Succession: Fantastic Film Locations and Where to Find Them!

Outstanding acting, hypnotic directing, a well-articulated plot, and some ludicrously lavish locations that we all wish to visit one day: the TV series Succession just has it all! After four years of exponential growth in quality and popularity, Succession is ending, and we may finally find out who will inherit Logan Roy’s fortune and power?!

Since its first episode, the series has been phenomenal, and quickly, it became HBO Max’s spearhead, echoing the success of the network’s well-known hits! Succession debuted when the events of the fantasy TV series Game of Thrones were ending, and while everyone was speculating which show would become the ‘new’ Game of Thrones, there was HBO with a new hit replacement in-house.

Succession was a huge success from the outset with audiences and critics alike, especially the latter, who seem to love it as madly as they had only done with titles that have since become cult TV series like The Sopranos and Breaking Bad. The decision to end the series’ run with the fourth season shocked some of the public. However, the events of the show’s fourth season so far have been everything we dreamt of and a little more!

The family saga of Succession explores themes of power and the internal dynamics of the Roy clan, led by patriarch Logan (Brian Cox). His four children, Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Siobhan (Sarah Snook), Roman (Kieran Culkin), and Connor (Alan Ruck), struggle to gain control of the family business, Waystar Royco. But most of all, they seek to gain what Logan has always denied them: his approval.

With each new season, the show creator Jesse Armstrong has raised the bar higher, taking us on a wild journey inside the world of Waystar Royco! Along with the story, the globe-trotting show has also taken us on a guided tour across some extravagantly luxurious houses and locations that we can visit in real life! So, where are the locations of the Succession filming that you can visit? Let’s find out!  

Oheka Castle, New York

Most of the filming takes place in the Big Apple since the Roy clan and their media business are settled in the city. So, it is no surprise that most of the shooting is in good old Gotham. Over the years, the show has gallivanted throughout New York; in fact, almost all of New York’s landmarks have made an appearance in the show by now.

Out of the many locations we have seen in season two, the one that really took our breath away was the one we all thought was in Hungary! In one of the best episodes of Succession, season two, episode three, “Hunting,” the corporate team of Waystar Royco flies to Hungary to hunt.

In this episode, we saw the infamous ‘Boar on the Floor’ scene at the Hungarian hunting lodge. However, while the lodge beams with Easter Europe vibes, it was Oheka Castle in Huntington, Long Island, New York!

Otto Hermann Kahn, a German investor, built the Oheka Castle between 1914 and 1919. Rumour has it that the Huntington on Long Island castle inspired Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece, The Great Gatsby.

The castle is one of the largest in the United States, and it was made entirely of steel and concrete to be fireproof. The building team did their job right, and over the years, the castle has survived more than 100 arson attempts!

In addition to the castle, the estate has a massive garden, countless water terraces, an 18-hole golf course, stables, vegetable gardens, an indoor swimming pool, an airstrip for planes, tennis courts, and one of the significant private greenhouses in the country.

Succession is not the only famous work that used the castle as a filming location. The elegant gardens of the castle on Long Island were used for the exterior of the dazzling parties that were held in The Great Gatsby’s film, directed by Baz Luhrmann.

Today, the castle has a hotel, event spaces, and a restaurant inside. So, if you want a taste of the Gilded Age lifestyle, make sure to get a room for a magical night in this incredible castle.

The Shed, New York

Another mesmerising location from Succession that you can visit is the culture centre, The Shed, in Hudson Yards, Manhattan. This is where Kendall celebrated his 40^th birthday in season three.

The Shed opened for business in 2019. The brilliant minds behind this architectural gem are the architects Diller Scofidio and Renfro, who collaborated with Rockwell Group. The Shed is the perfect cultural space for a variety of visual arts activities and performances.

It won’t take you long to realise that the centre building is the star of the show; the shell design is 170,000 square feet, and thanks to industrial crane technology, it can be retracted or extended through attached wheels.

The Plaza Hotel, New York

If a series has most of its shooting in New York City, then the iconic Plaza is bound to appear! In Succession, season three, when the Roy family heads to a Virginia political event, all the meetings with potential presidential candidates are shot at some of The Plaza’s prestigious rooms!   

The Plaza has been around since 1907; the hotel didn’t take much time to make a name for itself. The hotel has been the filming location of many memorable works like Alfred Hitchcock‘s Bridal By North (1958), Scent of a Woman (1991), and who can forget Home Alone 2!

Visiting the Plaza is a must for anyone going to New York! Even if you can’t afford to book a room, there are still some activities to enjoy. You can treat yourself to a fancy tea at the Palm Court venue or have a drink at the Champagne Bar venue, which looks over Fifth Avenue and The Pulitzer Fountain. You can also have a delightful meal at the famous Todd English Food Hall restaurant.

Whiteface Lodge, Lake Placid, New York

In season two, episode six, “Argestes”, as we were all paying full attention to the tech conference taking place, we couldn’t stop wondering about that breathtaking rust setting that turned out to be the beautiful Whiteface Lodge. The Whiteface Lodge is an excellent resort for winter sports lovers, given how close it is to Whiteface Mountain, where you can go skiing or snowboarding.

The resort’s history goes back to the Gilded Age, and while you may think it has ancient vibes, it has all the necessary modern accommodations to make your stay pleasant. There is a relaxing spa and a private beach where you can enjoy several activities or the water.

Dundee, Scotland

Here’s a fun fact: Brian Cox, the incredible talent playing the Roy patriarch, was born in Dundee, Scotland, and Logan Roy is in the show. To celebrate Logan’s 50^th birthday as a CEO, the whole clan heads to Dundee, and we get to see some spectacular Scottish natural beauty!

The show was filmed at various locations in the stunning Dundee, and some scenes were shot at the design museum V&A Dundee. As for the magnificent hotel the Roy family stayed at would be the Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder, Scotland.

The hotel is ideal for anyone looking to truly enjoy the Scottish countryside. In addition to the captivating natural landscapes, the luxury hotel offers various activities for its visitors.

As for the V&A Dundee (Victoria and Albert Museum), this is the first design museum to open in Scotland, and it is a must-visit while in the country. It is an absolute delight!

Eastnor Castle, Herefordshire, UK

In season one, Logan’s daughter Shiv had her ill-fated wedding in a spectacular venue, Eastnor Castle. The Eastnor Castle is one of the most scenic castles in the UK.

The 19th-century castle is a neo-Gothic-style castle in the English village of Eastnor, Herefordshire. It was built largely between 1811 and 1824 to the design of architect Robert Smirke and at the behest of the Somers family.

The fairytale castle can be rented for weddings and special events, and it has hosted hundreds of weddings, parties and several films over the years. However, you don’t have to rent the castle to enjoy it; you can simply visit and feast on the spacious rooms and the eye-catching interior designs.

Tuscany, Italy

In the third season of the HBO family drama Succession, the story of Logan Roy, his four children and their company temporarily moving to Italy. During the eighth episode, entitled Chiantishire, and in the following one that closes the season, Logan and his children try—in vain—to temporarily put aside their differences over the management of Waystar-Royco, the entertainment and media giant they own and gather in Tuscany for the wedding of Caroline, Logan’s ex-wife and mother of three of his children.

Villa La Foce

All the guests were welcomed into the lovely Italian-style garden of Villa La Foce, a historic residence in Chianciano Terme in the province of Siena, whose gentle slopes, dotted with cypress trees and cottages, provide an enchanting backdrop to this part of the story, and for any memorable vacation!

Villa La Foce was built in the late 15th century, and it aimed to serve as a resting place for pilgrims and merchants who travelled along this busy road. Around 1924, it was inhabited by Antonio and Iris Origo and became a farm full of life and agricultural activities.

The garden, designed by Iris and the English architect Cecil Pinsent, is considered a perfect example of the harmonious fusion of 20th-century architecture and landscape with the taste and traditions of Italy and England.

Villa Cetinale

The wedding took place in Villa Cetinale, in Tuscany. It is a beautiful mansion located near Ancaiano in Sovicille, Siena. Villa Cetinale is one of the many Italian locations chosen by significant film and television productions.

It was built between 1676 and 1678 at the behest of Cardinal Flavio Chigi to a design by Carlo Fontana, a pupil of Bernini, author of the Cornaro Chapel that has returned to splendour in Rome after a central cleaning and consolidation work.

The building of Villa Cetinale has a quadrangular ground plan and is spread over three floors, located above a large terrace. The pride of Villa Cetinale is its Baroque landscape garden, which is considered one of the most important in Italy. In all, Villa Cetinale has thirteen rooms that create refined spaces in which luxurious draperies, large four-poster beds, and decorative cabinetry follow one another.

Argiano

While in Italy, Logan Roy sets up his headquarters at Argiano, an estate surrounded by vineyards and cypresses in Montalcino.

Argiano is one of the oldest estates and cellars in the Montalcino area. It boasts more than 100 hectares of land, 52 vineyards and olive groves arranged in a single body around the splendid Renaissance-era villa.

In addition to agritourism, the main floor of the villa, overlooking the Sienese hills and the Val d’Orcia, will host an art gallery with paintings of the Sienese Renaissance, which will be open, for now by appointment only, starting early next year.

Succession Season 4 Film Location: Norway

HBO officially announced the start of filming for the fourth season of the much-loved Succession in 2022. One detail that struck a chord with viewers was that the fourth season of Succession changed locations. The filming and the entire production moved to Northern Europe.

The third season ended with technology tycoon Lukas Matsson, played by Alexander Skarsgård, taking over Waystar Royco, much to the shock of his three children, Kendall, Roman, and Shiv. The fourth season of Succession picks up after this major cliffhanger.

Lukas is the Norwegian CEO of the streaming service GoJo. The tech tycoon plays a very important role in season four, which is why everything will move to Norway to follow Matsson and the Roy family.

Succession has been a great success, and producer Scott Ferguson specified that they chose to move to Norway precisely because of its spectacular scenery, which has become an ideal location for shooting. Several countries were studied, but Norway was perfect for the story, and the show was filmed at several locations.

The Atlantic Ocean Road

The famous Atlantic Ocean Road in Norway is no stranger to the spotlight. It is celebrated as one of the most picturesque routes in the world and caught the audience’s attention when it appeared in the early episodes of Succession season 4.

The road is well-known for the car chase scene from the James Bond film No Time To Die. The 8.3 km road links the mainland to the Averøy municipality (a political subdivision of a state) through several islands and islets. Driving through the road is such a thrilling experience that it would give you an adrenaline rush!

The Romsdalen Gondola & Nesaksla Mountain Top

Who can forget the scenes between Roman and Kendall as they negotiate with Matsson on the top of a mountain in episode five? The scenes were shot at the mountain Nesaksla top, which you can reach through the Romsdalen Gondola.

The Romsdalen Gondola is the longest cable car in Norway. It is a well-known tourist destination, and the view from the top is spectacular! The prices are not insanely high, so you can easily enjoy a ride to the top and maybe even treat yourself to a meal at the mountain-top restaurant featured in the episode.

 The Juvet Landscape Hotel

The retreat where the Roys stay is the gorgeous Juvet Landscape Hotel. The Juvet Landscape Hotel is one of the most scenic hotels in Norway and probably worldwide. The rooms are more like cabins with innovative interior designs.

The hotel was also a filming location for the film Ex Machina. The hotel’s actual rooms can be seen in the scenes of Roman and Kendall’s rooms and the room where Shiv and Matsson meet. You can rent one of those cabins and live a unique experience looking over breathtaking nature—for the right price, of course.

Gudbrandsjuvet

Gudbrandsjuvet is one of the top attractions in Norway. It is a 20–25 metre high gorge in the Valldal Valley. The place offers a one-of-a-kind experience, thanks to the boardwalk overlooking the whole area, where you can enjoy the surrounding nature like no other place in the world.

Gudbrandsjuvet is where the two firms had their outdoor party after the merge. Another scene shows Kendall and Roman standing on the boardwalk, looking over the Gudbrandsjuvet.

While many of us are not happy to say goodbye to our favourite show, we are lucky to enjoy some of the succession filming locations and revisit the drama of Succession that kept us all on the edge of our seats!