This Christmas, Love Actually is all around (Central London)

It’s three weeks until Christmas, which means the annual Love Actually craze that consumes fans of all ages is well and truly raging. Even though the film just celebrated its 20th anniversary, the two-hour and fifteen-minute anthology directed by Richard Curtis remains evergreen and is now almost synonymous with the holiday season itself. All around London, cinematic showings and special events dedicated to the film have begun to fill the diaries of locals and tourists alike. With the lights sparkling over Oxford Street and the various Christmas markets in full swing, I couldn’t ignore the impulse to pay a visit to some of the filming locations. After all, since love actually is all around, the movie may as well be, too.

Westway Studios - 8 Olaf Street, London, W11 4BE

As my chosen destinations were sprinkled across Central London, my strategy was to begin at the one farthest away and work my way back into the city. It just so happened that my first stop was the film’s as well. Westway Studios is better known to viewers as the place aging Rock ‘n’ Roller, Billy Mack, records his comeback holiday single, “Christmas Is All Around.” While the building name may allude to an actual recording studio, it is a co-working space home to many different corporate ventures, including Stella McCartney.

Peter and Juliet’s flat - 27 St Luke’s Mews, London W11 1DF

From Olaf Street, you can walk to the next, more easily recognized location in Notting Hill. Tucked away in St. Luke’s Mews, you will find the currently pink flat (obsessed with this choice) that once belonged to Peter and Juliet. While you may be tempted to recreate the infamous poster board scene, please remember that it is a private residence, so be respectful if you choose to visit.

Selfridges - 400 Oxford St, London W1A 1AB

Once you’ve decided you’ve had enough, hop on the 7 bus and enjoy the ride through London’s Western boroughs. After about thirty minutes, you will be deposited directly outside of Selfridges, a famous department store in its own right, but for our purposes, it is also the place Karen and Harry go Christmas shopping. While you will be hard-pressed to find Rowan Atkinson working the jewelry counter, the countless Christmas displays make stopping by more than worth the effort. Just don’t ask to get anything gift-wrapped.

The Grosvenor Chapel - 24 S Audley St, London W1K 2PA

From there, it’s a lovely 15-minute walk to The Grosvenor Chapel. The Church has been in Mayfair since 1730 (yes, it could easily have been visited by a Bridgerton) and was often visited by Florence Nightingale President Dwight D. Eisenhower when he was a general during World War II. It is also the location of Peter and Juliet’s Wedding that kicks off the film and brings many of Love Actually’s beloved characters together. It was one of my favorite visits as the interior is relatively unchanged from how it looked during filming. Sadly, there was no choir present to sing All You Need Is Love, but dreams were fulfilled nonetheless.

For the only needed tube ride of the day, take the Jubilee Line from Bond Street Station to Southwark. In between the chapel and the riverside wharf, it is possible to make a pit stop at Westminster Station if you would like to try your hand at getting a glimpse of 10 Downing Street. However, the area is no longer open to the public, and since Hugh Grant’s character is not in residence, you may wish to skip the government building entirely.

Mark’s Flat - OXO Tower: Barge House St, London SE1 9PH

After a 10-minute walk, you will reach OXO Tower. The riverside location contains more than its fair share of design, arts and crafts shops on ground level, as well as two galleries on the floors above. Making it a very sensible place for Mark, an art gallery curator, to live. The music video-esque scene of him abandoning Juliet in his flat under the guise of a business meeting was filmed all over the building, so keep your eyes peeled if you are looking to recreate the Dido soundtracked sequence.

Daniel and Sam’s Bench - 56 Upper Ground, London SE1 9PP

Finally, just a stone’s throw down the bank of the Themes, you will come across a row of unassuming benches. If you want to be specific about it, the third one down was the one used by Daniel and Sam. Brilliant in both its simplicity and accessibility, this is the perfect spot to settle in and watch the sunset, sip a cooling hot chocolate, bask in the city's holiday glow, or reflect on the “total agony of being in love.”