5 Spy Thrillers That Will Make You Want To Travel ASAP

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Americans do not get enough vacation time. Compared to many developed countries, we’re overworked, overstressed, and underappreciated by our employers. And then Europeans have the gall to ask us why we glamorize their continent! As if flights to Europe didn’t cost an arm and a leg! As if ten days were enough time to see all those cool buildings that we’ve only ever seen in spy movies!

…which brings me to my next point. Spy movies, in addition to quickening your pulse, can introduce you to the most exotic locales in the world. In fact, for many middle class Americans, they actually serve as a replacement vacation until that glorious PTO renews at the end of the year. So, for all you daydreaming travelers, here’s a list of seven spy movies that will get you in the mood for your next international adventure.

Spectre (2015)

I figured I’d start with a vacation suggestion that people can actually afford: Mexico. Flights to Mexico are cheaper in general, and less popular destinations like Mexico City have fewer “gringo prices.” Plus, you can scope out Mexico City beforehand by watching the opening sequence of 2015’s Spectre. Using the city’s hallucinatory Day of the Dead Festival to full advantage, the movie opens with James Bond (Daniel Craig) sprinting toward the city’s main square, El Zócalo, and into an international conspiracy. Hopefully you have a better visit. (Also, you can skip the rest of the movie.)

The Bourne Identity (2002)

The first Bourne movie takes place almost exclusively in Paris, so it should really come with a wanderlust warning. Even though the Eiffel Tower is never the Main Character, the city’s personality still shines through during visits to the Gare du Nord, the Tuileries Garden, and La Grande Arche de la Défense. In fact, I didn’t even know the last landmark existed until I saw this movie, since the arc is in the more modern district of Paris where finance bros spawn like flies. 

Atomic Blonde (2017)

Though it’s billed as “the female James Bond movie,” this Charlize Theron vehicle also serves a stylish, bisexual-colored romp through Communist-era Berlin. Of course, the Berlin of 2024 is a far cry from the muted, repressed Berlin of this movie, but Atomic Blonde does a great job of evoking the city’s hedonistic neon underbelly, which has dissipated without disappearing. At the very least, the movie’s establishing shots of the Kino International Cinema and TV Tower will inspire you to take an East Berlin Cold War tour.

Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)

I remember three things from this 2011 movie: Tom Cruise running from the Kremlin, Tom Cruise running from a sandstorm, and Tom Cruise climbing that big ass building in Dubai. It’s one of the franchise’s most famous scenes after all, as it’s shot with practical effects: Cruise really did climb the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, for this movie. That said, Dubai itself is not for the faint of heart – American tourists run the risk of getting arrested for simply being too loud. Shouting is considered “offensive behavior” in the United Arab Emirates and can earn you up to two years in prison. (Other countries secretly wish they could inflict this punishment upon us.) On the other hand, Dubai is one of the sleekest cities in the world and has no shortage of showstopping attractions. Your call. But this movie will make you want to go. 

Spy (2015)

I never said all of these movies would be straight-faced thrillers. But as a parody of spy movies, 2015’s Spy packs in the laughs while still sending up the genre’s best qualities. That means that this Melissa McCarthy vehicle features plenty of grandiose destinations, as well as an Act 3 set in Budapest, Hungary. While that may be a nod to the fact that many spy movies – including Ghost Protocol and Atomic Blonde – are shot in Budapest without ever acknowledging it, it also allows the once opulent city to shine anew. The sparkling shots of Castle Hill, Budapest’s Fashion District, and the Hungarian Parliament building will give you the urge to visit. Just remember not to point at anything with your index finger; it’s akin to setting the country’s flag on fire.