If you have not seen Mike White’s series “The White Lotus” yet, you should. It recently won the 2023 Golden Globe for Best Limited, Anthology Series, or Television Film. Jennifer Coolidge won her first Golden Globe for Best Supporting Performance in a Limited or Anthology Series or Television Film for the second season, which aired weekly at the end of 2022.
Season 2 saw a new setting and a new series of events, with a new star-studded cast (save Coolidge, who maintained her role as Tanya). If you have watched it, only one question remains unanswered: where was White Lotus season 2 filmed? And, more importantly, can you visit?
Where Was ‘White Lotus’ Season 2 Filmed?
To answer this question, fans will have to go to Italy. The second season of ‘The White Lotus’ is just as luxurious as the first. They shot some of the scenes in the Sicilian cities of Palermo and Noto and on the Ionian Sea. Other scenes they shot in the Castello degli Schiavi in the seaside town of Fiumefreddo (also featured in “The Godfather”) and the seashore La Cambusa restaurant in Giardini Naxos. Set filming took place at Lumina Studios in Rome Italy. The star site, like in season one, is the hotel itself.
San Domenico Palace, Taormina
The huge San Domenico Palace – formerly a 15th-century monastery, now a resort in the Four Seasons group after a comprehensive 2021 makeover – is located high on the rocks on Sicily’s northeast coast and hosts most of the action in season 2 of “The White Lotus.” The hotel has 111 rooms and specialty suites, a spa, a fine-dining restaurant, old courtyards and gardens, and a stunning infinity pool.
With scenes of the Ionian Sea, Mount Etna, an old amphitheater, and close proximity to the Isola Bella natural reserve, the San Domenico is breathtaking. Fans of Michelangelo Antonioni may recognize the hotel from the final scene of his 1960 classic, L’Avventura, while others may recognize it from 1988’s “The Big Blue.” Tanya (Coolidge) even proclaims her desire to look like Monica Vitti, the leading lady of L’Avventura, in the second episode. She dresses up as her when she and Greg (Jon Gries) ride the town’s twisting roads on a Vespa. Over the years, the hotel has housed a variety of notable personalities, including Oscar Wilde, Audrey Hepburn, and Edward VII.
Greek Theater Of Taormina
You cannot answer the question, “Where was ‘White Lotus’ season 2 filmed?” without mentioning the Greek Theater of Taormina. The Di Grasso family decides to explore Taormina in the second episode, Italian Dream, and invites Portia to accompany them. Their trip can only begin with the most well-known structure: the Ancient Theater. The Greeks built it in the third century B.C. and afterward converted it into an arena during the Roman Empire. They largely abandoned the monument after the fall of the Empire until its rediscovery during the Grand Tour.
Taormina’s Teatro Antico has been used as an open-air theatre for entertainment since the 1950s, including symphony concerts, classical plays, Greek tragedies, operas, and ballets. You can see one of the most stunning views in Sicily from Taormina’s Teatro Antico. The views from the Strait of Messina, Capo Sant’Andrea, and Mount Etna are spectacular.
Isola Bella
Daphne invites Harper to walk on Isola Bella in one of the most enigmatic sections in “The White Lotus” season 2. This is one of Taormina’s most gorgeous places and one of Sicily’s most recognized beaches. A tiny stretch of sand connects the mainland to this small, easily accessible island. Lady Florence Trevelyan, an English noblewoman and the wife of Taormina mayor Salvatore Cacciola, purchased it in 1890. The couple enhanced the island by constructing a modest cottage and planting rare flora and trees. The Region of Sicily has owned Isola Bella since 1990 and is open daily to the public.
Villa Tasca
Villa Tasca is another location set for season two of “The White Lotus.” The old Sicilian villa is in the third episode where Harper and Daphne travel to Noto and stay in a beautiful villa. The location is in Palermo, not the baroque city. Villa Tasca is a historic Sicilian mansion built in the mid-16th century. Wagner composed the third act of “Parsifal” here in 1881. The two-story structure has an 8-hectare park filled with citrus groves and antique trees.
Majolica tiles and frescoes from the 18th century distinguish the interiors. The paintings represent rock scenes, which they also feature in the show’s theme song. Villa Tasca welcomes groups of 20 or more. A coffee break, a tour of the gardens, and a tour of the interior are all included in the €60 price.
Giardini Naxos Beach
The beautiful beach of Giardini, Naxos is another place where season 2 was filmed. It is just a few kilometers away from Isola Bella. Giardini Naxos was one of the first Greek settlements in Sicily. It is worth visiting for its archaeological site, the Castle of Schis, and its magnificent beaches. Along the coastline, some modern installations evoke the Greek civilization. They shot the scenes of guests arriving by boat at the Palace of San Domenico in the lovely bay of Giardini Naxos. They also shot the scenes featuring Ethan and Cameron on jet skis at this location.
Planeta’s Sciaranuova Estate
The second season of The White Lotus was also the ideal platform for one of Sicily’s most intriguing wineries. Several wineries have sprouted up on the slopes of Mount Etna in recent years, taking advantage of the area’s volcanic soil and peculiar microclimate. You should stop at one of these vineyards when visiting areas where “White Lotus” season 2 was filmed, especially if you enjoy wine.
Planeta’s Sciaranuova winery is where scenes from the fifth episode, “That’s Amore,” were shot. It lies in Castiglione di Sicilia, a little village at the foot of the volcano and one of Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages. The vineyard conducts tastings of various wines, local products, and experiences, all of which you can find on their website.
