The iconic Hogwarts Express at The Warner Bros. Studio Tour, where Harry Potter fans can go behind the scenes of the beloved movie franchise

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1 The iconic Hogwarts Express at The Warner Bros. Studio Tour, where Harry Potter fans can go behind the scenes of the beloved movie franchise 46

[ ULTIMATE ] Enter the picture Going on location around the UK, Mike Gerrard reveals some of the most captivating

Nicolson s now known as Spoon (spoonedinburgh. co.uk) and the back room of the Elephant House Café (elephanthouse.

Luxury Hideaway Rowling finished the series in style when she checked into room 552 at the five-star Balmoral Hotel

The Grand Suite, renamed the JK Rowling Suite, contains the writing desk where she worked, as well as the bust of

The Grand Suites have stunning views of Arthur s Seat or Carlton Hill, and guests enjoy personalised concierge

What an Experience Besides the Scottish landscapes, no trip is complete for a Harry Potter fan without a stop in

2 [ ULTIMATE ] Enter the picture Going on location around the UK, Mike Gerrard reveals some of the most captivating settings to recently appear on screen HARRY POTTER Fans of The Boy Who Lived will find their magic in Edinburgh, home of author JK Rowling. Born in England, Rowling moved to Edinburgh in 1993 and wrote most of the first three Harry Potter books in the café Nicolson s now known as Spoon (spoonedinburgh. co.uk) and the back room of the Elephant House Café (elephanthouse.biz), with its views over Edinburgh Castle. Luxury Hideaway Rowling finished the series in style when she checked into room 552 at the five-star Balmoral Hotel (roccofortehotels. com) to complete the last book, which reportedly took six months. The Grand Suite, renamed the JK Rowling Suite, contains the writing desk where she worked, as well as the bust of Hermes she signed when she finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on 11 January The Grand Suites have stunning views of Arthur s Seat or Carlton Hill, and guests enjoy personalised concierge services. What an Experience Besides the Scottish landscapes, no trip is complete for a Harry Potter fan without a stop in Leavesden on the outskirts of London for The Warner Bros. Studio Tour (wbstudiotour.co.uk) and if lucky enough to snag tickets to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on stage at the Palace Theatre in the West End. In October 2017, a special Harry Potter exhibition opens at the British Library, a five-minute walk from Platform 9¾ at King s Cross Station. Singapore Airlines flies daily to London. From there, Edinburgh can be reached via a connecting flight. 47

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The first season of the hugely popular Netflix series was a critical success, earning several awards including Best Television Drama Series at the 74th Golden Globes.

4 [ ULTIMATE ] Facing page: The magnificent interior of Ely Cathedral, which acted as a stand-in for Westminster Abbey in The Crown. Below, from top: Many of the sumptuous interior shots were filmed on location in Lancaster House in London; a suite with gorgeous parkland views at the privately owned Congham Hall Hotel THE CROWN The first season of the hugely popular Netflix series was a critical success, earning several awards including Best Television Drama Series at the 74th Golden Globes. The series, about the early life of Queen Elizabeth II and the royal family, was filmed in many locations in the UK. In London, Lancaster House and the Old Royal Naval College stood in for Buckingham Palace and its courtyard respectively, while Eltham Palace served as the Queen s quarters on the Royal Yacht Britannia. Luxury Hideaway Congham Hall Hotel and Spa (conghamhallhotel.co.uk) is a privately owned Georgian manor hotel set in the Norfolk countryside, just five miles from the Queen s home at Sandringham. The house was built in 1780 and was a private home for over 200 years before being turned into a luxury hotel renowned for its herb garden. The Dandelion Suite, which is its honeymoon suite, is in the main house and has its own private balcony overlooking the hall s 30 acres of parkland. Amenities include a swimming pool and an outdoor hot tub. What an Experience From London, use ichauffeur (ichauffeur.co.uk) to hire a Rolls-Royce Phantom and a private driver-guide to visit Hatfield House (hatfieldhouse.co.uk) and the lavish Tudor Knebworth House (knebworthhouse.com), which featured in The Crown amongst other movies and shows. Tour the magnificent Ely Cathedral, which substituted for Westminster Abbey in scenes where the then Princess Elizabeth married Prince Philip. Continuing north, end the day with a private evening tour of the Sandringham Estate. This is privately owned by Queen Elizabeth II, and it is where the royal family traditionally spends Christmas. Singapore Airlines flies daily to London. 49

Below: The beech tree-lined road known as the Dark Hedges in Northern Ireland, which featured in Season 2 of Game of Thrones. Cast and crew are reportedly returning here to film scenes for Season 7.

5 Below: The beech tree-lined road known as the Dark Hedges in Northern Ireland, which featured in Season 2 of Game of Thrones. Cast and crew are reportedly returning here to film scenes for Season 7. Facing page: Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen (seated) with fellow cast members Game of Thrones is filmed in many places around the world, but is most closely associated with Northern Ireland 50

[ ULTIMATE ] GAME OF THRONES A worldwide phenomenon since it premiered in 2011, Game of Thrones is filmed in many places around the world, including Croatia, Iceland, Malta and Morocco, but is most

6 [ ULTIMATE ] GAME OF THRONES A worldwide phenomenon since it premiered in 2011, Game of Thrones is filmed in many places around the world, including Croatia, Iceland, Malta and Morocco, but is most closely associated with Northern Ireland. Much of the show is shot at Titanic Studios in Belfast, which is one of the largest film studios in Europe. Other significant locations nearby include the dramatic north Antrim coast, while inland you can visit places like Castle Ward, whose 18th-century courtyard is the Winterfell home of the Starks. Luxury Hideaway In Belfast, The Fitzwilliam (fitzwilliamhotelbelfast.com) is where cast members stay when they re in town, making it an obvious choice for fans hoping to get a glimpse of the stars. For a unique experience, Northern Ireland also offers castles that can be rented, with none more exclusive than Crom Castle (cromcastle.com) set within a 1,900-acre estate in County Fermanagh. As well as booking the West Wing for private use, visitors can opt to stay in the castle itself as personal guests of the 7th Earl of Erne, who acts as host, dining companion and guide during the stay, similar to a proper, traditional aristocratic stay. Crom Castle also has its own helicopter landing area. What an Experience For the ultimate on-location experience, go on an exclusive tour with Winterfell Tours (gameofthrones-winterfelltours. com), which visits key Game of Thrones locations and can be supplemented with optional extras such as meeting actual Direwolves, flying a falcon or a helicopter tour (advance booking is a must). Arrangements to visit private gardens and castles used for filming can also be made, as they are not available on regular tours. If you re flexible on your travel dates, then Winterfell Tours can also arrange for a meet-and-greet with an actor. Singapore Airlines flies daily to London, from where connecting flights go to Belfast. 51

DOWNTON ABBEY Since its debut in 2010, Downton Abbey has been one of the most popular TV series ever, broadcasted worldwide and winning numerous awards along the way.

The Carnarvon family has lived there since 1679, though visitors fully expect to see actor Hugh Bonneville striding the corridors as the Earl of Grantham instead!

7 DOWNTON ABBEY Since its debut in 2010, Downton Abbey has been one of the most popular TV series ever, broadcasted worldwide and winning numerous awards along the way. It was primarily filmed at Highclere Castle, which is the home of the 8th Earl of Carnarvon. The Carnarvon family has lived there since 1679, though visitors fully expect to see actor Hugh Bonneville striding the corridors as the Earl of Grantham instead! The family can also thank Downton Abbey for helping them remain in the castle, as a 12 million repair bill in 2009 was made easier thanks to filming fees and the huge boost in visitor numbers. Luxury Hideaway Where else would you want to stay other than Highclere Castle itself? While the main castle building remains the private home of the Carnarvon family, overnight guests can stay in London Lodge (highclerecastle.co.uk), which is a part of the estate. Built in 1793 as the formal archway entrance to the castle, it has been restored with traditional materials and copies of original features. The lodge includes a charming sitting room, a Chesney s wood burning stove and a fully equipped kitchen. What an Experience Highclere Castle and its surrounding estate is open to the public on select days of the year. The best way to see the castle and avoid the crowds is to book a chauffeur-driven tour with British Heritage Chauffer Tours (bhctours.co.uk). It visits other filming locations, and the chauffeur can to take you to have lunch at the Swan Inn in Swinbrook, where the Crawley family chauffeur Branson and Lady Sybil spent the night while planning their elopement in Series Two. If you fancy a stroll down into the village of Downton, the filming was actually done in Bampton, about 35 miles away from the castle. St Mary s Church is of particular interest, as it has featured in christenings, weddings and funerals on the show. Singapore Airlines flies daily to London. Visitors to Highclere Castle fully expect to see Hugh Bonneville striding the corridors as Downton Abbey s Earl of Grantham 52

8 [ ULTIMATE ] Below: The Downton Abbey cast pose in front of Highclere Castle in Hampshire, where most of the television series was filmed. Facing page: The drawing room at Highclere Castle. While open to the public for part of the year, the castle remains home to the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon 53

[ ULTIMATE ] From top: A must for sleuthing fans is a stop at The Sherlock Holmes Museum on London s Baker Street; Sherlock s Martin Freeman (left) and Benedict Cumberbatch, who star as Dr Watson and

Scarlet. There have been numerous film and TV versions of Conan Doyle s short stories, but none have been more successful than the BBC series that began in 2010.

9 [ ULTIMATE ] From top: A must for sleuthing fans is a stop at The Sherlock Holmes Museum on London s Baker Street; Sherlock s Martin Freeman (left) and Benedict Cumberbatch, who star as Dr Watson and Sherlock Holmes SHERLOCK The fictional London detective Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick, Dr Watson, have been popular characters ever since their 1887 debut in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle s A Study in Scarlet. There have been numerous film and TV versions of Conan Doyle s short stories, but none have been more successful than the BBC series that began in There is nowhere more fitting for fans of both contemporary adaptations and the original stories than The Sherlock Holmes Museum (sherlock-holmes.co.uk). However, while a blue plaque with the words 221b Sherlock Holmes adorns the museum building at Baker Street, the famous flat and its address did not actually exist in Holmes day, and a little detective work shows that the museum s address isn t quite number 221b either. Luxury Hideaway The Langham (langhamhotels.com) is mentioned in several Sherlock Holmes stories as Conan Doyle was a frequent guest there. The hotel dates back to 1865 when it opened as London s first purpose-built Grand Hotel. However, the London icon is still as fashionable as they come with its deluxe suites and upcoming launch of a new luxury tavern and spa. Additionally, its Artesian Bar with its creative cocktails such as the Ten Dollar Tease and La Penca de la Vida have led to it being voted as the World s Best Bar. What an Experience Dinner at The Criterion (saviniatcriterion.co.uk) is a must for diehard Holmes fans as it was here that Watson first heard about Holmes through Dr Stamford, a mutual friend. The restaurant and other locations where Sherlock was filmed can be visited on a personalised private walking tour with Brit Movie Tours (britmovietours.com). Locations for the 2009 Sherlock Holmes movie, which starred Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law as Holmes and Watson respectively, are also included. Singapore Airlines flies daily to London. PHOTOS: ELY CATHEDRAL IMAGE LIBRARY; GETTY IMAGES 54

10 CRAVING FOR A TASTE OF HOME IN THE AIR? COME FEEL THE JOY. Sit back, relax and indulge in a delicious meal as you make your way to 53 destinations. SilkAir Studio 30kg Bag Allowance Inflight Meal silkair.com

EDINBURGH GEMS FOR FAMILY FUN

EDINBURGH GEMS FOR FAMILY FUN CULTURE with a twist 2 A WALK THROUGH EDINBURGH 1 Discover the beauty and historical heritage of Edinburgh through this private, fun-filled walking tour based on a James Bond