"Mamma Mia!" Filming Locations: The Complete Guide

"Mamma Mia!" may be the best movie to inspire Greek travel since "Summer Lovers" came out in the early 1980s, but many would-be travelers don’t know exactly where it was filmed or where they should visit if they want to escape to the same dreamy locales.

The film, built around hit ABBA songs, tells the story of a daughter's quest to figure out who her father is. When released in the summer of 2008, it was a smash hit, and it was followed up by a 2018 sequel, "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.”

In both movies, the stunning scenery stole the show, inspiring viewers to hop flights and sing their favorite songs in the same beautiful landscapes.

If you loved the first "Mamma Mia!" movie and want to check out some of the destinations where it was shot, head to Damouchari in the Pelion region of Greece and the Greek islands of Skopelos and Skiathos, the three principal filming locations.

Do you prefer the sequel and want to get away to those spectacular settings? Then travel to its primary filming location, the island of Vis in Croatia.

Below, we’ve outlined what you need to know about the locations for both "Mamma Mia!" movies. Read more to learn a bit of the history of each destination and how to visit.

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Skiathos, Greece

Skiathos village — Sander de Wilde/Getty Images

Several fine-sand beaches on the island of Skiathos, which is off the coast of Greece in the Aegean Sea, show up in scenes in the first "Mamma Mia!" movie. Another location is the island's Old Port, which appears in the movie when the three fathers meet for the first time. Sophie mailed her letters in the area around the St. Nikolaos Bell Tower, but that shot was a composite, and you won't find exactly the same view.

The "Mamma Mia!" cast and crew were said to have stayed at the Skiathos Princess Hotel, Skiathos Palace Hotel, and Mandraki Village. They were known to dine at several Skiathos restaurants, including Asprolithos, Polikratis, Sophia's Place, and the Windmill.

The best way to arrive on the island is by flying to Skiathos Airport, from which you can also access nearby Skopelos island and the mainland Pelion region.

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Skopelos, Greece

bay of sporades — Sander de Wilde/Getty Images

Most of the outdoor scenes in the first "Mamma Mia!" were filmed at various beaches and towns on Skopelos, which lies next to Skiathos and stood in for the fictional island of Kalokairi in the movie.

The producers say the place where Sophie left for her wedding was on a "mountainous peninsula" near Glisteri. A cliff on this same peninsula served as a set for the cliff-jumping scene with Sophie and her potential fathers. Plus, the cast of "Mamma Mia!" picnicked on a beach south of Agnondas off Stafylos Road.

Many of the cast and crew stayed at the Skopelos Village Hotel, the Prince Stafilos Hotel, the Adrina Beach Hotel, and the Aeolos Hotel. But some of the film’s stars rented villas nearby instead.

The cast and crew visited several restaurants while filming "Mamma Mia!" including Agioli, Tis Annas, To Perivoli, The Garden, and Agnanti.

You can't fly directly to Skopelos Island, but you can book a flight to Skiathos, and then take a ferry.

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Damouchari, Pelion Region, Greece

Damouchari is located on Greece's eastern coast, about 30 minutes from Volos and directly north of Athens. Much of the footage captured here was combined with images shot on Skopelos and Skiathos.

However, some of it is highlighted at the beginning of the movie when Christine Baranski and Julie Walters arrive on the island and Meryl Streep meets them. Many scenes in the film featuring a beach are located at Damouchari's Blue Beach.

The fictional hotel, Villa Donna, is portrayed as being on the cliffs above Glysteri Beach on Skopelos. But most of the Villa Donna scenes were actually shot back at the studio in Hollywood and married to Greek backgrounds later in post-production.

When the dancers in the film flit from the Villa Donna through olive groves, they are real olive groves in Damouchari.

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Vis, Croatia

In a surprising bit of recasting for "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again," the fictional island of Kalokairi got a new location. Instead of Skopelos, Greece, filming took place on the Croatian island of Vis.

One of the furthest islands from the mainland, Vis was completely closed to visitors when it was used as a military base prior to 1983. Before the 2018 "Mamma Mia!" filming, it was one of the less explored and less developed islands in terms of tourist infrastructure—but its popularity has grown since the movie's release.

Vis boasts stunning natural landscapes, including majestic cliffs encircling Stiniva Cove and the Blue Cave on the nearby islet of Biševo. Every day, just before noon, the sun's rays enter the cave and reflect off its limestone walls, creating an eerie, glowing blue light.

To get to Vis, fly to the city of Split, where you can catch a ferry to the remote island.