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La Dolce Villa premiered on Netflix on February 13, 2025, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Directed by Mark Waters, best known for Mean Girls and Freaky Friday, this romantic comedy stars Scott Foley, Violante Placido, and Maia Reficco.
The film follows Eric, a widowed father who travels to Italy to stop his daughter from renovating a dilapidated villa she purchased for just one euro. As Eric acclimates to the picturesque Italian countryside, both he and his daughter discover that Italy might just be the place to find love.
The plot unfolds in a stunning villa in Italy, where much of the movie is shot. La Dolce Villa used real-life locations, primarily in Tuscany, Lazio, and Rome. While the interiors were built at Cinecittà Studios in Rome, the outside views of the villa were shot at Torrino dei Gelsi, a farm and resort in the Lazio region.
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Filming locations of La Dolce Villa
Torrino dei Gelsi Farm & Resort, Lazio
The villa featured prominently in La Dolce Villa is located at Torrino dei Gelsi Farm & Resort, situated just outside San Gregorio da Sassola, a small town in Lazio. The beautiful views of the Roman Campagna and the undulating hills typical of central Italy add to the location's ecotourism value.
This is an active olive farm where guests may stay, experience rural life, and learn about the local Italian culture, not only a filming site. Here they filmed the exterior views of the villa, which show the gorgeous house Olivia purchases to repair.
Tuscany: San Quirico d’Orcia and Pienza
Many of La Dolce Villa's outdoor landscape shots were shot in Tuscany, known for its rolling hills, vineyards, and charming villages. Real places, like San Quirico d'Orcia and Pienza, which are both small cities in southern Tuscany, bring the fictional town of Montezara to life.
With their pretty squares and old-fashioned look, these towns were perfect for a romantic trip to Italy. The directors chose these places because they were the right size and looked like real places in rural Italy.
Roma Trastevere Railway Station, Rome
In La Dolce Villa, Eric’s arrival to Italy is marked by scenes filmed at Roma Trastevere Railway Station, one of the key transit hubs in Rome. This actual site gives viewers a grounding sense of place, enabling them to establish the link between the city and the characters.
Major railway station since 1911, Trastevere Station gives the opening scenes of the film a real feel since it prepares the father-daughter reunion.
Cinecittà Studios, Rome
While the exterior of the villa in La Dolce Villa is shot at Torrino dei Gelsi, the interior scenes of the villa were filmed at Cinecittà Studios in Rome. One of the biggest studios in Europe, this venerable one has seen many classic movies filmed.
It is where the creators rendered Olivia's villa's interiors come alive. Having hosted events including La Dolce Vita and Gangs of New York, Cinecittà has a rich history and is still a center for significant film and television projects.
Can you actually visit the house from La Dolce Villa?
While the central villa in La Dolce Villa may appear to be a fictional creation, the exterior shots of the villa were filmed at Torrino dei Gelsi, a real farm and resort located in Lazio, about 45 minutes outside of Rome.
When Italy is not having an event, visitors can visit the property, providing a possible location for movie buffs to explore. You won't be able to view the real villa, though, as the interior was shot in a studio set at Cinecittà Studios in Rome. Still, the farm is a must-see site for enthusiasts since it presents a lovely perspective of the Italian countryside.
Plot details of La Dolce Villa
Eric, a widower visiting Italy to stop his daughter Olivia from remodeling a villa she purchased for only €1, forms the focal point of the film. He first meets the mayor of the town, Francesca, played by Violante Placido, and the two start a romantic relationship upon his arrival.
Eric starts to reconnect with Olivia and undergo a personal metamorphosis as he assists with the villa's renovation. Father and daughter learn that Italy might be the place to rejuvenate their life and start anew rather than only fixing an old villa.
Stay tuned for more news and updates on La Dolce Villa and similar projects as the year progresses.
