Where Was Call Me by Your Name Filmed? Italy Locations You Can Visit

Quick answer: If you are wondering where was Call Me by Your Name filmed, the answer is mainly Lombardy in northern Italy. Crema, Moscazzano, Pandino, Capralba and Bergamo supplied the sun-washed squares, country roads, villa and final-night streets seen in Luca Guadagnino’s film. Although André Aciman’s novel evokes Liguria, the movie’s Italy is unmistakably Lombard.

Few films have turned an Italian summer into something so tactile. The shade of a portico, the sound of bicycles on stone, a peach orchard and an almost-empty town square all seem to carry the story. The good news for travellers is that many of the exterior locations are real, close enough to combine into a thoughtful route, and still feel more like lived-in places than a film set.

This guide maps the most memorable Call Me by Your Name locations in Italy, explains what you can actually visit and suggests a realistic itinerary from Milan. For the official local route and current visitor information, consult the Turismo Crema CMBYN city tour.

Call Me by Your Name filming locations at a glance

1. Crema: the heart of the film

Crema is the best base for following the movie. Its compact historic centre provides the graceful arcades, pale façades and unhurried atmosphere that many viewers remember as “somewhere in northern Italy.” Piazza del Duomo, the cathedral and the Torrazzo gateway form the natural starting point. Elio and Oliver sit at a café in the square, and several streets nearby appear during their rides and walks.

Do not rush it. The appeal is less about matching every camera angle than experiencing the film’s rhythm: arrive in the morning, walk under the porticoes, stop for coffee and then rent a bicycle if the weather allows. Crema’s tourist office promotes both an urban itinerary and a country route, so it is worth asking for the latest map before setting out.

What to see in central Crema

• Piazza del Duomo and the cathedral façade
• The Torrazzo arch and surrounding lanes
• Piazza Premoli and the quieter historic streets
• The former church of Santo Spirito e Santa Maddalena
• The local tourist information point for an updated film-location map

2. Villa Albergoni in Moscazzano

The Perlman family home is Villa Albergoni, a historic residence in Moscazzano, a small village southwest of Crema. Its rooms, garden and long summer days give the film much of its emotional texture. The production transformed parts of the property for the screen, so not every detail seen in the movie was a permanent feature.

Important: the villa is private property and is not a walk-in attraction. Do not enter the drive, garden or grounds, and never block access for residents. The respectful way to include it in your route is to view the exterior only from a lawful public position, then continue into the countryside. This is a living community, not an open-air set.

3. Pandino and the monument scene

Pandino’s Piazza Vittorio Emanuele III is one of the film’s most recognisable public locations. The square and its First World War memorial provide the backdrop to the conversation in which Elio cautiously reveals what he feels. The scene looks as if it belongs to Crema, but it was filmed roughly 15 kilometres away in Pandino.

The town also gives you a reason to look beyond a single screen match: the Visconti Castle is a striking fourteenth-century landmark and makes Pandino a worthwhile stop on a wider Lombardy itinerary.

4. Fontanile Quarantina in Capralba

The clear spring at Fontanile Quarantina, near Farinate di Capralba, appears in one of Elio and Oliver’s pivotal countryside scenes. A fontanile is a spring-fed watercourse typical of the Lombard plain. It is a delicate natural setting, not a purpose-built attraction, so paths can be muddy and seasonal conditions matter.

Go quietly, stay on established routes and take every piece of litter away. The official Turismo Crema country tour is the best starting point for current orientation. A bicycle suits the mood, but a car makes a multi-stop day easier.

5. Sirmione and the Grotte di Catullo

During the archaeological excursion, Elio joins his father and Oliver beside Lake Garda. The ancient ruins are the Grotte di Catullo at the tip of Sirmione’s peninsula. Despite the name, this is not a cave but the remains of a large Roman villa with sweeping lake views.

Sirmione is far enough from Crema to deserve a separate half-day or full day. Check the archaeological park’s official opening times before travelling, especially outside summer. The old town becomes extremely busy at peak hours, so an early arrival is preferable.

6. Bergamo Alta: the final evening

The film’s last shared night for Elio and Oliver unfolds in Bergamo’s upper town. Around Piazza Rosate, the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and the lanes of Città Alta, the architecture becomes grander and the mood more bittersweet. Bergamo is not a quick visual cameo: it is the emotional finish to the Italian journey.

Allow at least half a day and use the funicular or local buses rather than trying to drive into the restricted historic centre. Our guide to visiting Bergamo can help you turn the film stop into a fuller city break.

How to plan a Call Me by Your Name itinerary

One day from Milan

1. Take a morning train from Milan to Crema, normally with a change.
2. Walk the central Crema film route and have lunch in town.
3. Use a pre-arranged car, taxi or bicycle for Pandino and the surrounding countryside.
4. Return to Crema before evening; do not try to add Bergamo and Sirmione to the same day.

A better two- or three-day route

Spend one night in Crema and devote the first day to the city plus Moscazzano, Pandino and Capralba. On day two, continue to Bergamo and stay in or near Città Alta. Add Sirmione as a third day if Lake Garda is part of your wider trip. This sequence respects the distances and leaves room for the slow, observant travel that made the movie so memorable.

For more film trips in Italy, see where The Talented Mr. Ripley was filmed, the Under the Tuscan Sun filming locations and the White Lotus Sicily locations.

Best time to visit

Late spring and early autumn offer the best balance of long days, cycling weather and manageable heat. July and August recreate the film’s high-summer atmosphere, but the Lombard plain can be hot and humid. Winter is atmospheric in Bergamo and Crema, though it feels very different from the movie and rural daylight is limited. Compare the seasons in our guide to the best time to visit Italy.

More film trips. Once you have seen Elio’s summer in person, other films start calling you to Italy too.

• The Great Beauty filming locations: every key scene in Rome.
• best Italian movies: Oscar and Cannes winners, and where they were filmed.
• The Odyssey filming locations: Favignana, Nolan’s new Ithaca.
• day trips from Milan: Lake Como, Bergamo and Verona from the nearest big city.
• Is Montezara a real place?: La Dolce Villa’s village, and where it was really filmed.

Frequently asked questions

Where was Call Me by Your Name filmed?

It was filmed mainly in Lombardy, especially Crema and the surrounding towns of Moscazzano, Pandino and Capralba. Additional scenes were shot in Bergamo, Sirmione and at the Cascate del Serio area.

Can you visit the Call Me by Your Name villa?

No regular public visit is available. Villa Albergoni is private property. Travellers should remain on public ground, avoid the entrance and respect the owners’ privacy.

Is the movie set in Crema?

The film never gives its northern Italian town a precise name, but Crema and its surroundings supply most of the setting. The original novel is associated with the Ligurian coast, so book and film locations are different.

Do you need a car?

You can reach Crema and Bergamo by public transport, but a car, taxi or organised tour is useful for Moscazzano, Pandino and rural Capralba. Confident cyclists can follow parts of the country route in good weather.

Image credit: Isaac Maffeis via Unsplash. Editorial use under the Unsplash License.