10 filming locations to visit in London
With its iconic skyline, vibrant city life, and medieval buildings, it’s no wonder that London has been a backdrop for many famous movies. While many of the London filming locations are obvious to any viewer, some may surprise you. And if you’re a fan of a specific movie or TV series, such as Downton Abbey or Harry Potter, we recommend joining a dedicated tour to visit its filming locations.
1. Tower Bridge
Nearest Underground station: London Bridge
Arguably one of the most iconic landmarks in London, Tower Bridge was prominently featured in Spider-Man: Far From Home. In the 2019 superhero film, Spider-Man’s final battle with Mysterio began on Tower Bridge.
Since Tower Bridge is a busy crossing used by more than 40,000 people every day, the production crew decided to create a near-exact replica of the Bridge instead, right down to the glass walkway.
Stroll across Tower Bridge for free using its riverside walkways, or get a ticket to the interior exhibition, where you’ll get to explore the steam engine room and stand on the glass floor as cars zoom by below you.
2. Little Venice
Nearest Underground station: Paddington
The dreamy neighborhood of Little Venice is a must-visit for fans of the Paddington Bear series. Not only was Little Venice the home of author Michael Bond—who lived in a house overlooking the canals—the neighborhood also took on a major role in the story Paddington Bear and the Busy Bee Carnival. More recently, in the movie Paddington 2, we see the beloved bear racing across Little Venice’s canal towpath after a break-in at Mr. Gruber’s antique shop.
Surrounded by Regency houses and picturesque barges floating on the tranquil waters, Little Venice offers some much-needed peace and quiet in busy London. To look for more scenes from the movies and books featuring everyone’s favorite bear in a duffel coat, join this Paddington Bear Walking Tour.
3. Churchill War Rooms
Nearest Underground station: Westminster
The Oscar-nominated film Darkest Hour, about Winston Churchill’s early days as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, didn’t pass on the opportunity to film inside the actual Churchill War Rooms. Just as the movie portrayed, the underground complex was where Churchill and his War Cabinet held top-secret meetings during World War II. Follow in Churchill’s footsteps on this private tour of London’s political sites.
4. Notting Hill
Nearest Underground station: Notting Hill Gate
One of the most Instagrammable neighborhoods in London, Notting Hill is the famous location of—you guessed it—Notting Hill. You can find scenes from the movie all over the area, which director Richard Curtis called home.
Follow in the footsteps of Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts on this two-hour Notting Hill Walking Tour. Your guide will take you to all the iconic spots, including the Notting Hill Bookshop, the Travel Bookshop, and the famous blue door along Portobello Road.
P.S. Rom-com fans will also recognize Juliet’s house in Love Actually in St. Luke’s Mews, located within Notting Hill.
5. Lambeth Bridge
Nearest Underground station: Westminster
You can find many Harry Potter filming locations in London, including popular spots like St. Pancras Station and Borough Market. But did you know that the lesser-known Lambeth Bridge has appeared in two movies within the Harry Potter franchise?
Potterheads will remember the thrilling sequence in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, when the Knight Bus squeezes in between two oncoming double-decker buses on Lambeth Bridge. It was also on this bridge that Dumbledore handed Newt the card directing him to the Flamel House in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
You’ll pass by Lambeth Bridge on this Harry Potter bus tour, as well as other spots that inspired places like Diagon Alley and Grimmauld Place.
6. Old Royal Naval College
Nearest Underground station: Cutty Sark
The Old Royal Naval College isn’t just a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it’s also one of the most popular filming locations in the world. The architectural masterpiece in Greenwich has seen aliens, riots, pirates, royalty, and more… in the movies, of course.
You’ll recognize the rolling courtyards in Thor: The Dark World, where the hammer-wielding superhero defends Earth in a climactic battle on the college green. The Old Royal Naval College was also transformed into Revolutionary Paris in 2012’s Les Misérables, Bruce Wayne’s favorite Italian café in The Dark Knight Rises, and a hotel in Sherlock Holmes.
We recommend exploring the spectacular Baroque interiors of the Painted Hall, which was used as a royal palace in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Get a skip-the-line ticket to visit “London’s Sistine Chapel” on a guided tour.
7. Trafalgar Square
Nearest Underground station: Charing Cross
Trafalgar Square has historically been the center of national democracy and protest. Rallies, demonstrations, and celebrations are frequently held here, and are depicted in multiple movies. For example, people are shown celebrating in the square after the war is won in Captain America: The First Avenger as well as the commemoration of VE Day in A Royal Night Out.
To film V for Vendetta’s final scene at Westminster, where V descends on Parliament to witness its destruction, Trafalgar Square had to be closed for three nights—the first time the security-sensitive area had ever been closed to accommodate filming. This was no easy feat, as the filmmakers had to undergo nine months of negotiations with 14 different government departments and agencies.
8. Somerset House
Nearest Underground station: Temple
Fans of James Bond will be familiar with Somerset House, depicted in GoldenEye as a square in St. Petersburg, and the headquarters of MI6 in Tomorrow Never Dies. In fact, the 007 saga has featured numerous London landmarks over the years, which you can find on this walking tour.
Boasting a huge courtyard with 55 fountains, the neoclassical complex has also been featured in X-Men: First Class, Sleepy Hollow, London Has Fallen, and many other movies. Its winter ice rink also appeared in Love Actually.
9. Borough Market
Nearest Underground station: London Bridge
In the 2001 rom-com Bridget Jones’s Diary, the titular character’s bachelorette pad is situated above The Globe, a corner pub near Borough Market. Swing by to peer at the door to Bridget’s flat before immersing yourself in the market’s never-ending stream of delicacies and trinkets. If you’re keen on trying English classics like fish and chips and scotch eggs, join this traditional English food tasting tour around Borough Market.
10. Senate House
Nearest Underground station: Russell Square
Situated in the heart of Bloomsbury, Senate House is currently the administrative center of the University of London, though it once housed the Ministry of Information, inspiring George Orwell’s novel 1984. As a nod to Orwell, the film adaptation used Senate House as the exterior of the main antagonist’s apartment building.
With its imposing architecture, Senate House has provided a stylish backdrop to many famous films. Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy featured the Art Deco building extensively, using it as the courthouse in Batman Begins and the location of the masquerade ball in The Dark Knight Rises. It also served as the Moscow Interpol headquarters in Fast & Furious 6 and a Shanghai casino in The 355.
Sadly, Senate House is inaccessible to the public, except during scheduled open houses.
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