Discover Sicilian Art with The White Lotus Season 2

San Domenico Palace

As viewers know, most of season two is filmed at the San Domenico Palace in Taormina, Italy. Today, the Four Seasons Hotel is perched on a mountain overlooking the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna. However, the hotel’s location is full of history as it was previously a Dominican monastery since the 14th century. Saint Dominic founded the Catholic order in Toulouse, France, during the 13th century. By 1374 the order was known throughout Europe and had established a  convent in Taormina.

Today, the hotel still acknowledges its past through historic buildings and rooms. For instance, the former Catholic convent is now known as the Garden Wing. Included in the Garden Wing is the Grand Cloister (the courtyard), built in the 15th century and remodeled during the 17th century! While the San Domenico Palace is centuries old, the cast of the White Lotus travels around Sicily to more historical sites.

Chiesa di San Francesco d’Assisi all’Immacolata

For example, Daphne (Meghann Fahy) and Harper (Aubrey Plaza) are shown walking down the steps of the Chiesa di San Francesco d’Assisi all’Immacolata in Noto, Italy. In this scene, creator Mike White pays tribute to Michelangelo Antonioni’s 1960 film L’avventura. 

However, Noto is famous for its late Baroque cathedrals (35 in total) and historic palazzos. Incredibly, the town was reconstructed after an earthquake destroyed the city and killed half its population in 1693. Next on the list is Villa Tasca, which Daphne famously rents for one night to mess with her husband.

Villa Tasca

In episode 3, Daphne and Harper travel to the enchanting town of Noto, but in reality, filming took place in Palermo at Villa Tasca. This 16th-century Italian villa is a gorgeous display of neoclassical architecture and trompe-l’oeil frescoes. The frescoes in Villa Tasca were also used in the opening sequence of The White Lotus. Parts of the villa have Renaissance roots dating back to the 1500s. In comparison, the 20-acre garden screams the late-1800s. As for episode four, we follow the cast to another historical site, Teatro Antico!

Teatro Antico

Furthermore, the ancient theatre of Taormina is where Albie (Adam DiMarco) takes his dad and grandfather in episode 4. This might be the oldest site used as a filming location and has breathtaking views.

Discovered through evidence under the Roman cavea (the seating sections), the site was originally a Hellenistic theatre built in the third century BCE. Remarkably, the theatre was rebuilt under Roman rule in the third century CE. By this point, the theatre was upgraded to fit the needs of performances, such as remodeling the orchestra into an arena. Teatro Antico is one of the oldest theaters in the coastal areas of Southern Italy.

Villa Elena

Lastly, another monastery was used as a filming location in The White Lotus, Villa Elena in episode 5. The palazzo, owned by Quentin (Tom Hollander), who invited Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge) and Portia (Haley Lu Richardson) to visit.

According to Architectural Digest, Villa Elena is actually owned by interior designer Jacques Garcia. Jacques Garcia previously told AD, “This 17th-century monastery is built on a 12th-century Norman villa, which replaced a 10th-century Moorish palace, which replaced a fifth-century Roman house, which replaced a Greek villa of the third century before Jesus Christ.”

So it’s safe to say the villa is full of history and architecture.