13/01/2020Richard Curtis wrote and directed the hit British romantic comedy Love Actually. While the production filmed mainly in London, the crew also traveled to Surrey and France. Today, this movie stands as a modern-day Christmas classic.
Liam Neeson (Daniel) shares a famous heart-to-heart with his son on the Queen’s Walk. You can find this path at Gabriel’s Wharf on London’s South Bank. Specifically, the bench sits just outside the Riviera Restaurant at 56 Upper Ground. In this tear-jerking scene, Daniel’s son reveals that his “pain” is actually the stress of being in love.
The crew used Shepperton Studios for all the internal scenes of the Prime Minister’s residence. However, the real 10 Downing Street remains the most photographed front door in Britain. Since 1735, it has served as the official address for British Prime Ministers. Although you cannot walk down the street today, you can still spot the famous number 10 through the gates from Whitehall.
Hugh Grant’s character searches for Natalie in what he calls the “dodgy end of Wandsworth.” Surprisingly, the production actually filmed these scenes at 102 Poplar Road in Herne Hill, Brixton.
Peter and Juliet married at the Grosvenor Chapel on South Audley Street in Mayfair. This pretty Anglican church dates back to the 1730s. During the ceremony, the couple walks down the aisle to a surprise performance of “All You Need is Love” by The Beatles.
One of the most famous scenes involves Mark (Andrew Lincoln) declaring his love to Juliet using silent cue cards. Fans can find this iconic “pink house” at 27 St Luke’s Mews in Notting Hill.
The external shots of where Mark leaves his flat after Juliet’s discovery was filmed outside Oxo Tower Wharf Barge House Street, London SE1 9GY:
The house where Jamie discovers his girlfriend cheating was located at 2a Blenheim Road, Turnham Green, London:
After discovering his girlfriend’s betrayal at 2a Blenheim Road, Jamie (Colin Firth) eventually retreats to France. Consequently, he later declares his love for Aurelia at Le Bar de la Marine. You can visit this real bar at the Old Port in Marseille, South of France.
Natalie sneaks the Prime Minister into a school to watch the Christmas concert from backstage. This was filmed at Elliott School in Pullman Gardens. However, the school has since changed its name to Ark Putney Academy.
In a tense scene, Harry (Alan Rickman) buys an expensive necklace for his secretary, Mia. This moment was filmed inside the world-famous Selfridge’s department store on Oxford Street.
The film begins and ends at Heathrow Airport. These real-life reunions capture the central theme: that love actually is all around.
In addition to the main sites, keep an eye out for these London landmarks:
Trafalgar Square and Somerset House
The Millennium Bridge and Lambeth Bridge
The Tate Modern and London City Hall
Canary Wharf and Marble Arch
This star-studded ensemble includes: Hugh Grant, Martine McCutcheon, Colin Firth, Alan Rickman, Liam Neeson, Bill Nighy, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley, Andrew Lincoln, and Chiwetel Ejiofor.
Here at Brit Movie Tours we offer a number of Rom Com tours which take you to locations from films such as Love Actually. The details of our self guided Rom Com sites Tour can be found here.
