All the vibey Black Doves filming locations you can visit in real life

Black Doves is the new Christmas Keira Knightley mildly comedic spy thriller, which surprised us all by actually being really good. Barely any of the show was filmed in studios. Netflix shot Black Doves (see what I did there?) in over 100 different real locations in the Christmas season last year. Here are the most Black Doves prominent filming locations where you could go in real life (and hopefully not get into a knife fight with Keira Knightley?)

London South Bank

The very dramatic opening scene when Jason gets shot (sorry) was filmed along South Bank in London. James sped down the Golden Jubilee Bridge then died on a bench on Queen’s Walk. It’s apparently a popular spot for spies to get murdered, because lots of BBC Sherlock was filmed around here, and James Bond has been chased down this bit of River Thames like, a gazillion times.

She does love staring dramatically into the middle distance
(Credit: Netflix)

Netflix could only film here really early in the morning, because it’s usually so busy.

Crystal Palace House

The Webb family’s mega-fancy mansion is really Crystal Palace House. It’s a five-bedroom house in London, with its own garden, home cinema and snooker room. You can rent it out this house for parties. Assuming you’re willing to spend £210 an hour, of course.

There are plenty of pictures on Peerspace for you to peruse if you’re nosey. The producers picked this house because there is a more normal-looking block of flats right opposite it, and this felt more authentic than a picturesque row of multimillion townhouses in Chelsea.

Somerset House

Most Read

Vanessa reveals heartbreaking reason she unexpectedly quit The Ultimatum with Dave

OnlyFans star Lily Phillips posts heartbreaking life update after ‘100 men in 1 day’ video

How rich is Benny Blanco?! That whopping diamond ring has nothing on his net worth

The fancy Christmas party in episode one was filmed in Somerset House. It’s a very multifunctional art gallery / ice skating rink / events space in London, which you could totally go and visit. It would cost you a minimum of £22,820 to throw your own Christmas part there, though.

Royal Lancaster London

Doesn’t look too shabby
(Credit: Netflix)

This is the hotel where Sam (aka Ben Whishaw) stays. He drinks at the bar then spends some, ahem, quality time with a guy in his hotel room.

A bingo hall in Tooting

Well, it makes a change to spies meeting at an art galley or a park bench?
(Credit: Netflix)

When the assassin Sam hands over the hard drive to the super-secret spy Reed, their dramatic encounter takes place at… a bingo hall in Tooting. Really. The Granada building used to be a fancy Art Deco cinema. It became a bingo hall in the 1990s. The crew apparently didn’t have long to film there, because a load of people were waiting outside to play bingo.

Pines and Needles

It took me way too long to register the name is a pun. Keira Knightley shops for Christmas trees in episode four at Pines and Needles near Victoria Park. It’s a very vibey place for spies to have a showdown, but it sure isn’t cheap – a 6ft tree costs £75.

The Spanish Steps in Rome

Feat. my five-year-old holiday pics

Because what spy show doesn’t feature a spontaneous trip to Rome? You can visit the Spanish Steps by the Piazza di Spagna. Just don’t expect to find it as empty as Sam did.

St Augustine’s Church

Part of the grand finale takes place at this very vibey Gothic church in Kilburn.

Many, many pubs

The most realistic element of Black Doves is that all these Londoners basically live in pubs. Black Doves used so many London pubs as filming locations. The Market Coffee House & Bar in Spitalfields features a few times – Sam meets with Lenny there, and then Sam and Helen plot how to rescue Kai-Ming. Jason drinks at The Coal Hole in Covent Garden.

Helen spies on Wallace in The Westminster Arms, which is notoriously a real hangout spot for politicians, because it’s right by the Houses of Parliament. Netflix also filmed in The King’s Arms in Waterloo and The Palm Tree in Mile End. Anyone up for a Black Doves themes pub crawl?

Featured imaged via Netflix