October 15 was an important day for Lucca—at least for its film industry. On Thursday, the fourth season of The Diplomat became available on Netflix. The hit American series, available in 190 countries, stars Keri Russell, a former Golden Globe nominee.
The new episodes put the Tuscan city front and center, with its historic center serving as the backdrop for several key scenes. Backed by the Toscana Film Commission, production also fanned out across various locations in the region, including Florence and the Medici Villa of Poggio a Caiano in Prato.
The locations
The fourth season of the series, created by Debora Cahn, was filmed in Lucca in the spring of 2026, featuring some of the historic center's most iconic landmarks. In the show’s fictional narrative, Lucca was transformed into the setting for a high-stakes international summit, with scenes shot across Piazza Guidiccioni, Piazza Napoleone, Palazzo Ducale, Piazza San Frediano, Piazza Anfiteatro, and Porta San Pietro.
Another standout location was Villa Reale. "The decision by an international production of this scale to choose Lucca and its surrounding area is a recognition of the architectural and environmental qualities of the city and the surrounding plain, as well as its ability to host and support particularly complex productions," the city administration said.
A banner year for the screen in 2026
2026 has proved to be a landmark year for Lucca across both film and television. In March, Italy’s public broadcaster Rai aired Le libere donne, which was filmed on location here. The city was also chosen for Hotel Lauritz, a production from Norwegian broadcaster TV 2 set for release in 2027. International shows like The Real Housewives of Amsterdam (Dutch TV) and Ciao! (Welsh TV) both aired episodes set in the city. Additionally, Lucca hosted filming for the German edition of Married at First Sight and the Japanese documentary Masterpiece Album, which explored the places associated with composer Giacomo Puccini.
A reality show on the horizon for next year
Looking ahead to 2027, all eyes are on Let's Play Ball, an upcoming reality show for Amazon Prime Video."Looking at such a rich and prestigious list of productions, I believe our first reaction should be one of pride," said Remo Santini, the city’s councilor for tourism. "The pride of seeing Lucca sought out, chosen, and appreciated by directors, creators, and production teams from all over the world. It’s not something we should take for granted."
This article was reviewed by an external translation partner