You have to go there in person, or rather “personally in your person” as the eternally naive Catarella says to his superior, “Doctor” Montalbano. And if you go, you might actually meet Catarella himself, that is the Ragusan actor who plays him—Angelo Russo—who was born, works, and still lives in Montalbano’s land. But what is the Montalbano land through which this literary journey unfolds? You’ll be surprised to know that they are not the ones you see on TV. Or not only those, however. You are in Sicily, of course, and you’ll find the most famous police inspector of the last twenty years between the districts of Ragusa and Agrigento. The reference airports, therefore, will be Catania (CTA) and Comiso (CIY), certainly much closer than Palermo.
Salvo Montalbano and Andrea Camilleri
Inspector Salvo Montalbano is the creation of the Agrigentese writer and screenwriter Andrea Camilleri (1925-2019). Born in Porto Empedocle, he studied in Agrigento, Palermo, and Rome—the city where he lived until his death. Committed to a career in theater and television, Camilleri wrote for a living, but he created “Inspector Montalbano” almost for fun, to keep alive the memory of his beloved Sicily.
The first Montalbano books were published in the 1990s, but it wasn’t until the early 2000s, and the television series written by Camilleri himself, that it exploded into global success. Rumors say that even at the G7 meetings held in Sicily, the wives of foreign presidents and kings asked to see “the Montalbano locations”!
The character Montalbano is a policeman from the fictional town of Vigàta. A stern man at work but human and rebellious in his personal choices, he embodies the image of an “imperfect” hero, with many faults that his friends (Deputy Augello, the trusty Fazio, the beautiful Ingrid, and his fiancée Livia) must endure! The success of both the books and the series has overturned historical prejudices about Sicily, previously depicted as a sad place, full of grieving dark-dressed women and mafia criminals. With Montalbano, instead, we see a bright island, populated by few tired old mafiosi, many respectable people, and beautiful women!
The Land of Montalbano in the books
Vigàta is a fictional town. It doesn’t exist. Yet, that name is on the entrance sign to Porto Empedocle… because Porto Empedocle, Camilleri’s town, is the setting for Inspector Montalbano’s actions. In the books, the settings the author imagines are these ones for sure.
Therefore, Porto Empedocle and Agrigento are the “real” lands of Montalbano. If you choose them for your vacation, you can combine this itinerary with Pirandello’s. The locations are the same. The main church of Porto Empedocle, the ancient Tower Girgenti, the Station Museum, and above all its marina (Marinella, the hamlet where Montalbano lives) will be the highlights of your tour. It will also lead you to the nearby Valley of the Temples, to the sumptuous Atenèa street that runs through the heart of Agrigento, and the Contrada Caos , where playwriter Luigi Pirandello’s house and tomb (an ancient olive tree where his ashes rest) are located. For a few months now, in Porto Empedocle, you can also visit the house where Camilleri was born.
Agrigento and Porto Empedocle are about two hours away from both Catania and Comiso. With a private transfer and a dedicated driver, you can travel from the airports to your destination freely.
The Land of Montalbano in the films
When searching for the setting for the Montalbano films, Camilleri himself was the one to direct the job. Naturally, he wanted to set the scenes in “his” Porto Empedocle, which, however, over the years had given way to too much space for modern buildings and wide streets. Camilleri’s childhood town was no longer there. But many other places in Sicily reminded him of it.
The district of Ragusa, with its medieval towns perched on the mountains, and narrow streets lined with baroque masks, had much of the ancient flavor of Porto Empedocle. So the films were shot there. The main towns, over the course of the twenty-year series, were: Ragusa Ibla (an hour’s drive from Catania and just 25 minutes from Comiso), Modica, Scicli, and Santa Croce Camerina. With a few episodes in Noto, in the district of Syracuse.
The Montalbano film itinerary intertwines with the many Baroque itineraries offered by Ragusa tour operators. Wherever you choose to base yourself, it will be a magical place. Ragusa, with its Ibla neighborhood perched around the splendid Cathedral of St George and overlooking the valley from the Idria Steps or the Mediterranean Gardens… Modica, with the façade of “its own” St George Church dominating the panoramic view of the city (this is where Montalbano usually waits for the his fiancée Livia arrival, by bus)… Scicli, with its historic core and the town hall – which in the series becomes the police station! We invite you to take long walks in the village of Puntasecca, in the municipality of Santa Croce Camerina: here is the Bed&Breakfast house that serves as “Montalbano’s home” with its famous “balcony overlooking the sea”. The lighthouse separating the beach from the seafront is a key feature of the TV series!
More than just Montalbano: what else is there to visit?
If you’re looking for a break from the Montalbano tour, these Sicilian towns offer plenty to do and see. There’s no shortage of “tours within a tour.” In Agrigento, don’t miss a stop at the Scala dei Turchi, the famous, dazzling white cliff overlooking Realmonte beach, just 10 minutes from Porto Empedocle. A 25-minute drive takes you to the town of Favara—now famous for the original murals in its historic center.
In the Ragusa area, the “upper” part of Ragusa city is also worth a visit. It’s more modern (in the 19th-century sense!) but just as fascinating as ancient Ibla. If you like industrial monuments, admire (or drive on!) the Guerrieri Viaduct in Modica, also known as the “Modica Bridge,” a giant 550 meters long, 137 meters high, and supported by towering columns that keep it suspended over the valley! But you can also admire the Antica Fornace Penna building in Sampieri, the early 20th-century ruin known as “la Mànnara” in the Montalbano series!
It goes without saying that a trip “beyond the Siracusan border” – to Noto, is a must: you shall stroll through the town’s spectacular Baroque historic quarter! Back to Ragusa, go to Santa Croce Camerina where you will admire the beautiful churches as well as archaeological wonders such as the Mausoleum of the Goths and the Necropolis of Mirìo.
A wealth of beautiful places waiting to be “detected” and explored. And who better than a “police commissioner” will encourage you to do so?
