Walk in the footsteps of the star-crossed characters, in the
bestselling novel, now blockbuster film, One Day.
Part shot on location in the inspiring and magical Scottish capital
of Edinburgh, the film follows the lives of sensible Emma Morley
(Anne Hathaway)
and bad boy Dexter Mayhew (Jim Sturgess) as they
forge their way in the world after meeting at the University of Edinburgh. Here’s our
handy guide to discovering your One Day in Edinburgh...
Begin in the heart of the Old Town along Victoria Terrace,
(View in map) a beautifully appointed
street with brightly coloured shop facades housing some of
Edinburgh’s best independent boutiques, eateries and Scottish
produce specialists such as I.J Mellis
Cheese and Demijohn,
the liquid Deli. Gateway to Edinburgh’s famous Grassmarket,
(View in map) this part of the
Old Town is steeped in history and gothic architecture, and is
perfect for whiling away the hours of your one day.If you want to
find a dress like that worn by Anne Hathaway in Emma’s ‘80s student
days, why not check out Armstrong’s Vintage
Clothes store for hip, retro finds.
Round the corner take in the impressive Parliament Square,
(View in map) forecourt of Parliament
House, just off the Royal Mile. In the same architectural
style as many of the Edinburgh
University buildings, this location was used for the scenes at
the beginning of the film in which Dexter and Emma meet after their
graduation ceremony.
Leaving the Royal Mile, take Warriston Close
(View in map) – one of
Edinburgh’s many enchanting passageways – leading down to Cockburn
St and towards Princes Street and the New Town. You may want
to stop off at Mary
King’s Close, 
(View in map) to
discover more about the history of closes and the Old Town. There
are many other closes off the Royal Mile to explore. Descend the
dramatic staircase, and imagine the many who have done so before,
including Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew. From here you can
appreciate the drama and architecture that give Edinburgh its
UNESCO World Heritage
Site status. It is based on the unique, unspoilt proximity of
the Old Town to the New Town. This is where the first
scenes were shot and the crew were able to disembark from the train
that brought them to Edinburgh and walk for just 5 minutes before
reaching their destination.
Crossing Princes Street Gardens,
(View in map) imagine Dex and
Emma’s playful banter as they head towards the rows of mid-to-late
18th-century buildings in Edinburgh’s New Town. Moray Place and
Forres St offer some of the most perfectly preserved examples
of Georgian architecture in Europe. It is here that the
romantic kiss featured on the poster for the film was shot.
(View in map)
Amble back through the New Town to the novel’s location for
Dexter’s flat in Fettes Row.
(View in map)
Why not stop for refreshments at Leo’s Beanery or take a brief
diversion to St Stephen’s Street for more independent boutiques
including the new Those Were The
Days vintage boutique. Towards the east end of Princes Street,
venture up Calton Hill.
(View in map)
This is one of the most popular filming locations in Edinburgh as
it offers a remarkable cityscape – from Castle Hill out to the
Firth of Forth. It is currently used as a site for
festivities, public gatherings, general recreation and a grand
observatory site. Imagine Emma and Dex traversing the
impressive collection of monuments, among them the National
Monument, New Parliament
House (the Royal High School), the Robert Burns
Monument, and the City
Observatory. The film’s second unit filmed sunrise shots from
here as celebrating students watched the sun rise.
Treat your very own special someone to a gentle climb up to the
summit of Arthur’s Seat,
(View in map)
a 350 million-year-old extinct volcano. An easy 30-minute amble up
any of the various paths of rock and grass will reward you with
glorious summit views sweeping 360º across the city. Give it
a romantic twist like Em and Dex with a cosy blanket and gourmet
picnic basket from one of Edinburgh’s delicious delis, and don’t
forget your camera for that magical picture! The scenes
shot on Arthur’s Seat were facilitated by Historic Scotland, who
manage the park. In order to get the shots the director
wanted, a platform for equipment was required and for several days
ahead of filming a helicopter could be seen dropping off the
necessary materials.
Rankeillor Street,
(View in map) is
situated in the heart of Edinburgh’s student-cool suburb of
Newington right next to Salisbury Crags and Arthur’s Seat. Here was
Emma Morley’s student residence. A bustling district full of global
eateries, treasure troves of second-hand retailers and a few of
Edinburgh’s world-class Festival venues: The Queen’s Hall, Surgeon’s Hall and Festival
Theatre. Wander around the many coffee shops and
bookstores that Emma might have visited while she lived in this
part of town.
One Day was shot in Edinburgh with the assistance of Marketing Edinburgh,
Film Focus.
Filming took place at the beginning of August 2010 for 5
days. Edinburgh is a popular filming location and you may
have seen it starring most recently in the BBC Drama Case Histories or
Sylvain
Chomet's animated feature The
Illusionist.
For further information about films shot in Edinburgh, check out
http://www.edinfilm.com/filming/filmed_here
