The stories told in The Godfather trilogy are quite detailed and as a result, the proceedings are spread across several major locations. Whether it's for business or personal reasons, the mobsters refrain from limiting their activities to one area. And even though most of the characters are fictional, the locations used are legitimate, thus creating a connection to the real world.

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The dozens of locations in the trilogy are all alluring but a few are more iconic than the rest not only because of their aesthetical or geographical appeal but also because of the events that take place in them. These events help shape the trilogy in a certain way or bring out specific themes that are embedded in the story.

Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan

Younger versions of Clemenza and Vito on the streets of Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan in The Godfather

Hell's Kitchen is where Vito Corleone settles after immigrating from Italy. While living here, he befriends his future Capo, Clemenza, and gets married to Carmela.

It's an important location in the trilogy because it's where Vito rises from ordinary citizen to gangster to mob boss. Losing his job at Abbandando's grocery store to Don Fannucci's nephew doesn't drive him into despair. Instead, it makes him venture into the life of crime where he and Clemenza begin hijacking garment trucks. A pathway to the top emerges when Don Fanucci demands a cut from the proceeds of the hijackings. Vito whacks him using an improvised silencer in what is one of the best kills in The Godfather. This earns him the title of "Man of Respect" in Hell's Kitchen.

Sicily

Michael Corleone with his bodyguards' Fabrizio and Carlo during his time in exile in Sicily in The Godfather

Vito Corleone's tumultuous younger years in Sicily are explored in the second installment of the trilogy. Michael also has to go to exile in Sicily when he executes Captain McCluskey and Virgil "The Turk" Sollozzo as revenge for the attempted hit on his father.

Without the chaotic Sicily, the mob boss version of Vito wouldn't exist. It's the unfortunate events in Sicily that force a young Vito to flee to America where he builds a criminal career. This happens after Don Ciccio kills his mother, father, and brother. Sicily also sheds a light on Michael's complicated relationships. When he goes to exile in Sicily, he gets married to Apollonia but she gets killed so he returns to America and marries Kay.

Las Vegas

Fredo introduces his brother Michael Corleone to Moe Greene in The Godfather

Thanks to the efforts of Moe Greene, Las Vegas transforms from a railroad town to the biggest gambling city in America. To prevent wars over the territory, The Commission agrees that it's free territory for all organized crime outfits in America.

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For the Corleone family, Las Vegas symbolizes growth. Soon after inheriting the throne from his father, Michael shifts his focus to Vegas, where he sets up more hotels, making the family not only financially powerful but also more powerful since it still maintains a firm hold on New York too. It's through Las Vegas that major rivalries play out. Senator Pat and Hyman Roth all try to come after the Corleone family but are defeated.

Jones Beach Causeway

Barzini hitmen gun down Sonny at the Jones Beach Causeway in The Godfather

The New York state parkway is where one of the saddest scenes in The Godfather happens. Furious and eager to make Carlo pay for assaulting his sister Connie, Sonny drives off only to be ambushed by Barzini family hitmen at this particular location. They spray his car with bullets, leaving him dead.

Apart from triggering plenty of grief, the Jones Beach Causeway scene is also one of the best ones, not only in the Francis Ford Copolla movies but gangster movies in general. The suspense and eventual execution are jaw-dropping. The proceedings here force Vito to seek peace with the rest of the families. But it's all a calculating move since he knows his son Michael will seek revenge someday.

Havana

Michael Corleone's arrival in Havana in The Godfather

Michael Corleone heads over to Havana, Cuba, to discuss expansion with Hyman Roth and several other mob bosses. Unfortunately, things become complicated because rebel forces belonging to Fidel Castro are trying to take down President Batista's government.

While The Godfather is largely a fictional saga, it references real life many times and the Cuba sub-plot is one of the best times that happens. Through Havana, Michael is once again painted as a visionary mobster who isn't just content with making money in America. The Havana excursion also leads to the death of one of the best mob enforcers in The Godfather, Bussetta, who gets murdered by Batista's forces while trying to assassinate Roth.

Lake Tahoe

An interior view of Michael Corleone'sLake Tahoe mansion in The Godfather

After moving to Nevada, Michael chooses to live in a mansion on Lake Tahoe. It's here where the communion party for Michael's son Anthony is held. An assassination attempt on Michael by Hyman Roth also happens here. Most importantly, Fredo gets whacked in Lake Tahoe for betraying Michael.

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Lake Tahoe is where fans see how good Michael is at dealing with threats. Despite Hyman Roth's men bypassing all the security and firing several rounds at Michael's bedroom, the mob boss has enough awareness to dodge the attack. He invites Senator Pat to his son's confirmation too, well aware that the man hates Italian Americans. By doing this, he manages to learn more about the politician and eventually frame him. As for Fredo, he ends up dying at the same place he wanted his brother dead.

The Woltz Mansion

An exterior view of the mansion belonging to Hollywood director Jack Woltz in The Godfather

He is not even a mobster but Jack Woltz has the best mansion in the trilogy. The influential Hollywood director's home has a large swimming pool and a stable that's home to his favorite horse, Khartoum.

Woltz's purpose is to reinforce the fact that Don is a powerful figure that can't be disobeyed. The trend of the Don "giving people offers they can't refuse" is best seen through Woltz who wakes up in blood-soaked sheets next to the severed head of his horse Khartoum after refusing to include Vito's friend in one of his movies. The director screaming as the sound echoes all over the mansion remains one of the most memorable moments of the first installment.

Palermo

The assasin Mosca pretends to be a priest in Palermo in The Godfather

Palermo is a Cosa Nostra stronghold, known for its art culture. In it mob bosses such as Don Tommasino and Vicente reign supreme. Michael's daughter Mary gets killed by the assassin Mosca Of Montelepre in Palermo while watching her brother perform at the Cavalleria Rusticana.

Apart from being the location of one of the most tragic deaths in The Godfather, Palermo is a symbol of loyalty. Michael's most loyal allies, Don Tommasino and Calò live here. Parental struggles are explored through Palermo too. Michael's son has refused to get into the family business and chosen to be a musician instead. While it's a good decision for him, it puts the rest of the family at risk.

St. Patrick's Old Cathedral

Michael attends his godson's baotism in The Godfather

Having been in existence since 1879, St. Patrick's Old Cathedrals is the preferred church of the Corleone family. It's where Michael Rizzi gets baptized and it's also where Michael gets bestowed the Order of St. Sebastian for his charitable activities towards the church.

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St. Patrick's Old Cathedral brings out both Michael's carefree attitude towards in relationship to his double-life, as well as his remorse. The bosses of the other New York families get assassinated at the same time that Michael is attending Rizzi's baptism, thus showing a man who doesn't care about mixing good and evil. His charitable activities towards the church later on in his life stem from remorse. After taking so many lives, he becomes a man who wants to do right before he dies.

Miami

Michael Corleone drives to Hyman Roth's house in The Godfather Part II

Like Las Vegas, Miami is also a "Free City" as per the rules of The Commission. Any mobster can operate in it, but it's mostly Hyman Roth who has invested heavily in the port city. Roth eventually gets murdered at Miami International Airport and so does Rocco Lampone.

Declaring Miami a "Free City" shows that mobsters can come to proper agreements too, something that creates a favorable business climate. Despite being a fan-favorite character, Rocco's death doesn't feel particularly sad because he goes out in typical gangster fashion by getting sprayed with bullets by the police. Even better is that this happens after he whacks Hyman Roth, who up until that point had been one of Michael's most stubborn enemies.

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