Mount Etna is an active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, close to Messina and Catania. It is the tallest active volcano in Europe, currently standing 3,329 metres (10,922 ft) high, though this varies with summit eruptions; the mountain is 21 m (69 ft) higher than it was in 1981.. It is the highest mountain in Italy south of the Alps. Etna covers an area of 1,190 km² (460 sq mi) with a basal circumference of 140 km. This makes it by far the largest of the three active volcanoes in Italy, being about two and a half times the height of the next largest, Mount Vesuvius. Only Mount Teide in Tenerife surpasses it in the whole of the European-North-African region. In Greek Mythology, the deadly monster Typhon was trapped under this mountain by Zeus, the god of the sky. Mount Etna is one of the world’s most active volcanoes and is in an almost constant state of activity. The fertile volcanic soils support extensive agriculture, with vineyards and orchardsspread across the lower slopes of the mountain and the broad Plain of Catania to the south. Due to its history of recent activity and nearby population, Mount Etna has been designated a Decade Volcano by the United Nations. In June 2013, it was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Etna is one of Sicily's main tourist attractions, with thousands of visitors every year. The most common route is through the road leading to Sapienza Refuge ski area, lying at the south of the crater at elevation of 1910 m. From the Refuge, a cableway runs uphill to an elevation of 2500 m, from where the crater area at 2920 m is accessible. Ferrovia Circumetnea – Round-Etna railway – is a narrow-gauge railway constructed between 1889 and 1895. It runs around the volcano in a 110-km long semi-circle starting in Catania and ending in Riposto 28 km north of Catania. There are two ski resorts on Etna: one at the Sapienza Refuge, with a chairlift and three ski lifts, and a smaller one on the north, at Piano Provenzana near Linguaglossa, with three lifts and a chairlift. On 13 January 2011, a new episode of lava fountaining occurred from the vent on the east flank of the Southeast Crater cone, lasting about 1.5 hours. Italian Authorities were forced to temporarily close airports for a couple of hours while the ash cloud cleared. The event was well visible during the clear, moonlit night and attracted numerous spectators in eastern Sicily and as far as southern Calabria. The volcano has been sputtering with abundant steam and ash plumes and some strombolian explosions in the southeast pit crater on the morning of 8 May 2011, generating loud detonations that were audible to many kilometres away, such as the Monti Sartorius (northeast flank) and the town of Zafferana Etnea. After sunset, Strombolian explosions were seen to occur at intervals of 3–10 minutes, ejecting incandescent bombs up to a few tens of metres above the crater rim. During the night, some explosions threw bombs well beyond the crater rim, down to the base of the cone that has grown around the crater during the recent paroxysms. This activity continued on the morning of 9 May, without any change in the frequency and size of the explosions and no variation was seen in the seismic activity either. On 11 May, this activity rapidly increased and some lava started to spill over the low eastern rim of the crater. Then, around 0300h in the morning on 12 May (local time = GMT+2), the fourth lava fountain of Etna in the year 2011 burst into the night sky. For many hours, there had been increasingly vigorous Strombolian activity and a small lava flow, and the amplitude of volcanic tremor was rising. The fountain lasted for a couple of hours and ended at daybreak - by 0600 h it was essentially over. Mount Etna erupted again in 2011 on July 9, 18 and 19, 24 and 25, 30 and 31, on August 5 and 6, 12, 20 and 29, and on September 8 and 19, sending lava sprays several hundred metres into the air; no damage or casualties were reported. In the 1970s Etna erupted smoke rings, one of the first captured events of this type, which is extremely rare. This happened again in 2000. Mount Etna photography was used to create the battle scene on Mustafar between Obi-Wan and Anakin in "Revenge of the Sith."

Skellig Michael (from Sceilig Mhichíl in the Irish language, meaning Michael's rock), also known as Great Skellig, is a steep rocky island in the Atlantic Ocean about 9 miles (14.5 kilometres) from the coast of County Kerry, Ireland. It is the larger of the two Skellig Islands. After probably being founded in the 7th century, for 600 years the island was a centre of monastic life for Irish Christian monks. The Gaelic monastery, which is situated almost at the summit of the 230-metre-high rock became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. It is one of Europe's better known but least accessible monasteries. Since the extreme remoteness of Skellig Michael has until recently discouraged visitors, the site is exceptionally well preserved. The very spartan conditions inside the monastery illustrate the ascetic lifestyle practiced by early Irish Christians. The monks lived in stone 'beehive' huts (clochans), perched above nearly vertical cliff walls. This terraced monastic site was originally approached by three flights of vertiginous steps, leading from different landing places, which met at Christ's Valley, the saddle between the peaks. The modern path to the lighthouse meets the southern flight of steps. The monastery comprises six intact clochans, two oratories, 31 early grave slabs, a monolithic cross and the 13th century church of St Michael. The dry-stone walls of the clochans are almost 2m thick, square in plan, with circular roofs. Most have wall recesses but no windows. The two largest have projecting corbels inside and out that were used for securing thatch or stopping sods from slipping. The oratories have windows and the smaller one is built on an artificial platform. To the west of the steps leading up to the monastic buildings are two cross-slabs with a blocked souterrain between them. In the massive wall south of the souterrain is a latrine, probably mediaeval, over a deep cleft in the rock. The outer and inner walls are continuous and form a narrow oval enclosure whose north-eastern part is the Monk's Garden. Each year at least four boat licences are granted to tour operators who run trips to Skellig Michael during the summer season (May to October, inclusive), weather permitting. For safety reasons, because the steps up to the monastery are rocky, steep, and old, climbs are not permitted during very wet or windy weather. There are dive sites immediately around the rock. The island served as a filming location for the final scene of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. It was also used for the next film in the series, Star Wars: Episode VIII. This caused concerns because of the significance of the site as a special protection area for its colonies of puffins, Manx shearwaters and storm petrels.

Dante's View is a viewpoint terrace at 1,669 m (5,475 feet) height, on the north side of Coffin Peak, along the crest of the Black Mountains, overlooking Death Valley. Dante's View is about 25 km (15 miles) south of Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park. From the Dante's View parking lot, visitors can take several paths, one of which leads to the very brink of the edge, offering a dramatic panoramic view. Another path leads north 320 m (350 yards) to a rest area with picnic tables. The best time to visit Dante's View is in the cooler morning hours, when the sun is in the east. Dante's View is an excellent venue for night time star viewing with telescopes. Dante's View provides a panoramic view of the southern Death Valley basin. To the south, the Owlshead Mountains, 30 km (19 miles) away can be seen, and to the north, the Funeral Mountains 50 km (31 miles) distant, are visible beyond Furnace Creek. To the West, across Badwater Basin, the Panamint Range rises dramatically to Telescope Peak. To the east is found the Greenwater Range. On very clear days, the highest and lowest points in the contiguous 48 states of the United States: Mount Whitney 4,421 m (14,505 feet) high and Badwater -86 m (-282 feet) can be seen. A part of the Devil's Golf Course is to the west-northwest, where it appears like a great sparkling ocean - instead it is solid halite salt. The crust of salt is 1 to 2 meters (1.1 to 2.2 yards) thick and changes form after rain in the winter season dissolves the salt, to be recrystalized as the water evaporates. to the west-northwest, directly under Dante's View, is the Badwater Basin. west across the Badwater Basin, lies the Panamint Range, with Trail Canyon, Death Valley Canyon and Hanaupah Canyon visible. At the crest of the Panamints,Telescope Peak 3,367 m (11,049 feet) is 20 km (13 miles) distant. to the south, the Owlshead Mountains. east is seen the Great Basin ranges of Nevada.

Wadi Rum also known as The Valley of the Moon is a valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock in south Jordan at 60 km to the east of Aqaba. It is the largest wadi in Jordan. The name Rum most likely comes from an Aramaic root meaning 'high' or 'elevated'. To reflect its proper Arabic pronunciation, archaeologists transcribe it as Wadi Ramm. The highest elevation in Wadi Rum is Mount Um Dami at more than 1800m above sea level. Wadi Rum has been inhabited by many human cultures since prehistoric times, with many cultures–including the Nabateans–leaving their mark in the form of rock paintings, graffiti, and temples. As of 2007, several Bedouin tribes inhabit Rum and the surrounding area. In the West, Wadi Rum may be best known for its connection with British officer T. E. Lawrence, who based his operations here during the Arab Revolt of 1917–18. In the 1980s one of the rock formations in Wadi Rum was named "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom" in memory of Lawrence's book penned in the aftermath of the war, though the 'Seven Pillars' referred to in the book actually have no connection with Rum. The area centred on Wadi Rum (the main valley) is home to the Zalabia Bedouin who, working with climbers and trekkers, have made a success of developing eco-adventure tourism, now their main source of income. The area around Disi to the NE, home to the Zuweida Bedouin and erroneously also thought to be part of Wadi Rum by visitors, caters more for Jordanian visitors from Amman, with campsites regularly used by party-goers. The area is now also one of Jordan's important tourist destinations, and attracts an increasing number of foreign tourists, particularly trekkers and climbers, but also for camel and horse safari or simply day-trippers from Aqaba or Petra. In contrast, there are almost no local or Arab tourists though nearby Disi (not actually part of Rum) attracts young people from Amman at weekends. Popular activities in the desert environment include camping under the stars, riding Arab horses, hiking and rock-climbing amongst the massive rock formations. Jabal Rum (1,734 metres above sea level) is the second highest peak in Jordan and the highest peak in the central Rum, covered with snow and rising directly above Rum valley opposite Jebel um Ishrin, which is possibly one metre lower. The highest peak in Jordan is south of Rum close to the Saudi border. Named Jebel um Adaami it is 1,840 m high and was first located by Difallah Ateeg, a Zalabia Bedouin from Rum. On a clear day, it is possible to see the Red Sea and the Saudi border from the top. It is now a very popular trek from Rum village. The influx of tourists to this once isolated area has substantially increased the financial fortunes of the Bedouin people, and it is not uncommon to see locals using mobile phones and driving expensive four-wheel drive vehicles; many also have wi-fi and computers to run their adventure tourism businesses. The village of Wadi Rum consists of several hundred Bedouin inhabitants with their goat-hair tents and concrete houses, one school for boys and one for girls, a few shops, and the headquarters of the Desert Patrol. Wadi Rum was used as the surface of Mars in this 2000 film. Passion in the Desert – The area was also used for scenes in this 1998 film. The Face – BBC Film, Rock climbing in Rum, featuring Wadi Rum pioneers Tony Howard and Di Taylor. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – represented as being in Egypt The Frankincense Trail – scenes from train, and aerial filming too Prometheus – scenes for the Alien Planet Krrish 3 – the song 'Dil Tu Hi Bata' May in the Summer – a film by Cherien Dabis presented at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. Long shots of Wadi Rum set the mood for the film, it's a place where the main character finds peace away from the world and within herself. The Last Days on Mars – filming for exterior shots representing the surface of the titular planet for this 2013 film. The Martian – filming for the Ridley Scott film began in March 2015, for shots that stood in for the surface of Mars. Matt Damon on Wadi Rum:“I was in awe of that place, it was really, really special. One of the most spectacular and beautiful places I have ever seen, and like nothing I’ve ever seen anywhere else on Earth.” Theeb – It was filmed entirely in Wadi Rum. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the area was used for scenes set on Jedha.

Humboldt Redwoods State Park is a state park of California, United States, containing Rockefeller Forest, the world's largest remaining contiguous old-growth forest of coast redwoods. It is located 30 miles (48 km) south of Eureka, California, near Weott in southern Humboldt County, within Northern California. It was established by the Save-the-Redwoods League in 1921 largely from lands purchased from the Pacific Lumber Company. Beginning with the dedication of the Raynal Bolling Memorial Grove, it has grown to become the third-largest park in the California State Park system, now containing 51,651 acres (20,902 ha) through acquisitions and gifts to the state. The park is famed for its coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens), many of which grow to over 300 feet (91 m) in height. The forests on alluvial plains are almost pure redwood forest, but the forests on the slopes also contain Coast Douglas-fir. The park has a 5-mile (8.0 km) road that travels throughout it, and over 100 miles (160 km) of hiking trails. Visitors to the park can go horseback riding, mountain biking, fishing, and swimming in theSouth Fork Eel River. The park is prone to fire hazards, and camping is permitted in specified areas. Almost 250 sites are available for use, including an equestrian camp. Nearby Burlington, serves as a main camping spot, alongside Albee. Over 100 of the 137 known trees over 350 feet (110 m) tall—all coast redwoods—occur in Humboldt Redwoods State Park. It is home to the 4th-tallest measured living redwood, the Stratosphere Giant, which was measured at 112.94 metres (370.5 ft) in 2004. Stratosphere Giant was the tallest known living redwood until the discovery of three taller trees in Redwood National Park; the tallest, Hyperion, measuring 115.55 metres (379.1 ft) in September 2006.[dead link] Before the discovery of Hyperion, the tallest redwood ever measured was the Dyerville Giant, also in Humboldt Redwoods State Park. It was 113.4 metres (372 ft) high when it fell in March 1991. It was estimated to be 1,600 years old. It is part of the Northern California coastal forests ecoregion and has 23,600 acres (96 km2) of old-growth forests. 17,000 acres (69 km2) are old-growth redwoods, comprising the entire Bull Creek watershed and the Rockefeller Forest. Nearby U.S. Route 101, which generally follows the Eel River and its South Fork in this part of the North Coast, offers easy access to the park and nearby towns with connections to the scenic highway, Avenue of the Giants, also mostly located within or near park boundaries.

Krafla is a caldera of about 10 km in diameter with a 90 km long fissure zone, in the north of Iceland in the Mývatn region. Its highest peak reaches up to 818 m and it is 2 km in depth. There have been 29 reported eruptions in recorded history. Krafla includes one of the two best-known Víti craters of Iceland (the other is in Askja). The Icelandic word "víti" means "hell". In former times, people often believed hell to be under volcanoes. The crater Víti has a green lake inside of it. The Krafla area also includes Námafjall, a geothermal area with boiling mudpools and steaming fumaroles. The Mývatn fires occurred between 1724–29, when many of the fissure vents opened up. The lava fountains could be seen in the south of the island and a lava flow destroyed three farms near the village of Reykjahlíð, although nobody was harmed. Between 1975 and 1984 there was a volcanic episode within the Krafla volcano. It involved nine volcanic eruptions and fifteen uplift and subsidence events. This interrupted some of the Krafla drillfields. During these events a large magma chamber emerged. This has been identified by analysing the seismic activity. Since 1977 the Krafla area has been the source of the geothermal energy used by a 60 MWe power station. A survey undertaken in 2006 indicated very high temperatures at depths of between 3 and 5 kilometres and these favourable conditions have led to the development of the first well from the Iceland Deep Drilling Project (IDDP), that found magma only 2.1 km deep.

Tikal is the ruin of an ancient city, which was likely to have been called Yax Mutal, found in a rainforest in Guatemala. Ambrosio Tut, a gum-sapper, reported the ruins to La Gaceta, a Guatemalan newspaper, which named the site Tikal. After the Berlin Academy of Sciences' magazine republished the report in 1853, archeologists and treasure hunters began visiting the forest. Today tourism to the site may help protect the rainforest. It is one of the largest archaeological sites and urban centers of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. It is located in the archaeological region of the Petén Basin in what is now northern Guatemala. Situated in the department of El Petén, the site is part of Guatemala's Tikal National Park and in 1979 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tikal was the capital of a conquest state that became one of the most powerful kingdoms of the ancient Maya. Though monumental architecture at the site dates back as far as the 4th century BC, Tikal reached its apogee during the Classic Period, c. 200 to 900 AD. During this time, the city dominated much of the Maya region politically, economically, and militarily, while interacting with areas throughout Mesoamerica such as the great metropolis of Teotihuacan in the distant Valley of Mexico. There is evidence that Tikal was conquered by Teotihuacan in the 4th century AD. Following the end of the Late Classic Period, no new major monuments were built at Tikal and there is evidence that elite palaces were burned. These events were coupled with a gradual population decline, culminating with the site’s abandonment by the end of the 10th century. Tikal is the best understood of any of the large lowland Maya cities, with a long dynastic ruler list, the discovery of the tombs of many of the rulers on this list and the investigation of their monuments, temples and palaces. The closest large modern settlements are Flores and Santa Elena, approximately 64 kilometres (40 mi) by road to the southwest. Tikal is approximately 303 kilometres (188 mi) north of Guatemala City. It is 19 kilometres (12 mi) south of the contemporary Maya city of Uaxactun and 30 kilometres (19 mi) northwest of Yaxha. The city was located 100 kilometres (62 mi) southeast of its great Classic Period rival, Calakmul, and 85 kilometres (53 mi) northwest of Calakmul's ally Caracol, now in Belize. The city has been completely mapped and covered an area greater than 16 square kilometres (6.2 sq mi) that included about 3,000 structures. The topography of the site consists of a series of parallel limestone ridges rising above swampy lowlands. The major architecture of the site is clustered upon areas of higher ground and linked by raised causeways spanning the swamps. The area around Tikal has been declared as the Tikal National Park and the preserved area covers 570 square kilometres (220 sq mi). The ruins lie among the tropical rainforests of northern Guatemala that formed the cradle of lowland Maya civilization. The city itself was located among abundant fertile upland soils, and may have dominated a natural east–west trade route across the Yucatan Peninsula. Conspicuous trees at the Tikal park include gigantic kapok (Ceiba pentandra) the sacred tree of the Maya; tropical cedar (Cedrela odorata), and Honduras mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla). Regarding the fauna, agouti, white-nosed coatis, gray foxes, Geoffroy's spider monkeys, howler monkeys, harpy eagles, falcons, ocellated turkeys, guans, toucans, green parrots and leafcutter ants can be seen there regularly. Jaguars, jaguarundis, and cougars are also said to roam in the park. For centuries this city was completely covered under jungle. The average annual rainfall at Tikal is 1,945 millimetres (76.6 in). One of the largest of the Classic Maya cities, Tikal had no water other than what was collected from rainwater and stored in ten reservoirs. Archaeologists working in Tikal during the 20th century refurbished one of these ancient reservoirs to store water for their own use. The Tikal National Park covers an area of 575.83 square kilometres (222.33 sq mi). It was created on 26 May 1955 under the auspices of the Instituto de Antropología e Historia and was the first protected area in Guatemala. Temples II and III reach over the jungle canopy, just as they do in the first shot of Yavin in Star Wars "A New Hope." Thousand-year-old Mayan ruins are the backdrop to the Rebel Alliance's Massassi outpost on the fourth moon of Yavin.

Ajim is a town and port located on the Island of Djerba off the coast of Tunisia. It is Djerba's main fishing port and the closest city to the African continent. The city and surrounding areas were used as a filming location forStar Wars. Tourists can visit buildings featured in the original movie, including Obi-Wan Kenobi's house and the Mos Eisley Cantina.

Medenine is the major town in south-eastern Tunisia, 77 kilometres (48 mi) south of the port of Gabès and the Island of Djerba, on the main route to Libya. It is the capital of Medenine Governorate. In pre-colonial times, Medenine was already the most important trading centre in the south, attracting merchants from all over North Africa and even from Bornu, to the south of the Sahara. The Ksar housed the central granaries of the various nomadic Berber tribes of the region. The area was the scene of an unsuccessful German counter-attack by General Erwin Rommel as part of Operation Capri during March 1943 against British Eighth Army forces. The Battle of Medenine was Rommel's last engagement in Africa before he was replaced by General Hans-Jürgen von Arnim as commander of the Afrika Korps. When Anakin was a slave boy in Star Wars "The Phantom Menace," his quarters were filmed on this real-life Tunisian street (Avenue 7 Novembre).

Whippendell Wood (or Whippendell Woods) is an ancient woodland on the edges of Watford, England, covering an area of 165.3 acres (66.9 ha). It is owned and managed by Watford Borough Council. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and has held this status since 1954. Its present name comes from the Anglo-Saxon name "Wippa denu", meaning "Wippa's valley". Whippendell Wood has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest, due to its diverse range of fungi and invertebrates. Originally, it was listed in 1954 with Harrocks Wood, but was declared as an SSSI on its own in 1986. A range of trees can be found in the wood, which is predominantly composed of oak, beech, ash and silver birch. There are also a significant number of cherry, hawthorn, hazel, holly and hornbeam trees. Sycamore trees are also found in the wood, but these are being felled as part of a management plan, as they are not native to the area. The wood is known for its bluebells, which are particularly prominent in April–May. There are also a few rare species of fungus, includingCrepidotus cinnabarinus, which has only been recorded on three other occasions in the whole of Europe. First noted in the wood in 1995, samples are now kept at Kew Gardens. The wood is home to a number of bird species, including great spotted, lesser spotted and green woodpeckers, tawny owls and sparrow hawks. Mammals found in the wood include bats, badgers, and deer. The wood is open to the public, and there are several footpaths and orienteering routes through the wood. The wood is popular with dog walkers, and is also used as a shortcut to Cassiobury Park. Horses are not permitted into the wood, but a track for horse riders runs around the perimeter. Whippendell Wood has been used as a ; exterior shots for scenes set on the planet Naboo were filmed here for the 1999 prequel,The Phantom Menace.Whippendell has also featured in television series such asHolby CityandSilent Witness.

Canary Wharf is a London Underground station on the Jubilee line, between Canada Water and North Greenwich. The station, serving Canary Wharf, is in Travelcard Zone 2 and was opened by Ken Livingstone setting an escalator in motion on 17 September 1999 as part of the Jubilee Line Extension. It is maintained by Tube Lines. Over 40 million people pass through the station each year, making it second busiest on the London Underground outside Central London after Stratford, and also the busiest that serves only a single line. Above ground there is little sign of the vast interior: two curved glass canopies at the east and west ends of the station cover the entrances and allow daylight into the ticket hall below. The Jubilee Park, a public park is situated between the two canopies, above the station concourse. It had originally been intended that the infilled section of the dock would be reinstated above the station, but this proved impractical because of technical difficulties and the park was created instead. As with the other below-ground stations on the Jubilee Line extension, both station platforms are equipped with platform screen doors. Canary Wharf station has become one of the busiest stations on the network, serving the ever-expanding Canary Wharf business district. Although it shares its name with the Docklands Light Railway station at Canary Wharf, the two are not directly integrated (in fact, Heron Quays DLR station is nearer at street level). All three stations are connected underground via shopping malls. Out-of-station interchange within twenty minutes between any two of the stations entails no additional charge. Canary Wharf can be used to reverse trains from both the east and the west. A scissors crossover west of the station allows trains from Stanmore to enter either the east- or west-bound platform at the station, and trains from Stratford enter the normal westbound platform and can use this scissors crossover to reverse back towards Stratford. The station was used as a location for some scenes of Danny Boyle's 2002 film28 Days Later. In April 2016,Star Warsfans using Twitter commented that the station had apparently been used in a scene of the trailer for the film Rogue One. In "Rogue One," the modern London Underground interchange doubles as an Imperial base. The futuristic steel, glass and concrete station is filled with stormtroopers rather than bankers for scenes on the Imperial planet of Scarif.

Finse is a mountain village area on the shore of the lake Finsevatnet in Ulvik municipality in Hordaland county, Norway. The village is centered on Finse Station, a railway station on the Bergensbanen railway line. The village sits at an elevation of 1,222 metres (4,009 ft) above sea level, making it the highest station on the entire Norwegian railway system. The village lies in the eastern part of Ulvik municipality, and it is not easily accessible from the rest of the municipality. There is no road access, only a railway stop. The long Finse Tunnel lies just west of the village area, replacing a difficult section of rail that frequently was blocked by snow and difficult to clear. Since there are no (public) roads to Finse, the railway provides the sole means of transportation to and from Finse. During summer, however, it is possible to walk or cycle to Finse on the Rallarvegen road (owned by the railroad). Across the railway line from the station is housed the railway navvy museum, which has exhibits on the construction of the railway line and two decommissioned snow-clearing engines which you are free to explore. The area also has a hotel (Finse 1222), a hostel (Finsehytta, DNT), and many private cabins. During the winter, Finse is popular for cross-country skiing, sail skiing (due to its location on the edge of the frozen lake Finsevatnet), expedition training, and Red Cross training. The ill-fated Scott expedition to the South Pole trained here, and outside the hotel there is a monument to those that died. There is one small drag-lift which allows you to downhill ski on one slope back into town. During the summer, the recreational focus switches to mountain cycling, walking, and glacier walking on the adjacent "blue ice" Hardangerjøkulen glacier. The Rallarvegen is a popular bicycle route, from Haugastøl to Flåm. In March 1979, Finse was the location chosen to portray the ice planet Hoth in theThe Empire Strikes Back, the sequel to the record-breaking filmStar Wars.

Hardangerjøkulen is the sixth largest glacier in mainland Norway. It is located in the municipalities of Eidfjord and Ulvik in Hordaland county. It is located about 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) northeast of the village of Eidfjord, about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) south of Finse, and about 20 kilometres (12 mi) west of Haugastøl. Hardangerjøkulen's highest point is 1,863 m (6,112 ft) above sea level, and is the highest point in Hordaland county. Its lowest point is 1,050 m (3,440 ft) above sea level. The thickest measurement of the glacier was 380 metres (1,250 ft) thick, but it has been getting thinner during the 20th century. The glacier is easily accessed from the north in the winter, from the village of Finse, which is only accessible by stopping at Finse Station on the Bergensbanen railway line. In the winter the highest point can be accessed from Finse using only skis. The 1980 movieThe Empire Strikes Backused Hardangerjøkulen as a filming location, for scenes of the ice planet Hoth, including a memorable battle in the snow.

Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park is a state park of California, USA, harboring groves of coast redwoods in three separate units along the Van Duzen River. It is located 20 miles (32 km) east of Eureka, California, then another 18 miles (29 km) east of Fortuna on State Route 36. The small park was created by a donation from Owen R. Cheatham, founder of Georgia-Pacific Corporation, who wanted to preserve the stand of redwoods in perpetuity. Originally established in 1943, the park has grown to 430 acres (170 ha). The Cheatham Grove unit, 4 miles (6.4 km) west of the main unit, was added to the park in 1983 due to efforts of the Save-the-Redwoods League. The park is so secluded due to its location off the major regional artery, U.S. Route 101, that on a weekday a visitor can be the only person in any one of the several groves.

The igloo exterior of Luke's house was filmed about 300 kilometers away on the dried-up salt lake of Chott El Jerid, Tunisia. This little building is in the middle of nowhere and was abandoned after first movie shooting was wrapped. It was deteriorating but was refurbished when the later prequels once again had use for it. After the prequels it once again was abandoned and began to fall apart again. Now group of dedicated fans have been restoring the hut so that it can last for future Star Wars fans.

The salt-flats of near Nefta were used as a filming location for the Star Wars saga.

The Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area (Algodones Dunes) is a large erg (sand dune field) located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of California, near the border with Arizona and the Mexican state of Baja California. The field is approximately 45 miles long by 6 miles wide and extends along a northwest-southeast line that correlates to the prevailing northerly and westerly wind directions. The name "Algodones Dunes" refers to the entire geographic feature, while the administrative designation for that portion managed by the Bureau of Land Management is the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area (sometimes called the Glamis Dunes). The Algodones Dunes are split into many different sections. These sections include Glamis, Gordon's Well, Buttercup, Midway, and Patton's Valley. The three most popular areas Mammoth Washcamping area is a BLM-managed, dispersed camping area located on the north end of the Imperial Sand Dunes complex. Glamis/Gecko just south of State Highway 78, Buttercup Valley just south of Interstate Highway 8 near the Mexican Border. Although the Spanish word algodonestranslates to the English wordcotton,the name Algodones is a corruption of the Spanish and English names of the Yuman tribe that once dwelt nearby. Situated east of the Imperial Valley agricultural region, the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area is bordered to the west by the Coachella Canal, a waterway diverting Colorado River water to fertile agricultural lands further north. A major east-west route of the Union Pacific railroad skirts its eastern edge, a time-worn testament to the impediment the dunes once played to travel between San Diego and Phoenix. The dune system consists of three areas. The northernmost area is known as Mammoth Wash. This open area allows OHV use and offers a more isolated experience. South of Mammoth Wash is the North Algodones Dunes Wilderness. Established in 1994, this area is closed to all mechanized traffic, so access is by foot or on horseback only. Here you will find endless miles of quiet solitude. The southernmost boundary of the Wilderness is State Highway 78; just south of this highway the largest and most heavily used dunes are found. With some restrictions, these primary dunes may be traveled south toward the Mexican border. The dunes are located west of the Chocolate Mountains in Imperial County, and are crossed by Interstate 8 and State Route 78, which passes through the old train stop of Glamis at the eastern edge of the dune field. The northwestern end is located about 11 mi (18 km) east of Calipatria, California, and the southeastern end is located near Los Algodones in Mexico about 6 miles west of Yuma, Arizona. The dunes are also now separated at the southern end by agricultural land from the much more extensive Gran Desierto de Altar, to which they once were linked as an extreme peripheral "finger". The only significant human-made structures in the area are the All-American Canal that cuts across the southern portion from west to east and the Coachella Canal on the western edge. Environmental protection groups (notably the Center for Biological Diversity) and off-highway vehicle advocacy groups (notably the American Sand Association) have filed numerous petitions and lawsuits to either restrict or re-open vehicular access to the dunes. Most of the dunes located north of State Route 78 are off-limits to vehicular traffic due to designation as the North Algodones Dunes Wilderness. The federal government protected these 25,818 acres (104.48 km2) in the early 1980s and closed them to vehicles as part of the 1994 California Desert Protection Act (Public Law 103-433). Much of the area south of this road remains open for off-highway vehicle use, though a lawsuit in 2000 closed over 49,000 acres (200 km2) to vehicular access, leaving about 40% of the recreation area open to vehicles. It is the largest sand dunes open to off-highway vehicle use in the United States. The site's large sand dunes are a preferred terrain for many off-road vehicle owners. Motorcycles, sandrails, ATVs, and 4-wheel-drive vehicles are commonly driven across the dunes. Open camping is permitted, and on major winter holidays, as many as 150,000 people can visit in a single weekend. These recreationalists bring an economic boom during the cooler months to the nearby towns of Brawley, California, Yuma, Arizona and El Centro, California. The dunes were used to film parts of Road to Morocco, Flight of the Phoenix, Tobruk, Stargate, Resident Evil: Extinction and the Tatooine scenes in Return of the Jedi. John Ford made the 1934 version of The Last Patrol here. They also appear in the opening sequence of the TV series Kung Fu.

A 2.7 mile (4.3k), one-way, dirt road winds through Twenty Mule Team Canyon which is an area of barren land once used by the Twenty-Mule Teams. The drive is worthwhile and is accessible to all passenger vehicles except busses, RV’s and trailers. Twenty-mule teams were teams of eighteen mules and two horses attached to large wagons that ferried borax out of Death Valley from 1883 to 1889. They traveled from mines across the Mojave Desert to the nearest railroad spur, 165 miles (275 km) away in Mojave. The routes were from the Harmony and Amargosa Borax Works to Daggett, California, and later Mojave, California. After Harmony and Amargosa shut down in 1888, the mule team's route was moved to the mines at Borate, 3 miles east of Calico, back to Daggett. There they worked from 1891 until 1898 when they were replaced by the Borate and Daggett Railroad. The wagons were among the largest ever pulled by draft animals, designed to carry 10 short tons (9 metric tons) of borax ore at a time. Twenty Mule Team Canyon was used for Star Wars "Return of the Jedi" scenes with C-3PO and R2-D2 traveling to Jabba the Hut's palace.

The Villa del Balbianello is a villa in the town of Lenno, Italy, overlooking Lake Como. It is located on the tip of a small wooded peninsula on the western shore of the south-west branch of Lake Como, not far from the Isola Comacina and is famous for its elaborate terraced gardens.c The villa was built in 1787 on the site of a Franciscan monastery for the Cardinal Angelo Maria Durini. The two towers which can be seen in the picture are the campanili of the convent church. After the cardinal’s death in 1796 Giuseppe Arconati Visconti bought the villa and made improvements to its gardens and the loggia. In the nineteenth century the villa belonged to the Porro-Lambertenghi family. The writer and patriot Silvio Pellico was a visitor in 1819. By the early twentieth century the buildings had fallen into a state of neglect when an American businessman, Butler Ames, purchased and renovated the villa and its garden. In 1974 it was bought by the explorer Guido Monzino (leader of the first Italian expedition to climb Mount Everest), who filled it with rich collections, including artifacts acquired on his expeditions. Monzino, who died in 1988, left the villa to the Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano, the National Trust of Italy. Its grounds now form part of the Grandi Giardini Italiani. A number of feature films have used the villa for location shooting, including A Month by the Lake (1995), Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones (2002), and Casino Royale (2006).

The Hotel Sidi Driss in Matmata was used in 1976 as a filming location for Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope in which it featured as the home of Luke Skywalker, his Aunt Beru Lars and Uncle Owen Lars on the planet Tatooine. The hotel is designed as a traditional Berber troglodyte underground building. It featured again in the 2002 prequel film Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.

Haddhunmathi Atoll or Laamu Atoll in the Maldives is natural atoll mostly rimmed by barrier reefs, the broadest of which are topped by islands. There are many islands along its eastern and southern boundaries. This atoll is quite regular excepting for the projection of the reef at its NE corner (Isdhū Muli). It closely resembles Kolhumadulhu, its neighbour further north. Owing to its typical atoll shape, it differs in no respect from atolls in the Pacific Ocean, save for its greater size. Its reefs are generally of little breadth, with no signs ofvilu(deep pools), except for its eastern fringes which are covered with islands that are quite large by Maldive standards. The lagoon is comparatively open, containing scattered shoal patches; the bottom is muddy and the average depth is from 30 to 34 fathoms (55 to 62 m). Laamu Atoll forms the southern limit of Central Maldives. Beyond the Huvadhu Kandu, the broadest channel between atolls in the Maldives, lie the southern atolls. Haddhunmathi or laamu atoll is the largest atoll in maldives.(Satu Duvu) atoll was playing an important role in the Maldives when the nation was a Kingdom. Many of the islands located on Laamu's eastern reef have important archaeological sites, like Dhanbidhoo, Mundoo, Gan and Isdhoo. These are remains of monasteries, viharas and stupas of large proportions. Some of the most ancient writings of the Maldives are the Isdhū Lōmāfānu and the Dhanbidhū Lōmāfānu copperplates, relating to the conversion to Islam, the destruction of the Buddhistmonuments, the beheading of the Buddhist monks and the building of mosques to replace the Buddhist temples and monasteries. These copperplates are from the year 1193 AD. The Maldivian king back then according to these documents was Sri Gadana Aditya Maharadun. A tentative transcription of the Dhanbidū lōmafānu was made by M. Ibrahim Loutfi and was subsequently published in 'Faiytūra', the organ of the Maldivian Cultural Affairs Council.

The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes are at the northern end of the valley floor of Death Valley National Park and are nearly surrounded by mountains on all sides. Due to their easy access from the road and the overall proximity of Death Valley to Hollywood, these dunes have been used to film sand dune scenes for several movies including films in the Star Wars series. Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes are the easiest to visit and the only location where sand boarding is allowed. The largest dune is called Star Dune and is relatively stable and stationary because it is at a point where the various winds that shape the dunes converge. The depth of the sand at its crest is 130–140 feet (40–43 m) but this is small compared to other dunes in the area that have sand depths of up to 600–700 feet (180–210 m) deep. The primary source of the dune sands is probably the Cottonwood Mountains which lie to the north and northwest. The tiny grains of quartz and feldspar that form the sinuous sculptures that make up this dune field began as much larger pieces of solid rock. In between many of the dunes are stands of creosote bush and some mesquite on the sand and on dried mud, which used to cover this part of the valley before the dunes intruded (mesquite was the dominant plant here before the sand dunes but creosote does much better in the sand dune conditions).

The Plaza de España is a plaza located in the Parque de María Luisa (Maria Luisa Park), in Seville, Spain built in 1928 for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929. It is a landmark example of the Renaissance Revival style in Spanish architecture. The Plaza de España mainly consists of Government buildings. The Seville Town Hall, with sensitive adaptive redesign, is located within it. The Plaza's tiled 'Alcoves of the Provinces' are backdrops for visitors portrait photographs, taken in their own home province's alcove. Towards the end of the park, the grandest mansions from the fair have been adapted as museums. The farthest contains the city's archaeology collections. The main exhibits are Roman mosaics and artefacts from nearby Italica. The Plaza de España has been used as a filming location, including scenes for the 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia. The building was used as a location in the Star Wars movie series Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) — in which it featured in exterior shots of the City of Theed on the Planet Naboo. It also featured in the 2012 film The Dictator.

Phang Nga Bay is a 400 km² bay in the Andaman Sea between the island of Phuket and the mainland of the Malay peninsula of southern Thailand. Ao Phang Nga park was created by Royal decree and announced in the Royal Gazette under proclamation number 98 section 64 of April 29, 1981, Limestone cliffs with caves, collapsed cave systems and archaeological sites are found about Phang Nga Bay. Some 10,000 years ago, when sea levels were lower, one could walk from Phuket and Krabi. Phang Nga Bay Marine National Park was declared a protected Ramsar Site (no. 1185) of international ecological significance on 14 August, 2002. Phang Nga is a shallow bay with 42 islands, comprising shallow marine waters and intertidal forested wetlands, with at least 28 species of mangrove; seagrass beds and coral reefs are also present. At least 88 bird species, including the globally threatened Malaysian Plover (Charadrius peronii) and Asiatic Dowitcher (Limnodromus semipalmatus), can be found within the site, as well as 82 fishspecies, 18 reptiles, three amphibians, and 17 mammal species. These include the Dugong (a vulnerable species), White-hand Gibbon (Hylobates lar), the endangered Serow (Capricornis sumatraensis), and the Black Finless Porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides). A number of diverse cultures co-exist in local communities, which practice fishing, harvesting Nypa palm fronds for thatch, and catering to an international tourist presence drawn both by the natural beauties and by the archaeological sites, which have paintings more than a thousand years old. The most famous of the many islands in the bay is the so-called James Bond Island, a needle formed limestone rock in the sea, which featured in the movie The Man with the Golden Gun. Nearby villages include Ao Luk.