Are you a fan of the Inspector Montalbano series? Perhaps you’ve never heard of it, or you’ve heard of it but haven’t watched it? You don’t know what you are missing and Punta Secca is the land of the famous fictional inspector.
The stories captivated us, and my husband and I watched the whole series from the beginning twice and wouldn’t mind watching it again and again.
The first TV series is already almost 30 years old and started in 1999. We only discovered and watched it last year, and we loved it all. We loved the stories, the humour, the language, the scenes, the landscapes, the music, the actors, everything really.
The episodes are based on the novels of Andrea Cammilleri, a prolific Sicilian writer who started writing these novels in 1994 and wrote the last one in 2004. Every story is based on a crime investigation that Inspector Montalbano resolves in the end. Although it’s a crime series, it is not violent, so easy to digest.
The series is filmed in the Province of Ragusa and features places such as Sampieri, Ragusa, Modica, Scicli and Punta Secca, where his fictional home was based.
On this trip to Sicily, we included two nights in Punta Secca to explore the area and the places where the stories were filmed. We were travelling around Sicily and had already visited Catania, Taormina, Cefalu, Palermo, Corleone and Agrigento. Check these posts via the links.
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We were travelling independently around the island with a hired car we booked with Discover Cars, as we are confident travellers and speak a bit of the language. However, if you prefer to be part of a tour and to have everything organised for you, I advise you to book a complete tour of the island with Tourradar.
They have different kinds of tours that will fit your time and budget. If you book it via my link you can get a discount by using this code: RoseG50.
We arrived in Punta Secca the previous night and checked in at “ La Casa di Montalbano” (Montalbano’s House), which is a B&B nowadays, and enables you to experience the iconic terrace facing the beach featured in the series so many times.
We had a very nice stay in Montalbano’s House, the house is lovely, and the staff are very attentive too.
I’ll tell you about our visit to Punta Secca, but before, let me tell you a little bit about the town.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PUNTA SECCA (The land of Montalbano)
Key Features and Attractions
- Inspector Montalbano’s House: The village’s main attraction is the house featured in the popular Italian TV series, which is now a bed and breakfast. Visitors flock to the seafront square (renamed Piazza Montalbano) to take photos of the iconic terrace overlooking the beach.
- Spiaggia di Punta Secca: The central beach features fine golden sand and shallow, clear water, making it suitable for families. While it can be busy in the peak summer months, especially on weekends, areas further from the main square are often quieter and used by locals.
- Faro di Punta Secca: The prominent 19th-century lighthouse stands 34 meters high and is a central landmark. The surrounding area is a popular spot for evening gatherings and watching the sunset.
- Dining and Atmosphere: The village maintains an authentic, local feel despite its fame. There are a few small cafés and restaurants, including “Enzo a Mare,” which is also featured in the Montalbano series. The focus is on fresh seafood and traditional Sicilian cuisine.
VISITING PUNTA SECCA (MONTALBANO HOUSE)
Our room was on the top floor of the house, and we had a balcony facing the beach. It was lovely to wake up early in the morning and contemplate the sea and the beginning of a beautiful day.
Breakfast was served on the terrace and consisted of a variety of pastries, cakes, yoghurts, cereals etc. Coffee was freshly prepared and served at your table. A good start for the day.
After breakfast, we left for our first visit of the day. We went to “Castello di Donnafugata”. The castle is about a 20-minute drive from Punta Secca, and we soon arrived there.
Castello di Donnafugata
We started by visiting the Museum of Costume located on the lower and ground floors of the castle. The museum showcases a rich collection of period clothing and accessories, offering a fascinating look at Sicilian fashion and daily life from the 18th century to the mid-1900s.
The entrance ticket includes a visit to the castle and the museum.
Collections on Display
The museum houses the extensive Gabriele Arezzo di Trifiletti collection, which includes approximately 500 dresses, 700 individual garments, and over 1,500 fashion accessories. The exhibits provide a comprehensive overview of historical dress across different social strata.
Key items and displays include:
- Period Dresses and Gowns: Original dresses, including wedding gowns from the 18th and 19th centuries, many of which belonged to wealthy local families.
- Fashion Accessories: A wide array of accessories such as shoes, hats, gloves, stockings, veils, parasols, and fans.
- Unique Items: The collection also features less common items like cosmetic products, embroidery and sewing tools, a singular birthing chair, and a travel bathtub.
- Historical and Cultural Context: The museum features informative displays that explain the history behind the items. It provides insight into the social customs and everyday life of Sicilians during these periods. It includes sections on “museum of cucina” (kitchen) and agricultural tools to show peasant life.
- Notable Pieces Among the prized possessions are a gown belonging to the Belle Époque fashion icon Donna Franca Florio. It is a rare late 17th-century hunting outfit, and liveries worn by the servants of Sicilian nobility.
- Cinema Inspiration Some items in the collection, notably a specific gown, are noted as having inspired the costumes used in Luchino Visconti’s famous film “The Leopard” (Il Gattopardo).
We enjoyed the visit to the museum very much, and it is worth seeing.
Following on, we entered the castle itself.
The castle is a grand 19th-century noble residence near Ragusa, known for its opulent interiors and extensive gardens. Visitors can explore the furnished rooms of the castle and wander through the park, which features a historic stone maze and various follies. The castle gained additional fame as a filming location for the popular Italian TV series “Inspector Montalbano”.
Inside the Castle
Only a portion of the castle’s 122 rooms are open to the public (around 20-28), but they offer a captivating glimpse into aristocratic life in Sicily during the 19th century. The interior is furnished with original period items and decor.
- Hall of Mirrors: A lavish room designed to impress guests.
- Music Room: Features paintings using the “trompe-l’oeil” technique.
- Hall of Coats of Arms: Displays the coats of arms of various noble Sicilian families.
- Queen Bianca’s Bedroom: The supposed location where Queen Bianca of Navarre was imprisoned in the 15th century, according to legend, which gives the castle its name (Donnafugata means “fleeing woman”).
- Gabriele Arezzo di Trifiletti Collection (Costume Museum): Located on the lower floors, this museum features an extensive collection of authentic clothing and accessories spanning three centuries of Sicilian costume history.
- The Terrace: Offers stunning panoramic views of the surrounding countryside and the sea.
The Gardens and Park
The castle is surrounded by an 8-hectare park with over a thousand plant species. The garden was designed as an esoteric path for meditation but also included playful elements installed by the original owner, Baron Corrado Arezzo, to entertain his guests.
- Stone Labyrinth: A challenging, dry-stone maze designed for amusement and reflection.
- Kaffeehaus (Coffee House): A neoclassical building with Ionic columns where guests could enjoy refreshments and conversation.
- Artificial Grottos: Featuring cork stalactites, one grotto had a surprise puppet that would pop out to scare visitors, and a garden seat would activate a water sprinkler when sat upon.
- Circular Temple and Chapel: Other architectural follies scattered throughout the grounds.
- Monumental Trees: The park is home to several ancient and majestic trees, including century-old “Ficus macrophylla” specimens.
It was a pleasurable experience to explore this castle and to see the beautiful terrace featured in various episodes of “Inspector Montalbano”. The scene where Montalbano comes up the stairs and walks down the terrace to meet the mafia boss “Don Balduccio Sinagra” comes back to your mind.
The interior of the castle is very beautiful, but I didn’t find it as glamorous as other castles/palaces. I also thought the fabric of the building and furniture was not very well looked after and would benefit from some restoration. But in general, it was a lovely visit.
After exploring the gardens, we returned to Punta Secca as we wanted to experience lunch at “Enzo a Mare”, a restaurant featured in the series, where Montalbano used to go for lunch. Reviews of the restaurant are not all good, but we thought it was worth a try.
We sat at a table facing the beach near Montalbano’s table. As we don’t like to eat too much at lunch time, we only ordered one dish each. I ordered a dish of fried fish and seafood, and my husband ordered a tuna dish. We both enjoyed our dishes very much and thought that the bad reviews were not fair.
After lunch, we walked down to the Lighthouse and through the streets of Punta Secca. It is a very small town, and there is not much to see. You can cover it in a few minutes.
If you are based in Catania or Taormina but doesn’t have a car you can book a tour from one of these towns to visit Punta Secca and the sites of the TV series Inspector Montalbano. It also takes you to Restaurant “Enzo a Mare” for lunch (lunch not included in price) and other places. Book this tour HERE.
We took the car and drove to Scicli, another town nearby, where more scenes of Montalbano’s series were filmed. It is about a 30-minute drive from Punta Secca.
Scicli (Montalbano’s Police Station)
The word Scicli, ( is pronounced “shik-li”), it is the name of an enchanting, lesser-visited town in the southeast of Sicily, renowned for its exquisite late Baroque architecture.
It is in a dramatic natural setting, in a gorge, and role as a primary filming location for the popular TV series “Inspector Montalbano”.
Scicli is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as one of the eight Baroque towns of the Val di Noto. It was rebuilt in a cohesive and stunning style after the devastating earthquake of 1693.
Key Attractions and Things to Do
- Via Francesco Mormino Penna: This is the heart of Scicli’s historic centre and a designated UNESCO street, lined with an impressive ensemble of 18th-century aristocratic palaces and churches. It’s a delightful pedestrian area perfect for a “passeggiata” (leisurely stroll) or enjoying a coffee at an outdoor cafe.
- Palazzo Beneventano: Described by an art historian as perhaps the most beautiful Baroque palace in Sicily, this building is famous for its elaborate façade and unique, monstrous gargoyles and masks.
- Churches: The town is rich in religious architecture. Notable churches include the impressive Chiesa di San Bartolomeo, set dramatically at the end of a valley, and the former “mother church” of San Matteo, perched on a hill offering panoramic views of the town and the surrounding area.
- Inspector Montalbano Filming Locations: Fans of the internationally popular detective series will recognise many spots. The Town Hall (Palazzo del Municipio) serves as the police station of the fictional town of Vigata, and the Mayor’s office within is used as the Questore’s office.
- Chiafura Cave Dwellings: Located on the cliffsides above the town, these ancient, abandoned cave settlements offer a fascinating look into the area’s long history, with some caves open to visitors as a museum.
- Antica Farmacia Cartia: A pharmacy on Via Mormino Penna preserved exactly as it was at the turn of the 20th century, offering a unique step back in time.
- Nearby Beaches: Just a few miles from the town centre are the fine, golden sandy beaches and clear waters of the Mediterranean, including the seaside villages of Donnalucata, Cava d’Aliga, and Sampieri, providing opportunities for seaside relaxation.
Culture and Atmosphere
Scicli has an authentic, tranquil atmosphere that is less touristy than its neighbours, like Noto and Ragusa. The local economy is largely agricultural, and the town is known for its excellent local produce and cuisine.
The town hosts several vibrant annual religious festivals that blend religion and folklore. It includes the striking “Cavalcata di San Giuseppe” in March, and “The Joy” (U Gioia) on Easter Sunday, which celebrates the resurrection of Christ.
Another unique festival is the “Madonna delle Milizie”, a historical reenactment in May of a legendary battle where the Virgin Mary appeared on horseback to help the Normans defeat the Saracens.
Dining and Accommodation
Scicli offers a range of authentic Sicilian dining experiences, from casual street food to refined seafood restaurants and atmospheric spots set inside caves.
Accommodation options include boutique hotels, B&Bs, and “albergo diffuso” (scattered hotel) properties that allow visitors to stay in restored historic homes and experience local life.
VISITING SCICLI (Montalbano film location)
When we arrived in Scicli we went straight to the Town Hall to visit the area which was used as the Vigatà Police Station. You can visit the Police Station, and tickets cost 6 Euros, but there is a discount for 2 people, and we only paid 10 Euros.
We saw Catarella’s office, Fazio’s office and Montalbano’s office. Afterwards, we went upstairs to see the office of the Police Commissioner, which in the series is in Montelusa, but in reality, it is in the office of the Mayor of Scicli in the same building as the mock Police Station.
After the visit was over, we walked down Via Francesco Mormino Penna and passed the “Chiesa di San Giovanni Evangelista” and the “Chiesa di San Michele Arcangelo”, this last one featured many times from the outside in the series.
On the same road, there is “Palazzo Spadaro”, a historic residence of a noble family. It was also used for the series and acted as the mayor’s office of the fictional town of Vigàta. That is where we headed next.
Palazzo Spadaro
The palace is an exquisite example of Sicilian Baroque architecture located in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage town of Scicli.
Once the noble residence of the wealthy Spadaro family, the palace is renowned for its ornate façade, unique architectural details, and elegantly painted interiors. It offers a glimpse into the opulent aristocratic lifestyle of the 18th century.
Key Features and History
- Architecture and Design: The palace was constructed in stages throughout the 1700s after the devastating earthquake of 1693 that levelled much of the Val di Noto region. The exterior showcases characteristic late Baroque style with elaborate stonework on the main door and façade. Its most famous feature is the series of eight first-floor balconies with distinctively convex, or “bulging,” wrought-iron railings. It was cleverly designed to accommodate the wide, hooped skirts worn by ladies of that era.
- Interiors: The inside is a fascinating blend of styles. While the main floor features grand rooms for entertaining, the decorations were updated in the early 20th century in the “Liberty” (Art Nouveau) style.
- Ballroom: The main ballroom ceiling features a magnificent 19th-century fresco depicting the Greek god Apollo and the Nine Muses.
- Baron’s Bedroom: The only room preserved in its original 18th-century condition, it features beautiful majolica floor tiles from Vietri and provides insight into the private life of the former owner.
- Servant Quarters: A stark contrast exists between the lavish main rooms and the much plainer areas for servants, including a separate, less ornate staircase.
- Current Use: The palace is now owned by the Municipality of Scicli and functions as a civic museum and art gallery. It houses works by the “Gruppo di Scicli” (Scicli Group), a 20th-century collective of local artists led by the late Piero Guccione.
- Cultural Significance: The palace is located on the pedestrianised Via Francesco Mormino Penna, a street considered one of the most beautiful in Sicily and a key UNESCO site.
After visiting the palace, there was another church we would like to see. It was the “Chiesa di Santa Teresa d’Avila”. This church is one of the most impressive ones in Scicli. It is an 18th-century building that hides a gorgeous display of beauty within its ornaments and works of art, such as the frescoes.
Special mention goes to the black and white tiles that make up the flooring, which is one of the most unique in the province of Ragusa. Nowadays, the church has been converted into an exhibition space and is no longer used for worship.
For a guided walking tour of Scicli you can’t miss this 2 hours tour. It will take you to through the historic centre to see the Baroque buildings and the places of Montalbano TV series in Scicli. For this tour book it HERE.
It was getting late, and we still wanted to drive to “Donnalucata” and “Sampieri”, two beach towns in the area.
We only drove through “Donnalucata”, but reached the “Fornace Penna” in Sampieri and stopped a bit for some photos.
Fornace Penna (Montalbano film location)
The Fornace Penna is an iconic, ruined brick factory located on the Punta Pisciotto promontory. It is near the seaside village of Sampieri, in the municipality of Scicli.
Often described as a “Cathedral by the Sea,” it is a striking example of industrial archaeology and a major landmark of the Iblean coastline.
History and Architecture
- Construction: The factory was built between 1909 and 1912, a visionary project commissioned by Baron Guglielmo Penna and designed by engineer Ignazio Emmolo.
- Design: Emmolo travelled to Germany to study modern brick-making facilities, resulting in an architecturally significant factory with a “cathedral layout” and a tall chimney stack.
- Operation: The furnace produced various types of bricks and tiles, primarily operating seasonally from May to September. Its strategic location offered easy access to a nearby clay quarry for raw materials, a local spring for water, a railway connection, and a deep seabed for ships to dock and export products across the Mediterranean, including to Tripoli, Libya.
- Destruction: The facility’s life was short-lived; it was destroyed by arson in 1924, an event attributed to socialists and never restored.
The Fornace Penna Today
The majestic skeleton of the Fornace Penna now stands as a dramatic ruin, battered by wind and sea air, attracting historians, photographers, and filmmakers.
- Access: While the surrounding area and nearby beautiful beach are accessible, the structure itself is currently fenced off, and entry is restricted for safety reasons. Visitors can still walk around the area to enjoy the stunning, panoramic views, especially at sunset.
- Cultural Reference: The ruins are widely known to fans of the popular Italian TV series” Inspector Montalbano”, where the furnace is a recurring filming location known as “La Mànnara” (the tuna fishery).
- Visiting: The site is best reached by car, with parking available nearby. A visit can be combined with a stroll along the scenic Sampieri beach.
Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to walk on Sampieri Beach and chose to drive back to Punta Secca and walk and swim at Punta Secca Beach.
It was a hot day and close to sunset, an ideal time to stroll alongside the beach and take a dip at the same beach Montalbano used to swim every morning. How nice it is to let yourself drift off in fantasy sometimes!
After a nice swim in the warm waters of the sea, we went back to our room to take a shower and get ready to go out again for dinner.
We tried to book a restaurant called “La Scjàbica, Cuoco Pescatori” via email well in advance, but we didn’t get an answer. It was not high season, and the town was not very busy, so we knew we wouldn’t have a problem getting a table there without a reservation.
So it was, the restaurant was empty when we arrived at about 8 pm. After we arrived, another two tables also arrived for dinner. It was a bit of a fancy restaurant, and the options were only seafood and pasta with seafood.
I decided to go with the prawn dish as I was tired of chewing on hard pasta and stopped ordering it after a few tries. My husband chose a pasta dish for himself. The most unusual thing about this restaurant is that they didn’t have any other kind of drinks other than wine.
My husband didn’t want to drink alcohol and asked for a fruit juice, but they said they didn’t have any. So, he asked for a soft drink, and they didn’t have it either. OK, what about no alcoholic beer or wine? No, we don’t have any. So, he asked for a glass of water then! I chose a glass of “Grillo”, a local white wine from Sicily, which I love.
My dish was not bad, but it could be better if it weren’t for the ketchup-style sauce they put on top of the prawns. I didn’t like that at all. My husband liked the pasta dish, but said it was not the best pasta dish he had so far on this trip. After dessert, my husband naively asked for a black coffee, and the answer was a blunt, NO, we don’t do coffee either! Well, we just paid the bill and left.
After dinner we walked back to our B & B. It was a lovely night and the town was quite empty at that time.
This was the end of our day in Punta Secca. The next day, we drove to our next town, which was Ragusa. I will tell you all about that in my next post.
I hope this post will give you some idea of what can be done in a day in Punta Secca and around, and will help you plan your own visit there.
Below is a reel from the Travelling Surveyor Instagram account showing more photos of Punta Secca and the area. Check it out and follow me on Instagram as well.
HOW TO MAKE THE MOST YOUR VISIT TO PUNTA SECCA
Below you will find a list of what to visit, where to stay and where to eat around Punta Secca. I classified each place as follows:
BOLD – Visited, tried and recommended
NOT BOLD – Not visited or tried, but planning to visit or try and heard very good reviews
RED – Visited and tried but do not recommend, avoid or be cautious
*** – Excellent
** – Good
* – OK
£££ – Expensive
££ – Fair and affordable
PLEASE NOTE: Every hotel, restaurants and attractions I mention on my blogs are not sponsored reviews and we always paid the full price when visiting. We give our own opinion of the place and detail our experience, good or bad.
THINGS TO DO IN PUNTA SECCA AND AROUND
ATTRACTIONS
1 – Castello di Donnafugata – ***
2 – Walk on the streets of Punta Secca – ***
3 – Enjoy the beach at Punta Secca – ***
4 – Visit Scicli – ***
5 – Donalucata Beach
6 – Sampieri Beach
7 – Furnace Penna – ***
WHERE TO STAY
ACCOMMODATION
1 – La casa di Montalbano B & B – *** – ££ – (We stayed here)
2 – Casa Vacanze Sogno Siciliano – ££
3 – Villa Giulia – ££
4 – Hotel Mar & Sol – ££
5 – Sitting on the Beach – ££
6 – Dimora Storica Torre Scalambri – ££
If you prefer to look for your own accommodation, search and book via the below widget:
I use affiliate links such as the links above for Booking.com, Get your Guide, Viator and others. It means that if you use any of my links to make a booking, I will get a small commission from the partners I’m affiliated with without any additional cost to you. Please, use the links provided when making a booking, this is a way of supporting blogs like this so we can continue writing informative and interesting posts. I’m very thankful for that.
BEST PLACES TO EAT
RESTAURANTS
1 – A Musciara Ristorante Pizzeria – *** – ££ – (We ate here)
2 – Scjabica – ** – £££ – (We ate here)
3 – Cucina Costiera – ££
4 – Enzo a Mare – *** – ££ – (We ate here)
5 – Sand Design Restaurant – ££
6 – Tosca – ££
We only tried the ones in bold , the others are the result of my researches and ones that I would like to try. If you tried any of my recommendations above, please send me a message and tell me about your experience good or bad, so I can update the list accordingly. Thanks!
If you enjoyed reading this post you might also like to read:
On this trip to Italy:
1 – Catania – Day 1
2 – Catania – Day 2
3 – Taormina
4 – Cefalú
5 – Palermo – Day 1
6 – Palermo – Day 2
8 – Punta Secca
9 – Ragusa – Day 1
10 – Ragusa – Day 2
11 – Modica
12 – Noto
13 – Siracusa – Day 1
14 – Siracusa – Day 2
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