Summit of Schilthorn, Switzerland made famous as filming location in James Bond movies. Photo: iStock
The 007 franchise is launching its first official tours – but the price will leave you shaken, not stirred
Created by renowned novelist Ian Fleming in 1953, James Bond is a fictional character who has been portrayed by Sean Connery, David Niven, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig in a total of twenty-seven films.
In collaboration with luxury tour company Black Tomato, a raft of holiday packages are being created with the help of the films’ location managers, to craft a Bond-tastic tie-in with 60 years of one of the world’s longest-running film franchises. And the movies have visited some spectacular places over the years: from Jamaica and Cuba to Iceland and Hong Kong, Bond has certainly ticked off (and blown up) pretty much all your bucket-list destinations.
The initial venture is called ‘The Assignment: Europe’, and the 12-night itinerary has just been announced. It starts in London with a boat trip down the River Thames, a day shopping for Bond essentials and sipping martinis in posh St James’s, a spot of stunt-training and a night’s gambling. The tour then heads off to Paris, Monaco, Lake Como and Venice, taking in experiences like waterskiing and VIP access to the Casino de Monte Carlo, and – naturally – plenty of James Bond filming locations.
You can also request a bespoke Bond-themed trip taking in the above destinations plus the Austrian Alps. Wherever you head, you can expect the trip to be as dazzling and glamorous as any Bond film, but with a lot less death.
Possibilities also include a yacht cruise on Monaco’s Cote d’Azur with Octopussy Bond girl Carole Ashby, a behind-the-scenes tour of Casino de Monte-Carlo and waterskiing on Lake Como before jumping on a seaplane and then a wooden Riva boat to visit a villa from Casino Royale. As a grand finale, guests can check into Hotel Cipriani, Venice, A Belmond Hotel, for a host of recreated film moments. Those include a surreal evening on the island of Murano at a seemingly abandoned glass factory complete with private glass-blowing demonstration and candlelit wine-paired four-course dinner. Completely off-limits to the general public, it’s absolutely Bond-worthy in every way.
And as for the price… well, you wouldn’t expect 007-style globetrotting to come cheap, would you? Your bill for the 12-day tour comes in at £60,000 per person, while for the bespoke trips, the minimum spend is £15,000. Yowch.
If you don’t have an MI6 expense account to draw on, do the next best thing and dive into our 24 Hours in Schilthorn : The James Bond 007 Experience Guide
Trips can be booked now but travel is most recommended from May onwards.
For latest travel news and updates, food and drink journeys, restaurant features, and more, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram. Read more on Travel and Food Network
Trending on TFN
The 23 Best Places To Go In 2023
