TURKEY – Istanbul, Basilica Cistern // From Russia With Love (1963)
Istanbul delights with magnificent sights wherever one looks. Even below: Underneath famous Hagia Sofia is a cool cistern, silently lingering in darkness. Continue reading
Category Archives: Travel
Of Men and Monkeys
INDIA – Udaipur, Monsoon Palace // Octopussy (1983)
The Monsoon Palace had been a perfect villain home, but is now derelict and empty. But still, the place is filled with magic – at a certain time of day. Continue reading
Variations on a Rococo Theatre
AUSTRIA – Vienna, Schönbrunn Palace Theatre // The Living Daylights (1987)
One of the most beautiful theaters to attend to in Vienna is the one, where late emperor Franz Joseph I and his wife “Sissi” sat in. It’s not always open for public – but there are some royal eventualities. Continue reading
Gambling with Achilles
GREECE – Corfu, Achillion Palace // For Your Eyes Only (1981)
The Achillion Palace on Corfu is one of the islands highlights. Whitewashed columns, cypress trees and mythic statues make up for a perfect Bond location. Continue reading
The Kaisers Casino
CZECH REPUBLIC – Karlovy Vary, Kaiserbad Spa // Casino Royale (2006)
It has been a noble bath house and a fancy casino. Nowadays, the renaissance modelled “Kaiserbad” in Karlovy Vary is empty – but invites you for its looks none the less. Continue reading
The Last Resort
TURKEY – Istanbul, Sirkeci train station // From Russia With Love (1963)
Right in the heart of the Istanbul melting pot is an oasis of silence: the Sirkeci terminus. Go there for some minutes of Bosphorus tranquility – and for a guaranteed time travel. Continue reading
A Love to Remember
INDIA – Agra, Taj Mahal // Octopussy (1983)
One say a person can only find one big love in a lifetime. The Taj Mahal is a strong supporter of that theory – as it was built as a monument for the love between an Indian shah and his wife. But how does James Bond fit in here? Continue reading
Bridges at Tiffany’s
THE NETHERLANDS – Amsterdam, Reguliersgracht // Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
Apart from decent cheese the Netherlands are mostly famous for their diamond trade. And for their small houses, their teeny-tiny houses. Which can hardly host an elevator, can they? Continue reading
The Ambassador’s Strife
THE BAHAMAS – Nassau, the fake embassy of “Nambutu” // Casino Royale (2006)
Running up and down the hills of the colonial part of Nassau just to find the “Casino Royale” Madagascar embassy was kind of a paper chase. Lucky those who find it: Hidden inside the fake embassy is a rum distillery. Continue reading
Cash on the Barrelhead
USA – Key West, Barrelhead Bar // Licence to Kill (1989)
If there’s one thing never missing in a Bond movie – except for a hot girl and a cool Martini – it’s a tangible fist fight. Just some minutes from the city centre of Key West invites the “Barrelhead Bar” with its original neon sign to a rather unexpected cuisine. Continue reading
A Splendide Choice
CZECH REPUBLIC – Karlovy Vary, Grandhotel Pupp // Casino Royale (2006)
The Casino Royale Hotel “Splendide” was a place of luxe and lavishness. Soon, a real hotel named “Splendid” opened in Montenegro. But get not confused: The real grandezza still waits in a small spa haven in eastern Czech Republic. Continue reading
Beauty in White
GREECE – Kanoni, Vlacherna Monastery // For Your Eyes Only (1981)
The islands south of Kanoni are by far the most iconic landscapes on Corfu, especially the whitewashed Vlacherna monastery. It goes without saying, that a Bond movie had to get the camera rolling here. Continue reading