Holidays in Narnia

The big-screen adaptation of C S Lewis' classic novel The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe arrives in cinemas across the UK on December 9th.

Like The Lord of the Rings before it, the movie was largely shot in the awe-inspiring surroundings of New Zealand. But the Czech Republic, the US and even dear old England were among its other locations.

For holidaymakers who want to see for themselves where the adventure was filmed, Teletext Holidays has put together the following get-away suggestions:

The evacuation: Shropshire, England
The early part of the The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, where the children are evacuated to the professor’s house, was filmed on the Severn Valley Railway in Shropshire. The steam railway runs from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth, through unspoilt countryside and past quaint country stations. They run 1940s and Thomas the Tank Engine nostalgia weekends, and the train is the most painless way to explore the beautiful Severn Gorge.

Holidays in Shropshire
Shrewsbury, the capital of Shropshire, provides plenty of interesting sights and museums. Stay at the Lion hotel, just outside Shrewsbury town centre, from £62 per person per night.

Visit www.teletextholidays.co.uk for booking and more information.


Forest scenes: Los Angeles, California
Many of the forest scenes in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe were shot in Griffith Park, Los Angeles, California. Trees in the park were wetted and sprayed with fake snow to recreate the land where it is always winter, but never Christmas. Griffith Park is the largest municipal park in the US and it is also home to the Hollywood sign and the Los Angeles Zoo.

Holidays in Los Angeles
Flights from Heathrow to Los Angeles cost from £342.60 per person. Stay at the Kawada Hotel Los Angeles, from £276 per person per week

Visit www.teletextholidays.co.uk for booking and more information.


The White Witch's Camp: Auckland, New Zealand
An hour north-west of Auckland, on New Zealand’s North Island, the forbidding trees of Woodhill Forest were transformed for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe into the dreaded camp of the White Witch. Things to do in the area include exploring mountain bike trails, taking a trip around Auckland, or visiting the black sands of Muriwai beach.

Holidays in Auckland, New Zealand
Flights from Heathrow to Auckland cost from £791.90 per person. Hiring a car is a good way of exploring New Zealand. A week’s car hire costs from £183.14, and there is lots of affordable accommodation.

Visit www.teletextholidays.co.uk for booking and more information.

For information on more literary-inspired breaks, see: Jungle Book-inspired holidays in India

The Great Battle: Southern Alps, South Island, New Zealand
Up in the peaks of the Southern Alps on the South Island of New Zealand, is an area of twisted rocks and deep valleys known as Flock Hill. This is where the great battle for Narnia was created. It will be possible to tour the area where filming for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was undertaken from January 2006. It offers breathtaking scenery, dramatic crests and beautiful lakes.

Aslan's Camp: Waitaki, South Island, New Zealand
In the Waitaki region of South Island, the ancient Elephant Rocks protrude from the hillside. This area became the backdrop for Aslan’s camp in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The region boasts the historic town of Oamaru. With its colony of blue penguins and beautiful Victorian buildings, Oamaru provides a great base for exploring the area.

Cair Paravel: Purakaunui Bay, South Island, New Zealand
The great castle in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was computer-generated and conjured to appear on the spectacular cliff tops of Purakaunui Bay. The area is beautiful and unspoilt and it is worth taking a few days to explore the native flora and fauna of this stunning coastal region.

Holidays in Christchurch, New Zealand
Christchurch offers a good base for exploring most of New Zealand's South Island, including the locations detailed above. Flights from Heathrow to Christchurch cost from £980.72 per person. Mid-range accommodation in Christchurch costs from £30-£60 a night.

A sample 11-day self-drive holiday starting in Christchurch and touring the South Island, including mid-range hotel accommodation and car hire, costs from £350.

Visit www.teletextholidays.co.uk for booking and more information.


The lamp-post scene
For those heavy snow scenes in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, filming moved to Trutnov in the Czech Republic. Neither the fake snow in Los Angeles nor the real snow in New Zealand were deep enough for the moment when Lucy first discovers the lamp-post in the land behind the wardrobe. Trutnov lies at the slopes of the Giant Mountains, and is said to have been founded in the 11th century when the legendry knight Trut gained victory over a dragon.

Holidays in Prague, Czech Republic
Flights from Heathrow to Prague cost from £92.30 per person. Rooms in The Hotel DUM, on the outskirts of Prague, start at £91.00 per person per week. From Prague hiring a car is one of the best ways of exploring the beautiful Trutnov region.

Visit www.teletextholidays.co.uk for booking and more information.

For information on more literary-inspired breaks, see: Jungle Book-inspired holidays in India