If you are yearning for the sweeping landscapes and high-stakes drama of Downton Abbey, Europe’s captivating 18th century offers the perfect cinematic escape. From the rugged coastlines of Cornwall to the gilded, treacherous courts of St. Petersburg, these five brilliant period dramas will instantly transport you to another world.
If you have watched Downton Abbey more times than you care to admit, you are likely familiar with the specific ache for sweeping landscapes, grand estates, and high-stakes drama. While the Edwardian elegance of Highclere Castle holds a special place in our hearts, Europe’s 18th century offers an equally intoxicating escape.
Before we dive in, an honorary nod must go to Netflix’s Bridgerton and Queen Charlotte. However, since those Regency-era phenomena already dominate our screens, let us venture slightly further off the beaten track. From the rugged coastlines of Cornwall to the gilded, treacherous courts of St. Petersburg, pack your digital bags for these five captivating series.
The Great
The Vibe: Satirical splendour in rural Russia.
Starring Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult, The Great follows a young Catherine the Great as she marries the volatile Emperor Peter III. It is lavish, deeply fictionalised, and riotously funny, trading stuffy historical accuracy for vibrant, chaotic energy.
While filmed across stunning European locations like Caserta, Italy, this anti-historical comedy transports viewers to 18th-century Russia. The jaw-dropping exterior of the Winter Palace is actually the Royal Palace of Caserta in southern Italy—the largest former royal residence in the world, renowned for its baroque fountains and endless manicured gardens. For the interior political scheming, the production moved to England's historic Hatfield House in Hertfordshire. Viewers will easily recognize its iconic Long Gallery and Marble Hall, which provide a moody, wood-paneled backdrop to Catherine’s brilliant, chaotic rise to power.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sMrtt7sAR8
Catherine the Great
The Vibe: Gilded power and political intrigue.
For a more grounded journey into the heart of the Russian Empire, turn to this breathtaking four-part miniseries starring Dame Helen Mirren. Focusing on the later years of the Empress’s historic reign from 1764 onward, the show beautifully charts her sharp political manoeuvres and her passionate, tumultuous relationship with Grigory Potemkin. The glittering palaces and opulent costumes are a visual feast for any traveller enamoured by classic European architecture.
The miniseries was filmed inside Russia's historic crown jewels, including the Little Hermitage in St. Petersburg and the Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo. To capture the rest of the vast Russian Empire, production set up camp in Vilnius, Lithuania. The city's stunning, preserved Italian Baroque structures—like the 17th-century Pažaislis Monastery—brilliantly double for Orthodox Moscow, while the historic halls of Vilnius University serve as the Empress's tense Imperial Council Chamber.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNSacMPj1tE&pp=ygURdGhlIGdyZWF0IHRyYWlsZXI%3D
Outlander
The Vibe: Mist-shrouded highlands and epic romance.
If Downton’s Scottish Highlands episode left you breathless, Outlander will steal your heart completely. Based on the beloved novels by Diana Gabaldon, the story kicks off when Claire, a British World War II combat nurse, is mysteriously swept back in time to 1743 Scotland. There, she meets the dashing Highland warrior Jamie Fraser. The show serves as a dramatic love letter to Scotland's untamed landscapes, ancient stone circles, and rich clan history.
The series is a treasure map for travelers: the fictional Castle Leoch is shot at the remarkably preserved 14th-century Doune Castle, while the standing stones that transport Claire through time are inspired by the mystical Callanish Stones on the Isle of Lewis. From the cobblestones of Royal Mile-adjacent locations in Edinburgh to the dramatic, wind-whipped peaks of Glen Coe, the show highlights the rugged textures, rich clan history, and deep-green valleys of the Scottish wilderness.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IzIX4tjG9c
Harlots
The Vibe: Gritty, vibrant Georgian London
Step away from the manicured lawns of the aristocracy and dive headfirst into the bustling, unforgiving streets of 18th-century Covent Garden. Harlots offers a brilliant, sensory look at Georgian London through the eyes of Lydia Quigley, a ruthless brothel madame catering to the capital’s elite. It is a compelling exploration of class inequality, female agency, and the complex social fabric of historic London.
To recreate the sensory overload of Georgian London without the modern skyscrapers, the production cleverly took over Langleybury Mansion, an empty estate near Watford. The crew transformed its stately ground floors into elite Soho pleasure houses, while the crumbling upper floors became the dingy, chaotic quarters of the working class. For the outdoor city bustle, the show utilizes the historic, cobbled streets of the Chatham Royal Dockyard in Kent, perfectly capturing the foggy, maritime energy of London's historic docks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKOzqfGf7cc
Poldark
The Vibe: Windswept cliffs and sweeping coastal romance.
Based on the classic novels by Winston Graham, Poldark is the ultimate visual showcase for the wild, jaw-dropping beauty of Cornwall, England. We follow Captain Ross Poldark as he returns home from the American Revolutionary War to find his father deceased, his family estate in ruins, and his sweetheart engaged to his cousin. Between the family mining drama and the fiery romance, the true star of the show is the spectacular, rugged Cornish coastline.
The real-world locations are a dream for hikers and coastal explorers. Ross Poldark’s famous clifftop horse gallops are filmed along the dramatic headlands of Chapel Porth and Park Head. The historic mining industry is captured at the cliffside ruins of Botallack Mine, a UNESCO World Heritage site. To step directly into the show's world, travelers can visit Charlestown near St. Austell—an unaltered 18th-century harbor that seamlessly doubles as the bustling period port of Truro, complete with majestic tall ships.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A0U6kQNCN0
Looking for your next watch? These articles should inspire you:
- 5 little-known period dramas set in the Mediterranean in the 19th century – between fading aristocracy, fearsome bandits and police investigations
- This British period drama series, inspired by real events, takes us back to the early years of Jane Austen and her sister Cassandra
- Fans of Downton Abbey will love this little-known historical tale of power and seduction in King James 1st’s court
