Stay in the glorious hotel from season two of The White Lotus, as the hit show swaps Hawaii for Taormina in Sicily.
The White Lotus revolves around the interactions between guests and employees at a fictional resort chain. Both seasons are packed with spectacular backdrops and enviable places to travel, with the star location being the hotel itself.
Watch the show on Amazon Prime or HBO for all the drama. Read on for The White Lotus filming locations and a Sicily holiday we can customise for you.
Starting Your Holiday in Taormina
Season one was filmed at Four Seasons Resort Maui in Hawaii, although personally we prefer Four Seasons Hualalai as it’s fresh from a USD 100 million renovation.
Taormina is the spectacular setting for season two. Mount Etna in the distance, a glistening Ionian Sea and charming cobblestone streets from centuries past.
Taormina is a holiday hotspot, a chic resort town full of Sicilian dolce vita. Admire the views, explore the beaches, stroll around the town and absorb the local glitz. Visit Planeta Sciaranuova, a volcanic vineyard beneath Mount Etna, where two holidaying couples have a lot of fun in episode five.
Normally we’d recommend staying next to the ancient Greek theatre at Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo – you’ll recognise the theatre from episode two. Or on the beach at Belmond’s Villa Sant’Andrea. But this is The White Lotus holiday so there’s only one choice…
Stay at Four Seasons San Domenico Palace
A 14th-century convent overlooking Mount Etna and the Ionian Sea, a grand hotel from 1896, recently reopened as an Four Seasons property.
Four Seasons San Domenico Palace basks in its glorious location, peacefully overlooking all of eastern Sicily, yet just steps away from Taormina’s most enchanting streets. Filming was wrapped up by summer 2022 so thankfully you won’t bump into any murderous White Lotus characters.
Many of the rooms are actually converted monks’ cells. Stay in a Junior Suite or Executive Suite with a private terrace, plunge pool and otherworldly view.
Then explore the hotel, recreating your favourite scenes from season two of The White Lotus.
You may want to have a life-changing swim near the hotel, like Daphne in the season’s very first scene. But that scene was actually filmed at Cefalu Beach, on the opposite side of Sicily.
Exploring Noto and Sicily’s Baroque South
Filming wasn’t confined to Taormina. When girlfriends Daphne and Harper do a day trip they visit the super charming baroque town of Noto, capital of Sicily’s baroque south.
Southeastern Sicily rewards time. Follow a baroque trail through noble villas, wineries, palazzos, monasteries and mesmerisng hilltop towns.
Stop at La Cambusa restaurant in Giardini Naxos on your journey south, the iconic beach club restaurant that features heavily throughout the show.
Holiday maker F Murray Abraham watches The Godfather in episode 3 and is inspired to explore its key filming locations with his family. Among them is Castello degli Schiavi in the coastal town of Fiumefreddo, where Michael Corleone’s wife Apollonia is blown up by a car bomb.
Castello degli Schiavi is one of the important Godfather locations and we can organise a guided visit of this private estate.
Discovering Palermo and Western Sicily
Picture perfect towns and sprawling old villas are beguiling settings for Sicilian misadventures throughout The White Lotus.
One we tracked down is Villa Tasca, a neoclassical marvel of frescoes, Murano chandeliers and gold gilding. It’s bookable as a holiday villa and looks a prime place to host a hedonistic party, just like the series, although try to avoid any invited guests being murdered.
Sicily’s capital city Palermo dominates the screen in the latter half of The White Lotus. It’s a chaotic and charming old place, perfect for a holiday fling a la Portia and Jack.
Palermo is so much fun when you have a good guide. We recommend staying at Rocco Forte Villa Igiea, then ending your holiday at Sicily’s best beachfront resort, Rocco Forte Verdura.
Your Customised Sicily Holiday
Sicily was our number two travel trend for 2022, because it’s ideal for many types of holiday. Beach, culture, history, authentic off the beaten track treasures and glorious locations that deserve to be on your television.
Whether it’s The White Lotus that inspires you or something else, we can customise a Sicily holiday to your exacting wishes.
