Many of us like nothing more than kicking back after a hard day’s work and watching a film. Many are shot on-location and outside studios which means the opportunity presents itself to visit the filming location where your favourite scene was shot. While travelling, you may not specifically visit an area that was used as a filming location, but if you’re in the area, it could be worthwhile checking out. We take a look at some iconic films below and locations where perhaps you didn’t know they filmed in…
Christchurch College, Oxford. Photo by: LevT/Stock
UK
Christchurch College, Oxford.
Parts of the College, including the hall and staircases were used for filming the first Harry Potter film as parts of Hogwarts. Replicas of these parts were then built at the studios for the further films. You can buy a ticket for the Breakfast Tour at the College where you can take tea/coffee and pastries and imagine yourself in Hogwart’s Great Hall.
Glencoe, Scotland.
Exterior shots of Skyfall, James Bond’s family home was filmed here while interior shots were filmed in studios. Scenes from Harry Potter were also filmed here, though the sets used have since been deconstructed.
Chatsworth House, Derbyshire.
Doubling as Pemberley in the 2004 version of Pride and Prejudice, this estate contains 35,000 stunning acres. It was also used in The Duchess and Death Comes to Pemberley, the BBC adaptation of the book by PD James.
Notting Hill, London.
The name gives it away. Visit Portobello Road and the iconic blue door located down Westbourne Park Road. True fans might like to take this walking tour.
Doune Castle, Stirling.
This 14th-century Scottish castle played several roles in the Monty Python and the Holy Grail as Arthur’s home, Camelot, Castle Anthrax, and Swamp Castle. It was also used for filming as Winterfell in the pilot episode of Game of Thrones.
Chatsworth House, where Elizabeth Bennet called on Mr Darcy. Photo by: Janet Thorpe/Stock
USA
Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.
Not an actual vineyard but an island south of Cape Cod. Head to Menemsha and Chilmark to see where parts of Steven Spielberg’s 1974 Jaws was set. Many locals from the island were hand-picked by Spielberg to act as extras in the film.
Public Square, Cleveland.
This square doubled as New York City’s Stuttgart Square for Marvel’s The Avengers when Loki forced the public to their knees in front of him.
Beverly Wilshire Hotel, LA.
This Beverly Hills hotel was used in Pretty Woman. The Four Seasons chain allows you to book the Pretty Woman experience and indulge in several VIP experiences including couples massage, personal wardrobe consultant and Bath Butler service.
Hook & Ladder 8 Fire Station, Tribeca.
This fully-functional fire station has drawn fans of the cult film Ghostbusters for many years. Have your photo taken outside but be aware of fire trucks entering and leaving the premises. It’s currently undergoing some reconstruction.
DuPont State Forest, North Carolina.
Apart from being a beautiful area for hiking or picnicking, watch out for Katniss’s arrows as the forest served partly as the setting for The Hunger Games.
DuPont State Forest, where Katniss fought for her life in The Hunger Games. Photo by: jonbilous/Stock
Ohio State Reformatory, Ohio.
This 19th-century building in Mansfield held some of our favourite film convicts in The Shawshank Redemption.
Timberline Lodge, Mount Hood, Oregon.
Although the exterior might give you chills, the interior won’t be recognisable. This hotel was used as the Overlook Hotel for Stephen King’s The Shining. All interior shots were filmed in studios… so no ghosts here!
Savannah, Georgia.
Visit the Savannah History Museum and sit on the bench used in Forest Gump to deliver the box of chocolates line.
Woodstock.
Hosting the annual Groundhog Day festival every year in February, it’s worth a visit if this film is a favourite. The event includes a free showing of the film, symposiums on the themes that the film involves, and walking tours.
New Zealand
Matamata
Located in the Waikato region on the North Island, you’ll find Hobbiton. If the name doesn’t give it away, the location was used as the Shire in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. We included it as one of the quirky honeymoon destinations for literary lovers.
Skiathos. Photo by: ImagIN photography/Stock
Greek Islands
Skiathos and Skopelos
These islands were overrun by singing and dancing extras for Mamma Mia. As if the turquoise seas and crystal sand beaches didn’t give you enough reasons to visit already…
Sicily
Taormina
Probably not a location you’ve heard of, but many scenes from The Godfather were filmed nearby in Savoca and Forzà d’Agrò. Originally planned to take place in Corleone, where the family is from, it was felt the village had an overdeveloped look, and so shooting was moved. You can take a tour of the filming locations.
Find your favourite movie set and filming location
There are many other filming locations that can be visited, and many tours too. Share with us in the comments your experience of visiting your favourite film location.
Written by Jessica Juby.
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