From the otherworldly landscapes of The Mandalorian to the grand settings of The Crown and even the icy surrounds of Fortitude, the locations of our favorite TV shows have given us a healthy dose of wanderlust. While real travel is off the cards for most of us, we take an armchair tour of the real-life settings of some of the most-loved TV hits of the last decade.
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The Queen’s Gambit, Berlin, Germany
An adaptation of Walter Tevis’ 1983 novel of the same name, Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit had us all glued to the TV screens. Following the story of Beth Harmon, an orphan chess prodigy, the series is set in Lexington, Kentucky, but most of the series was filmed in the German capital Berlin with a few additional scenes shot in Ontario, Canada.
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The Queen’s Gambit, Berlin, Germany
In one episode, the main character, played by Anya Taylor-Joy, meets her first Russian opponents in the Aztec Palace Hotel in Mexico City. In reality, the impressive building’s exterior is Berlin’s Friedrichstadt-Palast, a show palace in real life.
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The Mandalorian, Death Valley National Park, California, USA
A new story within the Star Wars universe, The Mandalorian takes place five years after the events of Episode VI – Return of the Jedi. The series follows a Mandalorian bounty hunter, who is hired to retrieve The Child. It turns out to be a baby alien of the same species as Yoda and the two embark on a quest to learn more about its origins. Unsurprisingly, most of the series is filmed in studios and large sets in and around Los Angeles, but there is one location where fans can feel like they’ve traveled into the Star Wars universe.
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The Mandalorian, Death Valley National Park, California, USA
In the very first episode of the Disney+ hit show, a spacecraft is seen arriving on Arvala-7. It’s the Death Valley National Park’s Zabriskie Point (pictured) that acted as the otherworldly landscape of the distant planet. Curiously, the location has a previous Star Wars connection too as this arid landscape in southeastern California also served as an additional filming location of Tatooine in the 1977 flick Episode IV – A New Hope.
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Outlander, Scotland, UK
Based around the novels by Diana Gabaldon, Outlander is both a story of time travel, and one of the very real Jacobite uprisings of 18th-century Scotland. Viewers can expect action, romance, history and, most importantly, the beauty of Scotland on full display.
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Outlander, Scotland, UK
As viewers anticipate the arrival of the sixth series, there’s plenty of buzz around Outlander at the moment – and those who venture to Scotland, can see plenty of the series’ dramatic filming locations themselves. Among the most striking are Doune Castle in Perthshire (pictured), which is used as the location for Castle Leoch. Parts of the show were also filmed in the naturally beautiful surrounds of Kinloch Rannoch.
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The Good Place, California, USA
TheGood Place graced US screens from 2016 and lovers of the series can still watch it on Netflix. From the word go, the show – which follows four former citizens of Earth on their whimsical journey through the afterlife – earned critical acclaim for its sharp humor and high concept. And its beautiful setting – the eponymous “Good Place” – garnered plenty of attention too.
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The Good Place, California, USA
While much of the series was filmed at Universal Studios Hollywood, some scenes were shot on location, which normally can be visited. Highlights include Malibu’s windswept Leo Carrillo State Beach, home to a moving scene where personal assistant Janet is “reset”, and the Huntington Library Botanical Gardens in San Marino, which doubles as The Good Place‘s beautiful outdoor space.
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Killing Eve, Paris, France
Villanelle, the merciless and whip-smart assassin in Killing Eve, portrayed by Jodie Comer, captured the attention of fans in the US and across the pond – as did Sandra Oh’s tenacious Eve Polastri. But Killing Eve‘s other star was its many filming locations, from the English Buckinghamshire countryside to the streets of Berlin. And one city looked particularly good on camera.
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Killing Eve, Paris, France
Parts of both season one and season two were filmed in the French capital, and Villanelle’s chic apartment is intended to be in Paris’ swish 6th arrondissement. Fans can follow in the footsteps of the assassin, by wandering up 6th arrondissement streets such as Rue Guénégaud and Rue Mazarine, both featured in the show. Place Vendôme (pictured) is also the setting for a pivotal scene involving Villanelle and her ‘handler’ Konstantin.
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Stranger Things, Georgia, USA
Given that Stranger Things was concocted based on information about viewer preferences, it’s no wonder it was such an immediate hit. The wacky series brings together a whole heap of 1980s nostalgia, plus sci-fi and missing person storylines. Thrown into the mix are a bunch of great filming locations too.
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Stranger Things, Georgia, USA
Much of the show was filmed in and around Atlanta, Georgia, with the little town of Jackson generally standing in for the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana – Jackson’s courthouse (pictured) represented the exterior of the series’ Public Library, for example. Fans of the show will also find the real Benny’s Burgers, The Palace Arcade and more.
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Prison Break, Illinois, USA
As the name suggests, Prison Break centers around an elaborate prison escape plan, formulated by two brothers, and it had viewers gripped from its first airing. Throughout the drama’s five seasons, filming locations have generally been in the Chicago area, and there’s one place in particular that stands out.
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Prison Break, Illinois, USA
The Old Joliet Prison, in Joliet, less than an hour from the Windy City, has been used as the Fox River State Penitentiary since 2005, after being closed in 2002. Today, the prison offers tours to share the institution’s long history, as well as its role as a filming location. A Guard Tour offers special insights into what life was like as a staff member and an inmate here too.
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Narcos, Colombia
Narcos, Netflix’s original series about the rise and fall of infamous Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, is as educational as it is entertaining, with its documentary style enlightening a whole generation previously unfamiliar with the Medellín Cartel. Though the gripping series has more than a few scenes that are hard to watch, it’s impossible to tear your eyes away from the magic of Colombia on-screen, from the misty forests to the frenetic streets full of color.
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Narcos, Colombia
Pablo Escobar’s hometown Medellín, which served as a location for the show, is cashing in on the success of the series. Visitors can tour La Catedral, the “prison” that was famously constructed for the drug lord, which was more like a 5-star hotel, as well as visit his home and his final hideout before he was captured and killed on a Medellín rooftop.
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Riviera, France
Centered around the lives of the ultra-rich in the south of France, thriller Riviera isn’t just a fast-paced series that keeps you on your toes – it’s also an ode to the beauty of the Côte d’Azur.
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Riviera, France
The show takes viewers on a grand tour of several locations in the French Riviera, from pebbly beaches in Nice and winding streets in Monte Carlo to grand hotels in Cap Ferrat and enormous villas in Mougins, as well as glamorous port scenes in Villefranche-sur-Mer. Most of these picturesque places and resorts can be visited by car on a road trip through the region.
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Breaking Bad, New Mexico, USA
Generally considered to be one of the most successful series of all time, Breaking Bad changed TV forever. From the very first episode, viewers were not only hooked on chemistry teacher Walter White’s descent into a life of serious crime, but also on the beautiful, deliberate way in which Albuquerque’s bright skies, endless deserts and suburban streets were shot.
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Breaking Bad, New Mexico, USA
Luckily for fans of the show, many of the most memorable settings in Breaking Bad, including the Whites’ house, the A1 carwash (“Have an A1 day!”) and even Twisters, the real-life chain that plays the part of Gus Fring’s Los Pollos Hermanos, actually exist.
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Breaking Bad, New Mexico, USA
You can get a glimpse of Jesse Pinkman’s house and also check out Saul Goodman’s office, great news for fans of the spin-off, Better Call Saul. There are a number of guided tours taking in Breaking Bad landmarks, some of which will even stop off at bakeries offering “meth donuts” – donuts sprinkled with blue sugar to look like the colored drug Walter White made famous.
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House of Cards, Maryland and Washington DC, USA
To watch House of Cards is to get an insight into the inner workings of American politics and Washington DC – and to be stunned by the mind games and manipulations of its main characters, Francis and Claire Underwood. But while it gets under the skin of DC, where is the intriguing show actually shot?
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House of Cards, Maryland and Washington DC, USA
Although some of the series is indeed shot in the USA’s capital, Washington DC, there’s plenty that isn’t. The homes of Frank Underwood and Zoe Barnes are both located in neighboring Baltimore, Maryland. DC dominates the opening credits, however, and many of its landmarks can be explored on foot, from the White House and Capitol Hill (pictured) to the various memorials to past presidents. In Maryland there are a few more grand filming locations to take in, including the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Peabody Institute.
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Twin Peaks, Washington, USA
Twin Peaks is a gripping series that centers around the murder of high-school student and homecoming queen Laura Palmer and law enforcement’s quest to find and bring her killer to justice. Its cult appeal of course owes a lot to its plot line and characters, but also to its eerie setting in Snoqualmie, Washington, around a half-hour drive from Seattle.
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Twin Peaks, Washington, USA
Fans of the show can easily spot plenty of the series’ most recognizable landmarks around Snoqualmie. These include the Great Northern Hotel, which is called Salish Lodge & Spa in real life, and the breathtaking Snoqualmie Falls, which appear in the opening credits. There’s also a Twin Peaks tour for die-hard fans, which explore cafés, restaurants and bridges featured in the show.
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Fortitude, Iceland
A science-fiction thriller with a stellar cast, Fortitude is set in Svalbard in Arctic Norway. But the first two seasons of the pacy series are actually filmed in east Iceland, in a town called Reyðarfjörður, a 50-minute flight from capital Reykjavík.
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Fortitude, Iceland
Fans of the show can book a guided tour of “Fortitude” – AKA Reyðarfjörður – that stops by notable landmarks, including Fortitude’s bar. Season 3 was actually shot on the remote Svalbard archipelago itself, as well as in studios in Bristol.
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Marseille, France
Who’d have thought that the inner workings of mayoral politics could be so thrilling? Set against the striking backdrop of the eponymous French port city, Marseille had viewers hooked from its very first episode and it ran on Netflix for two seasons.
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Marseille, France
Filmed in and around Marseille, there are countless locations fans of the show will recognize immediately. Perhaps one of the most charming is the Vieux Port – Marseille’s old port pictured here.
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The Sopranos, New Jersey, USA
The popular crime drama series The Sopranos earned a cult following when it first aired, and remains a fan favorite even after six seasons and more than two decades on the screen (the last season finished in 2007). Luckily its locations are easy for fans to find, with most of the show’s exterior scenes being filmed on location in New Jersey.
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The Sopranos, New Jersey, USA
To spot some of the most famous Sopranos landmarks, fans can take an organized tour, stopping at recognizable spots from the series, from the Bada Bing nightclub to Pizza Land. Fans can even visit Holsten’s Brookdale Confectionery in Bloomfield and sit in the same seat Tony Soprano sat in the final scene of the series.
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The Wire, Baltimore, USA
Often gracing lists of the best TV shows ever made, The Wire explores corruption, failed capitalism and racism in Baltimore, Maryland. The lauded HBO series was spread over five seasons, and Maryland’s most famous city came to life on the screen.
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The Wire, Baltimore, USA
Unlike many other popular shows, which are filmed in studios or in different cities to where they are set, The Wire is inextricably connected to Baltimore, with many of its storylines based on real-life events. Fans can take The Wire Tour, organized by Charm City Tour – it’s a grand sweep of Baltimore, stopping at several of the show’s most important filming locations, from Marlo Stanfield’s Hangout to the Pit.
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Poldark, Cornwall, England
While the storylines and dialogue in Poldark are certainly gripping, viewers can’t take their eyes off the most spectacular sight of all: the Cornish background. Depicted strikingly in countless scenes, Cornwall’s dramatic cliffs are used as a backdrop for difficult conversations, and many of its scenic beaches have been used as swimming spots.
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Poldark, Cornwall, England
Fans of the show will recognize Cornwall in so many scenes, from the beaches of Porthgwarra, where the main character, Ross Poldark, took a dip in the first series, to the popular horse-riding location of Bodmin Moor, which characters often gallop across at high speeds.
You can check out more Poldark filming locations here
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Lost, Hawaii, USA
You’d be forgiven for thinking that Lost – the slightly far-fetched series that gripped us all in the 2000s – really was filmed on a remote island impossible to spot from the rest of the world. The show followed characters fighting for survival in the wake of a plane crash and, despite the trials and tribulations of the protagonists, gave us more than a little wanderlust.
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Lost, Hawaii, USA
However, despite the island seeming incredibly obscure and inaccessible, the popular show was in fact filmed in Hawaii, on the island of Oahu. The series was shot in a number of dreamy locations on the island, but true fans of the show can head to Police Beach – this remote strand on the North Shore is the home of the survivors’ beach camp and one of the most recognizable backdrops for the series.
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Game of Thrones, Iceland
The incredibly popular and prolific Game Of Thrones was filmed all over the world, from Croatia and Ireland to Malta and Spain, and it has been credited with hugely boosting tourist numbers in its many filming locations (even leading to overtourism in some places). One country that truly glitters on screen is Iceland and, thanks to its striking background and dramatic weather, it has been home to numerous recognizable scenes throughout the series.
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Game of Thrones, Iceland
Incredible places with brief or extended cameos throughout the eight seasons include the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon (pictured), Vatnajökull (Vatna Glacier), Thingvellir National Park – part of Iceland’s Golden Circle – and the northern Lake Mývatn area. Die-hard fans will be pleased to know that a number of companies run dedicated Game of Thrones-themed tours to various spots throughout Iceland – these include Gray Line and Extreme Iceland.
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Downton Abbey, Hampshire, England
The beloved British series Downton Abbey wouldn’t be the same without its palatial setting. But in real life, the grand country estate is called Highclere Castle and is located in north Hampshire. It belongs to George Herbert, 8th Earl of Carnarvon, and the Countess of Carnarvon.
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Downton Abbey, Hampshire, England
Fans of the series, take note: the setting of Downton Abbey can be visited in real life, since Highclere Castle opens its doors to visitors on selected days throughout the year. Visitors can roam in the spectacular gardens, which include a wildflower meadow in summer, and even enjoy afternoon tea. There are also guided tours available taking in the glittering state rooms, bedrooms and the Egyptian exhibition.
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The Crown, the UK and Kenya
Netflix’s The Crown, a fascinating biographical series about the life of Queen Elizabeth II, has plenty of recognizable landmarks in all its four series. The show offers up some of Britain’s most famous sights, from Buckingham Palace (whose interior is actually London’s Lancaster House) to Westminster Abbey, played by Ely Cathedral.
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The Crown, the UK and Kenya
Balmoral Castle takes center stage in many stories throughout series four, including Gillian Anderson’s Margaret Thatcher visiting the Queen with her husband Denis as well as Diana, played by Emma Corrin, coming to spend a weekend with the family and hunting with Prince Philip. The stand in for the real deal’s exterior was the impressive Ardverikie House in Kinloch Laggan in the Scottish Highlands that had already featured in the second series.
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The Crown, the UK and Kenya
Many fans of the show will also remember the stunning scenes following the royals’ experiences in Kenya. South Africa actually stood in for Kenya through the series, but you can have your own regal escape at Kenya’s Treetops Lodge, still open to guests. Portrayed as a place where the royal couple come face-to-face with an unruly elephant, it’s best-known as the location where the real Princess Elizabeth was told of her father’s death – and thus, where she found out she would become queen.
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