A scenic landscape with green hills, trees, and a curving railway bridge in the foreground under a partly cloudy sky.

Screen Tourism in Britain

Step Into the Stories You’ve Seen On Screen

Creates instant connection and recognisable moments within real places

Adds cultural and historical context beyond what appears on screen
Helps shape relaxed, themed itineraries without dictating the whole route

Screen tourism is about more than ticking off famous filming spots — it’s a way of adding meaning, familiarity and narrative to a road trip. Visiting places you’ve already seen in films or television helps anchor your journey in stories you recognise, while still allowing you to experience the real character of each location. Across Britain, historic houses, villages, coastlines and city streets have doubled as everything from period drama backdrops to fantasy worlds, often chosen because of their genuine history, architecture or landscapes.

When woven thoughtfully into a wider itinerary, on-screen locations give structure to a day’s driving, offer a fresh perspective on well-known places, and encourage slower, more curious travel. They’re also a natural way to discover lesser-visited areas beyond major cities, supporting local communities along the way. Rather than travelling just to “see a set”, screen tourism works best when it deepens your understanding of a place — blending film, history and landscape into a more memorable road trip experience.

Screen Tourism: Visiting Film & TV Locations on a UK Road Trip

A large medieval castle atop a grassy hill with a few trees, under a clear blue sky.

Screen tourism—sometimes called film or TV location travel—is about visiting real places you’ve already encountered on screen, and experiencing them beyond the frame. Done well, it adds a clear sense of purpose to a road trip: you’re not simply passing through a destination, but stepping into recognisable settings and seeing how they function as real, lived-in places.

These locations are rarely chosen at random. Historic buildings, landscapes and towns are selected because they bring authenticity, atmosphere and character to a story. Visiting them in person helps reveal how much of what you see on screen is grounded in genuine history, architecture and geography. Screen tourism works best when it complements a wider journey—adding context, familiarity and storytelling to your route, while still allowing space to explore the place on its own terms.

Favourite Screen Tourism Locations in Britain Worth Building Into a Road Trip

Alnwick Castle: Best known as the setting for Harry Potter’s first broomstick lesson, Alnwick Castle was chosen for its dramatic open bailey and strong medieval character. Filming here was done largely outdoors, which allowed visitors to continue exploring much of the site during production. Today, the castle leans into its on-screen fame while still foregrounding its long Norman history.
Glenfinnan Viaduct: The sweeping curve of the viaduct became iconic as the Hogwarts Express route. Filming had to work around real rail schedules, meaning limited windows for capturing the shot. Watching the Jacobite Steam Train cross today is as much about the landscape as the cinematic moment.
Lacock Abbey: A favourite for filmmakers because its medieval interiors require very little alteration. Corridors, cloisters and rooms appear across several Harry Potter films, making it one of the most reused Hogwarts locations.
Durham Cathedral: Used for early Hogwarts cloister scenes, the cathedral’s Romanesque architecture gave filmmakers instant gravitas. Filming is now tightly controlled, but visitors can still walk the same exterior routes used on screen.
Castle Ward: The estate doubled as Winterfell in Game of Thrones. Its unusual split architectural style allowed different moods to be filmed in one location, reducing the need for multiple sites.
Highclere Castle: Instantly recognisable as Downton Abbey, Highclere required careful filming schedules to fit around real life in the house. Interiors were filmed with minimal set dressing to preserve authenticity.
Bourton-on-the-Water: Frequently used to represent an idealised English village. Crews often filmed very early in the morning to avoid crowds and modern signage.
Puzzlewood: This ancient woodland has appeared in fantasy and sci-fi productions. Boardwalks and paths were reinforced to protect the landscape during filming.
St Michael’s Mount: Its tidal causeway adds drama both on and off screen. Filming schedules are dictated by the tides, making logistics part of the challenge.
Avebury Stone Circle: Unlike Stonehenge, filming can take place among the stones themselves. Productions often favour it for a more immersive, less restricted feel.

Together, these locations show how screen tourism works best when it enhances a place’s real story—adding recognition and curiosity without overshadowing its history or landscape.

What makes screen tourism genuinely worthwhile?

Rather than chasing photo opportunities alone, the most rewarding “seen-on-screen” stops combine context, access and place.

Instant connection
Familiar scenes make places feel approachable the moment you arrive. Even first-time visitors often find it easier to orientate themselves and decide what to see.
Deeper storytelling
Many productions choose locations for their real history, architecture or landscapes. Visiting them reveals why they work so well on screen—and what’s been creatively adapted.
Natural itinerary structure
Screen locations act as anchors around which you can plan cafés, walks, museums and overnight stops, turning a theme into a balanced day out.
Shared enthusiasm
These places attract like-minded visitors. You’ll often find knowledgeable staff, small exhibitions or informal tips from other fans.
Positive local impact
Film-linked travel tends to spread visitors beyond major cities, supporting heritage sites, villages and rural economies.

Making screen tourism work on a road trip

To keep it enjoyable rather than gimmicky:

Pair each location with something local – a short walk, market town, garden or museum nearby.
Check access in advance – some interiors are seasonal or ticketed, while others are exterior-only.
Avoid peak times – popular screen locations are best early or late in the day.
Let the place lead – enjoy what’s genuinely there, not just what appeared on screen.

Screen locations with Uncover Britain

Across selected road trips, Uncover Britain highlights On Screen locations within wider regional routes—so they sit naturally alongside history, landscapes, food stops and scenic drives rather than standing alone. These appear on the Uncover More maps for members, helping you spot filming locations without building an itinerary around them entirely.

In short: screen tourism works best when it enhances a place rather than replacing it. Treat film and TV locations as a lens through which to explore Britain—and you’ll come away with both recognisable scenes and real memories.