Seeing Montalbano’s Sicily
Photography by Brodie Gibson
Author: Trusha Naidoo
Date: 21st June 2018
Okay, I admit our trip was inspired by the adventures of Inspector Montalbano. In case you didn’t know, he’s the inimitable Sicilian policeman who has made south east Sicily famous. He’s known for his quirky wit, devotion to Sicilian cooking and swimming off into the sunset.
Siracusa
Talk about a picture perfect little town. It’s full of magnificent churches and breath-taking views. And what a treat it was to finally visit the island of Ortigia alongside Siracusa - home of one of my favourite scents - Fico d’India. It’s inspired and named after the barbary fig which grows all over the place here. Thankfully, it was hot enough to enjoy the semi-freddo, gelato and granita that the region is known for. Cannoli has never tasted this amazing either. Must be the ricotta.
As I imagined the Greek Theatre was rather impressive, especially since the scene was set for the evening performance. On our first day, we even found a lovely local beach just out of the town simply by following a cyclist who turned out to live in Cape Town of all places! We had loads to talk about since that’s where I lived for many years. He even joined us at the beach. We had a fantastic swim in the blissful turquoise water. We finished the day with drinks at Arenella Lido. Later we dined at a divine fish market, Onda Blu, recommended by our new best friend the cyclist. As expected the seafood was a total treat. I had to try the beccafico - I’ve never had sardines done this way before. The kids spent a lot of time ogling the lobsters, crabs and the fish swimming around in the mosaic tiled tanks. I don’t think they realised that’s where dinner comes from.
Vendicari
This magnificent nature reserve offers spectacular walks with the sea lapping at your side. It’s so rewarding to be able to hike to the beach and explore the deserted tuna factories and then take a dip. We stayed in the reserve at a rambling hotel that grows and serves its own produce. Every night dinner began with Sicilian antipasti featuring meaty olives, sundried tomatoes and sweet ‘n sour caponata. Again, I had to conclude beccafico, cleverly stuffed and crumbed sardines, is just made for me.
Noto
Of course, the town is full of impressive churches and the most blissful arancini you can find down a secret alleyway or two. In truth, it felt a little more touristy than the rest of the towns we’d visited, but I did get to stock up on Ortigia scents and creams. Delicious.
Ragusa
A few days into our road trip, we decided some “cuisine” would be in order. So we treated ourselves to the tasting menu at Ciccio Sultano. It’s named after the chef who promptly popped out to greet us and provide crayons for our little ones. How charming. The food was chic yet rustic. Swordfish has never tasted this sublime. For a place with 2 Michelin stars it was remarkable unstuffy. What a pleasure.
Scicli
It was here that we discovered an oasis of a spa hotel quite by accident. I also couldn’t resist getting a Montalbano-inspired cookbook on our stroll around the town. Why not? We climbed up a lot of stairs in the blazing heat to see yet more churches and the impressive view of the town.
Modica
Like Scicli and Ragusa, Modica is one of the actual places that make up “Vigata” in Montalbano’s on screen world. Yet more churches spring up everywhere here and there’s a little train to take in the town. Our small person was more than a bit pleased with that. En route, I had to get myself some silver leather sandals. Italian shoes never disappoint.
Donnalucata
The sleepy town of Donnalucata is right on the beach. It too is often glimpsed on the series. One night, we even observed quite an amusing birthday party complete with clowns for grown-ups! I can imagine it gets packed with beach lovers in the summer so it was a treat to be there in the laid-back off season.
Punta Secca
Finally seeing Montalbano’s house on the beach at Punta Secca was a joy. We even played bats on his front doorstep. I was surprised at how shallow the beach was around his “casa” though. He makes swimming in it look a lot easier than it actually is!
Sampieri
We explore more endless stretches of deserted beaches dotted with little beach clubs just made for chilled out afternoons by the sea with the locals reading the newspapers. The best bit is the drinks are never too far from the shore line. Salute!
Catania
It was impressively hot in this bustling town. We stayed in a quirky B & B with a retro-kitsch vibe. The highlight of sightseeing around the city was the Greek Theatre. I had seen a few theatres on this trip but every time the sheer scale of the architecture impressed me.
After such scenic views, fresh home-grown food and a swim a day, I can understand why Montalbano is so devoted to his part of Sicily. It’s a quality of life I could get used to very easily.