Happy Thursday Hidden Gem Travel community! With only five days left in January, weāre in the thick of winter and itās the perfect season for watching engaging shows on our small screens in front of the fire. I like to think of winter as ācozy seasonā and the perfect time to catch up on viewing binge-worthy series and great movies.
Read on for the scoop on small-screen shows that give the viewer a hefty dose of travel inspirationā¦
The White Lotus
This edgy HBO series is getting a ton of buzz in the media. The characters are on a luxury vacation where they face compelling, complex, and sometimes disturbing situations while in paradise.
The White Lotus season one takes place in idyllic Maui, Hawaii and was filmed during the pandemic; the characters never left the resort, the incredible Four Seasons Resort Maui. Clients who vacation in Maui have a plethora of outdoor activities to keep them active ā plus gorgeous pools and beaches for relaxing and recharging.
Season two brings the characters to charming Sicily, Italy. Shooting locations went beyond the resort making Sicily a very hot destination for 2023. Again, a luxury resort is the central location (another Four Season property) named San Domenico Palace in the charming town of Taormina. If you hope to venture to Sicily, know that itās a large island with some very cool experiences like wine tasting in the shadow of Mt. Etna.
Whether you dream of Hawaii or Sicily, both places offer incredible hotels and tours that allow you to experience these amazing destinations fully and authentically.
šHidden Gem Tip: Hidden Gem clients receive VIP perks at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts worldwide.
Glass Onion
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery was released in 2022 and transports you to stunning Greece. The estate which serves as the billionaireās enclave is in reality 5-star Amanzoe resort on the Peloponnesian peninsula. In real life, Amanzoe attracts high-profile, ultra-luxury clientele.
The charming island of Spetses serves as the place where the guests arrive and wait for the yacht that will take them to the estate. Spetses is part of the Saronic island group of Greece and can be reached by ferry or car from Athens. However, you canāt drive your car on the island. Bicycles, walking, water taxis, or even horse-drawn carriage are preferred modes of transportation.
Most Americans vacation in the Cycladic islands of Greece (ex. Santorini), so I appreciated the movie highlighting a less common island and area.
Throwback Series
If you didnāt catch The Night Manager in 2016, put it in your queue for a first-time viewing or a rewatch of all six episodes. This intriguing drama, based on a bestselling novel by John le Carre, was filmed in Monaco, London, Devon (standing in for Cornwall, England), Mallorca (Spain), Marrakech (standing in for Egypt), and Zermatt, Switzerland. Tom Hiddleston plays a hotel night manager who is recruited to investigate illegal arms sales. Itās a good watch with plenty of travel inspiration!
šHidden Gem Tip: Season one of Outlander (Starz) will whisk you away to Scotland, and you will fall in love with the highlands. Similarly, Poldark (Netflix) will have you dreaming of Cornwall in coastal England.
Inspired? Reach out to me now to get started planning!
Susan
Follow my Facebook and Instagram pages this week for more travel inspiration!
Make your own Wanderlist for 2023! As a reminder, Wanderlist is an online portal where you can research, explore, and create shareable lists of destinations and experiences. Share your list with me so I can make it happen for you.
