Montalbano on the BBC

Ragusa Ibla , a view frequently used in Montalbano

The BBC's decision to show an entire series of the detective drama Inspector Montalbano is great news for lovers of the programme, as well as for lovers of Sicily. Based on the colourful novels of  Andrea Camilleri, the RAI TV series Il Commissario Montalbano is hugely popular in Italy and has already been exported to other countries around the world. You can buy DVDs on Amazon with English subtitles produced for the US and Australia. The BBC has already showed two episodes in the past year, to whet viewers' appetites.

The TV series is filmed around south-eastern Sicily, mostly in the Baroque towns listed by UNESCO.   Principal filming locations include Ragusa, Scicli and Modica. These are picturesque small towns which show the very best of Sicily, and it is no wonder that the TV series has encouraged tourism in the region.  I toured the area last year and you come across Montalbano wherever you go - take-aways advertising the 'arancini of Montalbano', photographs of actor Luca Zingaretti and occasionally an official information board describing a film location. When we saw some filming in Scicli, we were thrilled, then disappointed to learn it wasn't for new Montalbano.

The detective drama is highly entertaining, with lots of colourful Sicilian characters, local dialect, beautiful scenery and convoluted plots. Like the original novels, the TV series captures the infuriating and bizarre aspects of Italian - and Sicilian - culture. From Montalbano's love of food  - check out the meals he enjoys alone at home - to the perpetually unfaithful spouses, the predatory women, corrupt politicians and incompetent professionals, this is an Italy which will be familiar to everyone who knows the country.  Some of the characters and situations are so hilarious you'd think they must be exaggerated... but perhaps not. Frequently the detective and his team are left with  'the Mafia' as the opposing, faceless protagonist. Montalbano is a decent man who sees the best and worst of his fellow Sicilians as he investigates baffling crimes, and makes excuses on the phone to his long-distance girlfriend Livia. Through his eyes the viewer can really enjoy the breadth, drama and humour of Sicilian life.

Shop sign in Modica

You can watch the first episode of Inspector Montalbano on BBC4 on Saturday 11th February 2012, and again on Wednesday 15th. DVDs are also available on Amazon.co.uk, as are the original novels by Andrea Camilleri.

Pour yourself a glass of Nero d'Avola, enjoy the TV show, and maybe you'll start daydreaming about a holiday in Montalbano territory.

> Montalbano locations in Sicily

> Ragusa
> Scicli
> Noto
> Siracusa

Thinking about summer

This is a good time of year to think about the summer, and temporarily forget the cold while indulging in a spot of escapism. I've added a couple of new articles to the Italy Heaven website as well as a few bright and sunny pictures.

The best seaside holiday destinations

Amalfi Coast

There are so many good seaside resorts in Italy - and so many coastal towns now featured on the website - that it can be hard to know where to start when you're planning a holiday. This new page is a selection of some of the best, with a range of destinations that should suit all tastes. I've been updating the Cefalù page with photos I took during my visit, and I think that it could be one of the very best seaside holiday destinations in Italy, as it has a lot of charm and offers so many different things to the visitor.
> Italy's best seaside holiday destinations

Weird and wonderful places in Italy
I've seen some strange and unusual places in Italy, and there are others I'd love to visit (the underwater Roman city at Baia, the island of Pantelleria, the open-air war museums in the Dolomites). Here are some destinations where the scenery and atmosphere are truly striking, and where you'll find some unique accommodation too:
> Weird and wonderful destinations