http://www.vipbackpackers.com/regions/Italy_Siracusa.aspxChasing Montalbano
By Joanne Lane Inspector Montalbano is one of those atypical TV cops that should never be underestimated, especially in his mafia and crime ridden Sicilian world. Famed for his words "Montalbano sono" (I am Montalbano), that he uses at least several times in every show he always manages to get the better of his foes and friends, eat a lot of mouth watering food, irritate lots of people and meet beautiful women. Surely a bella vita! But it`s not just on screen that he remains allusive. While recently in Sicily I saw an advertisement announcing `Montalbano week` in the seaside town of Siracusa as a promotion for the launch of a new series. I was a week too early to meet the director, crew and cast including the lead Luca Zingaretti, but I thought I could at least look around the town and scout out the film locations. But upon arrival I could see that Siracusa, while a marvellous location, was not Figata the seaside resort where Montalbano lives and works. After all I am somewhat of an aficionado of the series, I know what the town looks like... or do I? I`d already spent two months in Sicily in many places and I could not think of a single hilltop town that was also by the beach. But this is where Montalbano and the series producer Alberto Sironi tricked me. The predominant back for the series is Ragusa Ibla, an inland Baroque town that is UNESCO heritage listed in the island`s south east. It`s a fabulous town with tortuously steep, narrow streets where you have to breathe in just to pass another vehicle or person. But the beach scenes and Salvo`s house are actually filmed using the seafront at Punta Secca about 30km away. Punta Secca is almost deathly quiet out of season with little more than a lighthouse, a few shops, the beach and a sirocco wind that blows sand through the town all day long. Bring a scarf if you come! The Bar Montalbano lies across the road from Salvo`s house and features scenes of the shoots on the walls. But Punta Secca is not the only location they have used. Locations for different scenes are spread throughout Sicily from one palazzo to the next, beaches to mountains to caves and countryside. Salvo`s bedroom is actually in a villa at Marina di Ragusa, a beach side town 24kms from Ragusa Ibla. Other beach scenes use the Donnalucata seafront, a further 14kms from Marina di Ragusa. Scicli is used for the buildings of the `commissariato` (police station) and Sampieri for the town of Mànnara where a dead engineer is found in one of the shows. For the rest you may have to put on your sleuthing hat. Most of the film locations are clustered around this southern corner of Sicily, a region that offers almost everything for the visitor to Sicily. If you love the series you`ll enjoy hunting out the rest of the Montalbano locations, but even if you don`t there`s a lot to see and do here. You can wander from baroque town to seaside, natural caves to ancient Greek necropolis` and at the end of the day you`ll be tempted, as Montalbano always is, to find a good restaurant and enjoy the mouth watering fruits of the land and sea. Buon appetito! MONTALBANO FACTS
The Inspector Montalbano series was created by Andrea Camillieri and has become a publishing and public success. The new series was released in Sicily in October so stay tuned to SBS for when the series graces our Australian stations again next year. OTHER THINGS TO DO
All the Montalbano locations offer plenty for the sightseer. This area is known as the baroque centre of Sicily with architecturally beautiful towns like Noto, Modica, Ragusa and Scicli. Siracusa is another worthwhile stop further east as are the caves and countryside at Pantalica to the north east of Ragusa. The Vendicari Natural Reserve south of Noto on the coast is another fantastic location with birdlife, salt pans and an old seaside tuna factory. GETTING THERE
Cathay Pacific, Malaysian Airlines and Qantas have combinations that will get you to Italy. Contact your travel agent for details. Internal airlines service Sicily from major cities like Rome and Milan. Try AirOne www.flyairone.it or Azzurra Air www.azzurraair.it. Catania is the best city to fly to for access to the Ragusa region. Car hire is available at the Catania airport and recommended as the best means of getting around in Sicily if you can handle the roads. Alternatively there is a long slow train line from Catania to Ragusa, see www.trenitalia.com. However your best option for public transport to Ragusa is bus. Regular buses run between Catania and Ragusa several times daily. WHERE TO STAY
In Ragusa Ibla itself the best place to stay is Locanda Don Serafino with unique rooms excavated out of the rock of the historic centre and a fabulous family owned restaurant of the same name. Contact w: www.locandadonserafino.it, e: info@locandadonserafino.it
Just outside of town is the Eremo della Giubiliana, yet another location for the Montalbano series, but also a renovated fortified house owned and managed by a noble Sicilian family. Tower suites and rooms with antique furnishings from family history provide a unique setting. Contact w: www.eremodellagiubiliana.it, e: info@eremodellagiubiliana.it Please note the author was a guest at both these places while researching locations for the fourth edition of the guide Special Places to Stay: Italy due out next year. See www.specialplacestostay.com for more details. BOOK HERE |
