Central and Eastern Europe are well-known hot spots for movie productions. From talented technical personal to excellent studios which offer great conditions and a lot of superb location, it’s no wonder that a lot of great movies have been shot in the area.

Among the stunning locations, there’s Budapest, Hungary’s capital. The city was used to mimic famous cities such as Buenos Aires, Paris, Moscow, or Berlin.

Below is a list of some of the best movies shot in Budapest, including the locations where they were shot (so that you can plan to visit them, of course).

Red Sparrow (2018)

A young Russian intelligence officer is assigned to seduce a CIA agent who handles sensitive information. A former ballerina, she learns how to use her body as a weapon to sexually manipulate targets. A slew of dangerous situations emerges when the two meet.

The venues used to film in Budapest were: Semmelweis University tower, the New York Café, Gellért Hill, the Parliament, and the Hungarian State Opera House. This movie features, literally, a virtual tour of Hungary’s capital.

A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)

John McClane travels to Russia to help out his un, Jack, only to discover that Jack is a CIA operative, working undercover to stop a nuclear weapons heist.

This movie was filmed in & around Budapest, which was used to represent Moscow (sigh). Heroes’ Square is featured extensively. Another important venue is the Formula One racing circuit Hungaroring, where the vehicle stunts were filmed.

Spy (2015)

A deskbound CIA analyst goes deep undercover when her partner falls off the grid and another to agent is compromised. She infiltrates the world of deadly arms dealers and manages to prevent a global crisis.

Several of Budapest’s famous landmarks were used in this movie: Párisi Udvar shopping arcade, Deák Ferenc Street, Gundel Restaurant, the stunning Hungarian State Opera House, and even the nearby Lake Balaton.

Evita (1996)

The hit musical is based on the life of Evita Duarte, an Argentinian actress who became the wife of the Argentinian president Juan Peron. Her legendary life is displayed before your eyes as the most hated, yet most beloved woman in Argentina.

A huge part of the movie is shot in Budapest (23 locations were used to represent Buenos Aires). You’d be able to recognize the Museum of Ethnography, Liberty Square, Oktogon, and the square in front of St. Stephen’s Basilica.

The Phantom of the Opera (1998)

This is just one of the many remakes of the classical Phantom of the Opera. Only that in this movie, the phantom living in the undergrounds of the Opera de Paris is not a disfigured individual but rather is an unwashed orphan abandoned in the sewers underneath the Opera.

The stunning building of the Hungarian State Opera was chosen as a filming location.

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