Where is the White Lotus filmed? This stunning Sicily hotel is the real-life location used for season two

The first season of The White Lotus inspired critical acclaim, scooping up 10 Emmy awards and a legion of fans. So it was only natural that there would be an eagerly-anticipated second season. 

While the first season saw the characters in The White Lotus Hawaii explore themes of race, entitlement and colonialism, the second season of The White Lotus looks at gender identity, sexuality and trust, with the rugged Italian island of Sicily as the backdrop. And with The White Lotus season two finale a hotly anticipated topic, it's clear there's an appetite for more satirical drama from creator Mike White. We're all ears for where a third season of The White Lotus (which has just been confirmed) will be filmed...

Where is The White Lotus season two filmed?

San Domenico Palace, Taormina, A Four Seasons Hotel

The majority of The White Lotus season two is filmed at the super-grand San Domenico Palace, Taormina, A Four Seasons Hotel, in Sicily. The majority of the action takes place in this sprawling Italian coastal resort, with some scenes filmed in the nearby towns of Noto and Cefalù.

Jennifer Coolidge, a White Lotus veteran who had a starring role in season one, stayed in Sicily for five months while filming the second season of the show. She said of the hotel, "San Domenico Palace, Taormina, A Four Seasons Hotel is an old convent. You can feel the ghosts, it’s incredible. My room was on the ancient side of the hotel – it has this massive view of Mount Etna and the sea."

San Domenico Palace is situated on the cliffs of Sicily overlooking the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna, with an ancient amphitheatre built in the Greek style by the Romans in making for a dramatic backdrop. Steeped in history and grandeur, this sophisticated hotel boasts plenty of old-world charm, built on the site of a 15th-century monastery. 

The luxury hotel now consists of two historic buildings, The Garden Wing, which is the former 15th-century convent with a cloister, and the Grand Hotel Wing, which was added in 1896. Over the years, the real-life White Lotus hotel San Domenico Palace has played host to plenty of influential guests, including Oscar Wilde and Audrey Hepburn, as well as Edward VII.

Jennifer Coolidge went on to say how she fell in love with Sicily's natural beauty while staying at the hotel. “It was my first time there,” she told Vogue. “I experienced beauty that I have never seen before.” The actor then went on to say how much she enjoyed meeting the Sicilian locals. “You’ve got to go out with them late at night,” she says.“They really have a blast. The film business starts early, but I would sacrifice the morning just to join them.”

How much does it cost to stay at the White Lotus season two hotel? 

Staying at the San Domenico Palace, Taormina, A Four Seasons Hotel, isn't cheap. A room in the low season (we checked out prices on the hotel's website in April) will cost around £1,000 for a deluxe room, with prices for a luxury suite rising to over £5,000. Prices include a sumptuous breakfast in the hotel's restaurant looking out to sea.

San Domenico Palace boasts 111 impeccable rooms and speciality suites, as well as a spa, courtyards and the famous infinity pool that features heavily in The White Lotus season two. The hotel also has two restaurants; Principe Cerami and pool-terrace diner Anciovi.

Which towns are featured in The White Lotus season two?

Noto

Season two of The White Lotus sees its characters visit Noto, a picturesque town in the southeast of the island. This historic town is famous for its baroque architecture and iconic piazza, making it the ideal location for Harper (Aubrey Plaza) and Daphne (Meghann Fahy) to take a day trip to take in the stunning Sicilian architecture of the cathedral on Corso Vittorio Emanuele.

Season one of the White Lotus had Covid restrictions to contend with, meaning that the characters were restricted to the confines of the White Lotus Hawaii resort. As showrunner Mike White told Entertainment Weekly, having a wider scope for filming enhanced the second season of the show greatly. “I'm not going to complain about being at the Four Seasons Maui, but you do start to feel like it was a Hawaiian Shining," she said of filming the entire season in one location. "It was cool this season to be able to feature more of the city and some of the iconic places in Sicily. The canvas gets much bigger and that's a huge improvement.”

Cefalù

Cefalù, a coastal town close to Palermo up on the northern coast of the island, was another picturesque Sicilian town visited by the cast. A nature lover's paradise, this Medieval town is in close proximity to the stunning Madonie National Park or hiking up La Rocca, Cefalù's beautiful mountain that offers epic views over the island.