Whether you’re a Swiftie or not, Taylor Swift has become an international sensation. Since March 2023, when the Eras Tour debuted, the global phenomenon in music has been touring the globe and entertaining awestruck fans with her songs and anecdotes. Swift also quietly unveiled her most recent album, The Tortured Poets Department and The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology, a double album that was released two hours apart, in the middle of this tour. She keeps incorporating heartbreak, longing, and tales of former romances into her lyrics, as evidenced by her eleventh album. Songs from this album make reference to a number of real locations that were important to Swift at the time. Here are five locations that Taylor Swift mentioned in The Tortured Poets Department that you can actually visit at The Real-Life Locations, including bars in London and hotels in New York. Following “The Tortured Poets Department,” Taylor Swift made a name drop.
Hampstead Heath, London
In her previous album Lover, Swift sang about walking through Camden Market and Shoreditch and enjoying nights in Brixton in her song “London Boy.” In her latest album, it’s, “So Long, London.” The emotional ballad lists possible reasons that led to the end of a relationship. With the lyrics, “I left all I knew, you left me at the house by the Heath,” she sings about being left behind by a former lover at the Heath at The Real-Life Locations Taylor Swift Name-Dropped on ‘The Tortured Poets Department’.
Located a few miles from Trafalgar Square, Hampstead Heath is one of London’s most-loved green spaces—a wide expanse of woodland, butterfly houses, and ponds. Rumor has it that this was the area where Taylor and her former boyfriend Joe Alwyn either shared a home or were house-hunting while they were together. Whether or not that’s true, Hampstead Heath was meaningful enough to warrant a mention in Taylor’s newest album at The Real-Life Locations Taylor Swift Name-Dropped on ‘The Tortured Poets Department’.
Tip from a local: Grab a coffee from Redemption Roasters, then walk into the Heath on South End Road. In the summer, you can wild swim in the ponds (there’s ladies, men’s, and mixed ponds) or, for the less adventurous, at Parliament Hill Lido. After taking in the view from Parliament Hill itself, walk up over the top of the Heath and pop into the beautiful Pergola gardens—this route spits you out near some of the biggest houses, much like the ones Taylor herself may just be singing about. —Sarah James, deputy digital editor, Traveller UK
The Black Dog, London
“The Black Dog” is not just the title of the 17th track on the double album, but also a pub in London where Swifties descended in massive swarms after the release of the album. In the song, Taylor Swift sings about how someone she knew (speculation is that it’s either Joe Alwyn or Matty Healy) visited the bar, with lines like, “And your location, you forgot to turn it off / And so I watch as you walk / Into some bar called The Black Dog.” On April 19, the day her album released, The Black Dog offered a free half lager to the first 100 customers who could quote a lyric from the song. Since then, the pub’s Instagram following has increased significantly, and they launched a merch shop with shirts, totes, hats, and mugs, including one that nods to the aforementioned location services. Fans have also reported that they’ve added a Taylor Swift-themed ‘Swiftburger’ to its menu at The Real-Life Locations Taylor Swift Name-Dropped on ‘The Tortured Poets Department’.
Chelsea Hotel, New York
New York has been at the center of many Taylor Swift songs. “Cornelia Street” is a track on the Lover album, and a very real street in the city where fans have belted out lyrics and laid bouquets under the road sign after her latest release, mourning the breakup between the singer and Joe Alwyn. In the title track “The Tortured Poets Department,” Swift references the city’s iconic Chelsea Hotel, a 12-story hotel in Manhattan which was built in the late 19th century and famously housed writers, painters, authors, and socialites at The Real-Life Locations Taylor Swift Name-Dropped on ‘The Tortured Poets Department’.
With lyrics like, “You’re not Dylan Thomas, I’m not Patti Smith / This ain’t the Chelsea Hotel, we’re modern idiots,” Swift insinuates that their romance, unlike the Chelsea Hotel, is not legendary, but childish. The rest of the lyrics talk about her disillusionment with one of her previous relationships at The Real-Life Locations Taylor Swift Name-Dropped on ‘The Tortured Poets Department’.
Tip from a local: El Quijote, known for Spanish classics, remains the gem of Hotel Chelsea with its famous paella, vermouth-rich cocktails, and ever-present cool crowd. Just be sure to book a reservation ahead of time at The Real-Life Locations Taylor Swift Name-Dropped on ‘The Tortured Poets Department’. —Megan Spurrell, senior editor, Traveler US
The Lake in Central Park, New York
Swift makes a reference to Central Park in the song “The Bolter,” the 29th track in her 31-track double album. In the song she alludes to people calling her a ‘bolter’, someone that gets frightened and runs away from relationships at The Real-Life Locations Taylor Swift Name-Dropped on ‘The Tortured Poets Department’.
She sings about how, at the start of a relationship, it’s charming to rent rowboats in the Central Park Lake, with lyrics that go, “When it’s all roses, portrait poses / Central Park Lake in tiny rowboats / What a charming Saturday at The Real-Life Locations Taylor Swift Name-Dropped on ‘The Tortured Poets Department’.”
Tip from a local: Enter the park at 77th street on the west side or 72nd street on the east side for the most direct path to the lake; walk over the Bow Bridge (no relation to Clara, but it is named after its shape, which resembles that of an archer’s bow) for a great photo op. —Madison Flager, senior commerce editor, Traveler US
Destin, Florida
A collaboration with British alternative band Florence + The Machine, “Florida!!!” references the city of Destin, home to stunning white sand beaches, emerald green water, and often referred to as the ‘World’s Luckiest Fishing Village.’ The lyrics mention people having to work their whole life “For a time-share down in Destin at The Real-Life Locations Taylor Swift Name-Dropped on ‘The Tortured Poets Department’.”
Unlike other locations mentioned in the album, it’s unlikely Swift herself has spent much time in Destin. Recently, on an Amazon Music playlist titled Taylor Swift Track by Track, Swift revealed the inspiration behind the song stemmed from a desire to escape life’s hard choices and start anew in another city. She chose Florida as it’s the place people in movies go to when they want to escape. “I’m always watching, like, Dateline,” Swift says in the playlist. “People have these crimes that they commit. Where do they immediately skip town and go to? They go to Florida at The Real-Life Locations Taylor Swift Name-Dropped on ‘The Tortured Poets Department’.”
Advice from a local: Nothing says Destin more about its identity than slurping oysters harborside at Boathouse Oyster Bar. This dollar store offers plenty of oysters (either baked or served raw), chilled beer, and live music every day, but don’t expect frills. What is it that helps you move past heartbreak? Dolphins. A charter aboard Captain Bryan’s tri-hull pontoon is the ideal way to spend a morning, afternoon, or twilight because he knows where to spot them off of Destin.—Lia Picard, US contributor for Traveler