James Bond UK Tour: Aston Martins, Martinis, and Film Locations

The itinerary begins in the Scottish Highlands, with accommodation at Glencoe House, a Victorian mansion set in the hills, or The Fife Arms in Braemar for something more eccentrically Scottish. The drive through Glencoe follows the exact route used in Skyfall, where Bond navigates these ancient valleys back to his childhood home. The landscape requires no enhancement from Hollywood.

A private Aston Martin road experience puts you behind the wheel with professional instruction for the Highland passes. The evening is given over to whisky by an open fire. The following morning, a scenic helicopter flight over the filming locations provides a different perspective on the terrain that set the tone for Bond’s most personal chapter.

The train south from Edinburgh arrives into a London itinerary built around the locations and institutions that shaped both the films and the fiction behind them. Accommodation options include The Ned, whose Secret Vault Room occupies the former underground vaults of the Midland Bank, or the Corinthia, which has the kind of discreet, well-appointed atmosphere that requires no explanation.

The London days include a visit to MI6 headquarters with an expert guide, a VIP cocktail experience at Duke’s Bar in Mayfair where Fleming refined the martini and coined the phrase, and a private Aston Martin test drive through the English countryside. A Thames speedboat follows routes used in Spectre and The World is Not Enough. Private dinner at Cliveden House, former haunt of royals and the setting for the Profumo Affair, provides an evening in a house that has witnessed more real drama than most Bond scripts. Optional additions include casino evenings, private poker, and off-the-record conversations with former intelligence officers.