7 Best Movie Sets in London
London is one of the most popular filming destinations in the world and it’s not hard to see why. The city’s beautiful streets, stores, restaurants and iconic landmarks have been featured in hundreds of movies all over the world, making travelling to the city even more exciting.
If you would like a virtual glimpse of the city’s famous locations while watching some great films, we’ve put together a list of the best movies set in London.
From romantic comedies, classic dramas, to thrillers, below are 7 remarkable movies set in London.
7 Best Movie Sets in London
1. Notting Hill
2. Paddington
3. Mary Poppins
4. Sherlock Holmes
5. A Hard Day’s Night
6. Four Weddings and a Funeral
7. Harry Potter
Best Movie Set in London
1. Notting Hill
A romantic classic written by Richard Curtis, starring award winning actress Julia Roberts and Hugh Jackson. The movie follows the love story of Anna(Julia), a famous movie star and William Thacker(Hugh), a bookstore owner falling in love in Notting Hill.
It was released in 1999 and quickly became one of the highest grossing movies in the UK the same year. Today, it has made nearly 400 million dollars worldwide.
Major scenes from the hit movie were filmed in locations in Notting Hill, a popular district in London.
The famous blue door of Williams Thacker’s flat is located at no. 280 Westbourne Park Road, a great place for tourists to take pictures in the area. Although the original blue door was auctioned off for charity, it was eventually replaced by a blue replica.
Another popular Nottingham location is the travel bookshop where Anna and Will meet for the first time. 142 Portobello Road was the fictional bookshop set up to look like the Notting Hill Bookshop at 13 Blenheim Crescent.
If you visit the location today, you will find a gift shop with a cool sign that says ‘The travel bookshop’ on the side of the building.
There’s also the iconic Nobu restaurant at 19 Old Park Ln, Mayfair, where Anna confronts a group of tourists gossiping about her.
Release date: 1999
2. Best Movie Sets in London: Paddington
The heartwarming movie Paddington was filmed in different locations in London.
The movie showcases the life of a Peruvian bear and his adventures all around the big city. The first movie was released in 2014 and an exciting sequel followed in 2017. So far, the movie has grossed over 280 million USD worldwide.
Most of the scenes were filmed in original locations in west London, giving fans a view of the city’s best sights.
The station where the bear was initially discovered was filmed in Paddington Station and Marylebone Station was used for the exterior.
Mr Gruber’s Antique shop is located at 86 Portobello Road in Notting Hill. The shop’s real name is Alice’s Antique Store and is a popular tourist spot in the area.
The movie also showcases the beautiful buildings in some of London’s most expensive neighbourhoods like the pastel colored house where the Brown’s family lived on Chalcot Crescent in Primrose Hill.
There’s also the Natural History Museum in South Kensington and St Paul’s Cathedral in London.
Release date: 2014
3. Mary Poppins Returns
Mary Poppins is a movie adaptation of the 1934 children’s books written by P.L. Travers. The first movie was released in 1964 starring Julie Andrews as the angelic Mary Poppins who changed the lives of Mr Banks naughty children for the better.
The original movie was filmed entirely in California, USA while scenes from the 2017 sequel was shot in London.
Mary Poppins Returns, set 24 years after the first movie, continues the story of Micheal and Jane Banks, figuring life out as grown ups. In this sequel, Emily Blunt as Mary Poppins.
The movie was primarily filmed at Shepperton and Pinewood Studios in Surrey, with external shots filmed in real locations around London.
In the opening scene, there’s a shot of the historic London Tower bridge which tourists can walk across for free. The popular ‘Feed the Birds’ scene in the movie showed shots of St Paul’s Cathedral, the famous dome Cathedral in London and a popular tourist destination.
The bike ride scenes featured shots of Buckingham Palace and there were also shots of the Bank of England which is on Threadneedle Street.
Release date: 1964
4. Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a classic British movie about a detective solving mystery cases in various locations across London. The movie scenes accentuates the appeal of London’s famous sights and neighbourhoods.
Sherlock’s Holmes Museum in 221b Baker Street which was initially the fictional residence, now features a gift shop with the world’s largest collection of Sherlock Holmes memorabilia.
In the first Sherlock Holmes, you would see beautiful shots of Russell Square gardens, one of the largest squares in the city for a peaceful retreat.
There are also exterior shots of the prestigious Clermont London Hotel and St. Bartholomew’s Hospital Museum, one of the oldest London hospitals where Molly Hooper works in the series.
For Sherlock Holmes fans, you’ll have a nice time exploring the iconic places where the movie was filmed in London.
Release date: 2009
5. A Hard Day’s Night
A 1964 musical comedy starring the popular British rock band called the Beatles.
The film features a fictional representation of 36 hours of the band’s life in London. The first scene of the movie was filmed in Marylebone Station; a popular London station which has been featured in many hit movies and shows.
A scene was also filmed on Thornbury Playing Fields in Isleworth, south London to complete footage of the ‘can’t buy me love’ sequence in the movie.
Les Ambassadeurs Casino, which is the casino where Paul’s grandfather goes gambling is located at no. 5 Hamilton Place.
Release date: 1964
6. Four Weddings and a Funeral
Four Weddings and a Funeral is one of the best British rom coms set in London, featuring five friends who attended five events and finding the love of their lives.
The movie stars Hugh Grant, James Fleet, Andie MacDowell, John Hannah, Simon Callow, Charlotte Coleman, and Kristin Scott Thomas.
It was directed by Mike Newell and won the British Comedy Award for Best Comedy Films in 1994.
Filming was shot at popular places around London including, St Bartholomew the Great Church, Shepperton Studios, Crown Hotel, Cafe Rouge, and National Film Theatre.
Release date: 1994
7. Best Movie Sets in London: Harry Potter
A fantasy movie series based on author J.K Rowling’s 7 part novel written in 1887, has become one of the world’s best known fictional characters.
The movie follows the story of a young orphaned boy discovering his magical powers and fighting evil battles with his friends. It is one of the highest grossing movie series of all time, making over $7 billion from 2001 till date.
The 8 part series was shot in a number locations across London and England for the ten years that it was produced. In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the scene where Ron disappeared through a wall was filmed at King’s Cross Station.
The London Zoo, London Inn fields, Thames Bridge, and the Borough Market can also be seen in various shots in the movie.
If you’re a Harry potter fan, you’ll have a field day exploring the film sets in London.
Release date: 2001
Conclusion
If you’d like to get a sense of what London is like, the above-listed movies have amazing backdrops of the most vibrant neighbourhoods and landmarks in the city.
