Do you dream of drinking coffee in New York City just like the cast of friends? Can you picture yourself stepping through the Featherington family's front door? Perhaps you long to lounge on the same beaches of Hawaii as the guests at The White Lotus. Whatever your dream, it's time to step into the small screen and visit some of the filming locations in your favourite TV shows. Read on for 12 fantastic ideas to inspire your next trip!
You don't need to risk your life to see something of the dystopian world of the 'Squid Game' contestants. Although the main set was purpose-built in Daejeon, Seoul is one of the best places for a 'Squid Game' tour. Many of the sequences featuring Gi-hun, or Place 456, were filmed in Ssangmun-dong, a northern neighbourhood close to the mountains. Check out Begun market and, in particular, Sang-Woo's Fish Store, as well as the CU convenience store in Ssangmun Uicheon. While in the neighbourhood, don't forget to sample the local street food. Tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) and Korean fried chicken are must-tries.
Fan favourite spot: Incheon International Airport. It's where one of the main protagonists pops up in the season finale. He's gripping the game's calling card, making it clear he's not yet finished with Squid Game...
While the dysfunctional guests and hotel staff of the TV show, The White Lotus, might not make the ideal holiday companions, the charms of Hawaii and Sicily are undeniable. If Season 1's location, Hawaii, floats your boat, book a stay at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea. Covid rules meant that filming was confined to the (fortunately very beautiful) hotel, its pools, grounds and nearby beach. Season 2 in Sicily also centres around a Four Seasons: the San Domenico Palace in Taormina. Once a 15th century monastery, this luxury hotel provides expansive views over the Ionian Sea, Mount Etna and an Ancient Greco-Roman amphitheatre in Taormina. The Baroque town of Noto, in the south-east, and the medieval Cefalù (look out for the Piazza Marina) also feature in the show.
Fan favourite spot: the idyllic Isola Bella, connected to the mainland by a small path, is perfect for romantic walks.
Follow in the footsteps of the Bridgerton siblings as they search for love in Regency London and Bath. Together, the two cities offer fans more than 25 filming locations to visit. Top of the list might be Ranger's House, a Georgian villa next to Greenwich Park, which is the Bridgerton family's London home. Hampton Court Palace is another quintessential London location. A little further out, Windsor Great Park is a must-see even when not riding a horse in the rain. In Bath, visit the 17th century Abbey Green and imagine Lady Whistledown walking through the same square on her way to shop and gossip at Madam Delacroix’s. The Assembly Rooms, the Guildhall and many of the city centre's historic streets also have starring roles.
Fan favourite spot: Bath's Royal Crescent, which stood in for London's Grosvenor Square. Plus, No. 1 (in real life, a museum) was transformed into the Featherington house.
The epic natures of the power struggles and political intrigues of Game of Thrones are reflected in its many filming locations. The historic city of Dubrovnik is one of the show’s main filming locations, and you’ll find many Game of Thrones tours and shops when you visit the city centre. Trsteno Arboretum is a must – these are the palace gardens to Kings Landing. There’s also Minčeta Tower, the highest point in Dubrovnik, which is not only a great attraction for fans of the show, but also a great place for panoramic views of the city. Perhaps you'd like to go to the real-life Winterfell at County Down's Castle Ward. Both the gardens and interior of this beautiful 18th century mansion are open to the public. Still in Northern Ireland, why not see if you can recognise the show's Iron Islands in Ballintoy Harbour or look for dire wolves in Tollymore Forest Park. And, if you dare, why not explore the Cushendun Caves, where Lady Melisandre gave birth to her shadow creature! Meanwhile, in Iceland, the geothermal spring of Grjótagjá is a perfect bathing spot - even if you don't fancy recreating the show's steamy tryst between Ygritte and Jon Snow.
Fan favourite spot: Lokrum, an island off the coast from Dubrovnik in Croatia. Better known as Quath in the show, it's where Daenerys promised freedom to her army .
While most of the interiors on Friends were filmed in an LA studio, New York City is packed with real life exterior locations you can visit. First up: the exterior of the building where Monica, Rachel, Joey and Chandler lived. Head for 90 Bedford Street in West Village and get your camera ready! Next, the American Museum of Natural History as a stand-in for the fictional New York Museum of Prehistoric History where Ross works – and where Ross and Rachel famously woke up among the exhibits. You can even visit Chandler's workplace (the Solow Building, close to Fifth Avenue) and the Lucille Lortel Theatre, where Joey appeared in several off-Broadway shows. Finally, celebrate in style at the Plaza hotel, where Monica and Chandler marked their engagement!
Fan favourite spot: Cherry Hill Fountain in Central Park. While not actually the famous fountain from the opening credits (which is on the Warner Bros lot in California), it's a great dupe.
This murderous clash between wealthy and working-class Spanish teens was filmed in magnificent Madrid. As well as the capital's obvious attractions (the Palacio Real, Museo del Prado, Gran Vía and so on), Elite will take you beyond the city centre to the likes of the European University of Madrid. This is the location for the exterior shots of Las Encinas. Meanwhile, still within the Community of Madrid, the three towns of Guadarrama, San Lorenzo de El Escorial and Collado Villalba are where you need to go to see the exteriors of many of the students' homes. All three are part of the rugged Sierra de Guadarrama, a national park that offers adrenaline-boosting activities like horse riding, canyoning and zip wiring.
Fan favourite spot: an hour by bus from Madrid, the pretty town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial was another location for many of the exterior shots. It also has a wonderful 16th century monastery.
The political intrigue and machiavellian media that characterise the hit Danish drama Borgen also give visitors a whole new slant on where to visit and why. While no one's suggesting you skip the likes of the Tivoli Gardens, Borgen fans should give due attention to the Christiansborg Palace. Denmark's seat of power for more than eight centuries, it's an important location in the show. What's more, not only can visitors walk around its square, they can also attend some parliamentary discussions. The Royal Library Garden in the city centre is another important location. Why not take a walk around its fountain, just like Birgitte Nyborg and Bent Sejrø!
Fan favourite spot: the Copenhagen Marriott Hotel. A stay here promises waterside luxury and relaxation – and also the chance to see some of the rooms where various interior scenes were filmed.
Explore the Weimar Republic world of Inspector Gereon Rath with a visit to an avowedly 21st century Berlin. Despite the elapse of nearly a century, it's easily possible to imagine Alexanderplatz, where much of the show was filmed, as it was in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Although the police headquarters, as featured in the show, were computer simulations, the historic Alexanderhaus and Berolinahaus still stand. Berlin's City Hall (the Rotes Rathaus) is also worth seeing as its red brick exterior was used for a number of close-up scenes. Elsewhere, the paternoster elevator at the Rathaus Schöneberg and the Robert-Koch-Forum will also spark recognition in fans.
Fan favourite spot: Berlin Weissensee's Delphi Cinema, Bar Tausend (which featured as the Holländer Bar) and Theater am Schiffbauerdamm all provide authentic entertainment spots.
Although somewhat controversial when it came to its portrayal of Parisians, no one can argue that Emily in Paris felt like a love letter to the city's architecture. Emily visits all of Paris's most well-known attractions, from the Jardin du Palais-Royal to the Panthéon in the Latin Quarter. She eats at the Café de Flor, which is a great spot for a coffee, and visits the Haute Couture Eiffel Suite at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée with her client, the demanding movie star Brooklyn. The Pont Alexandre III bridge where Emily shoots the perfume campaign is also a highlight, and has a great view of the Eiffel Tower.
Fan favourite spot: the Canal Saint-Martin, where Emily, Thomas, Camille and Gabriel go for a picturesque walk on their double date.
Nothing shows off the pomp and ceremony of the British royal family quite as much as The Crown. The sets are pretty authentic too, with scenes filmed in the real-life Highgrove gardens which are open to the public. The grand Brocket Hall was used as a stand-in for Kensington Palace, while a variety of settings were used to create the look of Buckingham Palace, including the lush interiors of Lancaster House and Goldsmiths Hall. For the wild isolation of Balmoral, the cast headed to Ardverikie House in the Scottish Highlands which is open to visitors, and if you want the real thing, Balmoral is also open for tours at certain times of the year.
Fan favourite spot: St Paul's Cathedral, the location of Charles and Diana's wedding.
One of the most popular shows on Amazon Prime, The Boys is a dark tale of superheroes and vigilantes. It's supposed to be set in New York, but like many productions, the producers headed over the border to film the series in Toronto, Canada, where there are a wealth of backlots and soundstages. Many of the buildings used in The Boys were digitally altered to make them look more futuristic; CGI was used to make Yonge-Dundas Square look more like Times Square in New York, but it's still worth a visit in its natural state. It's full of mammoth skyscrapers, neon billboards, fountains, and on-street cafes.
Fan favourite spot: Hughie's electronics store on O'Connor Drive in East York, Toronto.
Killing Eve has to have some of the most beautiful and most varied filming locations of any series; almost every episode is set in a different European city, as Villanelle wanders past some of the continent's most famous landmarks in her ever-changing outfits. Much of the action takes place in London, before moving to sites like the red light district of De Wallen, Amsterdam, and the quaint, narrow streets of the Carrer d'en Mònec in El Born district in Barcelona. The memorable ending of series two was shot in and around the Roman ruins of Tivoli, which are open to the public.
Fan favourite spot: Place Vendôme in Paris, where Villanelle wears her pink taffeta dress.
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