Spain keeps popping up in blockbusters and binge‑worthy series, and half the time people don’t realise they’re looking at Bilbao, Madrid or Jerez rather than London, California or a distant galaxy. This round‑up focuses on famous film and TV locations in Spain that viewers actually recognise, mixing globally popular titles with a few very current productions that are putting new corners of the country on screen.
Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao – The World Is Not Enough (James Bond)
Pierce Brosnan’s Bond drops into Bilbao in the opening sequence of The World Is Not Enough (1999), walking past the titanium curves of the Guggenheim Museum before things inevitably explode. You can follow his steps along Iparraguirre kalea and over La Salve bridge, where the museum looms over the river, and you get that same sweeping view that made it into the film.
Don’t miss nearby: a wander along the Nervión riverfront, pintxos in the Casco Viejo, and a proper look inside the Guggenheim’s galleries once you’ve done your Bond photos outside.
Plaza de España, Seville – Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
In Attack of the Clones (2002), the grand curved palace on the planet Naboo is actually Plaza de España in Seville. The scenes where Anakin and Padmé stroll through sunlit arches and along a wide canal were filmed here, with only a bit of CGI tinkering in the background. When you walk under the tiled bridges and look up at the towers, it’s very easy to picture Jedi robes swishing past the tourists.
Don’t miss nearby: the María Luisa park right behind the square, and the Real Alcázar, which also shows up in popular TV series.
Mónsul beach, Almería – Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
That scene in Indiana Jones (1989) where Sean Connery waves his umbrella to send a flock of birds into a German plane’s path was filmed on Mónsul beach in the Cabo de Gata‑Níjar Natural Park. It’s a wild, volcanic stretch of sand with a big rock outcrop you’ll recognise straight away once you’re on the shore. There’s nothing particularly “set‑dressed” about it either: the landscape is almost exactly as it appears in the film.
Don’t miss nearby: other classic film spots in Almeria are around Tabernas and the Almería desert, which have doubled as North Africa and the Wild West in dozens of productions.
Punta de Teno, Tenerife – Fast & Furious 6
For Fast & Furious 6 (2013), the production closed off the dramatic coastal road to Punta de Teno on Tenerife to shoot high‑speed chase scenes with the ocean dropping away beside the tarmac. On screen, it looks like some remote Atlantic outpost, and in person, it feels just as wild, with steep cliffs, a red‑and‑white lighthouse and views out towards the lesser-known island of La Gomera.
Don’t miss nearby: the viewpoint over the Los Gigantes cliffs, a swim or snorkel at the little coves when the sea is calm, and other authentic alternatives on the island.
Atocha Station, Madrid – The Bourne Ultimatum
Jason Bourne spends half his time darting through train stations, and in The Bourne Ultimatum (2007), one of those key stops is Atocha, Madrid’s main rail hub. The film uses the station’s platforms and concourses for cat‑and‑mouse sequences as Matt Damon’s character tries to stay one step ahead of the people chasing him. These days, you can still pick out corners you’ll recognise while grabbing a coffee before your AVE train.
Don’t miss nearby: the tropical garden inside the old Atocha building, and an easy walk up to the Reina Sofía and Prado Museum if you’ve got a few hours between trains.
Casa Milà, Barcelona – Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Woody Allen turned Barcelona into a sort of extra character in Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008). One of the most memorable spots is Casa Milà - known as La Pedrera - one of Gaudí’s great modernist apartment blocks. On the rooftop, with its warrior‑like chimneys and sweeping views over the Eixample grid, Vicky, Cristina and Judy look out across the city in scenes that are very easy to recreate with a camera and a bit of patience.
Don’t miss nearby: a Gaudí double bill with Casa Batlló a short stroll away, plus a detour down Passeig de Gràcia to spot more modernist facades.
Money Heist, Madrid – La Casa de Papel and beyond
Netflix’s Money Heist (La Casa de Papel) (from 2017) turned Madrid into a global heist destination, even if a lot of viewers didn’t realise at first that it was Spain on screen. The supposed “Royal Mint” is actually the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) building near Nuevos Ministerios, and the series also uses central streets and rooftops for tense standoffs and helicopter shots.
Spin‑off series Berlin has pushed the universe further south, with newer episodes being filmed in Seville’s grand avenues and squares.
Don’t miss nearby: in Madrid, a city walk taking in CSIC, Paseo de la Castellana and the Gran Vía area, where other Spanish and international productions often shoot.
Royal city streets, Seville – The Crown
One of Condé Nast Traveler’s top European destinations for 2026, The Crown (from 2016) quietly used Seville to stand in for very different places in the royal family’s globe‑trotting life. The Hotel Alfonso XIII doubles as a glamorous Californian residence. Streets in San Juan de Aznalfarache and other neighbourhoods became 1950s Greek towns or Mediterranean holiday spots. Watching the show, you’d never guess how often those “abroad” scenes were filmed a short tram ride from Seville’s cathedral.
Don’t miss nearby: a coffee or cocktail at the hotel if your budget stretches, or at least a look at its courtyard and lobby before wandering over to the Archivo de Indias and Seville Cathedral.
Andalusia on screen – Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon
Spain stepped fully into fantasy territory when Andalusia became part of the world of Game of Thrones from around 2025 and later House of the Dragon (2022). The Real Alcázar of Seville appears as the lush Water Gardens of Dorne, with its tiled courtyards and reflective pools almost unchanged from real life. The Plaza de Toros in Osuna hosted one of the series’ big arena battles, while other regional landscapes show up as sun‑drenched, exotic kingdoms that fans will clock instantly.
Don’t miss nearby: in Seville, a combined wander around the Alcázar, Plaza de España and the Santa Cruz neighbourhood. In Osuna, a visit to the bullring and a tapas crawl through the compact historic centre.
Sherlock Holmes, southern Spain – 2026 Guy Ritchie series
A new Sherlock Holmes series directed by Guy Ritchie has shifted the famous detective away from foggy London streets and into the sun of southern Spain, with filming taking place in Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz and parts of Seville. Historic plazas, narrow alleys and elegant 19th‑century facades are being used as backdrops for chases and conspiracies. Once the series is out, fans will be able to match specific scenes to corners of these cities with a bit of on‑the‑ground exploring.
Don’t miss nearby: in Jerez, a tour and tasting at the third-best winery in the world. In Cádiz, a walk along the seafront and through the old town is nice, and in Seville, there's another excuse to dive back into its film‑famous squares and palaces.
Spain on screen: what’s coming next
Film crews are still all over Spain, so these ten are more of a snapshot than a final word. New projects keep appearing on location lists, including Brandon Sklena's action film FAST (to be released in April 2027), recently shot in Murcia, which is likely to put another, less‑visited region on cinema’s mental map.
It’s worth keeping an eye on the end credits of whatever you’re watching next; odds are at least one jaw‑dropping scene was filmed surprisingly close to where you’ll be staying on your next Spanish trip.