The White Lotus is well into its second season, and the setting is as scenic and breathtaking as the first time around. The second chapter of this satirical dramedy took the White Lotus guests straight to Sicily, but where exactly was the series filmed?
Each season of this anthology series takes us to a different White Lotus resort, and the action moved from Hawaii to Italy for Season 2. San Domenico Palace in Taormina poses as the White Lotus Sicily, and it hosted many Hollywood stars, including Audrey Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor, before Mike White chose it for the setting of his Emmy-winning series.
“We saw a lot of properties in France and Italy. Many of them were small and wouldn’t photograph very well. But when we went to the San Domenico… there was just something about it. [The hotel] had a real vibe,” White told Architectural Digest.
This clifftop retreat is overlooking the Ionian Sea, and it offers spectacular views of the active Mount Etna volcano and an ancient Greek theater called Teatro Antico di Taormina. Even though guests spent most of the time at the hotel, some scenes were also filmed in Noto and Palermo, including opulent palaces Villa Tasca and Villa Elena. Lumina Studios near Rome also served as the setting for certain scenes.