You might want to visit for other reasons but checking out famous movie locations is a really fun way to explore certain cities in the UK. It’s true, iconic landmarks and stately homes make these cities instantly recognizable in the movies, while the surrounding countryside makes them even more alluring to film directors.
But what cities should movie lovers know about?
Let’s take a look at some cities in the UK that you might want to visit...
5 Cities to Visit in the UK for Movie Lovers
1. London for Harry Potter, Notting Hill, and Mary Poppins
Portobello Road is where Hugh Grant tried to forget about Julia Roberts in Notting Hill. He prances around the nearby market in this movie and the alongside the iconic strip of houses on this particular road. Also, Hampstead Heat isn’t far from here and this is where you can check out another famous landmark from the movie - Kenwood House.
And then there’s Westminster Bridge from the opening scene of 28 Days Later and Platform 9 3/4 in Kings Cross Station that was used for Harry Potter. More? St. Paul’s Cathedral featured briefly in the movie Mary Poppins. You might remember the chimney sweep dance on the rooftops? In between these scenes, Mary Poppins has an encounter with a lady selling seed at this cathedral.
2. Liverpool for Tolkien, The Crown, and Chariots of Fire
Liverpool has a beautiful waterfront and interesting architecture in places. While the city is better known as a filming location for television series, many famous movies were shot here. For instance, St. George’s Hall is a stunning facade that featured in both Tolkien and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. The city town hall was also used in various classics such as Hunt for Red October and Chariots of Fire. As if that’s not enough, Cunard building was used as a double for Washington, D.C., in the Netflix hit, The Crown.
3. Just Outside Manchester for Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
Whether you stay in Liverpool or Manchester or somewhere in between, both Cheshire and Derbyshire are relatively close by. These are counties and not cities, but Cheshire is home to Lyme Park that was used in the Jane Austen classic Pride and Prejudice. This goes for both the BBC series and 2005 film with Kiera Knightley. However, nearby Chatsworth is another facade that was featured in the movie and the surrounding area is quintessential English countryside - yet another reason to take a quick trip out of either city.
4. Oxford City for this University and the Set for Many Movie Scenes
The City of Oxford was voted one of the most popular cities for filming in the UK. It’s a historic city with ancient remnants at every turn and one of the oldest universities in the world. In fact, the Bodleian Library was used to produce a number of classics which include The Divinity School and the Harry Potter movies. Several movie scenes from The Golden Compass and X-Men First Class were also shot at the university. Meanwhile, Oxford features in The History Boys and the college scene from James Bond classic Tomorrow Never Dies was also shot in the city of Oxford.
5. Glasgow for the Da Vinci Code, Outlaw King, and World War Z
Ron Howard didn’t get a lot of credit for his version of Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code, but the iconic movie locations are enough reason to want to visit Glasgow. The movie comes to an end at Rosslyn Chapel which is widely regarded as one of the most mysterious in the world. But that’s not the only classic to shoot in Glasgow.
Sam Mendes took to Glasgow for certain scenes in his recent epic 1917 and the city is often showcased in the new Netflix hit, Outlaw King. More specifically, the gothic cloisters in Glasgow University are used in the movie and Linlithgow Palace also features. Meanwhile, the streets around George Square were used in The Fast and the Furious, and parts of World War Z with Brad Pitt were also shot in Glasgow.
I know there’s a thousand movies and locations that could have made this list but maybe you can let me know in the comments about your own favorites?
Interested in planning a trip to the UK but need a travel advisor? Contact me, and let’s begin discussing your ideas.