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where did they film mamma mia

The first Mamma Mia! movie was mainly filmed on the Greek islands of Skopelos and Skiathos , with additional work done at Pinewood Studios in the UK and a few spots on the Greek mainland.

Main Greek island locations

  • Skopelos (the “Mamma Mia island”) stood in for the fictional island of Kalokairi and hosted most of the outdoor scenes, including beaches, cliffs and the iconic chapel.
  • Key spots on Skopelos include Kastani Beach , Glysteri Beach , Cape Amarandos and the Agios Ioannis chapel on the rock, often called the “Mamma Mia wedding church.”

Other Greek locations

  • Skiathos , a neighboring island, was used for harbor and port scenes, such as the arrival of some of the characters by boat.
  • Parts of the mainland Pelion peninsula , especially around Damouchari , were used for jetty and seaside village shots that blend with the island footage.

Studio and non‑Greek work

  • The famous “Villa Donna” hotel is not a real Greek hotel; the entire complex was a set built on the large 007 soundstage at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, England.
  • Some additional interior material and controlled environment scenes were also done at Pinewood rather than on location.

TL;DR: When people ask “where did they film Mamma Mia?” they are mostly talking about Skopelos and Skiathos in Greece , plus Damouchari on the Pelion coast , with the Villa Donna itself built on a soundstage at Pinewood Studios in the UK.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.