Discover Where ‘For Your Eyes Only’ Was Filmed: Best Time to Visit, Wildlife, and More!

The James Bond Franchise is massive and never-ending. There are dozens of films starting with Dr. No, which was released in 1962 and starred Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, John Bernard Lee, Joseph Wiseman, John Kitzmiller, and Jack Lord. In this article, we’re diving into the James Bond movie, ‘For Your Eyes Only’, the 12th movie in the franchise. Follow along to learn where ‘For Your Eyes Only’ was filmed and if you can visit the places.

What is ‘For Your Eyes Only’ About?

The movie, ‘For Your Eyes Only’, is about British agent James Bond and his adventures as he finds the Automatic Targeting Attack Communicator (ATAC) and keeps it from the enemy’s hands. While searching and fighting for this communicator, he is joined by Melina Havelock, who is seeking revenge as her parents were murdered while searching for the ATAC. Milos Columbo also joins the hunt for the ATAC, an enemy of Aristotle Kristatos, the main villain of the film.

Discover Where ‘For Your Eyes Only’ Was Filmed

It might be easier to ask where wasn’t this movie filmed. For Your Eyes Only was shot in multiple places including parts of England, Greece, and Italy. Underwater scenes were filmed in the Bahamas and other scenes took place in the Pinewood Studios. If you’re a big James Bond fan, you’ll be happy to know you can visit many of the places ‘For Your Eyes Only’ was filmed.

England

Part of the film was shot in England, specifically, the St Giles Church in Buckinghamshire. During this scene, Bond is mourning the loss of his wife by visiting her grave behind a church. The church is real, not just part of the movie! You can find it near Slough in England.

Another scene took place in the historic Beckton Gas Works district in East London. Sadly, while you can visit this district, many of the buildings no longer exist. Beckton Gas Works has changed a lot.

Best Time to Visit

England is known for its beautiful architecture, long history, and cold and rainy weather. Some of the best times to visit England include spring and fall. However, the busiest time of year is summer, but expect to see high crowds, especially in touristy areas. From March to early June, many wildflowers are blooming, perfect if you’re looking to visit the countryside.

Wildlife

The animals you may see while visiting England, depend on where you’re staying. While this is true, some of the most common animals in England are red deer, badgers, and brown bats. England is very biodiverse. There are thousands of animal species in the country, many of which are native and frequent. If you’re looking to view wildlife in England, your best chance apart from zoos and aquariums is to walk hiking trails. Many of the best hiking trails are within its national parks like the Peak District National Park, Yorkshire Dales National Park, and Lake District National Park.

Sadly, some animal species in England are endangered. For example, the grey long-eared bat is endangered, likely because of overdeveloping and an increase in predators (domestic cats). Another endangered species is the hazel dormouse. While they are common throughout Europe, they are suffering in the United Kingdom from woodland habitat loss.

Italy

Another location where ‘For Your Eyes Only’ was filmed in Italy. One of the most iconic scenes in ‘For Your Eyes Only’ took place in Cortina d’Ampezzo, a town in northern Italy. It’s close to the Alps and has stunning views. In the scene, James Bond runs into a flower shop to hide and encounters two attackers. He kills them to protect Milena. Cortina d’Ampezzo is a resort town perfect for a nice winter or spring getaway. While visiting, you can admire the Cascate di Fanes and 

Best Time to Visit

Italy is a large country with a surface area of 116,310 square miles. It’s the 72nd largest country in the world. The best time to visit depends on where you are staying. However, the busiest months are May and June. Crowds are packed and lodging and flights are more expensive. If you want to beat the crowds, you may want to visit during winter or early spring. March and April are beautiful months in Italy, perfect for taking long walks. However, if you want to visit beaches in Italy, you may want to visit during summer, despite the crowds.

Wildlife

Italy is home to many native animal species. It’s also very biodiverse and environmentally rich with over 57,000 species recorded. There are only 100 mammals alone in the country. Some mammals include the Italian wolf, forest dormouse, common genet, Mediterranean monk seal, and Marsican brown bear. As you can imagine, there are even more bird species. Some birds live in Italy year-round, while others like storks and European honey buzzards, migrate. Endemic species are also common throughout the country. For example, the Sardinian long-eared bat, Sardinian cave salamander, and Garda carp are endemic to Italy. The European owl moth, which is listed as threatened, is endemic to a part of southern Italy.

Interestingly, Italy also has many introduced animals. Some of these animals have been in the country since the time of the Roman Empire. However, others are more recent like the Asian tiger mosquito, strawberry finch, and zebra mussel. While you can view wildlife in person, you can also learn about Italy’s biodiversity by visiting a zoological museum. One of the most well-known Italian zoological museums is the Museum of Zoology and Natural History in Florence.

Greece

The last destination where ‘For Your Eyes Only’ was filmed in Greece. Many parts of the film were shot in Greece, including scenes like the monastery in Meteora. The monastery is called Agia Triada Monastery and offers spectacular views. The producers filmed the casino scene in Gastouri. There you can find the Achilleion Palace showcased in the film.

Best Time to Visit

Greece, like Italy, is a popular tourist destination that sees millions of visitors every year. One of the most iconic points in the film, ‘For Your Eyes Only’ is the Achilleion Palace in Corfu. While it’s not as old as most buildings and ruins in Greece, it’s still impressive! It’s a must-see in the country. The best time to visit Greece if you’re looking for low crowds is February through April and late fall. Some people love to travel to Greece in winter though as the average temperature is around 55.4°F. Although not warm enough to swim, you can enjoy Greece’s many snowy mountains. Skiing and museum hopping are popular activities during Greek winters.

Wildlife

You can find many animals throughout Greece, including in the ocean and along the coast. In Greece, there are about 3500 animal species. Some mammals include the Eurasian otter, golden jackal, Cretan wildcat, Mediterranean monk seal, forest dormouse, southern water shrew, and the Mediterranean horseshoe bat. Birds are even more common than mammals in Greece. While walking in Greece, you can see the European roller, snow goose, horned grebe, laughing dove, and Syrian woodpeckers. Sadly, some animals are threatened or listed as endangered. Many of the endangered animals in Greece are marine life like Mediterranean monk seals, fin whales, and angel sharks.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © gnepphoto/Shutterstock.com