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This is how I turned the adventures of Italy’s most famous inspector, Mr. Montalbano, into a fantastic road trip through one of Sicily’s most beautiful corners.
If you love all things Italian, then I’m pretty sure you’ve heard about Inspector Salvo Montalbano, Italy’s most famous fictional detective. This character was first born on paper in the books of Andrea Camilleri and then turned into a hugely successful TV series.
My dad is a huge fan of Montalbano, so I recently decided to surprise him with a last-minute road trip through some of the places where the TV series was filmed. What follows is a collection of notes for those keen to explore the colors and flavors of an enchanting part of Sicily in the footsteps of Montalbano and his team.
The TV series of Montalbano is set in the south-eastern part of Sicily, so we landed at Comiso, the closest airport, and rented a car there. We only had three full days but if you can, do spend a little more time here because it’s really beautiful.
Now, let’s have a look at the places where fictional people live, eat and get arrested…
Punta Secca
Our road trip started at Punta Secca, that we used also as our base for the next three days. I bet you’ve never heard about it, right? Well, Punta Secca is the fictional hometown of Inspector Montalbano (called Marinella in the books), and here you can sleep in the very same house used to shoot the TV series!
The place is called La Casa di Montalbano and is one of the most beautiful bed & breakfasts I’ve ever seen. No surprise that TV producers chose it as one of their key settings. And imagine the face of my dad at the opportunity of starting the day on the very same terrace where Montalbano drinks his coffee and talks on the phone after his morning swim!
Fun fact: La Casa di Montalbano was originally a laboratory for the desalination of sardines and in 1904 lawyer Giovanni Di Quattro bought it for 4,000 lire (about 2 euros) to turn it into a holiday home for his family. What a forward-looking man, this house now is worth a fortune!
Apart from Montalbano’s house, Punta Secca is a sleepy hamlet with just a bunch of permanent residents and a few nice restaurants. One of these is Enzo a Mare, where Montalbano likes to eat. The location is unbeatable, directly on the sea, and the mixed fried fish is to die for!
Modica
About 40 min drive from Punta Secca is Modica, a recurring sight in many episodes. In particular, various streets and corners of Vigata, the fictional town where the investigations of Montalbano take place, can be found in Modica. For example, the stunning Cathedral of San Giorgio often appears on TV, with the adjacent palace used as the house of Doctor Pasquano, Montalbano’s coroner.
Modica is a glorious baroque town with a labyrinth of steeped alleys, spectacular buildings, and atmospheric piazze. And if besides being a fan of Montalbano you’re also a chocolate lover, then Modica is without a doubt the place for you. This Sicilian jewel is also home to the famous Antica Dolceria Bonajuto, Sicily’s oldest chocolate factory, established over 150 years ago!
Ragusa Ibla
From Modica, it’s a 20-minute drive to another baroque gem, Ragusa Ibla. Its beautiful streets and buildings set the scene for various episodes of Inspector Montalbano. For example, the café of the fictional town of Vigata is located in Piazza Duomo, overlooked by the impressive Cathedral fo San Giorgio.
Close to Piazza Duomo, you’ll find the Circolo di Conversazione, a pastel-blue building that was once the meeting place of the local elite, and the place where Inspector Montalbano abruptly interrupts Dottor Pasquano’s card game in the episode ‘The Scent of the Night’.
Food plays an important role in the TV series and here in Ragusa Ibla, you can see the beloved “Trattoria San Calogero”, where Montalbano regularly has lunch with his colleagues – in real life it is called A’ Rusticana.
Noto
Perhaps these days is more famous for Chiara Ferragni’s wedding, but Noto often appears in Montalbano’s adventures. For example, the prison of Vigata is set in the former monastery of San Tommaso, while a lot of filming was done in the beautiful interiors of Palazzo Di Lorenzo del Castelluccio and Palazzo Nicolaci – this last one is used as the office of notary Michele Altofermo.
When you are in town, do save some time to visit the panoramic terraces of the Church of Santa Chiara. Along the way, you’ll also learn some interesting facts about the cloistered nuns that used to live here.
Scicli
Montalbano is often seen parking his Fiat Tipo car in front of Vigata police station, which in reality is the Town Hall of Scicli. Here, the local mayor’s office was also turned into the room of the police commissioner of Montelusa, the fictional province in Camilleri’s books.
The nearby Via Mormino Penna is the heart of Scicli’s historic center and is lined with beautiful buildings that represent the creative genius of baroque times. They will literally make you stand in awe!
Other locations used to film the episodes include Piazza Carmine, Palazzo Iacono, Piazza Armando Diaz, and Via Duca degli Abruzzi.
Vendicari
Vendicari is a stunning nature reserve overlooking the sea, on Sicily’s south-eastern coast. It’s home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, fantastic sandy beaches and the old tonnara, a fascinating place that was once used for the production of tuna.
One of the episodes of Montalbano was filmed here, in the surroundings of Torre Sveva, a fortified tower that was once used to defend this area.
Marzamemi
Marzamemi is one of Italy’s prettiest fishing villages and can be seen in various episodes of Montalbano. Its cute fishermen’s houses are the backdrop for many scenes where the inspector and his team investigate crimes.
Perhaps the best time to visit Marzamemi is at night when restaurants and cafés around Piazza Regina Margherita are all lit up with candles and strings of little lights – a real fairy tale place!
Donnafugata
Donnafugata (literally, ‘the woman who fled’) is home to an imposing castle that was used to represent the sumptuous residence of Mafia boss Balduccio Sinagra in the TV series. Open to the public from Tuesday to Sunday, the castle is definitely worth a visit when touring this area.
Fun fact: Luca Zingaretti, the actor that plays Inspector Montalbano, chose Donnafugata as the place to celebrate his wedding with Italian actress Luisa Ranieri.
USEFUL TIPS
- When booking at La Casa di Montalbano, ask for the attic room. It’s the only one to have a small private balcony and trust me, opening your eyes and seeing all those shades of blue first thing in the morning is priceless…
- In terms of restaurants, I can recommend Trattoria Al Buco in Noto and Osteria dei Sapori Perduti in Modica
- Do check out the Tourist Office in Modica in Corso Umberto I, it’s run by two lovely ladies who will tell you everything about the town and Sicily in general – we spend over 40 minutes in there!
Until next time,
Never heard of Montalbano, but now I’m going to have to look him up! This was a really fun post and I learned a lot about the different locations. Some really cool looking spots here, as well, that I had never heard of. Thanks for the great post 🙂
Thanks so much Dagney, I hope to have inspired you to visit Sicily soon then 😉
Sicily looks absolutely stunning and very high on our bucket list. Great photos! Where was your favourite place? And if you could live there, which town would you pick? Sicily is on our maybe we could live there for a while lists lol.
Hey Sarah, very good questions! There are still places I have to see in Sicily, but so far I can say that my favorite area is the coast around Palermo 🙂
LOVE how you did the tour from the point of view of the detective Montelbano. Such a neat twist for looking at visiting a place. Been to Italy so many times but still have to make it to the Southern region. It looks as fun and beautiful as I imagine.
Oh Heidi, southern Italy is so amazing, time for you to organize a trip!! 😉
Sicily always fascinated me 🙂
I like the illuminated places and I love to visit Marzamemi at night as you recommended. I like the way you gave the different perspective to Sicily with detective Montelbano.
Everything looks so beautiful.
Thanks Sapna, I’m glad you liked this and I hope to have inspired you to visit Sicily soon 😉
These places in Sicily seem so beautiful. I had read about Sicily in a novel when I was young and since then, have wanted to get there. Hope that day comes soon. Marzamemi stands out for me and comes across as very colorful. Fishing villages have a very distinctive charm and with this one that lights up at night with candles, I want to be there to see it. What an amazing surprise for your dad to go on this Montalbano Tour and experience the places where his favorite TV series was shot! He must have been thrilled!
Thanks so much Navita, he was happier thank a kid on Christmas day ahahaha 🙂
I’ve never been to Sicily but having a great home base for day trips is really important. La Casa di Montalbano sounds wonderful- I can understand why it is used for a tv show! And I always appreciate tips like which room to request. Aren’t little old ladies who really know and love the area the best sources of information?
Oh yes, always 🙂
I hadn’t heard of Inspector Montalbano before and as somebody who studied Italian language and culture as part of their degree, I probably should have! Nevertheless, this looks like a great road trip with some beautiful stops. I bet your dad loved it 🙂 Marzamemi would be my favourite to visit, I think.
You’re studying Italian, how cool! Then I strongly suggest to read or watch the adventures of Montalbano, our beloved Italian inspector 🙂
I have never heard of the show Montalbano but they sure shot at some amazing places! I haven’t visited Sicily yet and never thought about it but seeing it now I really want to go! I would think that it would be very busy there but it doesn’t look like it. I bet your dad had an amazing time 🙂
Oh you should really come and see if for yourself what an amazing place Sicily is, I’m sure you’ll love it! 🙂
Ah good ol Inspector Montalbano! I loved this series, and was lucky to visit Scicli and see where it was filmed! We’re in Sicily every summer, so I haven’t yet visited Vendicari, but will add it to the list for next time!
Hey Lisa, thanks for stopping by! You definitely need to see Venidcari, so beautiful!
Sicily is always on my wishlist and I missed it due to lack of time during my tour to Italy. I never knew of this TV series Montalbano and but it must be great to watch for beautiful locations of south-eastern Italy. The fishing town of Marzamemi is really looking like a fairy tale town and it would great to see in the evening when all candles lit up.
Hello Yukti! Yep, this part of Sicily truly makes for a fantastic road trip with lots of beautiful things to see!
Hi Val,
My wife and I are fans of Inspector Monelbano,
Who is the best company to book with ?
Steve
Hi Steve, thanks for reading the blog!
This tour isn’t through an agency, I made it all myself 🙂 If you and your wife are planning to visit and do the same, let me know and I’ll be happy to help with tips and suggestions.