Viewers of the Inspector Montalbano series already know this coast without realizing it: its golden beaches, low houses and slanting light serve as the backdrop for the investigations of Italian television's most famous detective. Marina di Ragusa, a seaside resort in southeastern Sicily, welcomes ships that anchor offshore and tender their passengers into one of the largest marinas on the island.

From the Pontoon to the Piazza

Tenders drop passengers off at the tourist port, a modern basin with more than eight hundred berths where sailboat masts sway in front of the palm trees. From there, a few minutes' walk takes you to the Lungomare Andrea Doria, the promenade along the beach, and then to the central square where village life is concentrated: cafés, gelato shops, families strolling back and forth between the church and the sea. The pace is that of a resort born for summer, relaxed, with no overwhelming monument or must-do circuit.

Sand in a State of Grace

The main beach stretches out on either side of the port, with fine sand and a gently sloping seabed, regularly recognized for the quality of its waters. You can swim here from May to October in a sea that holds the afternoon warmth for a long time, while the hinterland unrolls its dry-stone walls and carob trees, a rural landscape the province cherishes as part of its heritage. Beach huts rent loungers and umbrellas; roving vendors call out their coconuts and fritters. For a stop with no agenda, laying out your towel here is already a respectable plan.

Ragusa Ibla, the Grand Detour

Yet the hinterland hides a treasure of an entirely different calibre. Half an hour away by road, Ragusa Ibla tiers its palaces and domes on a limestone spur: destroyed by the earthquake of 1693, the old city was rebuilt in the exuberant Baroque style that earned the towns of the Val di Noto their UNESCO World Heritage listing. The dome of San Giorgio overlooks a maze of stepped lanes, bulging balconies and small squares where time lingers; at the end of the promontory, the Giardino Ibleo lines up its palm trees above the valley, the perfect conclusion to a stroll. Buses and taxis shuttle from the coast; it is the excursion not to be missed if you don't yet know Sicilian Baroque.

In the Inspector's Footsteps

Fans of the series will prefer to follow the coast to Punta Secca, the neighbouring village where the inspector's house stands, facing its lighthouse — the little square has even been renamed after the fictional detective; guided tours string together filming locations between coves and fishing villages. At the end of the day, head back to the lungomare for a lemon granita or an ice cream cone, to be enjoyed as the sun sets over the African Sea.

The Port of Call in Practice

• Anchorage offshore and tender transfer to the marina, with the centre accessible on foot.
• Ragusa Ibla about thirty minutes away by road, on an excursion, by taxi or by bus.
• Main beach steps from the landing, with services from May to October.
• Inspector Montalbano filming locations in the immediate surroundings, with organized tours.

What the Light Leaves Behind

Returning to the ship, you take away two Sicilies at once: the golden, peaceful one of a resort that lives to the rhythm of swimmers, and the theatrical one of Baroque palaces perched inland. Few ports of call offer such a contrast in so few kilometres, and it is precisely this contrast that stays in your memory as the coast fades away.