With Daniel Craig’s James Bond swan song No Time to Die scheduled to hit the cinemas in early 2020, the world is once again going 007-crazy. The discussions are already underway as to who will replace Bond, how fondly history will recognize Craig’s portrayal compared to the rest, how to make the perfect James Bond Martini, which was his best Aston Martin and lots more.
But when you look back over almost 60 years of Bond flicks, there’s one aspect that really stands out, and that is the locations. For a man so quintessentially British, Bond spends a lot of time trotting the globe, and he touched down in almost 50 different countries since Dr No. Here, we retrace his steps to some of the most iconic destinations.
Monte Carlo
They say good things come in small packages. You can walk from one end of Monaco to the other at a leisurely pace over the course of a couple of hours, making it one of the tiniest principalities in the world. Yet this playground for the rich and famous is probably the most iconic Bond destination of them all.
The tuxedo, the sophistication, even the beautiful cars, all have Monte written all over them. As well as being the inspiration for the eponymous Casino Royale, Monte Carlo features prominently in Never Say Never Again and GoldenEye. Of course, the casino is the most famous feature, and if you’re fond of spinning the wheel online at Liveroulette.com, then forget Las Vegas, Monte Carlo is the place to take on the high rollers in the real world.
Jamaica
This is really where it all began. Ian Fleming mentioned to his friend Noel Coward that he needed a warm, tranquil winter base where he could write in peace. Coward immediately introduced him to Jamaica, and it became his second home.
Today, you can stay at Goldeneye, Fleming’s former home, and retrace the steps in the sand that were taken by Sean Connery in Bond’s first movie appearance, and again 11 years later by Roger Moore in Live and Let Die.
Istanbul
It’s the city where East meets West, and as a result, Istanbul has its very own culture. There’s also a sense of drama and opulence about the place, which is probably what has brought the 007 production team here time and again.
Three generations of Bond have trodden its streets in From Russia With Love, The World is Not Enough and most recently, Skyfall.
Cairo
The cradle of mankind is a place shrouded in mystery, and back in 1977, it was the setting for one of Bond’s most memorable encounters with everyone’s favourite Bond villain, Jaws. This was also where Bond temporarily swapped the Aston Martins and Lotuses for a Leyland Sherpa van.
It’s a destination on many bucket lists, and will leave you with memories that last a lifetime. However, if you decide to follow in Bond’s footsteps, be a little more pragmatic in your choice of vehicle, so that you remember your trip for all the right reasons.
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