Must watch movies & TV before your Sicilian FitCation
Sicily has inspired artists, writers, explorers, and leaders for over 2,000 years. Some of Hollywood’s most revered and adored films and television shows have called this Mediterranean island home. Locals hope this adoration continues. In 2022, the Sicily Film Commission launched an almost €12 million dedicated fund to encourage regional filming by covering 20% of production costs. It includes feature films, live and animated TV series, documentaries, and short films created in 2022 and 2023.
Get excited for your Sicilian FitCation by adding these to your “next to watch” list.
White Lotus, Season 2
While each season has its own story and is not dependent on the other, we recommend watching both seasons of White Lotus, especially since the fabulous Jennifer Coolidge is in each. The first is in Hawaii (our founder’s home state and another FitCation destination), and the second is in Sicily.
The seven episodes are set in a beautiful luxury resort and follow the experiences of select guests and employees over a particular time period. You’ll laugh, gasp, and wonder how people have careers in hospitality when they have to deal with people all day long… especially Americans!
White Lotus Sicily stars Jennifer Coolidge, F. Murray Abraham, Aubrey Plaza, Michael Imperioli, and Sabrina Impacciatore.
Taormina is one of the biggest stars of the series, with shots showcasing the San Domenico Palace where the guests are staying, the Greek Theater, Mt. Etna looming in the background, and Isola Bella. You can also travel north to visit Cefalù Beach, where everything began… and ended.
The Godfather
Probably the most famous and revered film filmed in Sicily, The Godfather, featured small villages in Sicily despite being set in Palermo as director Francis Ford Coppola wanted a less modern look for these scenes. The villages of Savoca and Forza d'Agro host some of the movie's most pivotal scenes. Savoca is where Michael Corleone meets his future father-in-law at Bar Vitelli's, and it’s also where he asks for permission to marry his daughter, Apollonia.
The church that Michael and Apollonia are married in is actually not far from Bar Vitelli’s. The Church of San Nicolò has spectacular panoramic views of the Ionian Sea. Another important church from the film is the Santissima Annunziata located in the town of Forza D’Agrò. This Baroque style church was first built in the 15th century and then rebuilt in the 18th century.
Ocean’s 12
This heist film occurs worldwide in many locations, including the Sicilian town of Castellammare del Golfo. The name translates to “Sea Fortress on the Gulf” due to the medieval fortress in the harbor. The town’s economy revolves heavily around fishing, so you’ll easily find some seafood delights to try while you’re in town. Also regarded as one of the most beautiful peninsulas in Sicily, watersport options and rentals are plentiful.
Castellammare del Golfo is also known for being the birthplace of many Sicilian-American Mafai members including Sebastiano DiGaetano, Salvatore Maranzano, Stefano Magaddino, Vito Bonventre, John Tartamella, and Joseph Bonanno.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
The final movie in the Indiana Jones franchise traversed across Sicily filming in Syracuse, Cefalù, and Trapani. Supervising location manager, Duncan Broadfoot, had the challenging task of finding locations to shoot the blockbuster film in the middle of a pandemic. Luckily, the team found many locations that could help bring the screenplay to life.
The team needed a large cave to host Archimedes’ Tomb, and they found the Ear of Dionysius.“It’s a limestone cave, and its name comes from the fact that it’s shaped like a human ear,” Broadfoot explains. “This was the first thing that drew us to Sicily. We also needed an archaeological temple site, and Sicily is loaded with these things. We visited many of them, and once we had located both the Segesta Temple and the Ear, we realized we could get most of what we needed there.”
We don’t want to give too much away about the film…you’ll just have to trust us when we see it’s action-packed and visually stunning. You’ll wish you were racing through the ruins from the bad guys.
Cinema Paradiso
Celebrated as one of the greatest films ever, Director Giuseppe Tornatore set his movie in his hometown of Bagheria, Sicily, and Cefalù on the Tyrrhenian Sea. This semi-autobiographical and coming-of-age film tells the story of a celebrated director who revisits childhood memories upon hearing of the passing of his hometown’s cinema projectionist. This Oscar winner showcases themes of sacrifice, identity, loyalty, and love (romantic, familial, and platonic).
The town is so proud of the film that there is a small museum in Palazzo Adriano and a small office in the town hall where you can pick up a town guide with a trail of film locations to check out.
What other movies or TV shows are on your list for must-watch before a trip to Sicily? Leave them in the comments for us to add!