By Hannah White
One of my favorite summer films of all time, Call Me by Your Name (2017) directed by Luca Guadagnino and based on the 2007 novel of the same name by André Aciman is a dazzling treat for the senses. Set in 1983, 17-year-old Elio (Timothée Chalamet) lives in the far north of Italy with his parents. His father (Michael Stuhlbarg), a professor of archaeology, invites 24-year-old graduate student Oliver (Armie Hammer) to stay with them over the summer to work on his academic papers. Very much a slow burn, this film explores the meaning of summer love and remembrance while giving viewers a sensory experience with sun-drenched shots with minimal, but powerful, dialogue.
To celebrate this pride month, I’ve put together a Call Me by Your Name inspired travel guide as literary travelers everywhere are delighting in the slow lifting of international travel bans.
Grottoes of Catullus
The setting of perhaps one of the most iconic scenes in the film–when Oliver uses the arm of a broken statue to shake hands with Elio as they excavate an archaeological site with Elio’s father–the Grottoes of Catullus is the ruins of an ancient Roman villa on the southern shore of Lake Garda. This beautiful and historical site is the setting for the interaction that marks the turning point in Elio and Oliver’s summer love.
Arco del Torrazzo
Elio and Oliver bike through various streets of Crema, and one of the major historical monuments featured in the film from this area is the Arco del Torrazzo. This landmark is among the streets where Elio and Oliver smoke, play cards with the locals, and eventually confess their feelings for one another.
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
Located in Bergamo, this is where Elio and Oliver spend their last days together before the heartwrenching train station goodbye as Oliver leaves for the states. During one of their last nights together, Elio and Oliver drunkenly wander the streets of Bergamo, going to the Piazza Padre Reginaldo Giuliani located in front of this beautiful basilica.
And the waterfall that they visit on their last days together is Le Cascate del Serio. Located just outside of Bergamo, these are Italy’s highest waterfalls, and they are surrounded by the Maslana hollow and among the alpine woods of the Orobie Mountains.
Perlman Family Home
And while it’s not open to visitors, the Perlman family home is selling for $2.7 million. Located in the small town of Crema, the home is the site of Elio and Oliver’s summer romance. This 16th century Italian villa features 14 bedrooms and seven bathrooms. Director Guadagnino even told the New York Times that he considered purchasing it himself before he read the Call Me by Your Name script.
