When it comes to your movie heroes, there aren't many whose shoes--when you really think about it--you'd actually want to fill.
Indiana Jones? Ophidiophobic Nazi target. Batman? Schizophrenic loner.
James Bond on the other hand? Not only does he always get the deliriously beautiful girl-cum-supermodel, but he gets to travel the world in immaculately fine style along the way.
'Skyfall' continues the globetrotting tradition, with an adventure that sees Bond soak up the sights in Istanbul, London, Shanghai and the Scottish Highlands.
If you'd enjoy the perks of being a world-class super-spy but want none of the pesky life-threatening drawbacks, check out our 24-hour guide to living the Bond life in each location.
London
9 a.m.: Make the most of being in Bond's hometown by embracing those most quintessential (read: enviable) of 007 calling cards. The Jumeirah Carlton Tower's "Shaken & Stirred" overnight package kickstarts your day with a chauffeur-driven Aston Martin airport transfer into the heart of swanky Knightsbridge. You even get your very own private barman to fix you the perfect martini whenever you feel like it.
11 a.m.: Hightail it to the heart of the city and enjoy a breakfast with one of the best views of London's iconic skyline. Paramount's 37th-floor restaurant offers stunning views of some of the city's most recognizable landmarks. Warning: Chewing is that much harder when your jaw is on the floor.
2 p.m.: Relive an iconic Bond moment by chartering your own private high-speed boat down the River Thames. Not only will you--and your own Bond girl--enjoy the romanticism of seeing every picture postcard hotspot, but you'll do it with an adrenaline-fueled wet-and-wild adventure along the way.
6 p.m.: Skip the tourist lines by hiring your own private capsule on the London Eye, now established as one of the capital's go-to attractions. Watch the sun set over Big Ben as you indulge in canapes and quaff the complimentary Champagne.
9:30 p.m.: Feeling flush? Gamble the night away, and live out the 'Casino Royale' dream, at Mayfair's super-exclusive and super-majestic 19th-century Crockfords Casino. Think Vegas, with aristocratic style.
Shanghai
9 a.m.: It's only fitting that you start your day with a meal guaranteed to revolutionize your idea of Chinese cuisine. Jing'An offers hybridized East-meets-West à la carte dining at its most delicious, with artisan delicacies as refined and seductive as Bond himself.
11 a.m.: If 'Casino Royale''s opening action scene taught us anything, it's that parkour leaves an impression. Admittedly, that may just end up being the impression of your ass hitting the ground in a hundred different ways, but a lesson with Hyper Freedom Parkour (Tel: 5089-8393) offers a fitness lesson that caters to two of Bond's key character traits (martial arts prowess and thrill-seeking craziness) and offers you the rare chance to experience the urban playground lurking behind the glossy skyscrapers.
3 p.m.: Hire your own private dining room for lunch in the city's most luxurious, elegant and immaculately designed of spaces, CHAR Bar & Grill. Eclectic antique furniture meets chic Shanghai cool with awe-inspiring aplomb.
6 p.m.: Fancy really impressing your travel date? Organize a BASE jump from the city's most iconic of skyscrapers, the 88-story-high Jin Mao Tower. Though they're not commercially available, pull the right legislative strings and you too could pull off a Bond-style stunt of your own.
9 p.m.: End the day quite literally on Cloud 9, with a romantic dinner at the Jin Mao Tower's 87th-floor restaurant. The taste-bud-tingling cocktails and delicious desserts are amazing, but it's the panoramic view of the sparkling city lights that guarantee a world-class time.
Istanbul
8 a.m.: Bond only stays in the swankiest, most opulent of locales, so it's only fitting that you start your day in the comfort of the city's most luxurious and classy of hotels, the Four Seasons.
10 a.m.: Soak up the ancient sights, sounds and smells of the city's kaleidoscopic heritage with a wander through the bustling old town and a stroll along the sparkling waters of the Bosporus strait. Heighten the intoxicating romance of your Byzantine surroundings, and take a leaf out of Bond's seductive (little black) book by sampling the local drink sahlep, which is renowned for its aphrodisiac qualities.
12 p.m.: A short boat ride away from the city center lies the refreshingly super-villain-free tropical island Sövalye. Wile away the afternoon by throwing on your skimpiest of bathing suits and re-enacting 'Casino Royale''s ocean-emerging scenes while swimming and snorkeling or diving down among ancient submerged ruins and shipwrecks.
7 p.m.: For a truly memorable end to the day, hop on a quick three-hour flight up to Cappadocia for a private hot-air balloon ride high over Turkey's most unique and stunning of geological marvels. Few sunsets can compare to the spectacular serenity of the auburn colors bouncing off these rocky obelisks.
The Scottish Highlands
9:30 a.m.: Try to imagine the most Disney-esque and regal stately home you can think of. That still wouldn't come close to matching the unfathomably picturesque Inverlochy Castle. Nestled among glens, lochs and mountains, you'll wake up to the wilderness with a Michelin-starred breakfast in the heart of the Highlands.
12 p.m.: Embrace your inner action man by exploring The Torridon's 58 acres of rugged wilderness with a kayak along the rapids of its very own loch. And while it's no Walther PPK, you've even got the option of refining your sharp shooting with a spot of clay-pigeon blasting, too.
5 p.m.: There's no better way to soak up the raw, rolling Scottish scenery than from the skies, so just hop into a privately chartered seaplane and head south as the sun sets over lochs, glens and mountains galore. In true Bond style, touch down on the Isle of Eriska--your very own 300-acre private island that can be hired out for exclusive parties. Sling on your tux, grab a martini and excuse yourself from your swanky soiree to head out onto the mansion's balcony with a sultry beauty on your arm. You'll be living the Bond dream before you know it.
--Matt Risley
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Before You Go
