though as I said, the lines are blurred a bit more nowadays.

After a sneaky shot of St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City from Castel Sant’Angelo, and after Giovanni walks her to her apartment after their language lesson…

9. Osteria Dell’Antiquario, Piazzetta Di San Simeone, 26/27, 00186

Less talking, more eating! In the next scene, some classic Italian Opera plays over Liz Gilbert eating a simple tomato spaghetti with some water and red wine. I’m with you, Elizabeth. Sometimes there’s nothing better than a simple, but well done, meal by yourself. Osteria Dell’Antiquario is also still open for business.

However, the ‘let’s watch her slurp her spaghetti several times’ montage is a bit unnecessary, though. No matter how delicately Julia Roberts eats her pasta. Just makes me hungry!

10. Santa Lucia Ristorante, Largo Febo, 12, 00186

Are we hungry again already?! After a trip to the barbers and a practical lesson in saying ‘screw you’ in Italian, Elizabeth and her new friends head to dinner. The restaurant certainly looks nicer than the others we’ve seen. And if you read my guide above, it’s because Restaurant Saint Lucia is an actual restaurant and is a bit on the pricey side. Yup, this one is also still open!

Is this not a thing in Italy? It seems like restaurants are opening and closing for business all the time in the UK.

In this scene, Elizabeth Gilbert wows the waiter with her new Italian skills and orders for everybody.

11. Mausoleum of Augustus, Piazza Augusto Imperatore, 00186

Our final Eat Pray Love film location in Rome is at the Mausoleum of Augustus, which Gilbert narratives as she writes an email to David in New York.

If I were a betting girl… I’d say the exit to Castel Sant’Angelo is used instead of the Mausoleum itself. The little bridge and the tunnels look exactly the same as those in the castle. But a drone shot of the whole site features in the film regardless.

Elizabeth Gilbert then finishes her time in Rome by sharing an American Thanksgiving with some of her new Italian friends before jetting off to the hustle and bustle of India.

Eat Pray Love Filming Locations in Naples

12. L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, Via Cesare Sersale, 1, 80139, Naples

After location N.9, Liz and Swedish Sofi decide to head down to Naples for the day to eat some delicious Napoli pizza (honestly, my mouth is watering writing this. How can you delve into the Eat Pray Love filming locations without yearning for pizza/pasta/wine/all of the above?!). They end up at the “greatest pizza in Naples, therefore the greatest pizza in the world” which is apparently served at L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele.

I have no idea if it’s true or not, I’m sure lots of locals will disagree. This is where Liz has a word with Sofi and tells her to not worry about the calories, that she’s in Italy having the time of her life, and to eat the bloody pizza. I’m paraphrasing slightly, but they’re wise words for us all.

Side note, all of these Eat Pray Love filming locations are so accurate and authentic, which fills me with so many warm fuzzies that I can actually visit these places and have the same experiences as the characters. 10 points to Gryffindor!

BONUS Eat Pray Love Locations

13. Il Gelato di San Crispino, Via Della Panetteria, 42, 00187

This isn’t an Eat Pray Love filming location, but it is a lovely bonus location. In the Eat Pray Love book, Elizabeth Gilbert mentions sampling this gelateria near the Trevi Fountain. Again, Il Gelato di San Crispino is not the best gelateria in Rome. However, it’s probably one of the best in a super touristy location! You can tell because they keep the gelato in silver tubs which is a clear cut sign of quality.

And those are the top Eat Pray Love filming locations in Rome and Naples in Italy! Have you visited Rome or Naples? Let me know in the comments below!

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