How to visit movie filming locations in the United Kingdom
This summer season, give your vacation plans some Hollywood flair—without heading to California. The United Kingdom has played host to some of the most well-known television shows and films over the years. That doesn’t just mean Harry Potter and James Bond either: Bridgerton, Batman, the Beatles, and countless other notables make Great Britain and Northern Ireland one of the best places to travel in Europe for "set jetting" during your next vacation. We'll show you how Daytrip's private car service makes getting to your favorite TV and film locations—and getting the most out of any Europe trip—easier than ever.
Filming locations in England: London to City of Bath
If you make one film-inspired trip during your time in the United Kingdom, be sure to head west of London. The two-and-a-half hour London to Bath route already takes you through some of the most gorgeous villages and downs that South West England has to offer, but adding just a few stops along the way will let you dive into unforgettable fictional worlds as well.
London
London will be the starting point for most visitors to the UK, and there's already no shortage of film locations to take in. The obvious choices, of course, are reliving the countless Shakespeare adaptations at the Globe Theatre in Southwark or getting on the Beatles' wavelength at Abbey Road north of the center. However, fans of Michael Caine or the Swinging Sixties on film should also swing by Waterloo Bridge (as seen in Alfie), Notting Hill (of the Ipcress Files, to say nothing of the non-Caine film Notting Hill), or the Crystal Palace area of South London (pivotal in the original Italian Job). Appreciators of James Bond movies and Guy Richie-directed films can also find riches in the capital…truly there are too many movies shot in London to make a full accounting in a single article or even a single book.
Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden
No matter where in London you want your private Daytrip driver to pick you up, your first stop as you leave should be Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden. Originally converted from aircraft factory to film studio to accommodate GoldenEye, the first film featuring Pierce Brosnan as 007, it came to much greater fame as the home of Harry Potter. Each of the eight Harry Potter films—as well as the Fantastic Beasts follow-ons—were filmed here at least in part, and over the years crews saved many costumes, props, and sets. Once Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows—Part 2 had wrapped, these artifacts were transformed into "The Making of Harry Potter"—something between a studio tour and a fully immersive experience. Just make sure you book your tickets in advance!
Famous franchises beyond Harry Potter love the site too. Star Wars: Episode I—The Phantom Menace made use of the space before the Hogwarts kids moved in, and at least three editions of Mission: Impossible have used it since (Rogue Nation, Fallout, and Dead Reckoning Part One). Who knows: you may just run into Tom Cruise as he films Dead Reckoning Part Two!
Highclere Castle
This view of Highclere Castle should be familiar to anyone who has seen Downton Abbey.
Once you've broken free of London's extensive suburbs, you can sit back and watch the greenery. Plopped quaintly among these hills and pastures is Highclere Castle, immediately recognizable as the Crawley's estate in Downton Abbey. Much of each season was filmed in the castle and on its grounds, and visitors (with tickets!) can re-enact their Lady Mary daydreams or formal dinners with the Dowager Countess.
If you prefer comedies over costume dramas, the Fry and Laurie series Jeeves and Wooster was also filmed here. For anyone who's not a media megafan, there's still secrets to uncover: this estate was also home to various Earls of Carnarvon, who played pivotal roles in the foundation of an independent Canada (the 4th Earl) and the discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb (the 5th). Many Egyptian artifacts still reside in the estate's museum.
Bath
With part one of Bridgerton season 3 hitting the airwaves as this is being written and part two mere weeks away, the hype is strong for trip planners this summer. Luckily, Bath delivers: it's an incredibly well-preserved gem of the Georgian Era that welcomes tourists to this day. Some of the most stunning Bridgerton-related venues include No. 1 Royal Crescent, a stunning and truly crescent-shaped building just northwest of the city center, the Abbey Deli, a.k.a. The Modiste dress shop, and the Holburne Museum, better known as Lady Danbury's house. The City of Bath has created a full list of Bridgerton filming locations for anyone wishing to put together a comprehensive walking tour.
Bath—like Bridgerton—isn't a one-hit wonder, so it's a good place to end one leg of your trip and spend some quality time. Getting to the Holburne Museum invites a stroll across Pulteney Bridge, one of only four bridges in the world with shops across its entire span. The Roman Baths that gave the city its name are also not to be missed, though advance tickets are highly recommended here as well.
Filiming locations in Scotland: Edinburgh to Inverness
Great Britain isn't just England, and Scotland, though more sparsely populated, may have even more movie locations on offer. Its dramatic landscape offers plenty of options for movie magic, though its cities and towns have played their roles as well: taking a route from Edinburgh to Inverness lets you fit all of the above into one go.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh isn't just the country's capital and main transit hub, it's also a hub for anyone with Marvel madness. Avengers: Infinity War made heavy use of the compact and hilly city, from superhero hideouts on Cockburn Street to superpowered duels in front of St. Giles Cathedral; as in Bath, Edinburgh has prepared a list of Avengers locales for fans.
The Forth Bridge
Heading out of Edinburgh also means heading deeper into film history. One of the first stops you can make on your Scotland itinerary is the Forth Bridge, an engineering masterpiece that hosted a chase scene in Alfred Hitchcock's early espionage thriller The 39 Steps.
Hopetoun House
Like Bridgerton, Outlander fans have a busy 2024 to look forward to: part two of Outlander season 7 is set to be released in November of this year. Though the story of this time-travel show tends more toward the rough and ready than most costume dramas, the luxe setting of Hopetoun House was a notable exception in early seasons. It's not just the main house that played host to drawing rooms and swordfights: the extensive grounds and nearby Midhope Castle were also used. You can visit them all, provided you have a ticket and don't visit on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, when the estate is closed to visitors.
Glasgow
Often unfairly overlooked, Scotland's second city has more than a few film connections to round out its already extensive cultural offerings. The Batman (Robert Pattinson, not Christian Bale) took full advantage of the unique Glaswegian cityscape—a mix of Gothic, Victorian, and industrial influences—to recreate Gotham City. The Glasgow Necropolis in particular provided that extra "something" and helped put the city on the same level as the more famous London, Liverpool, Chicago, and Pittsburgh.
For the more "artsy" traveler, Glasgow also has an Oscar connection, though indirectly. Poor Things, for which Emma Stone won her second Academy Award, was set in Victorian London and shot in a Hungarian film studio, though the book it was based on was set firmly in Glasgow. The author of Poor Things, Alisdair Gray, was a native of Glasgow and set most of his works there; you can take a self-guided Poor Things walking tour to see St. Andrew’s Suspension Bridge (if you know you know) and 18 Park Circus, among other locations.
Glen Coe
The mountain of Etive Mòr is hard to miss as you make your way to Glen Coe in the footsteps (or tire tracks) of 007.
Heading to the Scottish Highlands offers fewer population centers but many more movie locations: the glacier-carved valley of Glen Coe has played host to many of the biggest names in film.
As you near the coast, you'll travel along the secluded but beautiful Glen Etive Road, which 007 fans will notice from some of Skyfall's dramatic aerial shots—Aston Martin not included. More James Bond destinations await in the village of Glen Coe (sometimes spelled Glencoe), including the stately home where Daniel Craig meets Judi Dench and…well, you’ll just have to re-watch Skyfall if you don't remember the rest. James Bond movies featuring Sean Connery, Roger Moore, and Pierce Brosnan also filmed in the region, and Ian Fleming, the writer of the James Bond novels, had a real-life home in the area.
Harry Potter film locations can also be found: The Prisoner of Azkaban used the Geln Coe area to portray Hagrid's Hut and Hogwarts's wooden bridge. The sets were removed after filming to preserve natural beauty, but that beauty is distinctive and unmatched.
Still hungry for movie connections in Glen Coe? Highland locations nearby have appeared in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Highlander, Sense8, and Black Mirror to name a few.
Loch Ness
Okay, so it's not a particularly notable filming location aside from History Channel "documentary" B-roll, but can you truly say you've been to Scotland without a trip to Loch Ness? It's bang on the way to your final destination, and who knows what you might be able to glimpse…
Inverness
Inverness is where this particular itinerary will leave you, and it's an excellent place to end up. The unofficial heart of Scottish Highland culture—with tartans, bagpipes, whisky, and Highland Games to prove it—this cozy city also has one of the highest qualities of life in Scotland. If you're still in the movie mindset, you can pick up more threads of Outlander. For more time travel, Inverness is also said to be where Macbeth's castle—and the grisly events within it—stood, though none of the better-known movie adaptations seem to have filmed there.
Filming locations in Northern Ireland: Belfast to Derry
Though on a separate island, Northern Ireland has its fair share of TV and movie spots to check out too. The drive from Belfast to Derry, the two main population centers in the area, is relatively short but offers plenty of chances for movie side trips.
Belfast
Belfast itself isn't a huge moviemaking hub like other places on this list, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have its connections. The Northman, the Viking epic Alexander Skarsgård and Anya Taylor-Joy, recorded its climactic—or rather, volcanic—climax in a quarry just outside of the city. The RMS Titanic, star of James Cameron's Titanic, was also built in Belfast, though the city doesn't feature in the film.
The Dark Hedges
As is often the case, leaving the city life behind renders up more film locations; here, it’s the Dark Hedges. Originally planted in the late 1700s, it wasn't till a few hundred years later that the fully grown, twisted trees gained fame as the setting of the King's Road in Game of Thrones. GoT used many other locales in Northern Ireland's atmospheric (or just foggy?) surroundings extensively throughout its run. We've also made a set jetting list of Game of Thrones locations in Croatia and Spain for A Song of Ice and Fire superfans looking for sunnier getaways.
Giant's Causeway
The remarkable geology of the Giant’s Causeway is immediately recognizable, whether from moving pictures or picture postcards.
Like Loch Ness, we're cheating a little here too: the relatively fragile nature of Giant's Causeway makes it hard to feature in too many films, though this geologic wonder can't be missed when you're already so close. If you really need a cinema connection, you may recognize this coastal scene from Hellboy or Artemis Fowl.
Derry
We started this list off with a trip in honor of Bridgerton, so it's only appropriate to end with another show featuring Nicola Coughlan. Channel 4's Derry Girls was, unsurprisingly, set and shot on-location in Derry. Tensions are thankfully lower today, and sticking around for a day or two is a great chance to appreciate the city's strong literary tradition, music scene, student life, and murals.
Other film locations around Great Britain
If none of the big-name routes above work with your schedule, you can still fit in some movie magic on the three quicker routes below.
Southampton
Southampton was the final departure point for Kate and Leo, though the film Titanic was shot on sound stages and in Canada. If you're heading from London to Southampton to board a more pleasant cruise, various onshore attractions can scratch that Titanic itch, while Peppa Pig World is a family-friendly destination just off the English Channel.
Bristol
Was Skins part of your rebellious teen years as it was mine? Check head from London to Bristol, where the E4 show was set and shot almost in its entirety. Bristol was also designated a UNESCO "City of Film" in 2017 and boasts a thriving cultural scene.
Cardiff
If you have Whovians in your group, you'll probably need to get from London to Cardiff. Many episodes of Dr. Who were filmed in and around the capital of Wales, including the emotional signoff of David Tennant's Doctor.
Still want to make movie magic part of your next trip but aren’t headed to the United Kingdom anytime soon? Daytrip operates in over 110 countries and has over 7,000 stops, with more added every day. Just choose your favorite film, choose your route, and we can make it happen!
