Ragusa Tours and The Baroque in Val di Noto (UNESCO)
The charm of Sicilian Heritage or the places of “Inspector Motalbano” Tv series. Create your itinerary with us!
RAGUSA IBLA
Ragusa Ibla, or simply Ibla, is the lower side of the new Ragusa city and located on a hill dominating the beautiful valley of the river Irminio. It appears like a Christian Nativity at night, the panoramic view over the city in the photos is one of the video shootings at the beginning of every movie of the ‘Inspector Montalbano’ where the town is well known as Montelusa/Vigata.
Ragusa Ibla is not only famous for the movie but it is one of the interesting UNESCO site late Baroque towns of ‘Val di Noto’ with countless historical palaces, rich churches fully decorated, hidden garden terraces, and seductive corners to visit during relaxation promenades, it is also a charming ancient style village where to enjoy cuisine, wines and local pastries.
SCICLI
Destroyed during the earthquake of 1693 the town of Scicli was rebuilt in the XVIII century in the Late Baroque style that we can admire today in the beautiful and relaxing city center rich of churches, decorated noble palaces and white limestone buildings.
The most filmed scenery in the Inspector Montalbano’s movies, the Police station of Vigata is in the reality the beautiful building of the City Hall, almost an idyllic location for a hard working office.
PUNTA SECCA
Punta Secca is Marinella in the movie, the romantic seaside village where the Inspector Montalbano lives and when possible hosts Livia, his eternal girlfriend. Some photos show the house and the bay where Montalbano swims in most of the movies. Enjoy the beach and take a picture of the renowned Montalbano’s house with the suggestive terrace over the bay.
Walking in the village you can recognize the small touristic port and the old lighthouse of 1853 with the beach at the front present in many scenes of the movies. But together with the view of the movies sceneries by visiting Punta Secca you can also enjoy the smell and the taste: seafood restaurants and street food taverns with ‘Arancini’, typical Sicilian street food mentioned in the Montalbano’s movies.
DONNA FUGATA CASTLE
The place 15 kilometers from Ragusa was location of many famous movie, last one on 2007 and it figure in Inspector Montalbano’s series as the residence of the boss ‘Don Balduccio Sinagra’. Donnafugata Castle is a patchwork of architectural and artistic styles, including one Venetian Gothic facade and Baroque interior.
The visit will take you around through many decorated rooms on the first floor of the castle, including a Hall of Mirrors, smoking room, music room, royal bedrooms, and many rooms with trompe l’oeil paintings on the ceilings. Visit of the castle’s gardens with a 300-year-old ficus tree and the funny labyrinth.
MODICA
The city located in the South-East of Sicily has been damaged by strong earthquakes, the terrible last one on 1693, and then rebuilt following the late Baroque style of that period. For this characteristic architecture Modica, as well Ragusa, Scicli have been appointed UNESCO site in 2002.
Well know such us the city of the churches, Modica is rich of art, history and culture with noble palaces and every corner gives you opportunity to enjoy the eyesight, but also folk traditions, local tasty cuisine and artisan pastries enrich Modica, considered the town of the chocolate, still made following an ancient Aztec recipe imported during the Spanish domination.
