Scala dei turchi, Realmonte
The famous Stair of the Turks.
The Scala dei Turchi, located along the coast of Realmonte in the province of Agrigento, Sicily, is a striking white marl cliff that descends steeply into the Mediterranean Sea. Composed of Trubi marl—a sedimentary rock dating to the Lower Pliocene (Zanclean)—the formation is notable for its pure white hue and soft, undulating contours. This distinctive morphology, resembling a natural staircase, lies between two sandy beaches and can be accessed via a gentle ascent along the shoreline. The panoramic view from the summit extends along the Agrigento coast to Capo Rossello.
The site has become a prominent tourist attraction, in part due to its geological uniqueness and in part owing to its appearance in the popular detective novels by Andrea Camilleri, set in the fictional town of Vigata, closely associated with nearby Porto Empedocle. The name "Scala dei Turchi" ("Stair of the Turks") references historical pirate incursions; during the Middle Ages, Saracen and later Ottoman-aligned pirates used the site as a sheltered landing.
In recent years, the site has faced environmental degradation due to erosion and vandalism. Authorities intervened in 2020 by seizing control for conservation efforts, and in 2022 the cliff suffered deliberate defacement, highlighting ongoing challenges in heritage protection.
The world famous cliff in Realmonte (c. 16 km from Agrigento) called "Scala dei turchi" (Stair of the Turks) was used in Giuseppe Tornatore's film Malèna.
More film locations in Sicily here...
Scala dei turchi (Stair of the Turks) is a popular place to visit, both for tourists and Sicilians. This photo was taken early in the morning, before all the visitors had arrived.
The landscape is breathtaking.
Children catch crabs and jump from "island" to "island" along the beach before reaching the spectacular rock formations.
In February 2020, following years of complaints about the poor environmental protection of the site from erosion and vandalism by tourists, Italian prosecutors seized control of the site.
Scala dei turchi, Realmonte.
The distance between Agrigento and some other cities in Sicily
Agrigento-Palermo 131 km
Agrigento-Cefalù 134 km
Agrigento-Siracusa 217 km
Agrigento-Noto 242 km
Agrigento-Taormina 219 km
Agrigento-Catania 167 km
Agrigento-Trapani 130 km
