Ragusa is two cities stacked on adjacent hills in the Iblean plateau of southeastern Sicily, connected by a staircase that descends 242 steps between them. Ragusa Ibla, the older settlement, preserved in its pre-1693 earthquake form and rebuilt in the Sicilian Baroque style after the catastrophic earthquake that destroyed the entire Val di Noto, occupies the lower rocky spur to the east, its skyline defined by the dome and facade of the Cathedral of San Giorgio (1738-1775, designed by Rosario Gagliardi, the architect responsible for the most characteristic Baroque facades of the Val di Noto). Ragusa Superiore, the rebuilt city on the higher plateau to the west, has the administrative functions, the train station, and the majority of the modern population. Both are UNESCO World Heritage (the Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto, 2002). Both are extraordinary. Most visitors spend their time in Ragusa Ibla and never adequately see Ragusa Superiore's specific urban design qualities.
The television series "Il Commissario Montalbano", the Italian detective drama based on Andrea Camilleri's novels, broadcast since 1999 and one of the most watched Italian television productions internationally, was filmed almost entirely in Ragusa Ibla, in the nearby town of Scicli, and in the coastal town of Punta Secca (which the series calls Vigàta). The Montalbano filming locations have produced a specific film tourism that makes Ragusa one of the most recognized Italian cities internationally in a way completely independent of its architectural significance.
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What to See in Ragusa
Ragusa Ibla: The Baroque Masterpiece
The Giardino Ibleo (public garden at the eastern tip of the Ibla spur, with views south over the Irminio valley) is the logical start point. Walking west from the garden along the main street (Corso XXV Aprile) reaches Piazza del Duomo and the Cathedral of San Giorgio. The Duomo facade, a three-register Baroque composition with convex central section, pilasters, and the characteristic Gagliardi combination of architectural solidity and decorative exuberance, is the finest single Baroque church facade in Sicily and one of the most original in Italy. The interior is less remarkable than the facade. The facade is the point. The narrow streets of the Ibla grid (mostly pedestrianized), the palazzi with their carved balconies (the specific grotesque figures, lions, horses, men, that support the projecting balconies of Sicilian Baroque are at their most elaborate in Ragusa), and the specific quality of the late afternoon light on the stone create a walking environment of extraordinary quality.
The Montalbano Locations
The most recognizable filming locations: Piazza del Duomo in Ragusa Ibla (used as the Vigàta main square). The Commissariato (the police headquarters, filmed at the Palazzo della Polizia in Scicli, 30 km from Ragusa, accessible by car). And the Montalbano house at Punta Secca (the coastal villa where the inspector lives, a house on a small rocky beach near Santa Croce Camerina, open for visits and now functioning as a tourist B&B).
Q&A: Ragusa
How do I get to Ragusa?
By train from Catania: approximately 2 hours on the regional line (infrequent service, check current schedule). By car from Catania: approximately 110 km, 1.5 hours via the A19 and SS514. By bus from Catania: SAIS Autolinee service, approximately 2 hours. Ragusa has a train station in Ragusa Superiore. The train journey through the Iblean plateau from Siracusa (1.5 hours) or from Gela via the southern coast is scenic. A car is recommended for combining Ragusa with the other Val di Noto cities (Modica, Noto, Scicli).
Can I combine Ragusa with other Val di Noto cities?
Yes, the Val di Noto UNESCO baroque city circuit (Ragusa, Modica, Scicli, Noto, Siracusa) is the standard southeastern Sicily itinerary. Modica (15 km from Ragusa, the chocolate city. Cioccolato di Modica, the untempered pre-industrial chocolate) and Noto (60 km, the most completely uniform baroque streetscape in Italy) are the essential additions. Three days covers all five cities adequately. Two days covers Ragusa and Modica plus Noto in depth.
