The television series of Commissario Montalbano, based on the books by the great Sicilian Andrea Camilleri and starring Luca Zingaretti, has undoubtedly contributed to creating a special image of Sicily, with warm, bright landscapes and slow, stress-free rhythms that have made us believe in the existence of places where life can still flow at a "human" pace.Every year, numerous tourists from all over the world choose to visit Sicily to discover Montalbano’s places. If you are planning a trip to explore these locations, here are some stops you absolutely cannot miss.Vigata, the town in which Camilleri’s novel is set, does not actually exist. It is a "diffuse town," a collection of pieces scattered around Sicily, like a fascinating geographic puzzle.The evocative panorama of the city of Ragusa is the backdrop for many episodes of the series, with its Baroque churches, narrow streets and majestic palaces. St. George’s Cathedral and Ragusa Ibla Square are among the most prominent protagonists. Ragusa’s historic center is home to 14 outstanding monuments recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.Also in Ragusa, the Donnafugata Castle is the home of the elderly boss Don Balduccio Sinagra. Many scenes from the episode "Gli arancini di Montalbano" were filmed here. In the labyrinth of the park of Donnafugata Castle, on the other hand, some scenes of the episode "The Trip to Tindari" were filmed.The Town Hall of the city of Scicli is one of the symbolic locations of the TV series. Famous is the scene in which the commissioner arrives in front of the palace in his Fiat Tipo. Inside the palace is the police station where Montalbano works and where most of the events take place. Scicli is a beautiful Baroque town whose historic center has been declared a World Heritage Site.In the small seaside village of Punta Secca, a few kilometers from Ragusa, is Montalbano’s home. The beautiful home with a terrace overlooking the sea, where the commissioner takes his morning swims and the dialogues of the investigations between Montalbano and his colleagues take place.The baroque town of Modica is another of the locations in which the drama is set. In the episode "La Pista di Sabbia," the building that houses the Tommaso Campailla high school is transformed into the offices of Judge Scondamiglio. The charming streets of the city come alive in many other scenes, such as the steps of the Church of San Giorgio, where the commissioner often stops to admire the view while waiting for the arrival of his beloved Livia.Comiso also serves as a backdrop for the stories in the TV series, particularly its former Fish Market along with the Church of Santa Maria delle Stelle. The striking image of the church’s dome is featured in the episode titled "Gli arancini di Montalbano." In the same episode, the city’s former Fish Market is transformed into the Sacred Heart of Mary Institute, which Montalbano visits to obtain important information on the case related to the death of Mr. and Mrs. Pagnozzi.Some of the island’s most popular tourist destinations are part of the locations in the fiction: San Vito Lo Capo, with glimpses of the Chapel of Santa Crescenza and the Tonnara del Secco; Lampedusa, with the beach of the Isola dei Conigli; Agrigento, with the magnificent Valley of the Temples; Marzamemi, where the main square of the village serves as the backdrop for some scenes in the episode "The Shape of Water." the port of Pozzallo; Noto, with the convent building of St. Thomas transformed into the Vigata prison; Scopello, where Montalbano and Silvia go on a trip to the tuna fishery in the episode "The Sense of the Tract"; and the Mangiapane cave in Custonaci in the episode "The Snack Thief."
