Santa Croce Camerina è una tappa suggestiva che unisce storia antica e paesaggi costieri, tra le rovine delle antiche torri di avvistamento e la celebre casa di Montalbano.
Santa Croce Camerina: mare, storie e paesaggi
Santa Croce Camerina
Archeologia, Fiction, Luoghi iconici, Mare
Mezza giornata
A piedi
Fun Fact: Il faro di Punta Secca, accanto alla casa di Montalbano, è diventato uno dei luoghi più fotografati della Sicilia.
The route:
Casa di Montalbano
La “Casa di Montalbano” si trova in Corso Aldo Moro 44, nella suggestiva località costiera di Punta Secca, nel comune di Santa Croce Camerina. Costruita nei primi decenni del Novecento, originariamente serviva per la dissalazione delle sarde, ma nel 1904 fu trasformata in abitazione privata. Dal 1998, con le riprese della celebre serie TV ispirata ai romanzi di Andrea Camilleri, la casa è diventata la dimora del commissario Salvo Montalbano, guadagnandosi un posto speciale nel cuore dei fan. Oggi è anche un Bed & Breakfast, che permette ai visitatori di soggiornare in questo luogo iconico. La veranda con vista mare offre scorci suggestivi, mentre l’edificio mantiene intatta la sua autenticità, rappresentando un perfetto esempio di edilizia marinara tradizionale trasformata in set televisivo e meta culturale molto amata.
The Punta Secca lighthouse and its square
The Punta Secca Lighthouse, also known as Capo Scaramia, overlooks the scenic Amerigo Vespucci seafront and stands as a maritime and historical symbol of the area. Completed in 1859, it was designed by engineer Nicolò Diliberto D’Anna and built as a 36-meter-high cylindrical masonry tower, visible from afar and serving as a landmark for navigation in the Mediterranean Sea. The lighthouse emits two white flashes every eight seconds, with a light range of about 16 nautical miles, ensuring safe passage for vessels. At its base lies a U-shaped building that once housed the lighthouse keepers, guardians of this important coastal outpost. In front of it lies Piazza Torre, dominated by the historic Scalambri Tower, a 16th-century watchtower now repurposed as a venue, which recalls the coastal defensive history. The fame of the lighthouse and the village has grown thanks to the popular TV series Inspector Montalbano, which brought Punta Secca to national and international attention as a cultural and tourist destination, highlighting the historical, maritime, and scenic charm of this enchanting Sicilian location.
The Mother Church of San Giovanni Battista
The Mother Church of San Giovanni Battista, overlooking Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, is the religious and monumental heart of Santa Croce Camerina. Built in the early 1600s on a medieval structure, it was extensively renovated between 1797 and 1885 based on designs by architect Teodoro Gigante, with master builders Giuseppe Mazzarella, Giovanni Vaccaro, and Dionisio Bocchieri. The building, 45 meters long, features a Latin cross plan with three naves, a central dome, transept, and side chapels. Inside are valuable artistic works: a copy of Martin Faber’s Madonna of Loreto, a wooden statue of Saint Joseph, the city’s patron saint, and the funerary monument commissioned by the Celestri family in 1604. The frescoes of the four Evangelists in the dome, painted in 1986 by local artist Giovanni Aquila, further enrich the sacred space. Today, the church is the center of major religious celebrations, including the Feast of Saint Joseph, maintaining strong ties with the local community.
Palace Vitale–Ciarcià
The Palazzo Vitale–Ciarcià, located on Viale della Repubblica in Santa Croce Camerina, is a refined noble residence dating back to the late 18th century, an emblematic example of Iblean Baroque with neoclassical influences. Its two-story façade, articulated by string courses and dentil cornices, features elegant wrought iron balconies supported by local stone brackets. The main entrance, decorated with the family coat of arms, opens onto an inner courtyard paved with cobblestones, dominated by an ancient well. Inside, the rooms are adorned with 18th-century stuccoes and refined coffered ceilings, restored in 2005. Today, while remaining a private residence, the palace hosts cultural events, allowing visitors to admire the splendor and elegance of the local nobility.
Scalambri Tower
The Scalambri Tower in Punta Secca is a coastal tower dating back to the 16th century, built as a defensive stronghold against Saracen raids and pirate attacks. With its square shape and massive structure, it stands just a few meters from the sea, next to the present-day lighthouse. Constructed in local limestone, the tower features thick walls, narrow slits, and an elevated entrance—typical traits of watchtowers from that period. Over time, the tower has become a historic and cultural symbol of the seaside village, offering valuable insight into Sicily’s coastal defense system. Located in the main square, near the famous “Casa di Montalbano” made popular by the television series, the Scalambri Tower can be viewed from the outside and is a must-see for anyone interested in the history and fortified heritage of the Iblean coast.
Vigliena Tower
The Vigliena Tower, built in the 17th century, was part of the coastal defense system established by the Spanish viceroys to protect Sicily from corsair raids. Located on a promontory at Punta Braccetto, between Santa Croce Camerina and Scoglitti, the tower monitored a particularly exposed stretch of coastline. Constructed from local stone with a square plan and solid structure, it housed sentinels and firearms to defend the shore. Although now partially damaged, it remains an important example of coastal military architecture from the period. Set in a scenic landscape between sea and unspoiled nature, the Vigliena Tower stands as a historical symbol and a point of interest for visitors to the area.