Where was One Day filmed? The scene-stealing filming locations revealed

The will-they-won’t-they friendship of Emma Morley (Ambika Mod) and Dexter Mayhew (Leo Woodall) has enraptured viewers of Netflix’s adaptation of the David Nicholls novel One Day – which revisits the pair each year on St Swithin’s Day (15 July). And while we certainly don’t condone visiting Europe’s busiest spots at peak summer, it’s still worth following in their footsteps when the crowds disappear.

That might be tough in Paris, though Emma’s Parisian apartment in episode 12 at least lies in one of the capital’s airier spots – in the 13th arrondissement on the left bank of the Seine. The historic tapestry-makers’ quarter includes the flowery oasis of the Cité Florale neighbourhood, tours of the famous Gobelins Manufactory and enough picturesque streets to indulge any wannabe flâneur.

Rome’s buzzy Trastevere quarter is where we find Dex and his family in episode two. Its cobbled side streets offer plenty of potential, including a visit to the 5th-century Basilica di Santa Cecilia. Or you can do as Dex does and swing by the Piazza di Spagna’s Spanish Steps or the Fontana dell’Acqua Paola, a 17th-century monumental fountain on Janiculum Hill.

The pair’s European adventures continue in episode four on the Greek island of Paros, no doubt drawn to its mix of traditional Cycladic villages, lively tavernas and 120km of coastline. Capital Parikia is a busy hub, so copy Dex and Em by heading north to the (slightly quieter) fishing village of Naousa, home to the remains of a Venetian fort.

The country piles of Hertfordshire can also expect an uptick in visitors. The early-18th-century Benington Lordship, near Stevenage, doubles as Dex’s girlfriend’s family home in episode nine – and you can visit its gardens on selected dates. Period-drama-fave Hatfield House also makes an appearance in the form of its 15th-century Old Palace, the childhood home of Elizabeth I. The building and gardens provide the wedding reception location in episode ten.

We’ll end in Edinburgh, key to both the show’s beginning and its finale. The square of the university’s 18th-century Old College provides the setting for the couple’s meet-cute at a graduation ball in episode one. The hour-long hike up Arthur’s Seat becomes a touchstone moment in Dex’s life. And finally, The Vennel stairs, stashed away around Grassmarket, is where you can recreate the couple’s hopeful kiss. But perhaps not on St Swithin’s Day.

Watch every episode of One Day, now on Netflix. 

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