Netflix's Lonely Planet filming locations in Morocco highlight Chefchaouen's blue alleyways and bustling Marrakesh, where the movie shot on location.

The journey of Katherine Loewe and Owen Brophy began in the winding medinas and cobalt-painted alleyways of Morocco, where a celebrated novelist and a much younger man found an unexpected romance. Netflix's Lonely Planet, starring Laura Dern and Liam Hemsworth, took viewers on a cinematic escape through North African cities that felt so authentic because, in most cases, the cameras actually captured the real streets, markets, and desert highways. Rather than relying on soundstages or digital backdrops, the production traveled to multiple Moroccan destinations, allowing the setting to breathe through every frame of the film.

🏙️ The Blue City of Chefchaouen

Among all the filming destinations, the most visually striking was undoubtedly Chefchaouen. Tucked into the Rif Mountains of northwest Morocco, this small city is famous for its azure walls, sapphire doors, and indigo staircases that seem to glow under the sun. In the film, Katherine and Owen wander through these blue-washed streets, and the vibrant pigment served as more than just a backdrop; it mirrored the emotional awakening taking place between the two characters.

Liam Hemsworth later revealed in an interview that the cast spent several days in Chefchaouen, walking the same narrow paths their characters traversed. This immersion was not merely logistical but creative. The performers absorbed the rhythm of the city—the calls to prayer, the scent of spices drifting from open windows, the cool mountain air—and let those sensory details inform their portrayals. It was in Chefchaouen that Katherine and Owen truly began to recognize the affection growing between them, and the dreamlike blue environment gave their connection an almost ethereal quality.

🕌 Marrakesh: The Bustling Cultural Hub

In contrast to the serene blue city, Marrakesh offered a completely different energy. As one of Morocco's largest and most significant cities, Marrakesh brims with commerce, culture, and history. Its famous souks overflow with textiles, ceramics, and lanterns, while elaborate palaces and gardens whisper stories of dynasties long past. The movie used this lively metropolis as the setting for several early scenes, when Katherine and Owen explored the city both separately and together, their paths crossing in crowded squares and shaded courtyards.

Hemsworth described Marrakesh as a busy urban center juxtaposed against the more remote filming spots. The contrast between the bustling Medina and the quieter mountain villages added a layered texture to the film. While chefs crafted Moroccan cuisine in narrow kitchen stalls and shopkeepers unfurled vibrant rugs, the characters navigated their own internal turmoil amid the city's sensory overload. The authenticity of on-location shooting meant the background extras were often real residents going about their daily lives, lending a documentary-like realism to the fictional romance.

🏜️ Beyond the Cities: The Sahara and Casablanca

The production also ventured into other remarkable Moroccan landscapes. Portions of the film were shot in the Sahara Desert, where rolling dunes stretched toward the horizon and the sky turned brilliant shades of orange and purple at sunset. These sequences functioned as visual metaphors for the vastness of Katherine and Owen's emotional transformation. Additionally, Casablanca contributed its own atmosphere, although its scenes were somewhat less defined within the narrative. Even when the characters found themselves temporarily lost on Moroccan roads—such as when a car breakdown led them to a local driver's home—the cameras kept rolling on location, capturing the unplanned beauty of the countryside.

🎬 Recreating New York in Los Angeles

While nearly all of the principal photography occurred in Morocco, the production did return to the United States for select scenes. The film's conclusion, which in the story takes place in New York City, was shot in Los Angeles, California. After Katherine and Owen parted ways in Morocco, fate reunited them in a New York bar during the movie's ending sequence. The bar interior and the street outside where Katherine chased after Owen in classic romance fashion were recreated using L.A. locations, a common practice in the industry.

✨ Why Filming on Location Mattered

The decision to shoot Lonely Planet primarily on location carried tremendous weight. For Laura Dern and Liam Hemsworth, physically inhabiting the spaces where their characters fell in love added a depth that no green screen could replicate. They could smell the orange blossom, hear the muezzin at dawn, and feel the heat rising from ancient stone walls. This sensory immersion translated directly to their on-screen chemistry, making the romance feel earned rather than forced.

The film, which runs 96 minutes and was directed by Susannah Grant, ultimately benefited from the real-world authenticity of its settings. The camera lingered on geometric zellige tiles, intricately carved wooden doors, and panoramic views of terracotta rooftops, treating Morocco as more than just scenery—it became a silent narrator guiding Katherine and Owen toward their destiny. Even years after its October 2024 release, the locations continue to inspire travelers eager to trace the footsteps of the fictional lovers through Chefchaouen's blue alleys and Marrakesh's vibrant squares.