There's more than one way to skin a cat. Or indeed, to visit Britain. The Romans came to conquer the place, the Vikings to plunder, and most modern visitors have images of castles, pomp and pageantry whirling in their heads.

But Britain isn't just medieval history and royal residences. Some of the best English language TV and film has come out of the UK, and an increasing number of tourists make a different kind of pilgrimage – to the location of their favourite Brit flick.

There's no reason you can't combine the traditional tour with a bit of movie location visiting. Take Elizabeth, the movie tale of the Tudor Queen, with Australia's Cate Blanchett in the title role. Some scenes of the movie were shot in the Tower of London, the 11th century fortress on the bank of the Thames. It's awash with history, including the cinematic kind.

Another popular London movie is Four Weddings and a Funeral. Hugh Grant and Andie MacDowell had their "how many lovers" conversation in the Cafe Rouge restaurant on Wellington Street, off The Strand.

A short walk away is Covent Garden, home of shopping, eating, opera, theatre and street performance. While browsing the numerous outlets in the old market area, take a glance at the church at one end of the square. This is St Paul's Church, the location in which Eliza Dolittle first meets Professor Higgins in My Fair Lady. St Paul's is known as the "actors' church", and plaques within commemorate such stars as Noel Coward, Charlie Chaplin, Boris Karloff and Vivien Leigh.

A pleasant walk down The Strand will take you to Trafalgar Square. Admire Nelson's column, dedicated to the great naval hero after he won his final victory. Also cast your eye over the location of a scene from 101 Dalmatians, in which Glenn Close's villain pursues the puppies across London.

You could spend days checking out locations in London, but don't forget the rest of the UK. Northwest of London lies Broughton Castle in Oxfordshire, near Banbury. It's a beautiful 14th century residence, and also the stately home of Gwyneth Paltrow's character Viola in Shakespeare in Love. Further west is Gloucester, whose cathedral doubles as Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Harry Potter movies.

Crossing the border into Wales, visit the old slate mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog. This was the location of some scenes from First Knight, the epic starring Sean Connery as King Arthur and Richard Gere as Lancelot. From here, the Rheilffordd Ffestiniog Railway runs along a narrow gauge line which once hauled slate through the spectacular scenery of Snowdonia National Park. The trip ends at the estuary town of Porthmadog.

Nearby is the village of Portmeirion, a collection of architectural elements gathered together by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis from 1926. It's a beautiful place for a day trip, and also operates as a hotel. It was also the location for The Prisoner, the 1967 mystery series starring Patrick McGoohan as an ex-spy trapped in an unnamed village. There's a small shop selling memorabilia from the program in the cottage which one served as the lead character's home.

Back into England and moving north, you enter the famous Lake District. Popularised by the poetry of William Wordsworth, this area has become a byword for physical beauty. This is where the BBC filmed its TV series The Lakes, a dark drama set against a beautiful backdrop.

Scotland continues the drama, with Glasgow the setting for Trainspotting. This hard-hitting movie starred Ewan McGregor, exploring various locations in the city. Away from the gritty side of the Scottish city though, it's worth noting its lively arts scene. There are excellent art galleries and museums to visit, and plenty of good pubs and restaurants.

You can't go to Scotland without visiting the Highlands, and this is where Hamish Macbeth comes in. The popular BBC police series starring Robert Carlyle was shot at several locations in the area, including Plockton and Wester Ross on the west coast, doubling as the fictional village of Lochdubh. Other scenes were filmed at Staffin on the Isle of Skye, and the nearby Kyle of Lochalsh.

Heading south back to England, drop into Leeds, home of The Full Monty. This movie saw six unemployed Sheffield steelworkers making money by becoming male strippers. The city, and nearby Yorkshire, provided locations for a number of films in the same vein, including Brassed Off and Calendar Girls. Also in the region is the attractive North Yorkshire village of Goathland. This was used to play fictional Aidensfield in the popular ITV series Heartbeat, about a 1960s London policeman who made the move to life as a country constable.

Back in London, follow in the steps of Renee Zellweger's lead character in Bridget Jones' Diary, and sip a coffee at the Coffee Republic cafe in Notting Hill. Which was also, coincidentally, the shop front in front of which Hugh Grant spills orange juice over Julia Roberts. In the movie Notting Hill, naturally.

So relax, consoling yourself that your love life's problems pale in comparison to those of Roberts, Grant, Zellweger and their colleagues. And write a postcard reassuring your grandmother that you have indeed seen all the history and pageantry of the Old Country. While indulging in a little vicarious brush with screen stardom at the same time.