TORONTO--You can tell that summer's coming to an end when almost every other commercial on television is about the premiere dates of the new fall TV line-up. What better way to ease into the chill of autumn than cozied up in front of the TV watching our favourite shows? Have you ever wondered where all the TV magic is made? While many assume Hollywood or somewhere in the US, nowadays, settings and filming locations for TV shows are spread across the globe. So, the travel experts at Cheap flights, the online leader in finding and publishing travel deals, went on a discovery journey and compiled their Top 10 Trips for TV Lovers where you can see firsthand the settings of some of the small screen's most memorable series, current and past.
While many of our choices for TV spots (five to be exact) are, in fact, US destinations, below are the locales to make the list that show that all the world has become a stage for television shows (and fans):
Newbury, United Kingdom - "Downton Abbey" diehards can get a taste of the show's Edwardian era setting at the real Downton Abbey -- Highclere Castle -- a Victorian castle in England situated on 1,000 acres of parkland. The international hit, which chronicles the Crawley family and their servants starting in pre-World War I times, is shot on location at Highclere Castle and has generated international curiosity about the building, which serves as the Crawley family home on the show. Visitors can go inside the castle, explore the gardens on the property, take a woodland walk or sip coffee and tea in the tearooms. The area of Newbury, where Highclere Castle is located, offers plenty to see and do including historic homes, a bustling theatre scene, horse racing and nature reserves. Keep in mind the castle is only open to the public during certain times and you need a ticket to enter, so check their website for availability and pricing before trekking out to Newbury.
Dubrovnik, Croatia - Creating the mythical continents of Westeros and Essos in "Game of Thrones" is, apparently, no small task. After all, filming locations are everywhere from Iceland to Northern Ireland, and Morocco to Malta. But a trip to Croatia will send you straight to the earthly versions of some of the show's key locations. As of this summer, visitors to Dubrovnik can take a "Game of Thrones" walking tour through the historic city, led by a Dubrovnik local, who is also a huge fan of the show and even a former "Game of Thrones" extra. Tourists will be guided through filming locations for scenes like King Joffrey's name day tournament, the Battle of Blackwater and the King's Landing riot. After trekking through the real locations of these on-screen sites in Dubrovnik, consider knocking a few other "Game of Thrones" destinations off your list; this fantasy series, the brainchild of George R. R. Martin, showcases some of the most stunning destinations around the world.
Copenhagen,
Denmark - Danish TV series "The Killing" follows detective Sarah Lund as she traverses Copenhagen trying to solve a murder case involving a high school student. One third of Denmark's population reportedly watches the show, which has cast a spotlight on Danish culture and garnered viewers in 17 countries. Fans of "The Killing" can check out sites used in the show such as the building housing Sarah Lund's apartment, The Danish Parliament and Pentecost Woods (depicted as a crime scene in the series). You can even head to Gudrun & Gudrun to buy the star-patterned wool sweater made popular when Sarah Lund wore it on the show. In addition, successful Danish-Swedish crime show "The Bridge" revolves around a dead body found under the Øresund Bridge, which connects Denmark and Sweden and is the longest bridge in Europe. The show is filmed on location in Copenhagen and Malmö, and features shots of the 10-mile-long bridge. Peter and Ping Literary Walks offers guided tours of Copenhagen filming locations from "The Killing" and "The Bridge".
Toronto, Ontario, Canada - Toronto acts as the backdrop for a rather hefty (and growing) load of TV shows; episodes from more than 100 series were completed in Toronto in 2012 according to the city. Often dubbed Hollywood North, Toronto even serves as the filming location for some TV shows that are set in American cities. Large stages with unobstructed skyline views have come to the outskirts of the city and convinced shows like "Nikita", "Covert Affairs" and "Suits" (from American networks) to put down roots in Toronto. Police drama "Rookie Blue", which chronicles the lives of cops who recently graduated from the police academy, is set in Toronto. The show's characters reference some of the city's iconic streets such as King Street and Yonge Street, and focus on the area covered by Toronto Police's 51 Division (known as the 15 Division on the show).
A world tour - For the ambitious TV traveller, why not pretend you're "The Bachelor" or a contestant on "The Amazing Race" and set out for an around-the-world tour? Loyal fans of these reality TV series are treated to the stunning vistas and cultural details of exotic locales around the world -- a weekly wanderlust-inducing experience for viewers. "Bachelor" and "Bachelorette" stars have travelled to countless destinations in their quest for true love, including Anguilla, St. Lucia, Tahiti, South Africa, Panama, Croatia, Belize, New Zealand, Bora Bora, Prague and Thailand. "Amazing Race" contestants have navigated language barriers, tackled tough challenges tied to local cultures, and worked against the clock to destination hop around the world. Destinations in Alaska, Namibia, Amsterdam,
Scotland, New Zealand, China and Italy are just a few of the stops these on-screen world travellers have made. And for the true die-hard fans in Canada, you can audition for The Bachelor Canada or The Amazing Race Canada, and get an authentic reality show travel experience.
Rounding out our list are five US locations that are already, or are becoming, hot tourist destinations for TV fans:
New York, New York ("Mad Men", "Girls", "Seinfeld", "Sex and the City" and more); Albuquerque, New Mexico ("Breaking Bad"); New England ("Family Guy", "Cheers", "Boston Legal", "Ally McBeal", "Wings"); Hawaii ("Hawaii Five-O", "Lost"); and Pacific Northwest ("Grey's Anatomy", "Portlandia").
About Cheapflights.ca, part of the Momondo Group
Momondo Group is an online travel media and technology company that is driven by the belief that an open world is a better world. The group now serves travel search and inspiration to over 13 million visitors a month -- plus 6 million travel newsletter subscribers -- via its Cheapflights (
http://www.cheap-flight-4u.com) brands. Skygate began the sourcing of complex air-travel data in 1992, while Cheapflights pioneered the online comparison of flight deals for users in 1996 and momondo launched meta-search in the Nordic countries in 2006.
The Group has offices in London, Copenhagen, Boston and Toronto, with a consumer base across more than 20 core international markets but users all over the world.
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