Lights, camera, action: TV and film locations in Wales

Discover the many corners of the country made famous by on-screen lovers, monsters, aliens, vampires, elves and warring knights, with our guide to some of the most famous Welsh filming locations you can visit.

The documentary series Welcome to Wrexham, which airs on Disney+, follows the journey of Hollywood A-listers Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds as they step into uncharted territory to rescue one of Wales’ oldest football clubs. It revolves around the actors, who have become the unlikely owners of this famous Welsh football Club based in the town of Wrexham. The series has captured international attention and sparked curiosity among fans and non-football enthusiasts alike. You can arrange tickets to watch the club through Wrexham AFC and a visit to the local Turf Pub is a must, especially on a match day.

You'll find lots of history in Wrexham. A visit to Erddig country house, on the outskirts of the city, is a must if exploring the area. City centre attractions include Tŷ Pawb which offers an unique shopping and dining experience, with over 30 independent traders in its amazing arcades and food court. The Lemon Tree Restaurant and Rooms is a nice place to stay if you are looking for a weekend break, or for an extended holiday the Plassey Holiday Park offers a range of pitches for tourers, as well as contemporary holiday homes.

The dramatic landscapes of Eryri (Snowdonia) have provided a stunning setting for a wide range of films. Nearly 35 years after scenes from the original Willow (1988) film were shot in Eryri, Lucas films returned here to film some of the sequel as a series to air on Disney+.

Read more: The Welsh destinations in the Willow Disney+ series.

Llyn Gwynant is situated in the heart of Eryri (Snowdonia), surrounded by mountains and a great place to stay is its well equipped Llyn Gwynant campsite with water activities on offer such as kayaking or canoeing. This beautiful setting represented China in Lara Croft Tomb Raider. The Cradle of Life. They even built a replica section of the Great Wall here!

Also in North Wales, the Harriet Hole in Dinorwic Slate Quarry was used to film parts of Clash of the Titans. This former slate quarry, the second largest in Wales, also appeared in Willow series and Street Fighter (1994). It’s home to the National Slate Museum and part of the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales, an amazing place to explore.

Eryri (Snowdonia) offers unique accommodation in the natural beauty of these surroundings - from cosy traditional Welsh inns, cottages or a camping. Discover more places to stay in the area.

Castell Caernarfon built by Edward I in the late 13th century – it is one of Wales’ most prized architectural treasures and an UNESCO World Heritage site. Seven hundred and fifty years later, a future King, the 21-year-old Prince Charles was invested as Prince of Wales within it’s iconic walls. Netflix’s historical drama, The Crown filmed season three in the castle, and episode six ‘Tywysog Cymru’ offers an authentic reconstruction of the royal ceremony from 1969. It's recently undergone extensive refurbishment work, making the castle more accessible. Discover more of the important castles located in Gwynedd, North Wales.

For a scenic adventure nearby, hop aboard the Welsh Highland steam railway which takes you on a 25 mile ride to Porthmadog which offers a good variety of culinary options for a coffee or a light meal whilst exploring.

Some other productions filmed at Castell Caernarfon include  King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017) and First Knight (1995) 

Though most known as the location for the 1960s' series, The Prisoner, the final episode of the first run of ITV series Cold Feet was also, very movingly, filmed in Portmeirion in 2002. It featured Adam (James Nesbitt) scattering the ashes of his wife Rachel (Helen Baxendale) in the sea, as a reminder of a holiday they had there where their son was conceived. You can visit for the day exploring the amazing architecture of village itself as well as the boutiques, and art galleries. Although nobody lives in the village permanently, the cottages and other buildings have been converted into self-catering apartments, serviced by two hotels. Hotel Portmeirion, the main building, offers a range of suites with views of the estuary, and the village gardens and Castell Deudraeth – a Victorian mansion with a brasserie serving local produce in a relaxing atmosphere.

Read more: Places to stay and things to do near Portmeirion.

A significant portion of the second season of House of the Dragon was shot on location in North Wales, which served as a stand-in for various fictional locations such as The Vale, the Riverlands, and Dragonstone. Two former Welsh quarries were also utilised as exterior shots of the Dragonstone and Harrenhal castles. As Rhys Ifans (who plays Otto Hightowe) said, it's “as a perfect setting for this world”

Tretower Court is a fortified manor house located in the Usk Valley and was the setting for Sky’s supernatural TV series A Discovery of Witches, with the manor house providing an ideal backdrop for scenes set in Elizabethan London. Tretower Court and Castle was also the setting for the TV show Cursed, which brought the mythical and medieval world of the Arthurian legend to life. Period drama film The Libertine starring Johnny Depp and John Malkovich was also filmed here.

Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) is box office with the big movie producers as it offers a dramatic destination where some major film and TV productions were filmed. Scenes from Wrath of the Titans, including those featuring ancient ruins and breathtaking landscapes, were filmed here. The fantasy film Stardust starring well-known actors Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer used this location for several outdoor scenes which contributed to the magical atmosphere of the movie.

Staying in this area gives you the opportunity to find lots of romantic things to do, it's an ideal location for family gateways or a solo adventure too.

The Harry Potter films used incredible locations all over the UK - however they chose to Wales to film what was probably the saddest scene in the whole series. The design team for the seventh instalment of the Harry Potter saga recreated Shell Cottage, Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour’s Cornish home in Pembrokeshire Coastal National Park. Complete with three-storey attic, shell-tiled roof and crooked chimneys, it was built on the sandy dunes behind Freshwater West beach in April 2009 and deconstructed after filming finished. There is still a shrine to Dobby, the House Elf, but visitors wishing to pay their respects are kindly asked to protect the beach and leave no trace.

Another crew also set up on Freshwater West – this time to film an epic battle sequence for Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood, in which horsemen with pennants gallop along the water’s edge.

The National Trust owned beach has dunes that form part of a legally protected conservation area, so you can expect to see plenty of wildlife and flora. The beach was also used for the film Their Finest where it doubled as the coast of Dunkirk. Pembrokeshire also provided a stunning coastline filming location for the classic fairy tale Snow White and the Huntsman starring Kristen Stewart and Charlize Theron which was directed by Rupert Sanders and filmed at Marloes Sands.

This region offers a diverse range of activities from golf, cycling, coasteering, boat trips and coastal walks.

The Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is an internationally important protected landscape area straddling the historic border between Wales and England. It is renowned as one of the most dramatic and scenic landscapes in southern Britain.

Netflix's massive hit Sex Education has encouraged a whole new audience to fall in love with the beautiful Wye Valley. The majority of the show is filmed in Wales, and there are a number of locations featured in the show you can visit. The village of Tintern is worth a visit for the old railway bridge Otis and Eric regularly cycled over to school, and the spooky ruins of Tintern Abbey. Nearby Monmouth and Llandogo also feature regularly in the show.

Other productions also filmed in the Wye valley include, Merlin at Raglan Castle, New Worlds at Chepstow Castle, Doctor Who (various episodes) in Monmouth – Shire Hall  and Captain America: First Avenger in Caerwent.

Doctor Who is primarily filmed in Cardiff by BBC Cymru Wales and the long running sci-fi series has used various locations ‘in and around’ the city. It restarted filming in 2005 with the reincarnation of Christopher Eccleston as the ninth Doctor, marking the start of the modern era of the show. Filming locations in Cardiff include the National Museum Cardiff, St Fagans National Museum of History, Mount Stuart Square in Cardiff Bay, the city centre streets - especially around Westgate Street and Queen Street, and the village of Llandaff. Outside Cardiff, St Donat’s Castle in Llantwit Major, Caerphilly Castle, and Tredegar House in Newport are worth a visit. Check out our Doctor Who filming locations page for information on tours, including a downloadable Cardiff Doctor Who locations self-guided audio tour.

Wolf is a six part Thriller filmed mainly on location South Wales and at Cardiff's Enfys Studios the series makes the most of the beautiful locations some featured included Merthyr Mawr, Warren Nature Reserve, Bridgend and Roath Lake.

This culturally rich city centre is home to numerous theatres, including the world renowned Wales Millennium Centre contributing to the city’s thriving arts scene. For shopping enthusiasts, the city boasts independent shops in the Victorian arcades and markets. If your special interest is food then Loving Welsh Food offer a City of Arcades Tasting Tour - a chance to taste some local produce whilst wandering the city.

Read more: A local's guide to eating in Cardiff

Much loved BBC comedy drama Gavin and Stacey put Barry so firmly on the map that local guides offer amusing coach tours of many of the locations featured in the series. Essential stops include Trinity Street where Stacey and her family lived, Marco’s Café where Stacey got a job and St Peter’s Church in Peterston-Super-Ely, where Nessa and Dave nearly got married.

Read more: Gavin and Stacey locations in Wales.

The first two series of BBC3’s Being Human were set in Bristol, but in the third series, the four protagonists moved to a former B&B called 'Honolulu Heights' on Coast View Road in Barry Island. The Maerdy Hotel in Pencoed stands in for the 'Barry Grand Hotel', where Hal and Tom get jobs in the fifth series.

The TV series Wolf Hall follows the life of Thomas Cromwell, a key advisor to King Henry VIII of England during the political upheaval in the 16th century. Caerphilly Castle was one of four Welsh castles used in this series - its fortress sprawls over a huge area making it the largest castle in Wales. It has also provided the backdrop for various Doctor Who storylines over the years as well as some scenes from the historical drama TV series The White Princess.

Roam the well-known landmarks of a former industrial heartland of Wales with this guide to things to see and do in the South Wales Valleys.

Discover more locations where major productions have been filmed