Your Travel Guide To Every ‘Archer’ Location On The Planet

Archer has been causing chaos around the world for seven glorious seasons now. Only three locations have been invented over the course of the show’s run: Pangu Island, Die Totenspitz, and San Marcos. But even those have clear parallels in reality. The rest of the team’s adventures take place in real locales, which you can (and should) go visit. Which is why we’ve created this guide of the many (mostly) exotic settings that Archer has ventured to.

Whether you’re a virgin explorer (phrasing!) or a seasoned agent, get ready to start planning a trip:

NEW YORK CITY

New York was the team’s home until the move to Los Angeles and provided a huge range of locations for rampaging. It’s also one of the most visited cities in the world, the cultural and financial center of the United States.

MIAMI BEACH

Miami Beach has popped up in various episodes from season 1 through season six. Double agents, honey pots, cocaine trafficking, beach front condos, Cuban hit squads, guacamole recipes…Miami Beach was the place.

Miami is also a perfect winter getaway for anyone looking for some sun, beach time, classic architecture, and the best Cuban food this side of El Carib.

SAINT-TROPEZ, FRANCE

This was the first big foreign mission episode of season 1. Lana is sent to assassinate the arms dealer Skorpio. Malory micro-manages. Sterling saves the day, kinda. Good thing that grenade was hanging on the lampshade.

Saint-Tropez is an old school, jet and yacht set holiday spot on France’s southern coast. The food is outstandingly delicious. Artists still flock to the picturesque geography, sea, and architecture. The town is old, walkable, and full of fun people willing to get down with some vino. Sun-drenched and tucked away, Saint-Tropez is a must for any Euro-tripper.

SAN MARINO

Sterling and Lana head to the micro-nation of San Marino twice. Once to get a job that they don’t get. Next to steal a diamond for Malory. Although the action takes place around the palace, there’s a lot to see in this hilltop country.

San Marino is about 1.5 hours from Bologna, making it perfect for a day trip. Atop the mountain, you can walk the medieval streets of this fortress nation, buy tax free goods, and eat in a castle overlooking Italy. It’s a pretty sweet way to spend a day. Well, better than spending the day eating bowls of spiderwebs anyway.

BERLIN, GERMANY

Malory and Kolya fell in love under the Bridge of Spies in Berlin. Sterling was (maybe) conceived there. It’s also where Sterling’s infamous feud with the (now) psychopathic, murderous cyborg Barry begins.

We’ve already given you plenty of reasons to visit this amazing city. In case you need reminding: it’s the cheapest capital in Europe, the parties are legendary, and the city is as laid back as they come (phrasing). Plus you can actually go to the real Bridge of Spies

PARIS, FRANCE

Sterling is lured to Paris by a job offer (for Lana) from ODIN. Once he arrives the story of Barry and Sterling gets a new chapter. Archer being Archer, he has sex with Barry’s fiancé. Barry doesn’t take that too well. But you have to ask, do you really want to see your live-in-servants if you don’t have to? I say, no.

Paris is another city that is visited by tens of millions a year. It’s the City of Lights. Go. Eat amazing food. Drink too much wine. Ride the Metro. Walk the Seine. Make Sterling proud and have some down and dirty sex. Hit Polo Balls across the city. On second thought, maybe don’t do that last one.

SWITZERLAND: GSTAAD AND ALPS

The gang has been to Switzerland twice. Once to protect a spoiled German heiress from kidnappers. Once to “extra-judicially” execute an assassin…I mean cleaner…all while climbing a stand in for the Matterhorn, Die Totenspitz. Switzerland has been a tourism mecca for more than a century. Gstaad is a resort town of the highest order, beautiful in the summer and winter equally. The Matterhorn is perhaps one of the most visited mountains on the planet. Switzerland in general is packed with some of the world’s most amazing nature, lakes, and people. Let’s just say, they have good branding.

LOUISIANA BAYOU

Sterling and Lana head down south to the Big Easy. But we only really see them in a hotel in Nola. Where we do see them is the great wetlands of the Louisiana Bayou. A Bayou that evidently can’t spare a single trout, Lana! Seriously though, look at the screengrab, the animation artistry on this show is just breathtaking. New Orleans itself is a hoot. Hell, you might even get caught up in a hootenanny while you’re there. There are a bunch of tour companies that’ll take you out in the swamps to float around, feed gators, and probably drink copious amounts of ‘shine.

ARRAS, FRANCE

We finally get a little back story on Woodhouse, and it’s a doozy. He recounts his time during the Battle of Arras and “Bloody April,” which was 100% a real event. Arras is about two hours north of Paris. It’s focal point is a huge city square with a gorgeous old town hall. Like most of Europe, there is an astounding amount of history, dating back to antiquity. It’s an excellent place to wander the streets, hit up some cafes and meet some locals, and find some hidden places (phrasing).

TANGIER, MOROCCO

Tangier first pops up after Woodhouse’s Legends of the Fall-ing. Sterling and (a very xenophobic) Lana go there again to retrieve Kazak (palindrome, nice) later in the series. Both times Tangier gets its due as exciting, foreign, a just a little bit dangerous. Sterling thrives there. Lana…not so much. Then again, she’s the one that walked into the desert without GPS, gun, sat-phone and canteen of life saving water.

Tangier is an amazing place to visit. The Kasbah. The couscous. Cafe Baba. The insane amounts of hash. The sweet mint tea. I miss Tangier and fully endorse you going there ASAP. It’s a crossroads of humanity. And that’s always a good thing.

LAS VEGAS

There has never been a proper Vegas episode. However, we’ve been blessed with the Dickey and Sterling montage. And, last season, Sterling calling Carol for help after what ever happened in the above image happened. Vegas is Vegas. My biggest suggestion is don’t end up like Sterling up there. Otherwise, let’s play some goddamn cards!


MONTE CARLO, MONACO

Another Malory sex tape. Another farcical caper to retrieve it. This time we’re in the micro-nation of Monaco during the Grand Prix. Sterling hits La Grand Casino, and loses millions in about 20 minutes. He was really streaky. A brilliantly executed classic Formula One race ensues and ends with a big explosion when two men collide (phrasing #3). Classic Archer.

In real life, Monte Carlo is a really cool city on the sea. It is 100% for the rich. I honestly can’t think of a place where I’ve seen more Lambos in the same day. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth dropping in for a day as you amble on down the French Riviera. Quick tip (phrasing again!) go for lunch and get a daily menu. You’ll get a €40 meal for about half the price at most of the restaurants, and it’ll come with free wine.

MOSCOW, RUSSIA

We see in the inside of the dreaded Lubyanka a few times via the director of the KGB’s offices. We really get a fantastic rendering of Moscow when Sterling half-assed-ly attempts to track down Jakov for a papa test. He’s caught before he even hits the ground. Barry is sent to the rescue. A shit show ensues and Barry is sent further down the path of insanity. Moscow itself isn’t quite the draconian Soviet waking nightmare the show portrays. It’s one of the biggest, and most unique cities on the planet. The architecture, the people, the booze, the snow…it’s all just different there. And I mean that in a good way. Everyone should go to Russia at some point. You may learn some hard truths, but you’ll also get sh*tloads of vodka.

FRENCH POLYNESIA/PIRATE FORTRESS

After losing his fiancée, Sterling goes on to grief-bang the South Pacific. He ends up a Pirate King. David Cross voices his assistant/first mate. It’s a great three-episode arc. No specifics are given about where in French Polynesia Sterling is grief-banging, however we do get the fake name of Pangu for the pirate island. Pangu is strikingly similar to Pitcairn Island, which was also a pirate island back in the day. It’s also very close to where the emergency beacon is sending a signal from. So let’s just go with that. The South Pacific is really far away from a lot of places. It’s also paradise.

Pitcairn is a once in a lifetime trip. Perfect beaches. Fishing. Island hoping. Grief-banging. It has it all.

COLUMBIA

Things generally don’t go well for Sterling and Co. when they go to Columbia. The first time they end up getting hunted for sport AFTER seeing a tiger get murdered. The next time, after trying to smuggle cocaine INTO Columbia, the above happens before they are nearly devoured by massive crocodiles. Yeah, not happy fun time. For the intrepid traveler, Columbia is one of the most rewarding countries you can visit these days. Formerly super dangerous cities like Medellin are now safer than most US cities. The jungles are lush and even FARC’s influence is on the decline. So the cities aren’t the kidnapping havens that you probably still think they are. Geez, be open to other cultures!

TRAIN TO CANADA

The team takes to Tunt Rail to transport a perfectly cast Rob Wells as a Nova Scotian terrorist/freedom fight (potato, po-dildo). Sterling gets a couple boons. He is reunited with the ever crepuscular Baboo. And he gets to fulfill a life-long dream of fighting atop a moving train. It turns out it’s not as awesome as it sounds. I mean, you’re still just on the train. There isn’t a succinct terminus in this episode as it all goes sideways once over the border. However, there is a great train journey you can take from New York to Montreal on the Adirondack train. It’s actually only $90 roundtrip. That’s probably less than a night out drinking in Brooklyn. If you’re in New York, and want to see some beautiful Upstate New York countryside, this train is for you. Plus you get poutine at the end to go with all those Quebecer ladies.

WEST VIRGINIA

Archer’s showrunners showed some pretty harsh impoverished American reality in Bloody Ferlin. Sterling ponders whether they’ve gone back in time it’s so foreign to him. That being said, there’s a lot of Ray in this episode, and that’s always a good thing. Sterling and Ray head down to the hollers of West Virginia to help Ray’s pot dealing (FARMING!) brother fight off a crooked sheriff. West Virginia was always one of those places I drove through on the way to somewhere else. And that’s a shame. It’s a state full of natural beauty and life close to the land. It’s also a state with serious environmental and health problems. Maybe it’s time to stop by and pump some tourists dollars into the local economy so they can get outta those coal mines.

CAPE CANAVERAL/SPACE

The ISIS gang get’s sent on a mission to stop space pirates. First they have to get lowly-trained at Cape Canaveral in Florida. Shockingly, Cyril isn’t bad at flying. Lana on the other hand doesn’t have a good time. Sterling is just excited to be going into a Zone of Danger.

Cape Canaveral is a pretty big tourist draw for Florida. Rightly so. Space travel and exploration is literally awesome. What’s crazy, though, is that you can already go to space and stay on the International Space Station for 10 days. Eight people have already taken the trip. Sign. Me. Up. It’s also a good place to trap a murderous cyborg, I hear.

VERMONT

Sterling is coming for Luke (phrasing FTW). He’s got an El Camino full of rampage gear to help clear his buddy’s name, and all he wants is a thank you. That’s a pretty good friend if you ask me. Malory sends Cyril and Spray-N-Pray to intercept Sterling and kill Luke. Seriously, Lana, only packs two-clips? That peer review deserves to be scathing! It’s Lana who saves the day by smashing Luke under a tree before he can live out his dream of opening a idyllic Vermont B&B.

Vermont is super idyllic. Great little towns with wide main streets. Lots of nature, cheese, weed, and Bernie Sanders. Seems like a cool place to visit.

MONTREAL/UPSTATE NY

It seems like Sterling gets stuck a lot (phrasing). This time he’s without a paddle in Montreal. Ron Cadillac comes to the rescue with ulterior motives. As we have previously with Woodhouse, we get some cool backstory on Ron (Kazinsky) being a car-jacker and eventual chop-shop mogul. That is until his crew got pinched. Yes, even Fat Mike. It’s a great road episode and worth taking the drive from Montreal back down the Hudson to New York. Plus that animation design for the Montreal Casino is pretty rad.

TURKMENISTAN

Cut-rate James Mason aside, Turkmenistan is a confusing place full of cobras and camels. For my money, Ray, Cyril and Sterling on a mission episodes are the strongest. They all play off each other perfectly (phrasing…?). The episode does a decent job at summing up some of the absurdity that plagues day to day Turkmen life when you’re dictator starts renaming things, but only after himself.

Turkmenistan is one of the least visited countries in the world. It has opened up recently and travel to the country is fairly straight forward: buy a visa, book some travel, go. Going to a country so isolated from the outside world is figuratively life-changing. Turkmenistan has a massive desert, a Caspian Seaside, and the Gates of Hell. It is as off the beaten path as you can get. Just remember, if you do go, you can’t tourniquet the taint.

U.S./MEXICO BORDER

Sterling, Cyril and Lana attempt to stop a famed Coyote at the border. Shockingly, Sterling’s libido gets the better of him. That was sarcasm, because, evidently, we’re saying it now. Sterling ends up with a station wagon full of illegal immigrants racing around rural Texas. Things do not go well when they bump into US Border Patrol, a Doritos dust covered Lupe wielding an automatic weapon, and an alcoholic and unlicensed vet. Sterling makes it out alive sans his thank you beej from the Coyote.

Tooling around rural Texas is actually a pretty cool way to see the vast state. The best way to understand an area and people who seem foreign is to go down there and hang out with them. You know the tacos will be outstanding. Keep your eye out for the stash of Dom.

VATICAN CITY/ROME, ITALY

This episode has one of my favorite Sterling disguises. It’s the rose-colored glasses that sell it. The team heads over to Vatican City to pull the ol’ switcher-oo with Junky Brewster and the Pope. I know, trope alert. A great chase through the streets of Rome ensues. Sterling ends up blown up and naked. Though I would imagine he’d prefer one of those prepositions to have been omitted.

Rome is the 12th most visited city on the planet. There’s nothing I can put in the next sentence you probably don’t already know. So go, or go back, eat some Cacio e Pepe and watch out for rainin’ deadass Popes.

BERMUDA TRIANGLE/SEALAB

After a long ride to the Bermuda Triangle, the gang arrives at a SeaLab that’s been taken over by a crazy, and lonely Jon Hamm. This is another one that you won’t believe that you can do. Sealabs actually exist! NOAA maintains the Aquarius Laboratory about 10 clicks off the coast of Key Largo, Florida. Various teams have used it for research as recently as 2014. If you don’t have the science-y skills to live and work in the Aquarius Lab (I doubt their break room is all that well stocked), you can still hang out and have a wonderful time in the Florida Keys. The Hemingway Home will blow you away (what? too soon?).

AUSTIN, TEXAS

The gang didn’t do a great job when they tried to be coke dealers. But, boy-ho did they have fun doin’ it. Of course, Pam loves truck stops. Of course Cherlene don’t fly.

I’m not going to beat around the bush (phrasing): This episode was probably the most fun of all of season 5. Pam and Sterling are always great together. Plus we got a good lesson in the difference between irony and satire. Best of all, they were driving to Austin…one of the coolest cities in America. I can’t really think of anything bad to say about Austin. It’s awesome all around. If you like great food, music, art, booze, and life, then what are you waiting for? Go. To. Austin.


SAN MARCOS (NICARAGUA)

San Marcos is a made up Central American country. Every other aspect of the story fits pretty much perfectly with Nicaragua and the sh*tshow the CIA had going on down there in the ’80s. After the amazing three-part jaunt to Cali, Columbia, Sterling stumbles backwards into a CIA drugs for guns plot. And in typical fashion things get completely out of hand and Cyril ends up President of San Marcos. Cyril. Oh, and there are 3 more Kriegers. Although, they might have been vampires. That was never cleared up.

Nicaragua is a beautiful and often over-looked stop in Central America. It’s not the safest of places, and it is very poor. But that’s all the more reason to go. Start in Leon, and work you way all around (phrasing).

THAILAND

Cobra whiskey and lady boys…though I can’t say I blame Sterling. Stealing someone’s sperm and making them a parent on the sly is probably the sh*ttiest thing someone can possibly do to someone else. I love it when we find Sterling after the mayhem. His ear is pierced. And it looks like that room is definitely going to get ants.

All of that being said, Thailand is the place to unwind and go a little wild. Probably the home to best food in South East Asia. And certainly some of the best beaches in the world. If you haven’t been, go to Thailand! That cobra whiskey isn’t going to drink itself.

BORNEO

After dropping into the Bornean jungle, Sterling happens upon a Japanese soldier from WWII. TROPE ALERT. Sterling gets back into the swing of things as his captor/captee/companion helps him fulfill his mission and get off the island. Borneo itself is a magical place. It’s one of two places on the planet where you can see orangutans in the wild. It’s beaches and jungle are nearly pristine. Borneo is split between three countries: Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia. And each one has something a little different to offer the visitor. Go and figure that part out for yourself.

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

Conway Stern is back. There’s no penis touching this time. Seems like a missed opportunity. Lana and Sterling are sent to Buenos Aires to secure some information. Conway double crosses them, again. Lana manages to de-hand Conway, again.

Buenos Aires is another fantastic city. You can even stay in one of Francis Ford Coppola’s houses! Buenos Aires is the city that I am waiting to go to last because I probably won’t leave once I’m there.

WISCONSIN

Man, the more you learn of Pam’s backstory and family, the more you feel for the woman. Then again, Eddy is having her rehearsal dinner at an Econo-Tel in rural Wisconsin. If that’s racist against white people, we’re just going to have to power through. It’s Wisconsin that we finally see Barry become a full-on-skeletal machine monster.

Wisconsin is cool though. The Dairy State has a lot of nature and friendly people (Eddy be damned). Geographically it’s just gorgeous all around: great lakes, deep forests, and lots of cheese (like your mom).

AREA 51/NELLIS AFB

Heading back from another Sterling mis-adventure in Vegas, Tunt Air gets shot down flying to close to Nellis AFB (or Area 51). It’s not quite clear which one they mean, since they are two different bases. I think they see Area 51, get shot, then land at Nellis. Anyway, Sterling uses Slater’s CIA clearance code and something happens with extra-terrestrials. You can actually tour Nellis Air Force Base. It’s just outside of Las Vegas. And they seem to think it’s fun for the whole family. There’s also the Extraterrestrial Highway from Vegas up to Rachel, Nevada. It’s kitschy and fun if you don’t take it too seriously.

BAY AREA

I love Bullitt. I even love that they blatantly reused the same shots over and over again during the iconic chase scene. I think I would probably have the same reaction Sterling does when he sees Lana’s father’s Mustang. The chase through the Bay Area is so lovingly recreated that it’s a joy to watch again and again.

Kinda like the Bay Area, it’s just a great place to explore again and again. Racing through Berkley and San Francisco looks like a good ol’ time. I bet the mashed potatoes are just the way I like them, too.

WALES, UNITED KINGDOM

Waking up in Wales must be bizarre. It does kinda feel like the Shire. Sterling decides to take Lana to neutral territory to get their relationship back on track. A nice sentiment negated by the fact that he had to drug her to do so. Moving on, they do find a nice idyllic cottage in the Welsh countryside and happen upon Matthew Rhys ironically playing a Welsh Nationalist who later poses as an American in a wig. Wales is the gem of the United Kingdom (sorry, Dafydd). It’s easy to drive around, camp, walk up hills, and spend way too much time down the pub.

NEW MEXICO

After some colossal f*ck ups from Krieger, the gang is out on their asses from the CIA. Krieger was right about one thing though: a clone of Hitler would look a lot more like Hitler than Krieger does. New Mexico is a cool place though. I’m sure the gang found somewhere to get sh*tty on scotch and rib eyes before too long.

New Mexico is another gem in America’s Southwest. It’s full of prehistoric history, mountains, deserts, and cool little towns. And there are these other cool TV shows made down there–something about meth and bickering lawyers. I hear they’re pretty good shows.

LOS ANGELES

And so we’re at the end. The gang has relocated to Los Angeles. The team behind the show really did a beautiful job of capturing the feel of LA in their new layouts and locations (as always). I’m looking forward to seeing where they go next.

Zachary Johnston is a director, writer, traveler, and part-time chef and mixologist. You can see for yourself on Instagram @ztp_johnston, or on Twitter@ZTPJohnston.

×