Scala dei Turchi – Realmonte

The Scala dei Turchi is a spectacular anchorage consisting of a sheer cliff face along the coast of Realmonte, in the province of Agrigento. It has become a tourist attraction over time, both because of the uniqueness of the cliff, which is white in color and has a distinctive stepped shape, and as a result of the notoriety gained by the novels of Andrea Camilleri, who set the adventures of Inspector Montalbano in this area.

The ‘element of greatest landscape interest of this anchorage is, however, the living cliff consisting of a spur of white-colored marl that faces the sea, on which winds and rains have carved a natural step, making it among the most characteristic and enchanting in Sicily. The layered, descending strata give it an enchanting appearance, intensified by the strong color contrasts that spring up between the blue of the sea and sky contrasted with the dazzling white of the rock.

The shape that this natural sculpture adopts is precisely that of a staircase where, according to tradition, the Saracens landed during the invasions that raged in the 1500s in the territory of present-day Realmonte. The Turks, as they were mistakenly called, would have climbed the stratifications of this cliff that from the appellation would have taken its name. Also connected to this bay is another legend concerning two rocks that emerge about 200m from the shore: the Sicilians call them, “u zitu” and “a zita” because they recall the story of two young people in love with the place.

The Scala dei Turchi is a constant destination for tourists fond of these natural diving boards and platforms to dive into these diaphanous waters embellished with fabulous seabed. The incredible smooth white wall slopes gently in steps toward the sea and turns into an immense lounger where you can lie down to sunbathe. The other side of the steps creates narrower, more supple waves that more clearly highlight the smoothing action of the water and wind.

Unfortunately, over time this beautiful cliff has ended up in the headlines for incidents related to unrestrained squatting, the nefarious behavior of bathers who destroy the white marl to reduce it to mush as beauty mud, and, in the immediate vicinity, the wild parking of tourists right up to the shoreline. In fact, this bay does not offer many services except for two bathing establishments just a few meters away from a no-swimming sign for ecological pollution and the total absence of services for those renting an apartment.

To reach this marl cliff by land, simply park a short distance away and face a short walk: the Scala dei Turchi, moreover, can also be walked barefoot since the work of the sun and wind on the rock has made it extremely smooth