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Italy, Italy, Italy, I repeat, staring at the twinkle of my Aperol caught in the waning sunlight while I bake in the heat of London. It’s like a call, tugging straight at my heart strings, making me crave balmy nights, sunkissed skin and freckles on my shoulders, and the sweet sting of young misguided love.
Director Luca Guadagnino has a habit of portraying the very real messiness of love with some stunning backdrops (take the most recent Challengers and Queer as further examples of his work!), and Call Me By Your Name is no exception to that. The movie came out in 2017, the book in 2007, and yet it still continues to capture an audience, in part because of the stunning Italian backdrop! Visiting the Call Me By Your Name filming locations feels like a must-do for all those hopeless romantics out there – they are as much a character as Elio and Oliver, after all.
What town was Call Me By Your Name filmed in?
Elio and Oliver’s tumultuous love story took place in the Lombardy region in Northern Italy, not far from Milan and Venice. The primary towns featured as Call Me By Your Name filming locations are Crema, Moscazzano, and Bergamo. See more below!
Image source:Isaac Maffeis / unsplash
Where is the house located in Call Me By Your Name?
Elio’s more than gorgeous family home in the film is located in Moscazzano. It’s called the Villa Albergoni and is a 17th-century estate which used to be a fortress with sprawling emerald grounds. Unfortunately, this is a private property so you cannot visit it, but the surrounding town is adorable.
Where is Elio’s spot in Italy?
In one of the most romantic scenes of Call Me By Your Name, Elio takes Oliver on a bike ride just outside of the town of Crema, to his ‘secret spot’ which holds a small shaded pond. The pond is Fontanile Quarantina, a short ride along a dirt road flanked by fields of grass and wildflowers.
Where did they swim in Call Me By Your Name?
There’s a few swimming spots in the film, but the two primary ones are Laghetto dei Riflessi and the beach near the Gotte di Catullo.
Call Me By Your Name filming locations
1. Villa Albergoni
Call Me By Your Name is a pretty aesthetically pleasing movie – a Guadagnino staple – but perhaps the most stunning setting in the whole film is the Perlman house. Big open rooms filled with all the best kind of clutter which speaks to the family of academics and artists they all are; the house used in the film is Villa Albergoni. Unfortunately, this is a privately owned property so you won’t be able to visit, but you can head to Moscazzano and dream about it while cycling like Elio and enjoying a peach, perhaps…
2. Bergamo
As Elio and Oliver get to know each other over the glittering summer, they take a bike ride out and stop at the colourful Piazza Rosate in the centre of Bergamo. It’s a chilled and beautiful town in Lombardy, and the best base for your visit of all the Call Me By Your Name filming locations.
3. Crema
Our summer lovers visit Crema when Timothée Chalamet takes Armie Hammer into town so he can open a bank account for the duration of his stay. They can be seen pushing their bikes through the Piazza del Duomo in Crema, in front of Crema Cathedral. Oliver stops for a drink here when he asks Elio what people do around here for fun. The town of Crema is also near Elio’s secret spot…
4. Fontanile Quarantina
Speaking of Elio’s secret spot, this is it! This idyllic little pond is where Oliver and Elio share their first kiss, lazing about in the tall grass with the sound of cicadas chirping around them and the sun caressing over their curly hair. It’s a quick bike ride from Crema along dirt roads, perfect for your scene recreations.
5. Moscazzano
Moscazzano is one of the other small towns used as a Call Me By Your Name filming location alongside Crema and Bergamo. Piazza Gambazocchi features in a scene where Oliver joins the locals in a game of cards at the Bar Belvedere.
6. Grotte di Catullo & Spiaggia Giamaica
One of the – in my opinion – most symbolic scenes of the film makes use of one of the prettiest Call Me By Your Name filming locations. The Grotte di Catullo is where Oliver and Elio and his father (Michael Stuhlbarg) visit the archaeological site which shows the ruins of a Roman Villa. At the nearby beach, they pull the very beautiful statue arm out of the crystal blue waters. The Grotte is located on Lake Garda in Sirmione.
Later, Oliver and Elio have a sunset swim together while they get to know each other, and this is located at Spiaggia Giamaica, also known as Jamaica Beach.
7. Laghetto dei Riflessi
This small quarry in the Palata Menasciutto Nature Reserve is where Elio and his sort-of-not-really girlfriend Marzia slip off to for a late skinny dip. It’s located in the southwest of Ricengo, not far from Crema. The small lake is emerald coloured and makes for a lovely – if very natural – swimming spot and walk. The cast and crew return here later in the film as well when Elio and his friends have a day to swim.
8. Discoteca
The pastel scene of Elio dancing in his blue shirt which sparked a whole TikTok trend back in 2020 – probably one of the most iconic scenes of the whole film – was filmed at a Discoteca in Crema. Unfortunately we don’t know the exact spot for this Call Me By Your Name filming location, but any party you stumble into in this dreamy Italian town is probably a party worth sticking around for.
9. Cascate del Serio
Oliver and Elio spend most of the summer together – exploring, getting to know each other, falling in love – and one of their activities is a misty hike. This hike takes place during their last days together, so the moody atmosphere is very much indicative of the emotional turmoil and uncertainty they both feel. And the setting is gorgeous, featuring the green hills and crashing waters of Cascate del Serio.
10. Piazza Padre Reginaldo Giuliani
During the rest of their little pre-goodbye getaway together, Oliver and Elio have a drunken night, dancing around the Piazza in front of the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. Oliver dances to the sound of the Psychedelic Furs, and Elio unfortunately throws up.
11. Pizzighettone
There are plenty of films that feature tear-jerking train goodbyes, but Call Me By Your Name holds one of the most gut-wrenching of all. In the film, Oliver hops on the train at ‘Clusone’ station, but in reality this is actually Pizzighettone. Sunny-side tracks, greenery all around, and a quaint platform; it’s the perfect backdrop for some heartbreak.
