Travel With Netflix

FEELING STUCK AT HOME? TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD WITH NETFLIX!

The awesome thing about Netflix is that it is a champion of original content across the globe. Some of the very best shows, in my opinion, are the ones from Spain, Germany and more. Not only can you travel to other countries through Netflix, you can practice another language and see another countries culture through their own eyes, voice and narratives. Not to mention, they are filmed in some of the most beautiful and inspiring locations around the world. I’ve compiled a list of what I think are the best Netflix original series from all over! Now these are only the ones i’ve personally watched, but if you’re in the mood to spend some time abroad from your couch, give these a try!

ITALY

BABY:

Its a racy drama set in the world of Romes wealthy and elite. It follows Chiara, a wealthy teenager who is bored with her life, until she meets Ludovica who draws her into the world of high class underage prostitution. It sexy, intriguing, controversial and glamourous. It shows a side of Rome that i’ve never seen before. If you like shows like Elite and Gossip Girl then this is one for you! There are currently two seasons on Netflix.

AUSTRALIA

TIDELANDS:

This is 100% a guilty pleasure, easy watching type of show. The show is about a girl named Cal who returns to her home town of Orphelin Bay after being released from prison. Her brother is a smuggler for a group of outsiders who live off shore called Tidelanders. And fun twist, they are siren-mermaid types. I have to admit the writing isn’t the best. But there are a lot, and I mean a lot, of half naked Aussies, sex scenes and attractive people emerging from the ocean. Chris Hemsworth’s wife, Elsa Pataky, leads up the pack of Tidelanders. If you like supernatural type shows and want to see what Queensland looks like then check this out!

GERMANY

DARK:

This has already been a cult hit. Germany’s first Netflix original series is so unbelievably good and super convoluted. Set in the small German town of Winden it follows a group of interlinked families over three generations. When one of the boys of the town goes missing it sends ripple effects through the people of the town, and time. It’s moody, dark and intense and very well written. Its one of those shows that had me guessing the whole time and shows a cool picture of Germany through the decades. There are two seasons currently and a third just on Netflix now! I’m currently binging as we speak. If you’re into Stranger Things I reckon you’ll like this one!

WE ARE THE WAVE:

This show is loosely based on the novel The Wave and the iconic German film of the same name, which if you haven’t seen I highly recommend. It follows a group of teenagers who are outcasts, disenfranchised and fed up with how their town views them and their problems. Tired of feeling oppressed they decide to create a group to fight together against injustices…but then the ideology of ‘the wave’ becomes increasingly radical and dangerous. This one is a bit more of a slow burn, but its a great modern iteration of the book and will have you feeling rebellious by the end!

BRAZIL

3%

I have been LOVING 3%! Who doesn’t love a good futuristic dystopian story line. In this world, once they turn 20, citizens who live on the impoverished ‘inland’ can enter trials to see if they earn the chance to live in prosperity and affluence on the ‘offshore.’ While most candidates fail out, some don’t even survive, leaving only 3% to get the chance to live a better life. Its full of sy-fy goodness, espionage, romance and a great chance to brush up on your Portuguese! If you like The Hunger Games or Divergent this is for sure something you’d like, and you have two seasons worth to binge on!

UNITED KINGDOM

LOVESICK:

I first saw Johnny Flynn when I was 19 at a pub in Birmingham, I had a crush on him then and I have a crush on him now. The best, and possibly most British thing about this show is that it used to be called Scrotal Recall before Netflix changed the name, but the show is still great! It focuses on Flynn’s character Dylan and his housemates that he lives with in Glasgow. After he contracts chlamydia and attempts to locate and tell all of his previous sexual partners. It’s very funny in that sarcastic, self deprecating way that the British have absolutely mastered. There are three seasons currently available to stream.

SEX EDUCATION:

Oh my god, this seriously might be one of the best shows on Netflix ever. Its one of those shows that I can’t even pace myself with, I need to binge the whole thing in one sitting. I don’t know what it is about the Brits and uncomfortable sexual humour but this show makes me both howl and cringe in equal parts. It follows Otis, who has a very ambivalent relationship with sex, probably due to the fact that his mum is a sex therapist. After helping out the school bully with his sexual performance, Otis and his classmate Maeve open up a sex advice business to help the other students deal. It is outrageously weird, relatable and equal parts hysterical and heartwarming. Gillian Anderson and Asa Butterfield are spectacular but its Ncuti Gatwa’s Eric that makes this show something special. Go right now and get through both seasons. 

COLOMBIA

SIEMPRE BRUJA:

Sexy Colombians? Check. Time Travel? Check. Witches and Magic? Check. Caribbean coast of Cartagena? Check. Seriously what more could you want from a show! In 1646 colonial Colombia, Carmen is accused of witchcraft and set to burn at the stake, until she makes a deal that allows her to time travel to modern day Cartagena. She needs to figure out the modern world and find a way to be reunited with her long lost love. The music is amazing in this show, the fashion is on point and the filming locations are one of the main reasons I am desperate to get myself to Cartagena. And lucky timing, the second season just dropped on Netflix! 

SPAIN:

CASA DE PAPEL:

I have been going on about this show since it first aired. Never mind being one of the best shows on Netflix, I think its one of the best shows period! Set in Madrid, a character known only as ‘the professor’ assembles a team of eight people with the codenames Moscow, Denver, Nairobi, Oslo, Helsinki, Rio, Tokyo & Berlin. They plan to rob the Royal Mint of Spain. Everything about this show is unbelievable; the acting, the writing, the directing. Most of the show takes place in one location and the entire season is only the span of a few days but you are left at the end of your seat. If you only watch one show from this list, I suggest this one. The fourth season just dropped on Netflix so you’ll be entertained for a while.

ÉLITE:

Set against the backdrop of Madrids elite and wealthy families, Elite follows three working class friends Samu, Christian and Nadia who are offered scholarships to Las Encinas, the most prestigious private school in Spain. Their wealthy peers don’t want them there, but their lives quickly become entwined with resentment, envy, lifestyle clashes, power plays and sexual attraction. When one of their classmates is murdered, anyone could be a suspect. The show works mostly in flashbacks to figure out what happened. If you liked Gossip Girl then 100% you should watch this. Its high fashion, very sexy and full of suspense. The entire ensemble cast is really strong and everyone is ridiculously good looking. The third season just dropped on Netflix and the fourth has already been announced. 

CANADA:

SCHITTS CREEK:

Gotta give my home country some love! This might be the greatest Canadian show of all time! Written and created by powerhouse father and son duo Dan and Eugene levy, the show is about a very wealthy family who loses all their money and are forced to move to the small town they once bought as a joke, Schitts Creek. It’s shot in my home province of Ontario and has an almost entirely Canadian cast and crew. The episodes are short and sweet and beyond hysterical. It’s really easy watching and you will absolutely pick up on some ‘Canadian-isms.’ There are five seasons currently on Netflix and the sixth and final season should be on there soon! 

JAPAN

ATELIER:

This show is high fashion drama realness! It follows Mayuko as she moves from the countryside to Tokyo where she gets a job at a high class lingerie house in the fashionable Ginza district (think upper east side), called Emotion. Her boss is the famous and legendary Mayumi and the show is about the relationship between them as Mayuko finds her way in the fashion world. It has major Devil Wears Prada vibes. But whats really cool about it, is Japan is already known for their unique fashion scene so its interesting to learn about the world of Japanese high fashion!!!

FRANCE:

A VERY SECRET SERVICE:

I gotta give it to France, the shows coming out of their Netflix are hilarious! A Very Secret Service tailors to the sexy, 1960’s spy comedy trope. It begins when the French secret service inducts Andre without warning or training and throws him into the thick of it! Its the height of the cold war, the fight for Algerian independence is going on and France is on its head. Its like a crossover of Mad Men and The Pink Panther or The Man from UNCLE mixed with Parks and Rec. Very stylized and sleek, but also with wry humour and witty banter. Its a very sophisticated comedy. Fans of Gossip Girl will recognize Andre as the very sexy Prince Louis! Its a fun easy watch.

AMERICA:

ON MY BLOCK:

So much of Netflix’s original content is American, but there is something really special about On My Block. I feel it shows LA in a totally different and really unique perspective. The show follows four friends; Monse, Ruby, Jamal and Cesar, all from the inner city of South Central as they deal with high school, gang violence, families, romance and what it means to be part of the neighbourhood. This show has so much heart and will absolutely surprise you by catching you in your feelings. Jessica Marie Garcia as Jasmine is an absolute scene stealer and if you’re like me, you’ll probably find yourself crying and laughing through it. There are three seasons on Netflix atm.

OUTER BANKS:

OH MY GOD I LOVED THIS SHOW. So I literally just finished binging the first season right as it dropped on Netflix. Its got everything I look for in a show; cool location, lots of shirtless surfers, adventure, romance, duplicity, crime. It takes place on the Outer Banks in North Carolina. It follows four friends who call themselves ‘Pogues,’ John B, JJ, Pope and Kiara who are from the rough end of the island called ‘the cut.’ John B’s father has been lost at sea and along their journey to find out what happened to him they stumble on an epic treasure hunt involving an old shipwreck, smugglers, rich kids and more. Its got a National Treasure meets Goonies vibe which makes it the perfect show to watch this summer! You’ll wanna plan your next vacation there as it shows off North Carolina beautifully, definitely made me want to go! Something about treasure hunting stories always seem like a version of the American Dream to me. From Indiana Jones to Fools Gold, they are so fun to watch because it seems possible! I highly suggest it and I can’t wait until the second season, and until I can get myself down to the Carolinas and find me a local surfie…

TURKEY

THE GIFT:

If you want a lesson in acting or how to concisely create a characters journey, then you need to check out this show. Its about Atiye, a painter from Istanbul who discovers secrets about an Anatolian archaeological site, and somehow it connects to her past and sets her on a new path. The show deals a lot with mental health, sense of self, coming to terms with fate and a larger plan, it plays around with a lot of cool concepts. It also gives a really cool peek into the art scene of Istanbul, which is something I’m not sure id ever had seen otherwise! There is only one season with eight episodes, so if you’re looking for something quick to watch this is a great choice. I’ll be surprised if you're not looking at flights to Turkey afterwards.

MEXICO

LA CASA DE FLORES:

This Mexican dark comedy series is so good I’m already dreading that its going into its final season! It follows the de la Mora family who own a very prestigious flower shop as well as a cabaret. Just to help you set the stage, the show beings at the birthday part of Ernesto de la Mora, patriarch of the family. His mistress is found dead, secrets come out and the lives of the family are set into tail spin. Its not a telenovela but it definitely plays with a lot of those tropes, in a similar way that Jane the Virgin did. There are affairs, love children, money problems, bitter rivalries, drugs, questioning sexuality, sex, love, catfights and everything else you can imagine. Its one of those juicy, sink your teeth into it and get invested type of shows. Its so well done. The final season is set to drop April 23, 2020 so perfect time to start it!

South Africa

Blood & Water

So I did not look up the plot or anything for this one before I started it, and it had me at the edge of my seat and shouting at the TV, yes actually out loud for the whole season! The story is about teenage girl Puleng, whose older sister was abducted as a baby. When she crosses paths with Fikile at a party, she starts to suspect it could be her missing sister and sets her on a path to find out the truth. It definitely has its glitzy larger than life moments similar to Elite mixed in with great mystery writing! Newcomer Ama Qamata is unreal in the lead role, but the whole cast is noteworthy and gorgeous. Set and filmed entirely in Cape Town it has a really cool perspective on the city and shows the divides in wealth, class and race. This is South Africa’s first Netflix original and I have no doubt its going to be renewed for a second season!

DENMARK:

THE RAIN:

I’ve been learning Danish for a few months now, so I started watching The Rain as a way to practice, and I just became so engrossed in it! It starts with a simple rain storm, but as citizens of Denmark get hit with droplets, they become infected and a zombie-like virus takes over. As the rain starts, Simone and Rasmus Anderson are whisked away by their father to an underground bunker where they are told they will be safe. When they emerge five years later to an apocalypse like world, they have to navigate dealing with other survivors and trying to find their father, all while running away from Apollon, a tech company that is somehow involved. Its a really cool take on the post-apocalyptic genre, and the third season is dropping in August of this year!

SWEDEN:

QUICKSAND:

Full disclosure, Quicksand is a hard watch. It deals with really sensitive subject matter like depression, mental health, abuse, and gun violence, but it is one of the most spectacular and sensitive shows I’ve seen in a long time and is really entertaining. The Swedish show opens with 18 year old Maja being arrested on suspicion of murder, she admits to it but denies that she committed any crime. The show is seen through her perspective, mostly in flashbacks as she meets her boyfriend Sebastian, and how the relationships in her life affect her, change her and the events that led to the shows climax. I was so sucked into this show. The two leads Hannah Ardéhn and Felix Sandman are unreal and display such a range that you rarely see from young actors. The show might make you feel uncomfortable, angry, stressed, but that’s the point. Its definitely a thought provoking piece. On a lighter note it shows absolutely stunning scenes of Stockholm, Djursholm and the Swedish countryside. Its a limited series with only six episodes, but I wouldn’t actually recommend binging this one, take your time, but its a must watch.

NORWAY:

RAGNAROK:

The Scandinavians are absolutely killing the TV game at the moment! This amazing show hails from Norway, and as the title suggests, has a little something to do with Norse mythology! The show takes place in the town of Edda which has been plagued by terrible effects of climate change and pollution. Two brothers Magne and Laurits move into town, and pretty quickly Magne begins to discover some new, almost God like abilities. The Jutul family, one of the richest in Norway, are wary of the newcomers and have secrets of their own that they are trying to protect. Its a really cool take on this genre that I haven’t seen before. The Scandinavians have always been at the fore front of green initiatives, but making one of the main ‘antagonists’ climate change is really clever. Its kind of supernatural, kind of historical, with lots of Norse mythology, weird dances and tons of sexy Norwegian accents thrown in. You’ll see lots of stunning locations on the fjords and in the mountains, and if you’re anything like me you’ll already be planning your trip! Its angsty and a little eccentric, but its fun! The first season is streaming now and the second is in the works!

BONUS!

white lines

I can’t categorize White Lines under any one country because its such a combined effort! Its an Anglo- Spanish co-production, with the show being spoken in both languages and featuring actors from both countries. Its created by Alex Pina who is the showrunner on Money Heist! The story is about Zoe, who’s brother Axel is found murdered 20 years after he goes missing in Ibiza. He’d been living there becoming a renowned DJ, so she flies to the island to try and discover the truth about what happened. Its a dark comedy filled with music, intrigue, action, sex and the most stunning scenery. Seriously, i’ll never forget the first time I went to Ibiza and the filming locations on this show make me want to go back right now. They make the Spanish islands look irresistible. Imagine How To Get Away With Murder but set in the hot Spanish sun in bikinis. Its a unique story line that will keep you guessing and fuel your wander lust! Enjoy!

Watching shows that have been produced, acted and created by other countries makes me feel connected and engaged with those communities around the world. I honestly think most of the foreign content on Netflix is way better than anything else on the streaming platform. I suggest watching them in whatever native language its in with English subtitles, its the best way to experience the acting and the nuances that might otherwise be lost in translation (if you speak another language then you know sometimes the dubbing is just way off…) All of these shows have the most amazing filming locations that have me grabbing for my passport at the end of every episode. Whether I want to practice my Spanish or Danish, I want to get excited about an upcoming trip, or I just want to transport myself somewhere for a little bit, any one of these shows is one of the best ways I know how to travel around the world while I’m at home.