Located along the stretch of sea between Realmonte and Porto Empedocle is one of nature’s great masterpieces - the Scala dei Turchi.
Roughly translated as the ‘Turkish Stairs’ after the Arab pirates that sought safety beneath its chalky limestone cliffs, it is the passing of time, the sea and the salty breeze which has transformed this rocky outcrop into southern Italy’s most spectacular sight; a staircase of blinding white made even brighter by the indigo waters that surround it.
Submitted to UNESCO by the local authorities in 2007, the Scala have become an increasingly popular sunbathing spot for locals and tourists alike in Sicily, often enjoyed on a day trip in combination with the famous Valley of the Temples just down the road.
This is our personal guide to help you plan your own visit.
// Update January 2022: As reported in various news outlets, vandals streaked much of the Scala dei Turchi with a red mixture. It thankfully sounds like this can be removed, but we don’t know when that will be or what the ultimate impact will be on the geology.
How to Get to Scala dei Turchi
Located in the south of Sicily, the Scala dei Turchi are about 14 kilometres outside of Agrigento. On the SP68 road. You can find the exact location here, on Google Maps.
As we discovered when we visited for the afternoon in mid-summer, finding a roadside parking space can be a little time consuming, and unless you arrive early, your chances of securing one of thee free parking spots along the road are slim to none. Note that it’s also not possible to park everywhere along this part of the road as some areas are reserved for taxis or access, so do be cautious.
So instead, we’d recommend that you make your way to one of several large parking lots all along the right hand side of the road, stretching for quite a bit, where all day parking will cost around €5 for the first four hours, or then €8 to 10 for the whole day. It costs, but it’s convenient and ideally located to access the various stairways to the beach and the white cliffs.
Scale de Turchi by Public Transport | It’s possible to reach the Scala by bus from Porto Empedocle, but the service only runs during summer.
Read Later | 15 Essential Things To Know Before Driving in Sicily
The Practicalities of Visiting Scala dei Turchi
Once you’ve parked up, you’ll find several access points and signs pointing down to the beach; these are open to all but be warned, it’s a steep descent. Many places here will advertise their ‘free entrance’, but they’re all free and the signs are just an attempt to get you down their free entrance in the hope you’ll then buy some food or drinks on the way down or back up (which isn’t a bad idea by the way if you don’t have your own).
Once you’ve made it down onto the main beach, the Scala will be clearly visible on the right hand side, about 5-10 minutes walk away. The first section of the cliffs is the busiest by far, and we recommend that you continue to walk along it for more space and better views - you’ll eventually be able to descend into a lovely cove sandy beach, but the only exit point is back from whence you came!
If you find the Scala are a little too busy, we’d recommend hanging out on the popular main beach where you’ll find a couple of private beach clubs selling food and drinks and plenty of space to throw down your towel. It’s a pleasant enough stretch with shallow, calm waters, but nowhere near the best part of beach in the south.
Although it’s certainly possible to spend the entire day on and around the Scala, we’d recommend combining your trip here with a morning at the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento. That way you can avoid the worst of the summer heat whilst exploring the ruins, stop for a tasty lunch along the coast (we can highly recommend Mediterraneo, about 5 minutes from the Scala on a quite stretch of local beach) and have the rest of the day to relax in the sun and enjoy the most spectacular sunset from the white cliffs.
We visited from Sciacca and whilst our Airbnb was delightful - and the town incredibly pretty - it would make much more sense to base yourself in Agrigento in order to enjoy these two big tourist destinations without having to endure long drives there and back.
How to Visit Scala dei Turchi Responsibly
As we mentioned above, the Scala were submitted for consideration to UNESCO way back in 2007, yet it is thought that the inability of local authorities to manage visits here in a sustainable manner has contributed to its failure to so far be given heritage status.
It is desperately important for visitors to this spectacular natural site to treat it with the upmost respect, to ensure that others are able to enjoy it for years to come.
If you’re including a visit as part of your Sicily road trip, there are some simple rules to follow:
| Climb barefoot. Pretty much every article out there about the Scala mentions how difficult it is to climb barefoot, and that you absolutely have to wear a pair of shoes. Whilst shoes would definitely make it a little easier (especially if it’s wet), the tourism authorities have said that they’d much rather you didn’t as it is far more damaging to the soft rock. We went barefoot and had zero issues whatsoever.
| Never take a souvenir. Apparently theft has been one of the biggest issues. These ‘stairs’ are incredibly beautiful, but it does not mean that you need to take a part of it home.
| Don’t be a vandal. We were shocked by the number of people that had clearly thought it was appropriate to mark their visit with a badly drawn scrape or attempt at signatures into the rock. It’s not. Don’t be a dick.
| Take your rubbish with you. And this includes cigarette butts.
| Time your visit. Early afternoon in the peak summer months and the Scala will be covered in bronzed bodies, increasing the risk of damage. If you can, spend your afternoon on the main beach below and just come up for sunset and to explore responsibly. Less time on the rock = less erosion.
| Do not climb the cliff face. We saw several guys attempt this, clearly pulling small bits of the super soft rock away with each grab. Seriously, do we even need to explain why this is stupid?!
In short, as we with any visit to any natural site, the responsibility is on all of us to leave no trace and to call out those we see causing damage.
We recently read this article from January 2020 stating that prosecutors have seized control of coastline, with a temporary ban on visitors climbing or sunbathing on it. Unfortunately, we cannot establish whether the site is now open (despite a couple of recent TripAdvisor reviews), so should any of you be able to confirm we’d really appreciate letting us know in the comments!
Lastly, it’s a really good idea to shower off or change your outfit before you get back in the rental car - expect chalky feet and a chalky bottom after an afternoon exploring the Scala dei Turchi!
