A local’s movie itinerary in London with film locations, sculptures and shops – 2 days in London for cinema lovers to see Paddington, Harry Potter, Kingsman…
I’ve always absolutely loved London for its cultural vibe, especially with all the stunning bookstores you can find tucked away there.
The city is also full of secret gardens where you’ll stumble upon iconic statues, like the Peter Pan one in Kensington Gardens.
Plus, there’s an incredible number of cinemas and theaters with really affordable tickets.
They’re honestly perfect if it’s your first time in London and you want to catch a play or a new release at the Odeon or the Vue in Leicester Square.
Today, we’re focusing on a fresh and offbeat way to see the city: a movie itinerary.
Movie Itinerary in London: 2 Perfect Days For Cinema Lovers
We’ll start by wandering around Notting Hill and Mayfair before hitting the heart of the West End.
That’s where you’ll find the buzz of Leicester Square and Shaftesbury Avenue, right by Chinatown and Soho.
The second day will be spent exploring the historic spots, the beautiful neighborhoods of the East End, and some of the older districts too.
Basically, we’ll be checking out the exact locations where British series and films were partially shot.
We’re talking Harry Potter, obviously, but also other classics like Four Weddings and a Funeral.
London Movie Itinerary: Day 1
Focusing on Notting Hill, Mayfair, and the heart of the West End.
I suggest we start in West London, since it takes a little while to reach Notting Hill on the Central Line; we’ll get off at Notting Hill Gate station and take a slow stroll down Portobello Road.
It’s a stunning street and one of the most colorful spots in London, packed with vintage boutiques and endless cheap eats.
You can find everything from Italian to Asian cuisine, where you can grab a quick snack and enjoy it while admiring the pretty, pastel-colored houses along the road.
Stop 1: Portobello Road & Notting Hill, West London
Notting Hill is obviously a posh and sophisticated neighborhood, but it’s also a must-see for a London movie itinerary.
This is where you’ll find the famous blue door at 280 Westbourne Park Road and the Travel Bookshop at 142 Portobello Road from the movie Notting Hill (which I’m absolutely not ashamed to say I’ve seen at least a dozen times!).
Further up at 82 Portobello Road, closer to Notting Hill Gate, you’ll find Alice’s Antiques, which served as the exterior for Mr. Gruber’s antique shop – a key Paddington film location for both the first and second movies.
Stop 2: Chalcot Crescent, Primrose Hill
I’m obsessed with London’s colorful spots and I’ve already told you all about them, from Bonny Street in Camden Town to Kelly Street in Kentish Town.
But of course, we can’t forget Chalcot Square and the famous Chalcot Crescent that leads right to it.
This curved street, lined with those stunning high-energy houses, is the real-life Windsor Gardens where the Brown family lives, at number 30.
It’s an absolute must-see for this movie itinerary and one of my favorite places in the city.
Just a stone’s throw away, parts of Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason were filmed right on Primrose Hill. Meanwhile, The King’s Speech features several scenes shot nearby in Regent’s Park.
Oh, and Regent’s Park itself is home to a hidden gem: a charming little Japanese garden that is just so cute.
Stop 3: Savile Row, Mayfair
Our next stop after Primrose Hill takes us to Mayfair and specifically Savile Row, where you’ll find so many stunning historic buildings and vintage storefronts.
For instance, at number 11, you can see the exterior of the secret Kingsman headquarters from one of my absolute favorite movies.
The Savile Club also appears in Finding Neverland, where it was used for interior scenes featuring Johnny Depp.
Then there’s the rooftop at number 3 Savile Row, which was the site of the Beatles’ legendary last live performance of Get Back in 1969.
Mayfair is definitely one of the posh districts of London, filled with plenty of beautiful restaurants, luxury shops and hidden gems.
You can find secret spots like Mount Street Gardens or Brown Hart Gardens if you’re looking for a bit of peace.
There is also Mercato Mayfair, an incredible food court set inside a magnificent former church.
It offers everything from street food and ice cream to independent stalls where you can pick up souvenirs or even some plants.
Stop 4: Piccadilly Circus, Central London
Since Mayfair is right in the heart of London near Regent Street and Oxford Street, we’ll head over to Piccadilly Circus next.
Piccadilly itself is a street you can’t miss, especially for iconic shops like Maison Assouline and Hatchards, the oldest bookshop in London.
You’ll also find charming cafes and covered shopping arcades like Burlington Arcade, which you’ve probably seen all over social media.
The area between Piccadilly Circus and Shaftesbury Avenue was a major filming site for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, where the trio narrowly dodge a bus.
Several scenes from the Netflix series Supacell were also filmed in Piccadilly Circus, showing it completely empty and almost apocalyptic.
Other films and shows have used this same iconic spot, including 28 Days Later, Sherlock, V for Vendetta, and Fast & Furious 6.
Even beyond the world of movies, one of the maps in Call of Duty is actually set right here in Piccadilly Circus!
Photo by Ameet Dhanda on Unsplash
Stop 5: Leicester Square, Central London
After admiring the beautiful neoclassical architecture and the giant billboards of this mini Times Square, we’ll walk five minutes over to Leicester Square.
You can start with the Scenes in the Square trail, a free art trail featuring statues of Batman on the Odeon rooftop and Gene Kelly.
You’ll also spot Harry Potter, Paddington Bear, Mary Poppins, Charlie Chaplin, and even Mr. Bean along the way.
In recent years, other permanent sculptures like Daniel Kaluuya from Get Out and Indiana Jones have been added to the collection.
For any film lover, Leicester Square is the heart of British and international cinema and where all the global premieres happen.
Interestingly, the Vue cinema there offers tickets at very decent prices for a city as expensive as London. It’s the perfect spot to catch a movie without breaking the bank.
Photo by Hulki Okan Tabak on Unsplash
Stop 6: Somerset House, The Strand
Our final stop of the day takes us to The Strand, which is easily one of my favorite streets in London.
You can find some incredibly cool cafes to work in there, and even hidden ruins like the female busts at Milford Lane.
At The Strand, Somerset House is one of the most stunning neoclassical buildings that you really can’t miss. It regularly hosts pop-up shops, and you can even go ice skating there or enjoy open-air cinema during the summer.
In the opening of Love Actually, you can see the Somerset House courtyard featuring its famous Christmas ice rink. Then in X-Men: First Class, the building was actually used to represent a Swiss bank.
Tomorrow Never Dies and the 2009 Sherlock Holmes film also used Somerset House as a backdrop for their stories. It’s a very formal and beautiful location, situated just a few minutes away from Covent Garden and Trafalgar Square.
Photo by Pop Emanuel Alexandru on Unsplash
London Movie Itinerary: Day 2
Focusing on the Gothic churches, the river, and the gritty East End locations.
The second day of our movie itinerary kicks off in the East End and along the River Thames.
We’re swapping yesterday’s posh backdrops for something a lot more gritty and raw, focusing on Gothic architecture and historic landmarks like King’s Cross and the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel.
After our first stop at King’s Cross, we’ll head over to the incredible district of Smithfield, which is home to the last wholesale meat market in Central London.
From there, we’ll make our way back toward the Millennium Bridge and Borough Market, a spot that’s been around since the 12th century.
We’ll eventually wrap up at London Fields in East London. This entire day is all about that period drama feel and the historic, weathered atmosphere you find in these parts of the city.
It’s a massive contrast to the sophisticated and elegant spots we hit on day one, but that’s exactly what makes this route so cool.
Stop 1: King’s Cross Station & St Pancras
We’re kicking off the second day of our movie itinerary at King’s Cross and St. Pancras.
I absolutely love this area, especially the hidden gardens tucked away behind the stations and Coal Drops Yard, which is easily one of the best spots for shopping in London.
I actually used to work at the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel, a Victorian masterpiece that served as the grand entrance to the station in the second Harry Potter film.
While the interior of St. Pancras is now packed with British boutiques, makeup, and fashion, King’s Cross still manages to retain that historic, Old England feel.
St. Pancras itself is a stunning site that has been used for several shows and movies like The Crown, and King’s Cross has provided the perfect backdrop for period railway scenes in films like 1917.
Photo by Andrei Ianovskii on Unsplash
Stop 2: St Bartholomew the Great Church, Smithfield
Our second stop takes us to Smithfield, one of London’s most historic areas.
It’s home to the last wholesale meat market in Central London, an incredibly beautiful Victorian site, as well as the oldest house in the City of London, located at Cloth Fair.
You’ll also find St. Bartholomew the Great nearby, a church that has been featured in everything from Four Weddings and a Funeral and the 2009 Sherlock Holmes to Shakespeare in Love and The Avengers.
I can’t emphasize enough how much of a must-see this neighborhood is if you love old Great Britain; it’s so quiet and steeped in history, where beautiful pubs and ancient sites perfectly blend together.
Stop 3: Millennium Bridge, Central London
Our third stop takes us out of the City and closer to London Bridge.
We’ll soon find ourselves at the Millennium Bridge, one of the most striking suspension bridges in London – especially if you remember its dramatic appearance in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
The bridge and the riverside are also iconic locations seen in Guardians of the Galaxy, as well as Love Actually, where characters are often seen walking between the City and the Southbank.
Stop 4: Borough Market, Southwark
After crossing the Millennium Bridge, you can walk along the Southbank, where you’ll find plenty of cafes, a famous second-hand book market, and vibrant street art.
From there, you can slowly head down toward Borough Market and London Bridge.
Right above the Globe Tavern, you’ll spot Bridget’s apartment from Bridget Jones’s Diary, and just nearby at 7 Stoney Street is the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
There are so many incredible places to eat at Borough Market, whether you’re after unique goat’s milk ice cream or every flavor of fudge imaginable.
There are also plenty of hidden gems around London Bridge, like the secret courtyard inside Guy’s Hospital featuring the statue of poet John Keats.
You can find vintage stalls at Vinegar Yard or explore the beautiful boutiques on Bermondsey Street at the end of St Thomas Street.
And, of course, don’t forget to look up at the Shard, the tallest and most unique building in the city!
Stop 5: Number One Cafe, London Fields
Our final stop on this movie itinerary takes us to East London, specifically London Fields in Hackney.
We’ll end at the Number One Cafe, where you can grab a tea, coffee, or a quick snack.
This cafe is a legendary spot from the series Top Boy, where characters like Jamie, Dushane, Sully, and Jaq are seen throughout the show.
It’s a real, working cafe where you can sit and soak in the atmosphere before enjoying the village vibes of London Fields.
Movie Itinerary in London: 2 Perfect Days For Cinema Lovers
Hopefully, this movie itinerary hasn’t just taken you through new neighborhoods and beautiful streets, but has also introduced you to some films and series you’re now excited to watch.
I’ve created other itineraries on subjects and places I love in London, which you can read to discover even more boutiques, museums, and hidden corners that might become your next obsession: