Explore the 8 most iconic James Bond film locations

Spectacular homes fit for a secret agent

Along with dazzling destinations, armed henchmen and witty one-liners, spectacular buildings are essential ingredients of any Bond film.

From baronial mansions to magnificent Mediterranean villas and glamourous 'Bond-villain lairs', we've brought together a selection of show-stopping properties that featured in the films or have an undeniable connection to James Bond.

Click or scroll through this gallery for more but beware, there may be spoilers ahead...

The Elrod House in Diamonds are Forever

The otherworldly Elrod House was designed by architect John Lautner for interior designer Arthur Elrod. You can see it here, almost hidden on a craggy Californian hilltop, in Diamonds are Forever – a Sean Connery classic from 1971. 

The Elrod House, California, USA

Built in 1968, the luxurious concrete residence with its conical dome is perched on a hillside a mile outside of Palm Springs – the perfect viewpoint for Blofeld's stooges to spot an incoming Bond. 

The Elrod House, California, USA

Beneath the iconic dome, a dramatic 60-foot (18m) circular living room oozes elegance and style, with a black herringbone floor and atmospheric rock formations that come right into the room.

Swathes of glass frame sweeping views of the breathtaking valley below – as we can see from this scene in which Bond attempts to fight off two of Blofeld's henchwomen.

The Elrod House, California, USA

Bond was less than impressed at being thrown into the pool, but we'd love to take a dip in the circular structure – particularly with that incredible view!

Elsewhere, there are five bedrooms and a separate guest house, so there's ample space to host sophisticated soirees.

The Elrod House, California, USA

Back in 1971, Connery was snapped between takes relaxing in the home's iconic living room. He's sitting in a classic 1969 Gaetano Pesce 'Up' chair.

These days there's a state-of-the-art gym adjacent to the main living space, which leads out onto a concrete terrace flanked by palm trees. We can't imagine a more idyllic place to work out.

Ian Fleming’s GoldenEye home

What could be more iconic than the home of James Bond’s creator, Ian Fleming? The author’s Jamaican paradise, known as the GoldenEye estate, is the idyllic location in which Fleming penned every one of the 14 James Bond books and you can actually stay there…

Fleming Villa, St Mary, Jamaica

Named after a naval operation Fleming was part of in 1942, the GoldenEye villa was imagined just four years later when he discovered the picturesque town of Oracabessa Bay in Jamaica.

Fleming is said to have sketched his ‘dream villa’ on a desk blotter and so the island paradise inspired three James Bond books – Dr. No, Live and Let Die, and The Man with the Golden Gun – all set in Jamaica.

Fleming Villa, St Mary, Jamaica

Fleming's original villa boasts three bedrooms, each with a tropical garden bath area and a garden shower, a private pool, a private beach and tropical gardens.

Visitors will also be treated to a dedicated staff – which includes a butler, housekeeper and a cook – for the ultimate carefree Bond experience.

Fleming Villa, St Mary, Jamaica

Following Fleming’s death in 1964, Chris Blackwell – Island Records founder and location scout for Dr. No – bought GoldenEye.

Blackwell has since added 25 acres (10.1ha) to the original estate, including several stunning beach-front villas, private lagoon huts and numerous lagoon cottages – all with king-size beds, ensuite bathrooms and garden showers and bathtubs.

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Fleming Villa, St Mary, Jamaica

It’s easy to see why GoldenEye has attracted creatives of all types, including Noel Coward, Sting and Bono, who wrote the theme song to the GoldenEye film while staying at the resort.

Fleming himself is said to have suffered from writer’s block, but we can certainly see how he found inspiration for Bond’s exotic adventures while kicking back on his own secluded Caribbean beach.

Sassi ‘cave houses’ of Matera in No Time to Die

Without doubt, the stand-out location in James Bond's most recent adventure No Time to Die is the historic Italian town of Matera.

Among the high-octane car chases and exploding memorials, you’d be forgiven for becoming distracted by the breathtaking Basilicata town with its curious Sassi ‘cave houses’, thought to be the first human dwellings in Italy, dating back some 9,000 years according to The Guardian.

L’Hotel in Pietra, Matera, Italy

In No Time to Die, James Bond and Dr Madeleine Swann – played by Léa Seydoux – stay in an incredible cave suite in the historic city. Sadly for fans of the film, the luxurious abode was a set, constructed near the Piazzetta Pascoli in the Sassi area of Matera.

L’Hotel in Pietra, Matera, Italy

Once home to the poorest residents, many of these amazing dwellings carved into the hillside have been transformed into atmospheric pockets of luxury.

Even before James Bond sped his Aston Martin through its dusty streets, by 2017 a quarter of houses in the town were available to rent on Airbnb, according to the University of Siena. L’Hotel in Pietra, pictured, is fit for any billionaire Bond villain in search of secure underground headquarters.

L’Hotel in Pietra, Matera, Italy

Despite its rustic construction, each of the boutique hotel's six stone-carved rooms offers a surprising softness. Perhaps credited to the simple modernity of the décor, with white linen-draped four-poster beds, in-room whirlpool tubs and mood lighting that conjures an air of intimacy and romance.

The hotel even offers a ‘wellness’ suite, entirely carved into the rock on two levels. The top floor is home to a king-size bed, writing desk and designer furniture, while the lower level is equipped with a hot tub and a sauna – ideal for pampering after a gruelling MI6 mission. 

L’Hotel in Pietra, Matera, Italy

The town itself is perfect for fans of the franchise to explore even more striking locations featured in Daniel Craig’s last-ever appearance as Fleming's Bond.

Gravina in Puglia is home to the famous Roman bridge that James jumps off during the movie, while Sapri in the south-west of Italy offers a change of pace with the Spiaggia Aell’Arco Magnp beach, where filming of No Time to Die reportedly took place over two days.

Château d’Anet in Thunderball

At the beginning of the 1965 James Bond film Thunderball, Sean Connery as 007 makes a daring pursuit of the SPECTRE operative Colonel Jacques Bouvar, using a jetpack and his trusty Aston Martin DB5.

The chase takes place in and around a sumptuous French castle, which gives us a good insight into the wealth and influence of this global criminal organisation.

Château d’Anet, Dreux, France

Steeped in history and built by fine craftsmen, the castle is as beautiful today as it has ever been. The spectacular 16th-century Château d’Anet in northern France was built by King Henri II for his mistress Diane de Poitiers in 1548. 

Château d’Anet, Dreux, France

The exquisite chateau is a prime example of French Renaissance architecture and was built and designed by famed architect Philibert de l’Orme.

The chapel houses the tomb of Diane de Poitiers and its magnificent interior hints at the grandeur of the chateau. 

Château d’Anet, Dreux, France

Today, the magnificent building is a tourist attraction rather than a stately residence. After sections of the château were demolished in the late 18th century, only one wing remains.

Luckily, other buildings on the site survive, including the royal chapel, the imposing main gate featuring a fascinating clock that shows the phases of the moon and the funeral chapel where Diane is laid to rest.

Château d’Anet, Dreux, France

The exterior has beautiful rolling gardens designed by Jacques Mollet of the famous French gardening dynasty, along with intricate statues, including this one depicting Diane de Poitiers as Diana, the Roman goddess of hunting and nature. References to the deity appear repeatedly throughout the estate.

Thunderball isn’t the château’s only starring film role – it also featured in The Pink Panther Strikes Again in 1976.

Villa Sylva in For Your Eyes Only

The pool and gardens of the luxurious Villa Sylva appeared in the 1981 James Bond film For Your Eyes Only.

Roger Moore as 007 observes the enemy by the pool in the villa before he's caught by armed henchmen and escorted to meet the boss, Cuban hitman Hector Gonzales. Of course, it's less than a minute before he's fought his way out using little more than his MI6 training and a parasol.

Villa Sylva, Corfu, Greece

On the silver screen, the villa was located in Spain. In reality, however, the property is found on the tranquil east coast of Corfu. You can play at being a Bond villain yourself as the lavish residence is available to rent as a holiday home.

Villa Sylva, Corfu, Greece

The movie home is in a spectacular location with uninterrupted views of the Ionian Sea and the island of Pontikonisi.

If you want to make a quick getaway, Corfu Town with its airport and harbour is only 10 minutes away, plus you'll find a myriad of restaurants and cafes a stone's throw away from the property's front door.

Villa Sylva, Corfu, Greece

For entertaining your friends – or perhaps your enemies – there’s this fabulous 753-square-foot (70sqm) terrace where you can enjoy a meal or cocktails over tranquil vistas of the sea.

There’s also a guest house, three gardens and a private 52-foot-long (16m) pier – ideal for making a speedy escape when the henchman close in.

Villa Sylva, Corfu, Greece

Inside the main house, you'll find two master bedrooms and four twins – all with ensuite bathrooms – a large open-plan living and dining area, plus a reading room where you can plan your next move.

The guest house offers a further double bedroom and twin, both with private bathrooms. No stranger to the big screen, the house also featured in The Executioner starring George Peppard and Joan Collins in 1970.

Hankley Common as James Bond's family home in Skyfall

When you think of Skyfall, this iconic stag statue will likely spring to mind. It stood majestically on the stone gate post at the entrance to the long drive approaching James Bond's ancestral home in the franchise's 23rd film. 

Known in the film as Skyfall Lodge, the imposing home stands shrouded in mist on the shores of a loch in the Scottish Highlands. Except... it doesn't. The house was actually a set built on Hankley Common in Surrey, England – almost 600 miles from the Highlands.

Hankley Common, Surrey, UK

In Skyfall, Bond and M drive to the spy's childhood home in his iconic silver Aston Martin DB5. Having fallen into disrepair since the death of his parents, the house is solely inhabited by a gruff caretaker, Kincaid, played by the late Albert Finney. 

Despite its foreboding exterior, you could imagine with a bit of love and in better weather, the mansion would be a dream home to escape to.

Hankley Common, Surrey, UK

When Bond and M step inside, you'd be forgiven for wishing the house was real. Despite the dust, its large rooms, grand stonework and wood-panelled walls leave a lasting impression. 

As Bond makes his way around the house, as seen here, we see enormous open fireplaces, a baronial dining table, an abandoned piano and – most intriguing of all – a system of secret underground passageways. 

Hankley Common, Surrey, UK

Eventually, the supervillain Raoul Silva – played by Javier Bardem – catches up with the pair, leading to a showdown at Skyfall Lodge. 

The sequence ends with the old house going up in flames, so we can see why director Sam Mendes chose to build a set rather than film at a real house – the owners might have had something to say about it being burned down.

Hankley Common, Surrey, UK

Covered in heather and somewhat bleak, you can see why Hankley Common was a good substitute for a wild Scottish moor. The 1,384-acre (560ha) site is part of a larger Special Area of Conservation and Scientific Interest and is home to numerous walking trails.

Aside from Skyfall, the common has appeared in two further Bond films – The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day, both starring Pierce Brosnan.

Taj Lake Palace in Octopussy

Roger Moore, the fourth actor to play James Bond, and Swedish actress Maud Adams graced the beautiful Taj Lake Palace in Octopussy in 1983. They're pictured here on the palace's rooftop with the Indian city of Udaipur in the background.

The 13th film in the Bond franchise saw 007 hunt down a mysterious jewel thief, the eponymous Octopussy played by Adams, and attempt to foil a plot to blow up a NATO air base.

Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, India

Taj Lake Palace was built on a tiny island on Lake Pichola in Udaipur, northwest India. Building began in 1743 and the white marble palace was ready for its royal inhabitants just three years later. 

Originally known as Jag Niwas, the residence was built for local ruler Maharana Jagat Singh II as a secluded hideaway where he could entertain female friends in secret.

Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, India

In Octopussy, Bond tracks down the beautiful smuggler and thief to her idyllic hideout and – perhaps seduced by the beauty of the setting – a love story blossoms. 

The pair shared scenes filmed on this romantic rooftop terrace; Adams dressed in a pale blue sari and Moore wearing distinctly 80s attire.

Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, India

Bond encounters the villain's henchwomen – a troupe of acrobatic assassins – in this lush lagoon. 

No longer a private residence, Taj Lake Palace has been run as a hotel since 1963 and James Bond isn't the only famous face to have visited. Queen Elizabeth II, Jackie Kennedy and actresses Vivien Leigh and Judi Dench all stayed there over the years.

Jag Mandir Palace, Udaipur, India

Taj Lake Palace isn't the only 'floating' home on the lake to feature in the film. The nearby Jag Mandir Palace also makes an appearance. The building, now also a hotel, is instantly recognisable thanks to these marble elephant sculptures.

Fans of elegant architecture can enjoy the palace during the scene in which Kamal Khan, Bond's arch nemesis played by Louis Jourdan, approaches the lair by boat.

Ernest Hemingway's home in Licence to Kill

Timothy Dalton's Bond visited this elegant Spanish Colonial home in Licence to Kill, the 16th film in the iconic series. It's the backdrop for a confrontation between Bond and the spy chief M that leads to 007 leaving Her Majesty's Secret Service and going rogue.

In reality, the building is the former home of the late Nobel Prize-winning author Ernest Hemingway.

Ernest Hemingway's home in Licence to Kill

Having spent two summers in Key West, Florida, Hemingway and his wife Pauline fell in love with the area and moved into this house in 1931. Built in 1851, the home had seen better days, but the couple restored it into the elegant villa we see today. 

In 1937, Ernest and Pauline added the very first in-ground pool in Key West, which cost them $20,000 – that would be around $438,000 (£350k) today!

Ernest Hemingway's home in Licence to Kill

This beautiful balcony is the same spot on which Timothy Dalton and English actor Robert Brown, who played M, filmed their scene. 

The lush tropical foliage surrounding the house shields it from the street, as do the high walls Hemingway built to create a private sanctuary in which to write. 

Ernest Hemingway's home in Licence to Kill

Today, the house is a museum laid out much as it would have been in Hemingway's time – right down to the typewriter in his writing room, tucked away in a room above the garage.

Hemmingway wrote To Have and Have Not between 1935 and 1937 and it features many real Key West characters he encountered during his time on the island.

Ernest Hemingway's home in Licence to Kill

The amazing tilework, corner tub and large arched windows in this bathroom make us feel as if we've stepped inside a time warp home, transporting us straight back to the 1930s. 

Sadly, Hemingway and Pauline split up in 1940 and the writer moved to Cuba with his third wife. However, Key West remained a special place for him and he returned to the island many times before he died in 1961.

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