The Most Filmed Location In Europe Is A Must-Visit

There are many places in the world that are immediately recognizable, even if you've never been there. Think of Central Park in New York City, Red Square in Moscow, or the Sydney Opera House in Sydney. What about the Eiffel Tower in Paris? You see it, and you know exactly what location you're looking at. Many times, that's thanks to film and television shows that have used certain cities and landmarks on the screen to help situate you in the story's location.

As for Europe, there's one location that has been filmed more than anywhere else – Trafalgar Square, named after the 1805 British naval win at the Battle of Trafalgar, right in the heart of central London. The square has collected an impressive 131 film credits, as reported by Vivid Maps. We'll tell you what's been shot there and what you should see if you end up visiting this famous film location.

Trafalgar Square, in the Westminster district of London, has been a public square and a place to honor British battles in the Napoleonic War and beyond in its centuries of use. For history buffs, there are statues honoring war heroes like Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson and busts of people like Admiral David Beatty, which honor this square's military history. In fact, Trafalgar Square has been the site of victory celebrations in WWI and WWII, which have been recreated in several films. There's a cafe, the National Gallery art museum, the St. Martins-in-the-Fields Church, and access to the Strand and Whitehall. So, are you still asking how you could spend an afternoon in Trafalgar Square? 

Each year there are free events put on by the Mayor of London. These include a Chinese New Year celebration with dragon dances, London's Pride event, and a Christmas tree from Norway each year that has free carol singers. In the fall and winter of 2023 alone there is a silent disco where you listen to music over headphones but dance as a group at the St. Martin-in-the-Fields church crypt, a half-marathon to aid New Futures Nepal, and a champagne breakfast. There's the Café on the Square, and The Rooftop restaurant, which has an incredible view of the area. If you're a film buff, Trafalgar Square is a must-visit location where you can stand in the same place as Wonder Woman, or where the events of "V for Vendetta" unfolded. 

So many films and shows have scenes in Trafalgar Square. For example, in 2017's "Wonder Woman," Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) joined the recreated WWI victory celebration, sadly wandering past cheering crowds to find a memorial board for lost soldiers. If you recall the WWII celebration in 2011's "Captain America: The First Avenger," right after the scene where Cap (Chris Evans) is lost in the ice, planes fly in formation right over the square. "Doctor Who" fans may remember the right side fountain as the site of troubled couple Mikey (Noel Clarke) and Rose's (Billie Piper) lunch in the very first episode of the 2005 BBC sci-fi revival. Remember the scene in 2010's "Get Him to the Greek" where Russell Brand's character Aldous Snow stands on the edge of one of the fountains, yelling? A bystander actually ended up pushing Brand in and yes, there's a video of it (via YouTube).

Horror fans will remember the scene of infected humans wandering up the steps of the National Gallery in the 2002 film "28 Days Later." Perhaps zombies like art? Speaking of dystopian futures, in 2006's "Children of Men," during an infertility epidemic, protesters grasping at straws show up in the square asking people to repent their sins so babies will be born again. In the "V for Vendetta" crowd scene where everyone wears V masks, the production actually had to shut down the square for three nights from midnight to 5 a.m.