Quick answer: Nazzano, a medieval village in Italy’s Lazio region about 40 kilometres north of Rome, is the real-world setting for Sam Young’s Italian retreat in Black Doves Season 2. Netflix confirms that Matteo’s bar, Bar Punto di Riferimento, and the exterior of the village church were filmed in Nazzano for Episode 4. The village’s quiet streets and Tiber Valley scenery give the flashbacks a striking contrast with Sam’s violent life as an assassin.
Spoilers for Black Doves Season 2, especially Episode 4.
For much of Black Doves, Sam Young (Ben Whishaw) moves through a world of assignments, debts and sudden violence. Episode 4 briefly changes the rhythm. Its Italian flashbacks take him away from the familiar pressure of London and into a small village where the pace is slower, the streets are older and a connection with Matteo (Francesco Acquaroli) offers a glimpse of another kind of life.
That place is not an invented Mediterranean backdrop. It is Nazzano, a real hilltop community in Lazio, in the Tiber Valley north of Rome. The production used actual locations in the village, making the setting part of the episode’s emotional storytelling rather than a generic postcard image of Italy.
Where is Nazzano, the Italian village in Black Doves?
Nazzano is in the Metropolitan City of Rome, in the Lazio region of central Italy. It sits roughly 40 to 46 kilometres north of Rome, overlooking the Tiber Valley. The old settlement is built around a steep, winding route that climbs towards the medieval Castello Savelli, whose towers dominate the skyline.
That geography is important to the look of the episode. Rather than wide boulevards or a glossy resort town, Nazzano offers narrow lanes, stone buildings, terracotta roofs and views across the river landscape. The town’s compact scale makes Sam’s retreat feel intimate: the bar, church and streets are all part of one recognizable community.
Matteo’s bar is a real place in Nazzano
Netflix’s official Season 2 location guide identifies Bar Punto di Riferimento as the real bar used for Matteo’s village bar in Episode 4. In the story, it becomes the centre of Sam’s Italian interlude. Matteo’s growing connection with Sam offers him something unfamiliar: ordinary conversation and the possibility of being known as a person rather than only as a professional killer.
The real bar is listed at Via Dante Alighieri in Nazzano’s historic centre. A visitor review describes it as a bar with indoor and outdoor tables in one of the main squares, close to a fountain and one of the village gates. That is useful local context, but the review is not a production record and does not identify a particular table or camera position as the one used in the show.
The distinction matters for fans planning a visit. Bar Punto di Riferimento is the confirmed filming location for Matteo’s bar; it is not a themed Black Doves attraction, and the series’ fictional conversations should not be confused with the real business or its staff.
The church where Sam’s assignment becomes personal
The other key Nazzano location is the village church exterior. Netflix says the church is where Sam carries out Reed’s assignment to kill Aldo (Mauro Mercatali), a priest whose past makes him an unsettling reflection of Sam. After the killing, the church becomes tied to Sam’s guilt and grief, as well as the quieter moments he shares with Matteo.
Netflix identifies Via Della Chiesa in Nazzano as the location for the exterior shots. It does not identify every interior used in the sequence, so it would be misleading to claim that all the church scenes were filmed inside one specific building. The confirmed detail is the exterior location.
What other Nazzano streets and buildings appear in the episode?
Netflix’s guide confirms the bar and church locations. TV Guide’s location reporting adds two further street-level details: Piazza Umberto I was used for Matteo’s house, while Via Felice Cavallotti was used for Sam’s house and terrace. These details help explain how the production made a small village serve as a complete story world.
It is worth keeping the wording precise. A real street or square can stand in for a fictional home, but that does not mean the character lived at the real property or that every shot was filmed from the exact angle shown on screen. The production used Nazzano as a filming location; the characters and their private histories remain fictional.
Why Nazzano works as Sam’s escape
The setting creates a visual counterpoint to Sam’s usual environment. London in Black Doves is crowded, watched and full of competing loyalties. Nazzano feels more contained. Its lanes and small gathering places suggest a life in which a person might be recognized by neighbours, return to the same bar and build a relationship that is not based on a contract.
That contrast does not mean the village magically makes Sam safe or erases what he has done. The episode keeps his violence close to the surface. His assignment involving Aldo follows him into the very place that seemed to offer a pause. The church becomes a reminder that escape from an organization is not the same as escape from guilt.
Matteo’s presence gives the Italian scenes their emotional centre. He does not simply offer Sam a picturesque place to hide; he represents the possibility of a more ordinary relationship. The show leaves the audience to consider whether Sam can accept that possibility, especially when his past and the people who control his work continue to reach him.
Castello Savelli and the village’s real history
Nazzano’s identity predates the series by centuries. The official VisitLazio guide describes the old town as a medieval settlement whose main road leads towards the 13th-century Castello Savelli. The local Pro Loco describes the village as a spiral-shaped historic centre climbing towards the castle, with a commanding view over the Tiber Valley.
The castle is a landmark, not a confirmed Black Doves filming location in the Netflix guide. It helps explain the village’s appearance and history, but should not be presented as a specific Sam scene unless a production source confirms that use.
The Tiber-Farfa reserve adds another side to the landscape
Beyond the old centre, Nazzano is associated with the Nazzano Tevere-Farfa Nature Reserve, a protected wetland formed around the Tiber after a dam slowed the river’s flow and created Lake Nazzano. The reserve’s river landscape gives the wider area a quieter natural character, distinct from the village’s stone streets and castle.
The reserve is useful context for understanding why the location feels so different from the series’ urban settings. It is not, however, evidence that a particular nature-reserve trail appears in Sam’s scenes. The confirmed Episode 4 filming references are the bar and church in Nazzano, with additional street details reported by TV Guide.
Can fans visit the Black Doves locations in Nazzano?
Nazzano is a real village and can be visited, but fans should treat it as a living community rather than a film set. Bar Punto di Riferimento is a working local business, and the streets, church and homes are part of everyday village life. Check current opening hours before travelling, be respectful when photographing private homes and avoid entering restricted property.
The local tourism and Pro Loco resources are useful starting points for planning a visit. The village’s castle is privately owned and the Pro Loco notes that it is not currently open for visits; the public viewpoint near the entrance offers a view over the Tiber bend instead.
What Nazzano means for Sam’s story
Nazzano is more than a beautiful location inserted between action scenes. It gives the audience a tangible picture of what Sam might want if he could step away from the work that has defined him. The bar suggests companionship; the village streets suggest routine; the church holds the consequences of violence that he cannot simply leave behind.
That is why the Italian flashbacks feel like the emotional heart of this part of the season. The village does not promise Sam a clean slate. It gives him a brief view of a different life, and makes the cost of returning to his old one more visible.
Frequently asked questions
Where was Sam’s Italian retreat filmed in Black Doves Season 2?
The Italian flashbacks were filmed in Nazzano, a village in Lazio north of Rome. Netflix confirms Bar Punto di Riferimento and the exterior of the village church as Episode 4 locations.
Is Matteo’s bar in Black Doves a real bar?
Yes. Netflix identifies Bar Punto di Riferimento in Nazzano as the real location used for Matteo’s bar.
Where is Bar Punto di Riferimento?
The bar is listed at Via Dante Alighieri, 10–17, 00060 Nazzano, Italy. Check locally for current opening hours before visiting.
Which church appears in Sam’s Nazzano storyline?
Netflix identifies Via Della Chiesa in Nazzano as the exterior filming location for the village church. The guide does not specify every interior used in the sequence.
Which other Nazzano streets were used?
TV Guide reports that Piazza Umberto I stood in for Matteo’s house and Via Felice Cavallotti was used for Sam’s house and terrace.
Is Castello Savelli shown as a Black Doves filming location?
It is a prominent real landmark in Nazzano, but Netflix’s published location guide does not identify the castle as a specific filming location for Sam’s Episode 4 scenes.
Can visitors see the exact places from the show?
Visitors can explore Nazzano and see the village streets and public areas. Bar Punto di Riferimento is a working business, and private homes and church property should be treated respectfully. The local Pro Loco says Castello Savelli is not currently open to visitors.
Sources and further reading
- Netflix Tudum: Inside the Black Doves Season 2 Locations — official confirmation of the Nazzano bar and church locations.
- TV Guide: Black Doves Season 2 filming locations — additional Nazzano street and house-location reporting.
- Condé Nast Traveller: Where was Black Doves filmed? — Nazzano context and the Tiber Valley setting.
- VisitLazio: Nazzano — official regional tourism information about the village and castle.
- Pro Loco di Nazzano: Historic centre — local history and visitor context.
- Parks.it: Nazzano Tevere-Farfa Nature Reserve — protected landscape and points of interest.
By Shivam Das
