Ah, there’s nothing like a love story that pulls on every heartstring. ‘One Day’ has taken Netflix by storm, telling the lifelong tale of friends-to-lovers Dexter and Emma. The series starts off with an episode filled with Edinburgh sights, as the pair meets for the first time at a graduation ball. Edinburgh also makes a welcome appearance towards the end of the story, as Dex visits the city with his daughter. So, let’s have a look at all the Edinburgh filming locations that appeared in ‘One Day’, on top of uncovering how long Dex really had to run to catch up with Em in the first episode.
The story follows the relationship of a lifetime between two people filled with friendship, heartbreak and love over the span of 20 years.
Based on David Nicholls’s best-selling novel, the storyline has already been brought to the big screen by Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess in 2011 directed by Lone Scherfig. However, the love story has been brought to life once again by Netflix in the form of a TV series, starring Leo Woodall and Ambika Mod.
So, while the storyline is just as intriguing, the series jumps around various locations starting with Edinburgh, and then moving onto Rome, Hammersmith in London as well as Primrose Hill, Paros in Greece, more London, Paris and other English locations. We did, of course, pay extra attention to the Edinburgh filming locations while watching ‘One Day’, so it’s only fitting we spill the beans.
‘One Day’ filming locations in Edinburgh
The Old College at Edinburgh University
The graduation ball took place at The Old College at Edinburgh University, which is also open to visitors.
Viewforth
Emma’s flat was located at Viewforth, near Bruntsfield and Bruntsfield Links.
Arthur’s Seat
Arthur’s Seat is one of the most noteworthy ‘One Day’ filming locations, as the pair takes a hungover hike during episode one, and Dex takes Jasmine there later in the series. You can easily visit the dead volcano any time of year, but to the disappointment of some bad TripAdvisor reviews, Arthur’s Seat does not actually have a seat at the top.
Holyrood Park
Holyrood Park is where Dex invited Emma to come to his flat, perfectly paired with the backdrop of Arthur’s Seat.
Moray Place
Moray Place is where Dexter’s flat was supposed to be, and where Emma says goodbye and walks away after his parents show up.
The Vennel Steps
The first episode culminates with Dex catching up with Em and asking to keep in touch, ending with a kiss and a stunning backdrop of Edinburgh Castle. It is the most beautiful place in the city to catch a glimpse of the castle, but it is quite the run from Moray Place.
How far did Dexter have to run to catch up with Emma?
While this is all just a made-up story, we thought we’d look into exactly how far Dex had to run to catch up with Emma from Moray Place all the way to The Vennel Steps. Well, the answer is exactly one Scottish mile: 1.6 kilometres. According to Google, it would take a 24-minute walk or a 12-minute drive. Now that’s dedication!