ENTER THE TWILIGHT ZONE!
Hit these three key Twilight destinations and do some vampire hunting while you holiday
Partying in Ibiza? Pah! Finding yourself in Goa? Forget it. The hottest ticket around is one that takes you into the heart of the Twilight zone. And we've picked the best places to visit from the book and movie series. Get ready for a trip with bite!
WELCOME TO FORKS
The
town of Forks is on the Olympic Peninsula in the far north-west corner of
the US - an area that's said to get more rain than the rest of the country.
Useful if you're a vampire who sparkles in the sunlight...
TWILIGHT TOWN
The fantasy: Home to Bella and Edward, this is
where all the vampire action begins.
The reality: Once
you've got over the excitement of being in Forks, stock up on souvenirs and
take a guided tour (from £24, Dazzledbytwilight.com).
THE WILD WOODS
The fantasy: The forest where Bella has her
heart broken and vampire Edward reveals his dark secret.
The
reality: Head for the Hoh Rainforest, 30 minutes from Forks. Beneath the
ancient trees, it's easy to believe myths and legends could thrive here...
PORT ANGELES
The fantasy: Where Edward and Bella have their
first date.
The reality: Visit the Odyssey Bookshop where
Bella reads up on vampy behaviour, then relive Edward and Bella's date at
Bella Italia. Stay at the Red Lion (Redlion.rdln.com), where rooms start
from £62.
LA PUSH, BABY!
The fantasy: The beach where Bella first hears
the legend about wolves and vampires.
The reality: Stroll on
the sand and spot eagles and pelicans. Rooms at the Oceanside Resort
(Quileutenation.org) start from £39.
FACT FILE
For a free visitor's guide, call 020 7978 5233 or
visit Experiencewa.com. Flights from London Heathrow to Seattle cost from
£520 return (Icelandair.co.uk). A week's car rental costs from £141.96
(Alamo.co.uk).
VAMP IT UP IN
VANCOUVER
While the Twilight stories are centred
around Forks, the movies aren't actually filmed there. Just across the
border in Canada, Vancouver stepped in to provide lots of locations for the
second film, New Moon, and with Eclipse, the next in the saga, being filmed
there too, you might even get a glimpse of the cast...
HOME SWEET HOME
The fantasy: The houses where Bella, Edward
and Jacob live.
The reality: A Twilight-themed tour takes
you to the mixture of private houses and film sets used for the three homes
in the movies. At the Swan household in Surrey, just outside Vancouver, you
can see the real tree Jacob climbs to enter Bella's bedroom. The six-hour
guided tour with On Location Tours Vancouver costs £94
(Twilighttoursvancouver.ca).
POPCORN AT THE READY
The fantasy: The cinema where Bella hangs
out with her 'normal' friends.
The reality: The
cinema is actually two different buildings - the interior was shot at the
Ridge Theatre in the Kerrisdale area of Vancouver, while the exterior was
filmed in New Westminster at the Paramount theatre, which is actually, ahem,
a lap-dancing club!
FACT FILE
Flights from London Gatwick to Vancouver start at
£367 with Canadian Affair. For more information, log on to
Canadianaffair.com.
ITALIAN JOB
Home
to the Volturi, the vampire 'police', the real-life city of Volterra in
Italy appears in New Moon. Other scenes were shot in Tuscany.
THE REUNION
The fantasy: Bella racing against time to save
Edward.
The reality: Even if you couldn't care less about
vampires, Montepulciano is a must-visit. Walk the winding alleys inside the
14th century walls to the Piazza Grande, then enjoy a glass of the city's
famous wine - yum!
THE SPOOKY VAULTS
The fantasy: The Volturi's hidden lair.
The
reality: Scenes were filmed in the 16th century Palazzo Ricci,
Montepulciano. Explore its underground Cantina del Redi cellars, where huge
wine barrels are stored.
VOLTERRA WALKING TOUR
The fantasy: Vampire HQ.
The
reality: Volterra is about an hour's drive from Montepulciano. Walk the
ancient streets from Porta San Francesco, where Bella enters the city, to
the Palazzo Viti, which inspired the Volturi home. The tourist office runs a
walking tour for ¤25 (£23). Book at Volterratur.it or email
info@emozionitoscane.com.
FACT FILE
Return flights from London Gatwick to Pisa (80 miles
from Montepulciano) cost from £47.80 in January 2010 with Easyjet
(Easyjet.com).
SPOT THE CAST!
Dark
glasses? Check. Peaked cap? Check. Now, suss out these Vancouver hot spots
and get stalking!
- Glowbal Grill and Satay Bar, Yaletown. Robert Pattinson ate here a couple of times a week during filming. Try his favourite dish, the Kobe meatballs with truffled spaghetti, £14.
- Chill Winston, Gastown. Kristen Stewart celebrated her 19th birthday at this super-trendy restaurant. Order the bourbon-braised bison ribs or wild mushroom ravioli, both £11.
- Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar, Yaletown. The New Moon wrap party was held here. Fantastic for seafood and sushi.
- Richards on Richards, Vancouver. This is where Robert and Kristen were spotted holding hands in real life!
PHOTOGRAPHY: ALAMY, SCOPE BEAUTY, XPOSURE, GETTY, PLANET PHOTOS, GOFFINF.COM
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