“Sicily can be very seductive.”
The fabulously eccentric—and, tragically, wicked—Quentin said it best. Sicily is an intoxicating destination and one that you can easily explore by train.
Season two of The White Lotus spectacularly showcased Sicily and sent Italy’s largest island skyrocketing to the top of travel wish lists. Though the titular resort was cinematographically stitched together from multiple Sicilian locales, you can still visit all of the show’s shooting locations and cosplay your own White Lotus vacation using Sicily’s rail system.
Without the murder, extortion, and questionable fashion sense, of course.
It might not be a boatload of peculiar new friends ready to welcome you onto their yacht, but getting around Sicily by train is still an extravagant invitation to explore The White Lotus’s season two filming locations.
Image Credit and Location: San Domenico Palace, a Four Seasons Hotel, Sicily, Italy
See The White Lotus Season 2 Filming Locations By Train
Sicily is roughly the size of Vermont, by square-mileage standards, but don’t let its seemingly small size fool you. Getting from the Greek Theater in Taormina to the streets of Palermo requires more than a quick scene transition.
Endless roundabouts, manual transmission rental cars, and foreign road signs are just the first of many obstacles you could encounter on a road trip. Fines for accidentally driving in ZTL zones, and the potential for arrest if caught driving under the influence, puts you in a position more precarious than Portia’s shady drive with Jack.
Thankfully, Sicily’s rail network wraps around the island, allowing you to easily travel between filming locations, including the serene beaches and swanky palazzos that captured Sicily’s opulent spirit.
Image Credit and Location: San Domenico Palace, a Four Seasons Hotel, Sicily, Italy
Can you stay in the hotel from The White Lotus? Sort of…
Technically, the San Domenico Palace, a Four Seasons Hotel, in Taormina, was the setting for The White Lotus. However, the hotel beach scenes were filmed at Cefalu, which is accessible from Taormina via train.
Taormina to Cefalu by train: 4 to 5 hours
And You Can Stay In Daphne’s (Not So) Noto Villa
Daphne and Harper stayed at the regal, 16th-century Villa Tasca, which is actually located just outside of Palermo. Should you desire an overnight stay plus partying it up in Palermo like Portia and Jack, there’s a train for that. Palermo Centrale welcomes train routes from throughout Sicily, including from Taormina.
Taormina to Palermo by train: 4 to 5 hours
Image Credit: Getty Images, Gary Yeowell. Image Location: St Nicholas Cathedral in Noto, Sicily, Italy.
Then Chill In The Real Noto
Noto is not to be missed. Not only can you see the Sicilian Baroque architecture featured during Harper and Daphne’s trip, but Quentin’s lavish, 17th-century palazzo, Villa Elena, is nearby as well. In real life, it was a former monastery, which makes the debaucherous acts committed by Quentin and company all the more sinful.
Taormina to Noto by train: 3 to 4 hours
Where did The White Lotus film in Italy?
While Sicily was the setting for all of season two, a studio in Rome was used for specific set pieces that they had to build. As it just so happens, you can take a train from Rome, Naples, or any major city in Italy, all the way down to Sicily.
Rome to Taormina by train: 8 to 10 hours
Image Credit and Location: San Domenico Palace, a Four Seasons Hotel, Sicily, Italy
La Dolce Vita in Sicilia with Trainline
Siciliy’s culture is so special that it offers a completely different vacation experience than mainland Italy. Train travel is a convenient way to navigate the island at your own pace without worrying about the restrictions of rental cars and the egregious expense of taxis or rideshares.
First time riding the rails? Trainline can help keep your vacation on track. Simply download our app to view train routes through Sicily, compare timetables and ticket prices, and instantly purchase your ticket.
Header Image Credit and Location: San Domenico Palace, a Four Seasons Hotel, Sicily, Italy