Filming Locations Guide: Where was Spectre filmed?

Posted by Ra Moon

The twenty-fourth Bond movie, released in 2015, came packed with awesome filming locations.

Spectre was primarily filmed in England, but 007 also took us from the desert of Morocco to the icy heights of Austria, and from the madness of a Mexican festival to the glamour of Rome.

It's no surprise that this James Bond episode was filmed all over the world. The franchise uses exotic locations in each installment of the series.

The previous film, Skyfall, was shot in Shanghai, Istanbul, Scotland, and Japan. Any 007 movie, including the last of Daniel Craig's feature, extensively filmed in Jamaica, Norway, and Italy, No Time to Die, is a globetrotter.

Welcome to our spoiler-free guide to the filming locations of Spectre.

The Mexico Shoot

The film's opening sequence takes place in central Mexico City, in the famous Zócalo Square. Pictured, a scene in Tacuba Street, where is located the National Museum of Art and the Palace of Mining.

The production recreated a magnificent parade of the Day of the Dead festival, filmed in collaboration with local folklore bands.

Shooting in Mexico lasted more than two weeks and included a helicopter action sequence flying over the city center.

Also, the streets around the old senate were used in a scene showing the destruction of some buildings.

Image by courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Laap MX

The Zocalo was completely closed for filming works. More than 200 extras with costumes and makeup participated in the action.

The massive Calavera Catrina was built for the shoot, with the Mexico City Cathedral in the background.

The Aztec Palace Hotel from The Queen's Gambit Netflix series was also set here.

Bond goes to Austria

A large wooden alpine house was set in the village of Obertilliach. The 007 crew was filming in the country for more than a month.

The production team was also recording some establishing shots in the small Kartitsch village (scenes on ski slopes), along with the cold winter waters of Lake Altaussee.
Image by Jari

The scenic Ötztal Glacier Road, leading to Sölden, was used for scenery in the action chase sequence with an airplane.

Located in a section of the Austrian Alps, this is considered the second-highest paved road in Europe.
Image by Roman Pfeiffer

The luxurious ICE Q Restaurant on Sölden skiing resort is located at the top of a peak at 3,048m (10,000 feet).

This splendid location was doubling as a private medical clinic.
Image by Ötztal Tourismus Sölden

Locations in England

MI6 headquarters in Vauxhall (London), bombed-out in the previous 007 film, Skyfall. The interior scenes were shot in Pinewood Studios.

Some more locations in London include the staircase of the City Hall, Westminster Bridge, and the Covent Garden among other city venues.
Image courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and George Rex

Also in England, the exterior of the Blenheim Palace in Woodstock (Oxfordshire), was doubling for the Palazzo Cadenza in Italy.

Here is where the Spectre meeting takes place. The cars are leaving the grounds of the palace in the UK, but the chase scene continues more than a thousand miles away...
Image courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Sheila Sund

The Italian Job

... along the banks of the Tiber River in Rome. The area of the Roman bridges set for the shoot was Ponte Sant'Angelo, Ponte Mazzini, and Ponte Sisto (pictured).
Image courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Filippo N

Aston Martin DB10 vs Jaguar C-X75 racing in front of the Vatican, in Via della Conciliazione.

The chase scene continues through the streets of the Eternal City, showing a section of the elevated passage known as Passetto di Borgo (lower scene).

Images courtesy of MGM

Outside Rome, this property called Villa Fiorano was set for a scene with Monica Bellucci.
Image courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Another location worthy of 007 is the rationalist architecture of the Museum of Roman Civilization, used for a funeral scene.

This building is part of the impressive EUR district in Rome, which has been used as a location for hundreds of movies before.

If you don't know this place, don't miss out on the inspiring Square Colosseum.

Down to Morocco: The Spectre Crater

The desert scenes and the crater were shot near an extinct volcano, called Gara Medouar near Erfoud.

The movie also features the Oriental Desert Express train, a tourist scenic line that goes from Oujda to Bouarfa.
Image courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

In Tanger, a set for a scene was built in Medina. Film crews were repainting and fixing the area for the purpose of the movie.
Image courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

This pharmacy on the right was transformed into a coffee. Note the windows added digitally to the screenshot to the left.
Images courtesy of Bernard Moutin (http://mes-dessins-perso.over-blog.fr)

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