When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up fornow and never miss the top Royal stories again. Mamma Mia is back in cinemas with all the Abba tunes you didn't know you knew the words to and some you don't know the words to at all. The sequel to the 2008 original starts ten years after the events of the first movie, with Sophie heading to the island of Kalokairi where her mother Donna (Meryl Streep) set up a hotel. The second Mamma Mia follows Donna's life in a series of flashbacks, which feature Donna's travels from Paris to Greece. Where is Mamma Mia 2 filmed? Despite taking place on the same Greek island as the first movie, Mamma Mia 2 was actually filmed in Croatia.<doc-sep>Get email updates with the day's biggest stories Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Down in a tour company’s office in Skopelos Town, a pair of Pierce Brosnan’s discarded ­flip-flops used to hang on the wall, decked in fairy lights. For almost a decade, ABBA obsessives and Mamma Mia maniacs flocked to the spot to pose for photos by the iconic Havaianas. But Brosnan’s size sevens are no longer pulling in crowds on the ­beautiful Aegean island where the £460million-grossing movie was shot. They recently legged it to Denmark with the tour guide who found them in a bin at the actor’s villa in 2007. And while some of the 4,700 locals may mourn their loss, most are too preoccupied with another devastating blow to the island’s esteem. For when the long-awaited sequel, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, hits cinemas on Friday, Skopelos can no longer claim to be THE Mamma Mia island. (Image: Phil Harris) It must now share the honour with Vis in Croatia , which won over filmmakers, reportedly thanks to hefty government tax breaks. Now the big-hearted Skopeletians – who helped vertigo-sufferer Meryl Streep sing her torch song on that vertiginous cliff below the wedding chapel – really hate hearing the phrase The Winner Takes It All. Because they’re praying Mamma Mia tourists will continue to Take A Chance on them. “It was most disappointing for us that filming didn’t take place here,” says local mayor, Christos Vasiloudis. “We were very sad. When the second part of a drama takes place it should surely be in the same place. But maybe it was much cheaper in Croatia. (Image: Phil Harris/Daily Mirror) “This will not affect our tourism, though. We have as many visitors as ever who want to see the Mamma Mia chapel and film locations. “But Skopelos has always been a beautiful island with a traditional ­character– the houses, the music, the friendly people – which is why the producers chose us last time. The island is the film – the film is not the island.” Some may say Mr Mayor is being a Super Trouper and putting a positive spin on the loss of ­business. But, visiting stunning Skopelos this week, I discovered it really isn’t just about Money, Money, Money. Yes, locals made a mint out of the first film shoot, working as extras or drivers, accommodating and feeding cast and crew. And tour firms continue to cash in, with bus and boat trips to the film locations, all soundtracked by ABBA. (Image: Phil Harris/Daily Mirror) But the locals actually feel hurt that Meryl, Pierce, Colin Firth, Julie Walters, Amanda Seyfried and co didn’t get the chance to “come home”. Or that their proud, sunny island cannot shine once more in cinemas around the world. Mary Diamantis, 53, president of the local Hotelier’s Association and owner of the Delphi hotel, said: “We never cashed in with tacky souvenir shops, themed bars or Dancing Queen cocktails. “One man opened a Mamma Mia cafe in 2009 but if closed after a year. “Most visitors don’t want that – just the unspoilt beauty they saw in the film. Or to marry in the romance of the place. “We’ve had 150 to 200 weddings every year since 2009.” (Image: Phil Harris/Daily Mirror) I took a bus trip with Dolphin Tours to the film sites, starting at the Agios Ioannis chapel, where Donna wed Sam after her daughter Sophie got cold feet about marrying Sky. I tried to sprint up the 220 horribly steep and narrow steps like Donna [Meryl] did. But after five minutes, I was sending out an SOS for water and oxygen. “It took Meryl Streep four hours to get up here the first time as she’s terrified of heights,” revealed my guide Yiannis. “There was no hand rail then either, so it was five hours to get her down.” Many fans are disappointed to find the real chapel is tiny, as interior shots were actually filmed at Pinewood Studios in the UK. But Yiannis said: “The real fanatics scream with ­excitement when they see it. “I had a party of 25 from Argentina and a woman in her 50s was crying: ‘This is highlight of my life.’” Demi Alagiozidis, 55, and daughter Tanya, 24, visited the chapel while on holiday from Melbourne, Australia. (Image: Phil Harris/Daily Mirror) “I’m a huge fan of the movie,” said Demi. “But I love the fact that Skopelos is so authentic, like the fictional Kalokairi. I don’t want fridge magnets or ABBA wigs.” She and all the other tourists we met had no idea the sequel was filmed in Croatia. “It’s a shame for the locals who didn’t get the jobs this time,” said Don, 54, from Scotland. “But I think folk will still want to come here to the first Mamma Mia Island.” Another stop on the tour was Kastani beach, where Sophie and Sky sang Lay All Your Love On Me, and randy Tanya tried to seduce a toyboy to Does Your Mother Know? (Image: Phil Harris/Daily Mirror) The wooden jetty and bar built for the film were later dismantled, but now the beautiful beach has a thriving snack bar and is packed with tourists. Back in Skopelos Town, every local you speak to has happy memories of 2007, when Hollywood magic came to their island. A taxi driver tells me he had a beer with Pierce, a restaurant owner shows me an autograph from Meryl and a shopkeeper says she was an extra in the movie. And they’re genuinely gutted to have been spurned this time round. At the Skopelos Village Resort, where the stars stayed in 2007, a member of staff sighed: “Everyone is very sad. But, since the financial crash in 2009, taxes are too high and the government would have wanted too much money from the movie-makers.” (Image: Phil Harris/Daily Mirror) He shows me the visitors’ book with messages from Meryl, Pierce, and Colin, who apparently loved the margaritas. And, in the bar, there is a Mamma Mia shrine, with film posters and snaps of the cast “relaxing” after a few too many. At a cafe down the road, a woman asks if I’ve seen the new film, but I’ve just seen all the trailers. “But surely they must use our island views in this film?” she asks. “Won’t the fans notice? And this Vis place could never be as beautiful.” (Image: Phil Harris/Daily Mirror) Later, a driver – who asks me not to use his name – tells me a little secret. Earlier this year, he drove a crew around the island who “secretly” filmed views and locations from the original movie. He swears they were working undercover on behalf of the Here We Go Again producers. And, despite losing out financially, the locals want to believe it. Because, When All Is Said And Done, they know that Skopelos is still THE Mamma Mia island. And, after seeing it myself, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do too.<doc-sep>
TEN years after the original film, Mamma Mia 2 has hit cinema screens and is already one of the big movie successes of the year. The film is set on the Greek island of Skopelos, but it was actually filmed in a completely different country. But where? Let's get the lowdown on the Mamma Mia 2 filming locations... 4 Mamma Mia 2 was filmed on the remote Croatian island of Vis Credit: Alamy In this new film, Sophie (played by Amanda Seyfried), returns to her childhood home pregnant and single. The movie features many of the old cast like Dominic Cooper, Pierce Brosnan and Julie Walters, but there are some new faces too – like Lily James who plays a young version of Donna – Meryl Streep’s character. Another one of the big stars – which appears in almost every scene – is the new filming location. The story is supposed to be set on the Greek island of Skopelos and last time it was mainly filmed around Greece. 4 Of all the Croatian islands, Vis is the most mysterious – even to locals Credit: Alamy But this time, the producers moved the filming location to the remote Croatian island of Vis, which sits off the Dalmatian coast in the Adriatic sea. The island, which had a population of 3,617 during the 2011 census, takes two and a half hours to reach by ferry from Split. Of all the Croatian islands, Vis is the most mysterious – even to locals, according to the Lonely Planet. The island was cut off to foreign visitors from the 1950s up until 1989, and it also served as a military base for the Yugoslav National Army so many of the locals fled the area. 4 The island sits off the Dalmatian coast in the Adriatic sea Credit: Alamy This, essentially, is why the island is a popular destination today. Due to being largely underpopulated for such a long period of time, the isolation preserved the island’s charming landscape. Now tourists flock to Vis to enjoy the fresh cuisine and the rugged coastline, numerous bays, beaches and caves. During the summer the temperature can climb up to 40 degrees so the best time to visit is during August and September. The island won't break the bank either - with hotels costing from £200 for a room for seven nights and flights from £90 return from the UK to the nearest airport in Split. 4 The island is also home to one of the best beaches in the world – Stiniva Credit: Alamy If you’re a wine drinker, then this is also the place for you. Vis produces some of Croatia’s most popular white wines and you can see miles of vineyards across the island. The most convenient route to Vis is via a two hour boat ride that leaves from the mainland town of Split. MOST READ IN TRAVEL SEA YOU THERE Seaside B&B beats posh Claridge’s in top hotels list and reveals its secret FERRIED AWAY Brits travelling to France must self-isolate on arrival due to Indian variant SEAS THE DAY Cheap seaside hotel rooms in the UK this summer from £29 per stay ISLE BE BACK Canary, Balearic & Greek islands 'could be on green list if country is amber' LIFE'S A BEACH Greece reveals new beach rules as it prepares for the return of Brits SAFE TRAVELS Is it safe to go on holiday abroad? The 4 factors to consider before booking Travellers can choose from various types of accommodation including holiday homes, apartments and hotels. The island is also home to one of the best beaches in the world – Stiniva, an idyllic cove with a backdrop of cliffs and views of clear water. More than 10,000 people voted for the spot in the European Best Destinations list in 2016 – and it was declared the winner.