Uncharted
Travel Like 007: James Bond Locations Around the World
Key West, Florida In Licence to Kill (1989) with Timothy Dalton as 007, Bond chases his enemy to Mexico and, on the way, has a run-in with his boss, M, in Key West. The building—known for its beautiful architecture and the nearly 50 cats that live on-site—was the home of author Ernest Hemingway.
02 Dunn’s River Falls
Ocho Rios, Jamaica
In almost every adventure, the secret agent finds himself on a beautiful tropical island with an equally attractive woman. Many remember Sean Connery in the first Bond film, Dr. No (1962), with Ursula Andress and her famous white bikini. The locale is a popular tourist destination, but if you visit, don’t expect it to be quite as secluded as it was for James and the first Bond girl.
03 ESO Hotel
Cerro Paranal, Chile
The villains of Quantum of Solace (2008) meet at a hotel in the desert to finalize their plans, and Bond (Daniel Craig) is there with the latest Bond girl (Olga Kurylenko) to foil them. In real life, the hotel is at the Paranal Observatory in the Atacama Desert in an area known for amazing stargazing and breathtaking scenery.
04 Casino de Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo, Monaco
What would Bond be without a wellfitting tuxedo and an extravagant casino? Visit the same hotel and casino the secret agent did in both Never Say Never Again (1983, Sean Connery) and Goldeneye
(1995, Pierce Brosnan). High rollers can enter tournaments for Texas hold’em, roulette and baccarat (a favorite of Bond’s) with prizes up to 500,000 euros.
05 Furka Pass
The Alps, Switzerland
In the classic Goldfinger (1964, Sean Connery), Bond races along these precarious cliffs in pursuit of the villain. The sharp turns and breakneck speeds in classic cars make this an adrenaline-packed scene. You can drive the same road (at a much slower pace), but it is a region known for snow, so be careful.
06 Varda Viaduct
Hacikiri, Turkey
Fight scenes in blood-pumping locations are a staple of Bond films. Skyfall (2012, Daniel Craig) opens with a motorbike chase through Istanbul, and the scene comes to a climax with a fistfight on top of a moving train as it crosses Varda Viaduct, a stone bridge 320 feet above a rocky canyon. Take a train across the bridge along the Baghdad Railway line, but make sure to stay in the train car.
07 Giza Pyramid Complex
Giza, Egypt
The pyramids serve as a beautiful and eerily-lit backdrop for the murder of an informant by henchman, Jaws (the man with steel teeth) in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). This iconic tourist destination outside Cairo didn’t need any help from Bond to put it on the map, but fans can enjoy the added bonus of exploring the area with this Roger Moore film in mind.
08 Dragon Garden
Tsing Lung Tau, Hong Kong
In The Man With the Golden Gun (1974, Roger Moore), Bond infiltrates these gardens—the residential compound of bad guy Hai Fat—at night, taking out guards along the way. The scene is supposed to take place in Bangkok, but the location is actually a 20-acre private park in Hong Kong. It is now owned by Lumina College, which runs occasional guided tours.
09 Himeji Castle
Himeji, Japan
In You Only Live Twice (1967, Sean Connery) Bond visits the ninja training school of Japanese secret service boss Tiger Tanaka at this complex of historic buildings outside Kyoto. Also known as “The White Heron Castle,” it dates back to 1333 and is a popular tourist stop.