Skyfall, the 23rd movie in the James Bond series, opened this past weekend, not surprisingly, to huge acclaim. The opening coincided with the 50th anniversary of the James Bond movies, which has become the longest-running franchise in movie history.
The very first James Bond film was Dr. No which was released in 1962. Teenagers who applauded Sean Connery in that film are now taking their grandchildren to see Daniel Craig in Skyfall.
What do you like the best about the James Bond movies? The handsome hero, the beautiful women, the outrageous villains, the cool gadgets?
Something you may not have considered is that in film after film James Bond has inspired people the world over to travel. Showcased amidst the amazing chases and death-defying stunts are the stunning scenery, culture and cuisine of one exotic local after another.
“We are always looking to offer the audience the ‘wow’ experience of something amazing and different,” explained Callum McDougall, executive producer of Skyfall.
“I think everyone who goes to see a Bond movie expects to be impressed by the look and the locations chosen. Certainly I was when I grew up watching them, and I don’t think that’s changed in the last 50 years,” McDougall said.
Below are 4 destinations where you can not only walk in the footsteps of good ol’ 007, but stay in luxury timeshare rentals and exchanges as well.
1. Turkey. Several locations in Turkey are featured in Skyfall. “It is where East meets West, and the colors and vibrancy of Istanbul (see photo) provided us with a great backdrop,” said McDougall.
Railway scenes for Skyfall were shot on and around Adana’s Varda Railway Bridge in southern Turkey.
“Turkey actually allowed us to combine our needs of four different looks in one country, quite remarkable,” McDougall added.
Check out Turkey timeshare exchanges.
2. Key West, Florida. James Bond (aka Timothy Dalton) in License to Kill (1989) parachutes in to a wedding at St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Church in Key West, providing some wonderful aerial shots of this tropical vacation spot.
Seven Mile Bridge, the concrete span you cross when you’re driving to Key West, plays prominently in this film with a car chase.
You can also take a guided tour of Ernest Hemingway’s house and writing studio – where M demanded that Bond relinquish his “license to kill.”
Some timeshare rentals in the Florida Keys come with their own hammocks.
3. The Bahamas. James Bond seems to have a soft spot for the Bahamas, and many fans consider his most memorable visit to be in Thunderball (1965), this time with Sean Connery.
A fight occurs in the underwater caves of the Exuma Cays, which ever since have been known as the Thunderball Grotto.
You can actually snorkel inside the caves where James Bond battled by taking one of several charter company tours, including the Thunderball Luxury Tour, out to the grotto.
Timeshare rentals in the Bahamas offer you your own piece of Caribbean paradise.
4. Paris. A View to Kill saw Roger Moore’s James Bond chasing stunning May Day (Grace Jones) up the steps of the Eiffel Tower (just before she parachuted off the top).
You can get to the Eiffel Tower’s Champagne Bar by climbing the 704 steps from the ground to the second floor, then opting for the lift to the top, for views of the City of Light that are just as stunning as May Day.
Stay in exciting downtown Paris in a Parisian timeshare rental.