The hit HBO series The White Lotus recently wrapped up its third season, and speculation has intensified over where HBO will take its Emmy-winning anthology series next. Season one was set in Hawaii, season two in Italy, and season three in Thailand. For season four, series creators have hinted at a return to Europe, and Town & Country magazine has used available intel to narrow down potential filming locales.
Among the contenders is Prague, which may seem like an unlikely location for a show that has filmed in more tropical seaside locales in past seasons—but the Czech capital matches several key considerations.
HBO executive Francesca Orsi confirmed earlier this year that scouting was underway for a European location. “We’re going on some location scouting in the next couple of weeks, so we’ll know soon,” Orsi told Deadline in February. “I can’t really say where we’re going to land but chances are somewhere in Europe.”
Another key clue about the show’s next destination comes from series creator Mike White, who indicated a desire to move the story away from beachfront settings in the next season of The White Lotus.
“For the fourth season, I want to get a little bit out of the ‘crashing waves against rocks’ vernacular,” he told journalists after the season three finale earlier this month.
One aspect of the filming location for The White Lotus‘ fourth season is known for sure following HBO’s newly formalized partnership with the Four Seasons hotel chain. That deal virtually guarantees that the next season will be filmed in a city that has one of the luxury brand’s European resorts.
To recap what producers are looking for ahead of production on season four for The White Lotus: European locale, away from the beaches, in a city with a Four Seasons hotel. Prague meets all of the criteria—and is one of only 11 locations to do so.
According to Town & Country, other European locations that meet the criteria include major cities like London, Paris, Istanbul, Athens, Baku, Madrid, Lisbon, and Geneva, as well as destinations like the French Riviera, Megève, Mallorca, and Hampshire.
While Prague fits the upscale and visually stunning profile of previous locations, its urban setting may not allow for the same insular storytelling format. Still, while previous seasons have avoided major cities, season three was at least partially set in Bangkok.
Prague’s growing profile as a hub for prestige television could also make it a contender. The city has hosted numerous major Hollywood TV productions in recent years, and it boasts one of Europe’s most film-friendly incentive systems.
In recent years, the Czech capital has served as a filming location for fantasy series like The Wheel of Time and Carnival Row, to historical horror in Interview with the Vampire and futuristic sci-fi in Foundation and Blade Runner 2099.
Currently, the contemporary spy series Ride or Die, starring Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham, is being filmed in Prague through June.
One location The White Lotus won’t be filming in is Norway. The series had reportedly registered with the Norwegian Film Institute earlier this year, but was unhappy with the amount of production incentives it had been awarded—NOK 88 million (around $8.5 million, or CZK 185 million), just 11 percent of its expected local spend—and dropped the country as a location.
While Prague may seem like an unlikely location for The White Lotus, the country’s revamped incentives program, now offering a 25 percent rebate on local spend, could make it an attractive alternative. The Four Seasons Hotel Prague, nestled along the Vltava River in the city center, just might make for a picturesque location for the show’s next season.
For now, fans will have to wait for HBO’s official announcement—but the speculation is already shaping expectations for the show’s next vacation. According to Variety, the next season of The White Lotus is expected to begin production at some point in 2026.
Lead photo: Facebook / Four Seasons Hotel Prague
