London: The home of 007 and the center of the action
The MI6 building in London is featured as the headquarters in many Bond films and serves as a symbolic structure of the series. London appears in nearly every James Bond film because it is Bond’s home. The iconic SIS building in Vauxhall Cross has been used as an exterior location in numerous productions, from Golden Eye to Spectre. In the 2012 film Skyfall, the scene where the agent Silva bombs the MI6 building is one of the most memorable moments of the modern Bond era. In fact, the ruins of the building, destroyed in Spectre, provided an atmospheric backdrop for the final confrontation. The streets of London also play a role in the action. In the opening of The World Is Not Enough, immediately after the attack on MI6, Bond begins an unforgettable chase on the Thames in a boat developed by Q. As Bond speeds down the river and continues the pursuit around the O2 Stadium, the city’s skyline blends seamlessly with the action.
The Bond films showcase not only London’s modern face but also its cultural heritage. The Parliament buildings around Westminster, Trafalgar Square, and the Whitehall area have all appeared as settings in different films, weaving the city’s historical character into the world of Agent 007. Those looking to revisit Skyfall can visit the National Gallery, where Bond meets Q, or check out spots like Rules Restaurant, where M, Q, and Moneypenny dine in Spectre.
London has become a major destination for Bond enthusiasts today. James Bond-themed tours are available throughout the city. Companies like Brit Movie Tours provide walking routes where you can visit filming locations from many Bond movies, including No Time to Die. Speedboat tours on the Thames, offering a Bond-style experience, are also popular. The MI6 building, in particular, can be viewed and photographed from outside via Vauxhall Bridge. London is one of the cities that best embodies the idea of “Bond tourism,” making it a top destination for both movie fans and adventure-seeking travelers. If you want to follow in James Bond’s footsteps, you can purchase a ticket to London and begin your own exploration.
Istanbul: Bond’s station where East meets West
Istanbul has often been used as an exotic meeting point in James Bond films and holds a special place for fans of the series. Bond first arrives in Istanbul in the 1963 film From Russia with Love, where he carries out his mission in the shadow of the Cold War. The film weaves the city’s historic landmarks into the narrative. Sean Connery’s Bond meets the Soviet decipherer Tatiana Romanova inside Hagia Sophia. He also boards a small boat to enter the Basilica Cistern and observes the Soviet Consulate through a periscope placed between the columns. Built in the sixth century by the Byzantine Empire, this ancient cistern serves as a set that reflects the mysterious atmosphere reflective of the city. The scenes between the columns of Hagia Sophia and Bond’s passage through the Grand Bazaar showcase Istanbul’s rich history and culture to audiences worldwide.
In recent Bond films, Istanbul has become the setting for intense chases. The opening scene of Skyfall, directed by Sam Mendes, takes place in Istanbul. Daniel Craig’s Bond speeds through the Grand Bazaar on a motorcycle and then climbs onto the rooftops for a thrilling pursuit. In this scene, the vibrant market and the city’s historic character blend with modern action to create an unforgettable image. Scenes filmed around Eminönü in the same movie also showcase the cityscape on the big screen. In the 1999 film The World Is Not Enough, the Maiden’s Tower in the middle of the Bosphorus plays a key role in the story. The character Elektra King kidnaps Bond’s superior, M, and takes her to a very special prison inside the Maiden’s Tower.
The significance of Istanbul in the Bond movies comes from the city’s cultural and geographical richness. As a crossroads between East and West, this ancient city is depicted in the films through both its historic charm and its lively urban atmosphere.
Venice: Romance and adventure on the canals
Venice, with its historic texture and unique canal views, has served as the backdrop for both romantic and action-packed scenes in the James Bond universe. In the film Moonraker, where Roger Moore plays Bond, the city becomes the setting for an unforgettable chase. In the film, Bond escapes along a canal in his gondola, which suddenly transforms into a hovercraft capable of traveling on land, enabling him to glide directly onto St. Mark’s Square. Accompanied by Johann Strauss’s famous polka, the scene shows tourists and even pigeons watching in amazement, making it one of the most entertaining moments in the Bond franchise. Moonraker also takes the story into Venice’s renowned Murano glass workshops. To uncover Drax’s secret laboratory, Bond confronts his enemies inside a glass museum near St. Mark’s.
With the 2006 film Casino Royale, Venice took on a new emotional significance for Bond. Daniel Craig’s Bond arrives in Venice with his lover Vesper Lynd in the film’s final act. Their romantic moments sailing along the Grand Canal quickly turn to tragedy. During a confrontation, Vesper sacrifices herself and dies as a historic Venetian building collapses into the water. This collapse scene opens with a tense chase through Venice’s maze of narrow streets and canals, culminating in the dramatic destruction of the palazzo as Bond watches helplessly. The Venice chapter of Casino Royale is a key part of Bond’s character development.
Venice’s role in the Bond films aligns with the city’s shining role in film history. With its historic palaces, bridges, and waterways, Venice has long been a natural setting for countless productions. The Bond series also used the city as a backdrop for both light, witty action scenes and intense dramatic moments. If you want to experience Venice in Bond’s footsteps, you can book a flight to Venice and explore its enchanting atmosphere for yourself. Visit the glass workshops on Murano Island or stroll through the fish market near the Rialto, where you will come across the everyday scenes brought to life just like in the movies.
Hong Kong: The radiant metropolis of the far-east
Hong Kong, Asia’s grand metropolis, has appeared three times in James Bond movies, each showcasing a different side of the city. Although Ian Fleming never set any of his Bond novels in Hong Kong, it was only natural for the film universe to include 007 passing through this city. Hong Kong first appears in the 1967 film “You Only Live Twice.” In the pre-title sequence, news of Bond’s supposed death in a staged assassination is broadcast here. While many scenes were filmed on studio sets, the movie also features a brief chase through the neon-lit streets of Hong Kong, then a British colony, complete with police sirens. The film that truly weaves Hong Kong into the Bond universe is “The Man with the Golden Gun” starring Roger Moore.
While tracking the assassin Scaramanga, known for his golden gun, Bond follows him through the city’s luxurious and shadowy locations. The Peninsula Hong Kong hotel becomes a key stop. Bond shadows the beautiful yet dangerous Andrea Anders as she arrives at the hotel in one of the Peninsula’s famous green Rolls-Royce cars. Secret Service staffer Mary Goodnight notices and smiles, saying, “All the green Rolls-Royces in Hong Kong belong to the Peninsula Hotel,” informing Bond. Indeed, the Peninsula, one of the city’s oldest and most magnificent hotels, still retains the nostalgic entrance and the British Racing Green Rolls-Royce fleet seen in the movie.
In the Pierce Brosnan era of Bond, we see another brief return to Hong Kong. After being captured in North Korea and later released in a prisoner exchange in Die Another Day, Bond finds himself in Hong Kong waters. Disheveled and exhausted, 007 swims ashore from Victoria Harbour and enters a luxury hotel, with Hong Kong’s glittering skyline in the background.
Hong Kong’s depiction in the Bond movies showcases the city’s international identity and dynamism to viewers worldwide. By setting Bond’s adventures in Hong Kong, the filmmakers place a spy story in a city that represents the convergence of East and West, reflecting its real-world geopolitical importance. The metropolis’s neon lights, busy street markets, skyscrapers, and stunning views from Victoria Peak continue to captivate filmmakers. Today, Bond fans visiting Hong Kong have many options: they can wait outside the Peninsula Hotel hoping to see a green Rolls-Royce just like Bond does in the movie, or they can enjoy afternoon tea inside the hotel’s historic lobby and imagine themselves on the set of the 1974 film.
In this first chapter of our journey exploring Bond filming locations, we have covered London, Istanbul, Venice, and Hong Kong. Each of these cities, with their own cultural richness, has hosted the Bond legend in unique ways, but the journey doesn’t end here. In the next part of our series, we will continue with stories of other iconic Bond destinations.
