Detective Montalbano TV Series Transports Italophiles To Sicily

You might say that Sicily is the scene-stealer in Detective Montalbano, the popular Italian book-to-TV series that has captivated the hearts and minds of mystery fans on both sides of the Atlantic. 

Filmed and released over a period of more than twenty years between 1999 and 2020, the 36 two-hour episodes—now streaming on-demand—bring to life the novels of acclaimed Italian director and storyteller, Andrea Camilleri. 

Even if you have already read the series in print, you’ll be dazzled by the stunning cinematography.

Imagine the setting

Most of the mysteries take place in a fictional hilltown named Vigata and its surrounds, located along the southern coast of Italy in the province of Agrigento. Although the name of the town is invented, the stories are filmed in real places. 

The opening credits seduce an armchair traveler with stunning glimpses of Sicily’s rich Baroque architecture, ancient cobblestoned streets, sweeping beaches, and dramatic cliffs towering over the Mediterranean. 

“When Montalbano’s stories became popular in Italy, Rai, the country’s main TV network. wanted to create a series based on Camilleri’s books,” explains Giuseppe Lenzo, a tour manager and guide born and living in Sicily. 

Because Camilleri was born in the town of Porto Empedocle, the author thought this might be the best place to shoot the series, drawing upon many of his childhood reminiscences of people, places and customs, says Lenzo. “However, the director, Alberto Sironi, preferred the province of Ragusa because of its scenic potential—charming alleyways, unique landscapes with dry-stone walls and carob trees, and its unspoiled authenticity,” he says.  

Lenzo notes that while Ragusa has been the hub of the series’ movie locations, the many wonders of nearby towns like Modica, Scicli, and Donnafugata Castle are also featured. The building and town that actually houses the police station is in the town of Scicli, although some interior shots are filmed in studios in Rome.

Gripping mysteries

The first scene of each episode generally depicts the well-toned Detective Montalbano (played by award-winning actor Luca Zingaretti) swimming up to the shore of his seaside villa. As he dries off with a towel on his terrace, the phone rings alerting him to news from police headquarters about a recent murder or disappearance in the town. 

The intriguing characters and complicated storylines digress in unexpected ways that leave viewers hanging on to the edge of their seats awaiting resolution. Many of the themes involve larceny, lust, drug deals gone bad, and feuding Mafia families.

“The characters and depictions of crime are generally fiction, although the latest episodes also address current affairs and timely controversies, as Camilleri wanted to link the detective stories with such topics as corruption and immigration,” says Lenzo. 

A taste of Sicily 

The traditions and culture of Sicily are showcased throughout. While the episodes are all subtitled in English, they are filmed in Italian with liberal use of Sicilian dialect and gestures—a perfect way to beef up one’s vocabulary for a post-pandemic visit. In fact, the ensemble cast includes many actors who were scouted at regional theaters in southern Italy. 

The detective has an unbridled appetite for good food and wine (and women) so he’s frequently eating at home, on his terrace, or at a local haunt with a dinner companion. Some of his favorite dishes include his housekeeper Adelina’s legendary arancini (rice croquettes) or pasta ‘ncasciata (baked pasta) or delicious cannoli to satisfy his sweet tooth. 

Of course, the search for clues and suspects takes viewers to other areas of Sicily and beyond (his girlfriend, Livia, lives in Genoa). Some viewers have found the TV series after they’ve read the books or vice versa. Whichever route you take to Camilleri’s stories, you’ll find the experience enhanced by a second taste.

The Montalbano “bump”

“We certainly have experienced a growing trend in tourism in the province of Ragusa since the popular series began in 1999,” says Lenzo. “This applies not only to Ragusa’s old town but to the wider area, including Modica, Scicli, Marina de Ragusa and Donnalucata, and other parts of Sicily.” 

“More and more Italians (and foreigners) are choosing to visit this area which had been quite undiscovered and without crowds. Once there, they find themselves immersed with locals who live a simple life—taking a stroll or passeggiata on the main piazzas or corso,” he says. 

Montalbano has also paved the way for a niche tourist who comes to follow the Detective’s footprints, including a stay in his villa, which has become an Airbnb rental. “I’ve personally toured visitors from Norway, Sweden and the UK who were Montalbano followers,” says Lenzo.

Ragusa offers a wide array of flavors and smells, most dishes derived from the area’s farming traditions. Its wines and cheese are still made by small, local producers who are proud of their cow’s milk Ragusano DOP cheese and the Sicilian DOCG-labeled wine, Cerasuolo di Vittoria. 

Lenzo points out some popular regional dishes waiting to be sampled, which include ravioli filled with ricotta and served with pork stew and tomato sauce; fava bean soup seasoned with wild fennel; mpanate, a pocket of dough filled with vegetables, ricotta cheese or both, a reminder that Spain once dominated the region; and to-die-for cassatelle, a deep-fried dough filled with fresh and hot ricotta cheese and chocolate chips with cinnamon.

“Restaurants in the town of Ragusa have garnered four Michelin stars with a population of 70,000 inhabitants,” he says, with pride. “Life is good.”  

An enduring legacy

“Camilleri’s death in 2019 marked the end of an era,” says Lenzo.”We know that some posthumous work will be published and a few future episodes will air but people are still showing interest in the writer’s earliest works. It was the beginning of something more than a series,” he says.

“When you walk down the street in Ragusa and meet visitors, they often repeat the phrase,  “Montalbano sono” (Montalbano, I am) in a strong Sicilian accent. This makes Camilleri immortal.

NOTE

All episodes of Detective Montalbano are available to stream in the U.S. and Canada on MHz Choice.

Some suggestions on touring Sicily from Giuseppe Lenzo

Q. What would be your suggestion for a four-day tour of Sicily?

GL: If you only have four days, I would visit Palermo (including the local street market and Monreale mosaics), Agrigento (The Valley of the Temples), Ragusa Ibla, Taormina (especially the Ancient Theatre) and Mt Etna. Although this would be a fast-paced tour of the island’s highlights, with a guide and private transportation you can optimize your time and get the most of this itinerary.

Q.What would adding several more days allow?

GL: For a slightly more relaxed tour, on the Eastern side you can visit the Baroque towns such as Ragusa-Modica in more depth, then can drive to the Greek Siracusa, then Catania (where the fish market is incredible), Taormina (wonderful Ancient Theatre and Corso), and Mt Etna (for a hike or a 4-wheel-drive experience).

It is very easy to tailor an experience based on a visitor’s needs and interests, from more standard sight-seeing tours, to hands-on activities, to cultural experiences (such as a Mafia talk or lecture on olive oil tradition, or immigration issues), to private visits to noble palaces for music and wine/food—as well as bespoke Montalbano tours to the TV series’ locations.

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