To mark Pride Month, CamperDays is offering campervan itineraries inspired by iconic settings from LGBTIQ+ cinema, drawing on some of its most emblematic stories.
Over the past few decades, film and television have helped to raise the profile of the community’s stories, identities and causes through productions that are now part of popular culture. From the fight against discrimination portrayed in Philadelphia to the ballroom revolution in POSE or the romantic awakening in Call Me by Your Name, many of these works are closely linked to places that have become iconic settings for several generations of viewers.
To mark Pride Month, CamperDays, the motorhome and campervan hire platform, has compiled a list of some of the destinations that brought to life the films and series which marked a turning point in the representation of the LGBTQI+ community – an invitation to discover landscapes, cities and hidden corners that have transcended the screen to become cultural symbols.
“Films and TV series have helped bring many stories from the LGTBIQ+ community to a global audience, but they have also turned some of their settings into places steeped in cultural significance. With this initiative, we want to invite people to rediscover them through the freedom offered by travelling in a campervan, combining culture, emotion and the open road,” explains Adriana Neves, Marketing Manager at CamperDays.
Philadelphia, the setting for a film that changed Hollywood
When Philadelphia hit cinemas in 1993, it marked a milestone in the representation of gay people and those living with HIV. The American city not only lends its name to the film but also serves as a reflection of a society in the midst of transformation.
Among its most iconic landmarks are Philadelphia City Hall, the avenues of the historic centre and the Gayborhood, considered one of the oldest LGTBIQ+ neighbourhoods in the country. Strolling through its streets is also a journey through a fundamental part of the recent history of civil rights in the United States.
The endless mountains of Brokeback Mountain
Few films have managed to link a landscape to a love story as powerfully as Brokeback Mountain. The valleys, forests and lakes of Alberta, in Canada, serve as the backdrop to a relationship that defies the social conventions of its time.
Places such as Banff National Park, Lake Minnewanka and the roads winding through Kananaskis Country offer some of the most spectacular scenery in North America. Vast, open spaces which, just like in the film, evoke a sense of freedom, silence and restrained emotion.
The luminous Italy of Call Me by Your Name
The small town of Crema, in the Lombardy region, became one of Europe’s most recognisable film destinations thanks to Call Me by Your Name. Its tranquil squares, cobbled streets and rural landscapes capture the essence of a summer marked by personal discovery and first love.
Among the most memorable locations are Crema’s Piazza del Duomo, the villa where much of the story unfolds, and the country lanes cycled along by Elio and Oliver. It is a setting that seems frozen in time and has attracted thousands of visitors since the film’s release.
The melancholic elegance of Carol
Set in the 1950s, Carol transformed railway stations, cafés, roadside hotels and small American towns into the backdrop for one of the most celebrated love stories in contemporary cinema.
Much of the filming took place in Cincinnati, a city whose historic centre retains much of its mid-20th-century aesthetic. Its streets, shop windows and buildings evoke the intimate and sophisticated atmosphere that characterises the film starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara.
Almodóvar’s Madrid in Bad Education
To speak of diversity and cinema in Spain is to speak of Pedro Almodóvar. Bad Education explores themes such as identity, desire and memory through a story deeply rooted in Madrid and the social transformation the country has undergone in recent decades.
The Spanish capital, and particularly neighbourhoods such as Chueca, forms part of the collective imagination associated both with Almodóvar’s films and with the consolidation of LGTBIQ+ rights in Spain. Its streets, squares and cultural venues remain a point of reference for those seeking to understand the evolution of diversity in Spanish society.
New York and the transformative energy of POSE
The series POSE put New York’s ballroom scene on the cultural map – a movement created by trans, queer and racialised communities who found in these spaces a form of expression and resistance.
Places such as Christopher Street, Greenwich Village and Harlem are much more than just television backdrops: they represent some of the most significant chapters in the history of LGTBIQ+ activism. From the legacy of Stonewall to the city’s cultural vibrancy, New York remains one of the world’s great symbols of diversity.
Scenes that left their mark beyond the screen
More than just film locations, these places have become part of the collective memory of millions of viewers. Landscapes, cities and neighbourhoods that helped tell stories of love, identity, freedom and empowerment, and which today continue to inspire those seeking to discover the world through some of the most influential works of LGBTIQ+ culture.
About CAMPERDAYS
Launched in Germany in 2013, CamperDays is Europe’s leading motorhome tour operator, working with 150 suppliers at over 1,000 stations worldwide.
CamperDays provides access to over 40,000 vehicles available for hire in 36 countries worldwide, including destinations such as Spain, Europe, Australia, the United States, Canada and South Africa. The platform allows customers to choose from a selection of trusted providers worldwide via a simple three-step booking process, with hire rates starting from just 80 euros a day.
Since its launch, CamperDays customers have booked over 1,000,000 nights in vehicles hired through the site. CamperDays offers access to a wide selection of motorhomes and caravans for all types of travellers, with transparent pricing and no hidden costs. All vehicles come with insurance, so hirers can enjoy a worry-free holiday. For more information or to make a booking, visit the website: https://www.camperdays.es/
Source: ATREVIA Comunicación