Introduction
In the mid-1960s, the Tabernas desert, in the province of Almeria, became the temple of the spaghetti western. Sergio Leone, Charles Bronson, Claudia Cardinale, Brigitte Bardot, and later Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford: a multitude of stars have walked its arid land and been seduced by its Far West airs.
Today, it is Valencia that attracts them.
The region is establishing itself as a hub for (super) productions from around the world. It is increasingly used as a backdrop for commercials or Netflix series, such as Respira, a remake of ER that was a hit in late 2024.
In the spring of 2025, the Terreta, the region's nickname (rings a bell?), was honored on Disney+ with the release of season 2 of Andor, a spin-off of the Star Wars universe acclaimed by critics and nominated for an Emmy Award.
Valencia, the ideal setting for the rebellion against the Galactic Empire
Caption: Filming of Andor in 2022
Credit: FilmValencia
The City of Arts and Sciences
If you're a Star Wars fan (follow my gaze 👀: Geoffroy – founder – Terreta, got it?), no need to give you the pitch... but for the others, an update is necessary.
Andor is the story of an ordinary man, played by Diego Luna, who falls into rebellion against an authoritarian regime, in a dark and realistic futuristic universe. That's it. And it watches like a political thriller. No need for you to know everything about the 38 (ok, 11) episodes of the saga that can be watched out of order.
Caption: Diego Luna plays Cassian Andor in seasons 1 and 2 of Andor
© Lucasfilms Ltd. – Image provided for press use only.
The second season of Andor, still signed by Lucasfilms (the production company of George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars of course), was therefore filmed in the heart of Valencia, mainly in the City of Arts and Sciences. The cultural complex with its totally futuristic architecture seemed tailor-made for the troopers and others. For the occasion, it became Coruscant, the political center around which the plot revolves.
To discover behind-the-scenes of the filming, click here.
Credits: © Star Wars Espana
Designed by Santiago Calatrava and inaugurated in the late 1990s, the City of Arts is immense, it extends over 350,000 m2 in the former bed of the Turia, the city's emblematic river. From afar, it looks like a "giant dinosaur skeleton" according to some tourists, a large ship for others.
Caption: the City of Arts and Sciences
Source: Unsplash
The team set up shop in the City between March and April 2023 and exploited every last centimeter of the cultural center, filming it from every angle. A golden opportunity for the city to shine internationally.
Why Valencia?
The beautiful city of Valencia ticks all the boxes for the world of cinema and television. Unique settings, modern infrastructure, a favorable economic environment, 300 days of sunshine a year, and local production expertise: the Valencian Community has it all, and its audiovisual production ecosystem is booming.
What are the economic and social benefits for the city?
According to Forbes magazine, the Hollywood blockbuster cost more than $645 million for these two seasons, and in Valencia, the economic and social benefits have been significant!
A shoot of this magnitude inevitably creates jobs: technicians are needed, as are artisans, and 700 extras were hired by the production. In short, welcoming Hollywood at home boosts businesses, services (hotels, restaurants, equipment rental companies) and, to top it all off, creates an incredible tourist lever. Especially for a series already nominated for an Emmy Award with fans all over the world.
Film tourism is becoming a trend in its own right. The country has already experienced this with the filming of Game of Thrones in Peñíscola (still in the Valencian Community) or in Cáceres, in Extremadura.
The Castle of Xàtiva
Caption: scene from Andor, season 2, filmed at the castle of Xàtiva
Source: ElDiario.es, credit Lucasfilms Ltd, image provided for press use only.
Located one hour south of the capital of the Valencian Community, the castle of Xàtiva also served as a backdrop for the series. The double fortress (there are two castles) is extremely well preserved, and it dominates a sublime panorama at 300 meters altitude. Facing it, the Vallée de la Costera and, in the distance, the Mediterranean. Clearly, a marvel, a testimony to the rich past of the region and a boon for the Lucasfilms teams. But not only...
Caption: Location of the Castle of Xàtiva
Source: Google maps
Here again, the city of Xàtiva, its businesses and its infrastructure, have largely benefited from this filming. Now, millions of viewers will discover it on their screens, from their living rooms.
The mayor, Roger Cerdà, hopes for “a Cacéres effect” so that they will also discover it in real life. Fingers crossed, may the force be with Xàtiva.
Caption: the Castle of Xativa
Source: Unsplash
