Here we are talking about another wonder of the world, namely the so called Scala dei Turchi (Stair of the Turks). That is a rocky cliff overhanging the sea, with a sandy beach located in the city of Realmonte, near Porto Empedocle, in the district of Agrigento. The cliff is regarded as one of the most beautiful places of the world, a zone to admire the Mediterranean Sea and breathtaking sunsets. The name of this place comes from two reasons: the first is because in the past this zone was subject to raids and attacks by the Turkish pirates and the second it is because the cliff consists of a white limestone that, for simple natural causes, shaped a sort of stair that rises up to 50 meters above the level of the sea. In reality, the beach was not subject to true attacks from the pirates Turks, but from the Arabs, also called the Moors. Since these people had the black skin, the ancient Sicilians called them Turks. In the Sicilian dialect, indeed, Turk is a black skin person. Hence, those who landed at the Scala dei Turchi were the Arabs! Moreover, the Arabs used this coast to dock their boats in a zone protected from the wind.
The white stone stair is also formed by several steps where tourists can also go up to admire the sea from above. Unfortunately, the surface of Scala dei Turchi is very smooth and to climb it you must wear antislip boots, otherwise you can also drop from the cliff. For the remainder, Scala dei Turchi is a place absolutely to visit while you are in Sicily. The beach is indeed only a few kilometers from The Valley of the Temples. Scala dei Turchi also faces the African continent and it is the best solution to admire an exotic landscape without going to Africa or Turkey.
When to visit Scala dei Turchi
You can visit this beautiful Sicilian place in any seasons. The Sicilian weather is indeed typically Mediterranean and with comfortable temperatures. Unfortunately, in the summer Scala de Turchi is much crowded and it can be very hard to admire this place. If you want to admire the Sicilian sea from above, on the white cliff, or from the surface of the beach, the Autumn is the best time to visit it. Between September and October, indeed, the Sicilian temperature is still between 20 and 25 degrees, but with no problem with the crowd coming from all over the world.
How to reach Scala dei Turchi
If you have landed in Palermo Airport, you must take a bus to Agrigento. Here, you must rent a car with an expert Sicilian driver who lead you up to Porto Empedocle. After reaching this place, follow the further directions up to Lido Rossello. After passing Porto Empedocle, you’ll also cross on the left the Lido Baia dei Turchi. Park the car on the left parking of the Lido Baia dei Turchi and walk along the beach on foot. Walking on the beach for a few hundred metres, you’ll arrive in the Scala dei Turchi.
What to see in Scala dei Turchi
Here you can admire a long beautiful rocky coast running from Realmonte to Agrigento. If you climb it, you can also admire the most shining sea of the Sicily or the most unforgettable sunset ( see this image), if you walk along the beach, you’ll admire the several creeks that surrounding the beach and that give this place a Caribbean look. In The Lido Baia dei Turchi you can also see an abandoned manor and an exotic garden with fat plants where you can also park your car to enjoy a wonderful landscape and look out the beautiful coast.
Where to find accommodation
In the Lido Baia dei Turchi (see this image) you can also find comfortable resorts and hotels. The nearest is only 1,8 kilometres from the same Scala dei Turchi. Many locals also rent private properties to allow you to enjoy your vacation in Sicily. Many accommodations are in Realmonte, in the province of Agrigento.
What to eat in Scala dei Turchi
The beach of Scala dei Turchi is also enriched with excellent restaurants where you can also taste the best Sicilian food. Being sea towns, the beach of Scala dei Turchi and the nearby city of Realmonte are the best places to taste Sicilian fish recipes, such as spaghetti with clams, grilled tuna and swordfish, mussel soup and sea salad. Everything, seasoned with the best white Sicilian wine.
Rosalba Mancuso is a freelance journalist born in Sicily. Passionate about her loved island and with extensive writing experience, Rosalba worked as a contributor to the main Sicily’s newspapers and as a bilingual Italian – English writer. Thanks to her skills, she also founded three online magazines in English. On Sicilyonweb, Rosalba tells every corner of her beloved Sicily. Furthermore, she writes this blog thanks to your help. Rosalba, in fact, earns a small commission, with no cost for you, when you book your travel or buy products through the affiliate widgets or links you find in her posts.
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