The Diplomat Season 4 Filming Locations: The Tuscan City Behind Its New Summit
Lucca's piazzas join London on the political thriller's map, with a real city dressed for a fictional diplomatic gathering.
The Diplomat Season 4 filmed in Lucca and Florence, alongside London and New York. Lucca portrayed a fictional G7 gathering.
Netflix has set October 15, 2026 for the season’s premiere. Keri Russell returns as Kate Wyler, with Rufus Sewell, Allison Janney and Bradley Whitford completing the central quartet.
Lucca’s fictional summit
The Toscana Film Commission identifies May 13 and 14, 2026 as the Lucca shoot dates. Its list includes Palazzo Ducale in Piazza Napoleone, Porta San Pietro, Piazza San Frediano, Piazza Anfiteatro, Piazza Guidiccioni and Via Sant’Andrea. Villa Reale di Marlia, outside the city, was also used.
The Florentine reported that the scale of filming required a municipal agreement covering permits and public spaces. Road closures, parking restrictions and controlled-access areas accompanied the shoot. That is why a production photograph can look unusually clear of ordinary traffic even when the location is normally part of everyday city life.
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Piazza Anfiteatro: the square with a Roman outline
Piazza Anfiteatro is a particularly useful landmark because of its distinctive oval form. Lucca’s tourism authority explains that the buildings preserve the outline of a Roman amphitheater dating to the first or second century. The surviving ancient structure is now largely below the modern ground level.
The open square visitors see today owes much to architect Lorenzo Nottolini, who began clearing buildings from its center in 1830. That history explains why the surrounding houses seem to wrap around a single enclosed space. Look for the curved line of the buildings and their irregular roof heights rather than expecting an exposed Roman arena.
For a location photograph, the shape is the subject. A wider view gives a better sense of the piazza than a close-up of a cafe sign, especially when comparing the real setting with television footage that may crop out modern businesses.
Palazzo Ducale and Piazza Napoleone
Piazza Napoleone carries an appropriate history for a political drama. The city dates its creation to 1806, when Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi, Napoleon’s sister and Princess of Lucca, ordered the space opened up. Existing buildings were removed to give greater prominence to the palace that is now Palazzo Ducale.
The square was designed to make power visible. Its broad approach and palace frontage establish a ceremonial open space. The trees framing the square and the statue of Maria Luisa of Bourbon are useful real-world reference points, although not every detail will necessarily appear in the finished season.
Villa Reale di Marlia has its own royal story
Elisa’s connection continues at Villa Reale di Marlia. According to the estate, she bought it from the Orsetti family in 1806. The surviving apartments display the Empire style, with classical and Egyptian references associated with the Napoleonic period. This is an actual historic residence, rather than a palace facade assembled for television.
The museum includes a dining room, library and ballroom, as well as a reception hall overlooking the park. These are features visitors can explore.
The villa is a separate visit from a walk around central Lucca. Its ticket arrangements distinguish the park and museums, and the published autumn calendar runs through October 29. Check the date and admission option you want before traveling. The museum’s two floors have elevator access, and a free audio guide is available through the estate’s app.
London: St. James’s Park and Jermyn Street
London remains part of Kate’s working world. April 2026 production photographs published by What’s on Netflix show Russell filming in St. James’s Park, accompanied by a security detail during what appears to be a phone conversation. The photographs establish the park, without revealing where that exchange falls in the season’s plot.
The park’s surroundings supply plenty of real ceremonial geography. The Royal Parks describes a landscape bordered by royal palaces, with views toward Buckingham Palace, Horse Guards Parade and Admiralty Arch. Its lakeside paths make it a practical public stop, although events can affect access. You do not need access to a government building to see this part of the show’s London.
There is another specific London location to watch for. A later What’s on Netflix report shows Russell and Whitford filming on Jermyn Street, with Kate and Todd Penn entering Turnbull & Asser under close protection. The production brought in extras playing police, spectators and photographers for the street setup.
What remains unknown in Florence
Florence’s shooting addresses remain undisclosed. The commission identifies Starhotels Teatro Luxury Apartments as a production base, without confirming it as a screen location.
Featured photograph: Piazza Anfiteatro in Lucca, one of the locations identified for Season 4. Location photograph. Photo: bongo vongo, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
