Naman Shrestha
Based on the eponymous novel written by Alice Kellen, Netflix’s ‘The Map of Longing’ is a Spanish romantic drama series created by Isa Sánchez. The narrative follows two sisters, Lucy and Greta, who share a close-knit bond as they do almost everything together. However, after battling leukemia for a long time, the elder sister, Lucy, passes away, leaving behind her grieving and now purposeless younger sister, Greta. While Greta is spending her sister’s birthday in their favorite diner all alone, she receives the titular board game, created by Lucy, from a charming young man named Will.
As Greta begins to complete the tasks of the game, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery. With each task completed, she gets closer to Will and learns to come to terms with the grief and loss. Originally titled ‘El Mapa de Los Anhelos,’ the coming-of-age series unfolds in a variety of backdrops as the younger sister journeys to different locations as part of the board game’s challenges.
The Map of Longing Filming Locations
Production on ‘The Map of Longing’ was conducted primarily across Spain, especially in the Community of Madrid, Barcelona, and Pamplona. Additional portions were also shot in Vienna, Austria. According to reports, principal photography for the Isa Sánchez creation began in July 2025 and went on for less than three months before wrapping up in early October of the same year.
Community of Madrid, Spain
A major chunk of ‘The Map of Longing’ was lensed in the capital of Spain, Madrid, which lies on the River Manzanares. To be specific, the Secuoya Studios at Avenida de España, 4, in the municipality of Tres Cantos served as a prominent production location, where several pivotal sequences were taped. Spread across 18,300 square meters, the film studio is home to five sets and production facilities, providing the filmmakers with the tools necessary to bring their vision to life. Furthermore, the cast and crew set up camp in the municipality of Alcalá de Henares, situated just northeast of the city of Madrid.
Other Locations in Spain
For the purpose of shooting, the filming unit of ‘The Map of Longing’ also utilized the locales of other Spanish cities, including the Catalonian capital, Barcelona. Various key portions for the Spanish series were also reportedly recorded in and around the city of Pamplona, the capital city of Navarre. For instance, they were seemingly spotted taping important scenes on different streets and neighborhoods, including Plaza de La Libertad, Calle San Nicolás, Calle Amaya, Calle Jarauta, and Plaza San Juan de la Cadena.
Vienna, Austria
To paint the visual canvas of ‘The Map of Longing,’ the production team also traveled to Vienna, Austria’s capital, in October 2025, during the final phase of shooting. In particular, numerous areas of the 4th district of Vienna, Wieden, were reportedly transformed into film sets as the cast and crew members shot pivotal portions on location. Apart from the Isa Sánchez creation, Vienna has hosted the production of many movies and TV shows over the years, including ‘Before Sunrise,’ ‘The Red Violin,’ ‘Love on the Danube: Royal Getaway,’ ‘Marie Antoinette,’ and ‘The Pillars of the Earth.’
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