Official Sightseeing
Tours of Scotland since 1907
Tours of Scotland since 1907
From big-budget Hollywood blockbusters to small scale Independent movies, Scotland has always been a favourite location for filmmakers. Here is just a small selection of the productions that have been filmed wholly or partly in Scotland:
Director: Stanley Kubrick
It has often been commented that the landscape of Scotland is almost other-worldly, and this is seen to exemplary effect in Kubrick’s masterpiece, where, using colour filters the Isle of Harris was transformed into the planet Jupiter.
Directors: Joe and Anthony Russo
The 19th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe came to Scotland, with the filming taking place in Edinburgh’s historic Old Town, as the hide-out for the two heroes Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany). Cockburn Street was used as the location of the fast-food shop where saw the TV news of the New York attacks
A thrilling fight scene took place in the medieval Royal Mile where the traditional street cobbles and towering 17th Century buildings added a very special backdrop. St Giles Cathedral was used extensively during some of the most exciting scenes.
Edinburgh’s bustling Waverley Station was converted into an epic fight area when the heroes were ambushed.
Director: Bill Forsyth
In this ambitious and time-spanning movie, Robin Williams plays 5 separate characters from different periods throughout human history. Parts of the movie were filmed in Glen Coe, Rannoch Moor, Glen Nevis and Sutherland.
Directors: Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman
The 13th full length animated movie from much-loved Pixar Studios is Pixar’s first fairytale, and the first of their films to have a female protagonist. The story of the feisty and strong-willed Princess Merida is set in the Scottish Highlands around the 12th Century and features voices by Kelly MacDonald, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters, Robbie Coltrane and Billy Connolly. The film-makers created a unique Tartan design for the Dunbroch clan and it was registered with the Scottish Register of Tartans in 2012.
Director: Mel Gibson
Gibson directed, produced and starred in the multi Oscar-winning historical epic, which is loosely (many would say very loosely) based on the life of 13th Century Scottish patriot William Wallace. The movie was partly shot in and around Glen Nevis and Glen Coe, in the Scottish Highlands, but much of the scenery was also filmed in Ireland.
Directors: Ken Hughes, John Huston, Joseph McGrath, Robert Parrish, Val Guest and Richard Talmadge
This spy spoof is an all star comic romp, with David Niven as one of 8 Bonds. Burt Bacharach’s score for the film was nominated for the Grammy award for Best Original Score, and his song The Look of Love was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. The filming for M’s Scottish Castle was actually done in County Meath, Ireland, while the car chase scene was filmed in Killin near Stirling, in Scotland.
Director: Hugh Hudson
The emotional and inspiring story of two runners who, in their own ways, have to fight for the chance to represent Great Britain in the 1924 Paris Olympic Games. The famous beach scenes were filmed on location in St Andrews, Scotland. The movie’s iconic theme tune was composed by Vangelis, and was used to promote the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
In the last episode of Downton Abbey’s third season, magnificent Inveraray Castle features as Duneagle Castle, the ancestral home of Lady Rose’s parents Lord and Lady Flintshire. The ancient Royal Burgh of Inveraray is a charming town on the shores of Loch Fyne, set amongst stunning West Highland scenery.
Director: Justin Lin
Director: Justin Lin
Director: David Leitch
After they shot some scenes of the 6th outing of the Fast and Furious series in Glasgow city centre, the filmmakers returned to Scotland and set up their cameras in Edinburgh for film number 9, and in Glasgow for the offshoot ‘Hobbs and Shaw’. None of the stars of the series were involved in the first Glasgow shoot, but Vin Diesel filmed scenes in the streets of Edinburgh for part 9, and Idris Elba brought the streets of Glasgow to a standstill for the filming of Hobbs and Shaw.
Director: Terence Young
This is the second in the James Bond franchise, and stars Sean Connery as 007. The dramatic helicopter and boat chase scenes at the movie’s climax were filmed in various locations in Argyll and Bute, on the west coast of Scotland, including Crinan and Lochgoilhead.
Imposing Doune Castle, near Stirling, was used as Winterfell in the first season of the popular series based on the books of George RR Martin. It’s one of many filming locations in Scotland that you can visit.
Director: Chris Columbus
Director: David Yates
Director: David Yates
Director: Mike Newell
Director: David Yates
Director: David Yates
Director: Chris Columbus
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
All 8 of the Harry Potter movies have featured scenes shot amongst beautiful Scottish landscapes. Undoubtedly the most famous and iconic location is the world-famous Jacobite Steam Train travelling over the magnificent Glenfinnan Viaduct. Many of our tours visit the locations used in the filming of the Harry Potter movies.
Director: Josie Rourke
Saiorse Ronan stars as Mary and Margot Robbie plays her cousin Elizabeth in this interesting take on the relationship between the two queens. Amongst the Scottish locations used were Blackness Castle, Seacliff Beach in East Lothian and Aviemore in the Cairngorms National Park.
Directors: Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam
Director: Terry Jones
The Campsie Fells north of Glasgow stood in for South Africa in The Meaning of Life, and The Holy Grail was filmed almost entirely in Scotland. The interior and exterior of Doune Castle, near Stirling, was used extensively throughout the film, and Castle Stalker in Appin, Argyllshire stood in for ‘The Castle of Aaargh’ which in the film was the final resting place of the Holy Grail.
Director: John Madden
Judi Dench stars as the grieving Queen Victoria, and Billy Connolly is her late husband’s trusted servant, who is charged with coaxing the widowed monarch into resuming public duties after the death of her beloved Albert. The film explores the unlikely and controversial friendship between the servant and the queen. Filming locations include Duns Castle in the Scottish Borders, Taymouth Castle in Perth and Kinross, and Ardverikie Estate in the Highlands. Incidentally, the 2017 film Victoria and Abdul once again told the story of another of Queen Victoria’s friendships, and also included scenes shot in the beautiful Ardverikie Estate, in the Cairngorms National Park.
The hugely popular TV series has used various locations throughout Scotland. Most notable are Doune Castle (Castle Leoch), Blackness Castle (Fort William), Linlithgow Palace (Wentworth Prison) and Midhope Castle (Lallybroch). The fictional standing stones at Craig Na Dun were based on the stones at Clava Cairns near Inverness. You can visit filming locations on one of our Outlander tours.
Director: Sam Mendes
Judi Dench makes her final appearance as ‘M’, and Javier Bardem plays Silva, one of the most memorable of all the Bond villains. The spectacular scenery of Glen Coe and nearby Glen Etive is showcased when Bond returns to Skyfall, his Scottish family home, near the end of the film.
Director: Don Sharp
Director: Ralph Thomas
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
All three film versions of The 39 Steps feature scenes shot in Scotland, but the most memorable must be Hitchcock’s 1935 version where Robert Donat as Richard Hannay is seen escaping from his pursuers on to the mighty Forth Rail Bridge. The 1959 version starring Kenneth More has scenes filmed in South Queensferry, also showing the Forth Rail Bridge.
Quality Sightseeing since 1907
For over 100 years we've been making touring Scotland a quality experience for visitors from all over the World. Over the years our Scottish tours have been chosen by many thousands of travellers who want to tour Scotland in comfort and style.
Scottish Tours has a long and distinguished pedigree and we are proud to include the famed names of Scottish Motor Traction, Scottish Omnibuses and Eastern Scottish as part of our heritage. For more information on our history click here
Today we continue to offer our clients the highest standards of service and the very best value. You can tour Scotland with Scottish Tours confident in the knowledge that no one has more experience.
Tour Scotland with Scottish Tours. Discover the highlights of Scotland on a tour to Loch Ness, The Scottish Highlands, Skye and Loch Lomond.
