When James Bond made the Greek island of Corfu famous around the world (video)

The Greek island of Corfu is among the most memorable locations in the James Bond's film history, according to leading German tour operator TUI which recently presented an account of Roger Moore starring as the famous secret agent in famous locations, motivating travelers to follow in his footsteps.

TUI reminds us that in his fifth appearance as 007, Sir Roger Moore was whisked away to Corfu for filming. This pretty Greek island played host to a whole bunch of scenes in For Your Eyes Only (1981), ranging from clifftop scuffles to tense casino confrontations. The historic Achillion Palace, in Gastouri, was home to Sir Roger’s meeting with secret villain, Kristatos. Later, Corfu Town’s Old Fortress masquerades as part of Albania, as we see Bond defeat one of his nemeses after a breath-taking chase that ends on the ramparts.

Gentlemanly charm and dashing good looks made Sir Roger Moore arguably the best-loved Bond of all time. His cheeky quips and air of sophistication were trademark 007 traits, and no-one’s filled Bond’s well-polished shoes more times than he did.

His seven-film stint in the famous tux delivered some of the best baddies and most memorable locations in the secret agent’s history. Jaws, Scaramanga and May Day all pitted their wits against Sir Roger’s Bond, and the character’s far-flung travels took him to outer space, in Moonraker.

Now his astronaut scenes might have been filmed in a studio, but there’s plenty more globetrotting that deserves a bit of attention. From the dense canopy of the Amazon rainforest, to the sunny shores of Sardinia, Sir Roger Moore took Bond to all four corners of the globe. And boy did he do it in style…

THE CARIBBEAN

When Sir Roger Moore made his first bow as Bond, in Live and Let Die (1973), he started by jetting across the Atlantic to the sun-drenched shores of Jamaica. Let’s face it, it wouldn’t be Bond without a trip to the Caribbean, and the land of wood and water was used as the fictional nation of San Monique in the film. Montego Bay and the Blue Mountains of Ocho Rios are among the locations you’ll see, and in Runaway Bay, he’s introduced to the villain’s underground lair.

Filming returned to this tropical cluster of islands for The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), with underwater scenes of the submersible car shot off the coast of Nassau, in the Bahamas.

ITALY

These days, Sardinia is something of a celebrity playground, so it’s no surprise that large parts of The Spy Who Loved Me were filmed on this Italian island. The Costa Smeralda was home to 007’s car chases and swanky hotel scenes, including the iconic moment a Lotus Esprit plunges into the Mediterranean, in Porto Cervo. Cue gadgets, and a first glimpse of Sir Roger’s famous underwater car.

Skip forward to the next installment, Moonraker (1979), and you’ll see Bond causing a stir in Venice. Before an outer-space battle with the main baddie, Drax, Sir Roger does a spot of investigating in the City of Bridges. Inevitably, and to the delight of thrill-seeking viewers, this leads to a hair-raising chase scene on a motorized gondola, where 007 discovers a secret laboratory in an ensuing fight scene. Classic Bond.

USA

It’s not uncommon for Britain’s best-loved spy to run into his American counterpart, Felix Leiter, but Bond’s also spent a bit of time across the pond himself. In his first outing as the secret agent, Live and Let Die, Sir Roger Moore is captured in the southern city of New Orleans. And when he’s faced with a sticky situation in alligator-infested territory, 007 escapes as only he could – by hopping across the animals’ backs to safety.

Moonraker see’s Sir Roger’s second visit to the USA. The Amazonian boat chase you see in the film was actually shot in St Lucie County, Florida, and the Kennedy Space Center makes an appearance, as well.

ICELAND

In his seventh and final performance as 007, Sir Roger’s Bond kicked things off on an Icelandic glacier. Vatnajokull Glacier, in the south-west of Iceland, was used as a substitute for Siberia in the opening stages of A View to a Kill (1985). We see the secret agent hover in by helicopter, as he tracks down a missing microchip in the wintery landscape. The subsequent ski chase was filmed in the Swiss Alps, dishing up all of the rip-roaring excitement we’ve come to love in Bond flicks.

For more about Iceland, Greece, Jamaica, Italy and the USA, take a look at TUI's homepage.

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