castello di donnafugata

For Montalbano fans, this is another of the locations to seek out but well worth a visit in its own right. This 19th century castle which in its prime must have been magnificent with spectacular gardens all around but now somewhat beaten and neglected although restoration is being carried out. The guided tour is well worth following as the staff were knowledgeable and friendly. The furnishings are more recent than the earliest parts of the castle. To say it is wheelchair friendly is stretching the point, yes there is a lift but some of the doorways and fairly narrow and the terraces outside would be inaccessible as is the extensive garden area. Alas the elaborate water system that allowed the gardens to flourish is no more so the vegetation is now more hardy drought tolerant tress than the former magnificent floral display. For the more adventurous there is also an interesting stone walled Maze in the garden. One of the owners even had the railway diverted so that the castle even boasts its own railway station!! Well worth a visit

we visited Donnafugata because of the Montalbano connection and found that it has even more to offer. We enjoyed an interesting tour of it's interior and the terraces. The gardens are beautiful and for the adventurous there is a walled maze.

Really interesting 19th Century castle, also a Montalbano location. Worth a visit though go early or late to avoid the tourist coaches (and same coaches on narrow country roads.....hint)

The best bits are the views from the top of the outside terraces, and the spectacular and colourful banks of wild flowers in the garden. The castle itself is in a poor state. Lots of water damage despite restoration. Furniture inside is of last century not older. Explanations are in english which is good, but only apply to individual items. The site lacks a good overall explanation of its history to put it in context. I wouldn't recommend driving a long way to visit. Better to go to Ragusa Old Town. Entrance fee for garden and Castle is only 8 Euros.

I had no idea that this 20min drive in the lovely countryside west of Ragusa would have so been worthwhile! Was expecting a pretty site to take a quick look at over coffe, ended up enjoying the full site visit. Impressive, well-maintained building and landscape, lovely grounds and surroundings. And a really tasty chunk of freshly made tuma cheese bought on-site to top it up. Great diversion from our original plan.

The castle exterior is a lot more impressive than the interior. As a castle it is in a rather poor state, which is unfortunate as it certainly has its charm. The furnishings are of a rather modern age, would be circa 1800s, so not for medieval enthusiasts. Comparisons with Versailles' hall of mirrors (as one sign describing this castle's "hall of mirrors") are laughable. Having said that, if you have a spare 30 mins and EUR20, go for a stroll in the dilapidated garden. Definitely not comparable to other castles in Italy and Europe

We too were on the trail of Il Commissario Montelbano! The building is beautiful and there are stunning views from the roof. Well worth a visit.

It is the home of the Mafia boss in the series but the architecture and history of the building is fascinating. We especially enjoyed visiting the building and the grounds.

Very unusual heritage property with clear information to help you enjoy your visit. Most unusual to find a house like this in Italy, Full of oroginal furniture and decor. Lovely views and garden. Plenty of eateries outside. Well worth a visit.

My Wife and I got married at Castle Donnafugata in the "Hall of Mirrors". Our Wedding Coordinator helped us in getting a "ring ceremony" approved as they did not want any weddings. It was just us, the minister, the photographer and the wedding coordinator. Sadly we did not get a lot of time the day of the wedding to see the Castle, so we went back the next day. Just a word of advice, be sure to check their "open" times. We were shocked they were closed on Mondays and they seemed to close early. Also, dress warmly, as none of the rooms/buildings are heated.

The Castel Donnafugata is wonderful piece of powerful architecture and offers a unique insight into the architectural influences in Sicily. The castle has Gothic, Christian, and Islamic influences abound without looking like a mish-mash of styles. It's little wonder why it has featured in so many television series and films.The interiors feel very original, even to the point of being slighlty tired looking, but I prefer this to something pristine in this remote rural location. It's not a city palazzo, its a grand farm-house.The visit is self-guided, which is a shame, because the result is that only the main courtyard and the first floor (piano nobile) is accessible. There's so much more to the house, it would have been nice to see more. A tour option would be fantastic.The gardens are nice. The stone-wall maze is something to see, and you can only access the large terrace of the house with a garden pass anyway, so I'd say the combination ticket is a must.There is ample parking, but you must buy a ticket from an attendent. He or she is usually just someone sitting underneath a large tree in the carpark, it doesn't look professional, but it gets the job done.I would recommend a visit. I'm a Montalbano series fan, so it was neat to see the house of the "Mafia boss", but I'm also an architect, so I enjoyed it more on its architectural merits. A win/win for me. The landscape from the main highway to the house (about a 10 minute drive) is very nice also, with beautiful old farmhouses and fields stiched together with miles and miles of dry-stone walls.Enjoy your visit.

Enjoy our glorious, noble and elegant Past dressing your Tourist Suit, surrounded by a gorgeous and untamed nature without being out of the world anyway.You can visit a Nobiliar building and its own park which have been, in the past, an important "Center of power" and today is an important "Location" for Television and Cinema Fictions or Film (some of them are worldwide well known).You'd be housed in an ancient barn; which now has been transformed into a kind of modern little cheap Hotel.It is situed just a few Kilometres from the downtown of Ragusa.By the Castle surrounding circumambient there is a typical Restaurant, an outdoor and indoor pub, a Tobacconist. You will pay a slight ticket and led by an expert guide who will accompany you from your arrival to your departure.The Littoral and Coastline Area, then the Touristic Port of "Marina di Ragusa" or the numerous Touristic Establishments are distant less than 20 Km from the Castle Site... Have a Good Trip..

Worth a detour but only if you have lots of time and really are on the Montalbano groupie tour! But the gardens are stunning.

Poorly kept, no description of what you are seeing, €20 entry for couple+small child. Not worth at all.

Our hostess Chiara was very knowledgable and informative about Donnafugata and their wines. Very much enjoyed the tour and the tasting. Would highly recommend it.