Art has been inspiring bucket lists for centuries. From the Greek epics to Monet’s paintings of Provence, stories of adventures around the world and descriptions of faraway lands have shown up in every medium. Today, we’re inspired to travel through movies and film. Eat, Pray, Love is a perfect example, as is White Lotus. The impact of movies and film can be so significant that destinations will capitalize on the interest and create tours or experiences dedicated to the filming locations. Harry Potter has done this for the UK, Outlander for Scotland, and Game of Thrones for many places, including Croatia. All of these introductions are a great way to dive into new cultures, traditions, and people - go outside of our comfort zones and discover somewhere new that perhaps we weren’t aware existed before. 

Liz Gilbert’s memoir, Eat Pray Love, took the world by storm when it was published in 2006. Selling over 10 million copies, the book was featured in Oprah’s Book Club and eventually made into a film starring Julia Roberts, which received equal acclaim. It has become a sort of Bible for young, single women seeking to find their place in the world. Women who feel lost, incomplete, or perhaps, uninspired. The impact this story has had is so profound that Bali became a sensation nearly overnight, facing issues with over-tourism and commercialization that it had not previously experienced. There’s just something about Liz’s journey, and the beautiful way she shares it, that has had millions in a chokehold for almost twenty years now.