13 Must-Visit Filming Locations in London

Based on a book by Helen Fielding (itself a loose riff on Austen’s Pride and Prejudice), Bridget Jones’s Diary follows the romantic exploits of 30-something Bridget. One of the most famous London filming locations was Borough Market, where the exterior of Bridget’s flat sits atop the real-life Globe Tavern. You can also see where Cleaver and Darcy fight for Bridget’s attention outside a fictional Greek restaurant at 5 Bedale Street or head to the Royal Exchange Buildings to recreate that zebra-print pants scene.

Keep reading: Take a Tour of Jane Austen’s England

There are literally dozens of Harry Potter filming locations across London (which you can easily explore on a guided tour) but if you’re visiting independently, don’t miss one of the most iconic—Platform 9 ¾ in King’s Cross Station, which is conveniently situated next to the Harry Potter Shop. Don’t miss Leadenhall Market either, the filming location for Diagon Alley and the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron. Of course, you can also explore the magical world of Harry Potter on a Warner Bros. Studio Tour.

Tower Bridge has featured as a backdrop in dozens of TV shows and movies—including Mary Poppins (1964), Spectre (2015), Friends (1994–2004) and Paddington 2 (2017)—but it also makes a particularly memorable appearance in Spider-Man: Far From Home. Luckily for film fans, as one of London’s top landmarks, period, you can expect to see Tower Bridge on any number of city tours, film-focused or otherwise.

Fans of the fictional detective—portrayed in recent years by both Robert Downey Jr. and Benedict Cumberbatch—will be disappointed to learn that 221B Baker Street isn’t Sherlock’s “Holme”. (However, it does house the Sherlock Holmes Museum.) You can also head to St. Paul’s Cathedral, Brompton Cemetery, and the Victorian Ropery if you’re a fan of Downey’s Holmes. For Cumberbatch stans, know that the exteriors of 221B Baker Street were actually filmed on North Gower Street, above Speedy’s Sandwich Bar.

The James Bond film series has over two dozen titles and, over the years, many of them have featured iconic London landmarks. In Skyfall (2012), Bond meets Q at the National Gallery; in Spectre (2015), which is also well-known for its Mexico City scenes, London City Hall stands in for the Centre for National Security; and in Dr. No (1962), London’s Langham Hotel took a starring role. Then there are the classic spots such as Westminster, Big Ben, and Mayfair, birthplace of Bond creator Ian Fleming. To get a full Bond experience, including visiting some of the more top-secret filming locations, take a James Bond–themed tour of the city.

Bumbling Hugh Grant and sleek Julia Roberts star as unlikely lovers in this late-nineties romcom set in, you guessed it, the real-life London neighborhood of Notting Hill. Of course, other films and TV shows have featured colorful Notting Hill over the years (including 2003’s Love Actually and 1969’s The Italian Job), but few did it quite as recognizably as the film of the same name. And that blue door? You can see a replica at 280 Westbourne Park Road.

London takes a starring role in Killing Eve, the murderously good TV series starring Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh. While New Malden (also known as London’s Korea Town) features heavily in season three, you can also follow the trail of Villanelle at the Clapton Hart pub in East London; Hornsey Town Hall (disguised as a Moscow café in the show); and 147 Cromwell Road, Kensington, which served as the exterior for the Paddington Hotel on Killing Eve.

Keep reading: A Killing Eve Tour of Europe: Travel Like Villanelle (Without the Murder)

The London Underground—or, simply, the tube—isn’t only a convenient way of crisscrossing the city, it’s also served as a filming location for numerous films and TV shows over the decades. Charing Cross can be seen in The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) and Thor: The Dark World (2013); Tottenham Court Road’s tube station also shows up in An American Werewolf in London (1981); and Rogue One (2016) even shot some scenes in Canary Wharf station. Plus, the tube served as a key plot point in Sliding Doors (1998), starring Gwyneth Paltrow.

One of London’s main attractions, Trafalgar Square has understandably featured in many silver screen productions, including 101 Dalmations (1996), Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), St. Trinian’s (2007), Wonder Woman (2017), and BBC TV show Doctor Who (1963–present). Luckily, you can visit the square on many top London city tours.

The movie for which lead actress Natalie Portman famously shaved her head on film was shot partly in London and the Houses of Parliament make a particularly explosive appearance towards the end. You can also see the Houses of Parliament in Suffragette (2015), Casino Royale (2006), and Trainspotting (1996).

The BBC’s long-running favorite Doctor Who has had almost as many reboots as it has Doctors over the decades. However, in recent years, South Bank has become a regular filming location, alongside Canary Wharf and Battersea Power Station. South Bank also shows up on film in Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) and 28 Days Later (2002).

Last Christmas, the romcom starring Emilia Clarke as a downbeat Christmas Elf, was shot on location in and around a sparkling, seasonal Covent Garden. You may also recognize Covent Garden from Mary Poppins Returns (2018), My Fair Lady (1964), and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001).

The charming live-action take on the tale of Paddington Bear features a bunch of London filming locations that you can easily visit on your next trip. London Paddington Station (alongside several other tube stations) obviously takes a starring role, as does Chalcot Crescent in Primrose Hill (home to the Browns). However, the Natural History Museum was one of the top spots in the film too and can easily be visited with skip-the-line tickets.