This was Swansea doing its best impression of Renaissance-era Turkey.
Heres what we learned…
Obvious from our encounter with not-Italy, season two sets sail to far-flung locations.
David Goyer elaborates:
A big chunk of the second season doesnt take place in Florence.
We shoot into a green screen where we put the rest of Machu Picchu.
We did laugh when David [Goyer] said Machu Picchu in South Wales.
you could waste so much money doing that, which doesnt end up on the screen.
Tom Riley, who plays Leonardo, told us, This season is more Indiana Jones-y than last season.
Theres a lot more action, adventure, stunts and things blowing up in foreign climes.
Leonardo definitely designed the TARDIS.
If you want a secret kept, donottell him because they all come out.
You just sit and listen.
Has Chillin ever tried to weasel Justice League news out of David Goyer?
I could do it
In one of the studios three enormous stages was a recreated section of cornfield.
Weve planted a cornfield here because were doing pick-ups of a cornfield that we actually grew in Margum Park.
What did they do with the corn when theyd finished?
I think it was harvested, Thomas says.
There may even be copycats, I may have started a trend.
I love them, I wear them to set sometimes just for the devilry of it.
Were very much late Medieval/early Renaissance, even though thats probably not quite our period, it doesnt matter.
You get an awful lot more from people who love steampunk and who love what youve done.
I think its the same day that we wrap.
Bonds Pinewood studio is 54,000.
Weve got a lot more space thanDoctor Who.
We were a bit crammed in there.
I think theDoctor Whostage in total was about 60,000 square feet so were a great deal bigger.
We print the floor, we generate the floor on a computer and send it off to get printed.
We always recycle everything.
Everything gets used at least three times or its not really worth building it.
Other tiny set details include miniature portraits of Lara Pulver in the stained glass windows adorning Clarisse Medicis bedroom.
Its really quite weird [laughing] if Im honest.
Hopefully we can do the same with this, a Da Vinci park.
With all these different locations, how is the production team planning to help viewers get their bearings?
Director Paul Hoar says it wont be a problem, You certainly wont confuse them.
Certainly with Peru, its such an adventure, everything is so different.
Everything has its own palette.
Its a massive undertaking.
I know exactly where that is.
Ive done a few Starz shows weve blown things up!
WithDoctor Who, you read hmm, planet Mars and think how are we going to twist this one?
This is a lot simpler.
When I read Florence, Naples, Peru, I dont really feel that we havent got it.
Within an hours drive, we can do most things.
And were not just filming in quarries, no!
Thomas enthuses about the legacy of the investment Starz has made in South Wales for Da Vincis Demons.
Dont trip over the dead llama.
A motto to live by.
Da Vincis Demons season 2 starts on Fox in the UK on Friday the 4thof April.
Come back later this week for interviews with David Goyer and Tom Riley.
Catch up with Da Vincis Demons Series 1 onDVD and Blu-ray now
