Where Was Casino Royale Filmed? Czech Republic, Italy and Bahamas

The filming locations of Casino Royale (2006) are spread across the Czech Republic, Italy, the Bahamas and England, with Karlovy Vary standing in for Montenegro and Venice playing itself. Martin Campbell's Bond reboot sends Daniel Craig from a parkour chase in Nassau to a poker tournament in a Czech spa town and a sinking house on the Grand Canal. This guide covers all 17 stops, the scene shot at each, and what you can realistically see. Exact pins are in the Go On Set app. The stops run in story order by region, starting with Montenegro.

In this guide

Casino Royale at Grandhotel Pupp

The casino of the title is the Grandhotel Pupp in the spa town of Karlovy Vary, a hotel with more than three centuries of history behind it. It is the film's centrepiece stop. Here Bond and Vesper Lynd (Eva Green), travelling as "Arlington Beech" and "Stephanie Broadchest," arrive for the private Texas Hold 'Em tournament hosted by Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen). The film sets this in Montenegro, but the grand interiors and facade belong to the Czech Republic. It works as a hotel, so the public areas are the realistic way in.

Montenegro street

Also in Karlovy Vary, the Castle Colonnade is an Art Nouveau stone colonnade on the left bank of the Teplá River. The current structure dates from 1910 and replaced a makeshift 1769 shelter over the Castle Spring (Zámecký pramen). On screen, Bond and Vesper drive through here on arrival in "Montenegro," slipping into their cover identities on the way to the hotel. The colonnade is part of the historic centre, so you can walk through it.

Montenegro town square

The town square where Bond and Vesper meet their local contact René Mathis (Giancarlo Giannini) is the marketplace in Loket, a short distance from Karlovy Vary. Loket's old town is a protected urban monument reservation, with a 12th-century Gothic castle on a hill above the square and the Ohře River curling around it. The scene is a pre-game briefing: Mathis gives the pair key information before the tournament. The square is open to everyone, and the castle makes the setting easy to recognise.

Sinking Venetian house

The film's biggest set piece is staged at the Venetian home in Cannaregio, the Venice district home to the 16th-century Jewish Ghetto, the oldest in the world. In the gunfight, Bond faces Adolph Gettler (Richard Sammel) and his men, then shoots the flotation bags that keep the building afloat. The structure shifts and sinks into the Grand Canal as Bond scrambles out. Cannaregio is a lived-in residential area with canalside bars and restaurants, so treat the building itself as something to view from outside.

Venice side street: Vesper in the red dress

This stop is a narrow covered passage near St. Mark's Square, the first of two Venice side street locations. Stone archways and tight turns make it typical of the city's maze-like layout. Bond spots Vesper in a striking red dress and, suspecting she is leaving with the Montenegro winnings, follows her at speed through the alleys. Daniel Craig and Eva Green are the only two on screen. It is quiet, public and easy to pass through.

Venice side street: Vesper with the briefcase

The second Venice side street is a small pedestrian bridge connecting narrow streets and canals, away from the busier parts of the city. Bond watches Vesper cross with the briefcase of poker winnings, increasingly sure she is trying to abscond. Her purposeful walk is what feeds his suspicion. The bridge is public, though a quiet residential neighbourhood.

Foot bridge in Venice

The foot bridge is a small stone bridge in the Dorsoduro district, which offers a canal view and access to several narrow alleys. Vesper crosses it on her way to meet Mr. White (Jesper Christensen) with the money, unaware Bond is tailing her. This is the beat that moves the film toward its betrayal reveal. It is a public crossing in a calm part of Venice.

Mr. White's villa

Villa La Gaeta sits on a cliff above Lake Como in Santa Maria Rezzonico, completed in 1921. Its eclectic design reads like a medieval castle with Liberty-style (Italian Art Nouveau) touches. Mr. White returns home and takes in the lake view, just before Bond turns up unannounced. It is a private residence, though individual apartments are rented out to guests, so view it from the public side rather than approach the grounds.

Italian hospital

The recovery scenes were shot at Villa del Balbianello, on the wooded Dosso d'Avedo peninsula in Lenno on the western shore of Lake Como. In the first scene, Mr. Mendel (Ludger Pistor) arrives with a secure transfer computer so Bond can collect the $120,000,000 won from Le Chiffre. In the second, Bond recovers outside after his car crash and talks with Mathis. The villa has been run by FAI, the National Trust of Italy, since 1988, and drew over 135,000 visitors in 2019. It has terraced gardens and a Franciscan monastery origin from the 13th century.

Grand Venetian Hotel

Back in Prague, the grand lobby of the Grand Venetian Hotel was filmed at the National Museum (Národní muzeum), at the upper end of Wenceslas Square. Its neo-Renaissance building has a monumental staircase often used in productions. Here Bond confirms Vesper's betrayal as Mr. Mendel verifies the winnings are being transferred to Gettler, an operative of Quantum. The museum reopened in 2018 after renovation, so the interior can be visited as a museum.

MI6 field office

Danube House is part of the River City Prague office campus along the Vltava River. Its large glass surfaces stand in for the MI6 station. Station Chief Dryden (Malcolm Sinclair) arrives at his office, unaware that Bond is waiting upstairs to confront him over selling classified information. That confrontation leads to Bond earning his 00 status. This is a working office complex, so exterior views only.

Miami art exhibit

The Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic in Prague's New Town doubled for the Miami art exhibit. Bond follows Alex Dimitrios (Simon Abkarian) through the exhibit, looking for clues to his plan. He stays one step behind throughout. It is a government building, so exterior only.

Madagascar construction site chase

The film's opening chase, set in "Madagascar," was filmed at Coral Harbour on New Providence Island's southern shore. On his first mission as a 00 agent, Bond pursues the terrorist Mollaka (Sébastien Foucan) through a construction site. Foucan's parkour makes it one of the most athletic sequences in the series. Today the area is a relaxed stretch of beach with small bars, restaurants and horseback riding tours.

Nambutu Embassy

Mollaka reaches the Nambutu Embassy believing he has escaped Bond. The scene was shot at John Watling's Distillery on the Buena Vista Estate in downtown Nassau. The estate was established in 1789, overlooks Nassau Harbor and makes small-batch rum. Complimentary tours are offered, which makes this one of the easiest stops to see properly.

The Ocean Club

The Ocean Club, a Four Seasons resort on Paradise Island, opened in 1962 and sits on a long white-sand beach. It has low-rise buildings and gardens inspired by Versailles. Bond stands at the Martini Bar and Lounge, watching Dimitrios (Simon Abkarian) at a poker table. It is where Bond begins his engagement with the man. It operates as a luxury resort, so the public areas are the way in.

Beach villa of Dimitrios

Albany House is a secluded estate in the southwest of New Providence, known locally as the "house with the long pink wall." In the film, M (Judi Dench) meets Bond at Dimitrios's villa after the events in Miami and Solange's death (Caterina Murino). A technician (Peter Notley) injects Bond with a tracking transmitter. It is a private property, so there is nothing to visit beyond the outside perimeter.

Ugandan rebel camp

The last stop is in England, at Black Park Country Park near Slough. The 202-hectare (500-acre) park of woodland and heathland stands in for a rebel camp in Uganda. Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen) arrives to take millions of dollars from Steven Obanno (Isaach de Bankolé). The park is close to Pinewood Studios, which explains why productions use it so often. It is a public country park with walking, running and cycling trails.

How to plan the visit

Karlovy Vary and Loket form one day trip: the casino hotel, the colonnade and the town square are all within the same Czech region.
Venice has four stops across Cannaregio, Dorsoduro and the area near St. Mark's Square. Allow time for walking, as there are no vehicles.
Lake Como has two stops on opposite shores: Villa del Balbianello in Lenno is managed by FAI, while Villa La Gaeta is a private residence.
Prague has three stops. The National Museum can be entered as a museum, while Danube House and the Ministry of Transport are working offices.
Nassau has four stops. The distillery offers tours, and the resort and private villa are best seen from public areas.
Respect residents and staff at every stop, stay out of private grounds and avoid blocking doorways or walkways.
Exact map pins are in the Go On Set app.

Quick answers

Where was Casino Royale filmed?

It was filmed in the Czech Republic, Italy, the Bahamas and England. The Czech Republic covers Karlovy Vary, Loket and Prague, Italy covers Venice and Lake Como, the Bahamas covers Nassau, and England covers Black Park near Slough.

How many Casino Royale filming locations are there?

This guide covers 17 locations across those four countries. Venice has four of them, as does Nassau.

Which location was used for the sinking house scene?

The sinking house was filmed in Venice's Cannaregio district. Bond shoots the flotation bags and the building sinks into the Grand Canal.

Can you visit the Casino Royale locations?

Many are public: the colonnade, Loket's square, the Venice bridges, the National Museum and Black Park. Some are working offices or private homes, so exterior views only.