Cover Daniel Craig's Bond deftly negotiates the hotel's rooftop on his way to assassinate Sciarra in 'Spectre'
Daniel Craig's Bond deftly negotiates the hotel's rooftop on his way to assassinate Sciarra in 'Spectre'
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From high atop the Meteora monasteries to the bustling markets of Tangier, traverse the globe with 007 himself in Assouline’s latest title, ‘James Bond Destinations’
These destinations are not just backgrounds, or even backgrounds that simply inform characters,
says 007 producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. In our movies, they are characters.
Suave and debonair, with a lethal charm and a licence to kill, James Bond has enchanted spy enthusiasts since his inception in Ian Fleming’s novels and his first cinematic appearance in 1962’s Dr. No. Since then, the international globetrotter has set the standard in the espionage genre. These adventures have been a hallmark of his character, where sleuthing and travel converge to create an unparalleled cinematic experience.
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Above Map of featured James Bond destinations
Map of featured James Bond destinations
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In Assouline’s newest publication, James Bond Destinations, crime novelist and bonafide Bond aficionado Daniel Pembrey takes readers to more than 20 iconic international locations featured in EON Productions’ long-running series of films. Each chapter contains remarkable behind-the-scenes shots and rarely-before-seen photographs, detailed with exotic locales and complete with insider insights.
In the early to mid-1960s, international travel was comparatively rare, so people turned to various forms of entertainment, such as the movies, in order to sate their wanderlust. When Bond first graced the silver screen, cinema-goers were spellbound. The secret agent’s high-speed, intrepid odysseys established the classical film series as the ultimate travel guide, beholding audiences to far-off settings one could only dream about.
These locations are attuned to the fantasy of luxury travel, to which fans of the franchise live vicariously and on the edge of their seats. It’s the riveting sensation of leaping from rooftop to rooftop and traipsing vast deserts on camelback; the exchange of coins and banter in a Tangier marketplace, and the roar of a Rolls-Royce speeding along a cliffside road–all while staring down the barrel of an enemy’s pistol.
Above Sean Connery in Jamaica holding the clapper board for the 1962 film
'Dr. No'
Above The cover of 'James Bond Destinations'
Sean Connery in Jamaica holding the clapper board for the 1962 film 'Dr. No'
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Despite his base in London, Bond maintains a spiritual home in Jamaica. The verdine Caribbean island emanates a welcome tranquillity–a moment of respite for the world-weary spy–all while the whisper of thrill lurks in the background. No Time To Die location manager Charlie Hayes admitted, “It is this incredible, almost mythical place in Bond folklore. There’s no chance of accurately replicating it for real [using other locations]. We wanted to be there to smell and taste it.” Ian Fleming, author of the James Bond novels himself, had a residence there, aptly called Goldeneye, a tropical haven where he spent his time writing, gardening and spear-fishing for lobsters.
2012’s Skyfall pays homage to Bond’s roots in Scotland. Indeed, the latter part of the film involved a game of cat-and-mouse along the misty grounds of Skyfall Lodge, 007’s own boyhood home. Like his character, Fleming spent much of his youth on his family’s Glencoe estate, Black Mount Lodge, where he hunted deer and dressed in kilts. Sean Connery’s iteration of Bond was laced with a Scottish subtlety, owing to his working-class Edinburgh background. According to producer Michael G. Wilson, “James Bond’s Scottish roots are fundamental to who he is as a character.”
Above Bond's elegant Jamaican retirement home in 'No Time To Die' drew inspiration from Ian Fleming's simple, well-ventilated Jamaican house called Goldeneye
Bond's elegant Jamaican retirement home in 'No Time To Die' drew inspiration from Ian Fleming's simple, well-ventilated Jamaican house called Goldeneye
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In Spectre, Bond and love interest Dr Madeleine Swann find themselves situated in the deserts of Erfoud in southern Morocco. They watch as the villain Blofeld’s lair is blown up before their eyes; the biggest practical-effect explosion ever made for a film at that time. The wide-open expanse, consisting mostly of sand and sky, allowed the production team to play around with potential stunts and special effects. Bond and Swann also make their way to the port city of Tangier, home to the sprawling Palais Mendoub featured in 1987’s The Living Daylights, where Timothy Dalton’s 007 made his first appearance.
Venice’s old-world allure, with its baroque buildings, dotted along winding canals, epitomises romance, which the franchise simply cannot exist without. Exceedingly emotive and shrouded in mystery, this location was heavily featured in 2006’s Casino Royale, where Daniel Craig’s Bond watches his lover drown alongside a crumbling palazzo on the Grand Canal just north of the Rialto Bridge. The scene was actually filmed in a tank at Pinewood Studios, 20 miles outside London. Wilson remarked, “... I met someone who was really angry, asking me, ‘How could you destroy such a beautiful palazzo in Venice?’ I had to explain that it didn’t happen for real.”
Above Pierce Brosnan's Bond and spy agent Wai Lin, played by Michelle Yeoh, check their equipment en route to the South China Sea aboard a fishing vessel in 'Tomorrow Never Dies'
Above The Bond production directly helped the upkeep of the maharajah's expensive-to-maintain property, which included pleasure gardens and elephant stables
Pierce Brosnan's Bond and spy agent Wai Lin, played by Michelle Yeoh, check their equipment en route to the South China Sea aboard a fishing vessel in 'Tomorrow Never Dies'
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The cliff-top Monastery of the Holy Trinity at Meteora in Greece, featured in the Roger Moore paragon For Your Eyes Only, is one of the largest constructed complexes of the Eastern Orthodox religion. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site open to the public. Production of the film on the high-altitude set entailed a good amount of hardship, as some drop-off stunts caused Moore to endure vertigo. However, the results that speak volumes, manifested in jaw-dropping cinematic shots and sweeping sunset views.
Roger Moore’s arrival via seaplane on the beaches of Phang Nga Bay near Phuket, Thailand is quintessential 007–both the romancer and the thrill-seeker tightly packaged in a Savile Row suit. Regarding the 1974 production of The Man With the Golden Gun, Swedish actress Britt Ekland recalls miles and miles of empty white beaches, completely devoid of hotels and tourists. Now, Khao Phing Kan Island in Phang Nga Bay is widely known for its appearance in the franchise, popularly dubbed James Bond Island and attracting visitors from all over the world.
Above James Bond (played by Roger Moore) and Melina Havelock return to her father's boat in search of clues to the lost ATAC device that was used to communicate with the Royal Navy's fleet of submarines
Above After boarding a Riva Aquarama Special speedboat, Bond steals aboard the Manticore to find the admiral dead
James Bond (played by Roger Moore) and Melina Havelock return to her father's boat in search of clues to the lost ATAC device that was used to communicate with the Royal Navy's fleet of submarines
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Known for his iconic urbane demeanour and penchant for high stakes, along with an arsenal of high-tech weapons, and a bevvy of darling-but-dangerous femme fatales, James Bond has become synonymous with class and an utterly British sophistication. It’s only fair that his travels encapsulate the glamour of luxury and the lure of adrenaline.
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Credits
Images: Courtesy of Assouline
About
Julianna has been interested in leading a literary life since she first read Frances Hodgson Burnett's A Little Princess at eight. Before working with Tatler, she was an archive intern at The Center for Fiction in Brooklyn, New York. She is a textbook Pisces who devotes most of her spare time to her crochet projects, watching classic films, and going through her never-ending pile of unread books. She studied creative writing, global literature and art history at Sarah Lawrence College, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2022. Toni Morrison, Nora Ephron, Clarice Lispector and Jia Tolentino are among her all-time favourite writers.
Work
Julianna writes about fashion, beauty, sustainability, and the arts. She is always keen on conducting interviews with talented women who are changing the game in their respective fields.
For event invites and story leads, hit her up at julianna.cabili@tatlerasia.com
