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All Italy Realmonte Scala dei Turchi

Scala dei Turchi

"Stairs of the Turks", a chalky white cliff eroded conveniently into stairs, allowing for easy pillaging.

Realmonte, Italy

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  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
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Panorama of Scala dei Turchi   Wikicommons
Turkish Steps in Agrigento   Wikicommons
Marl erodes into steplike formations   http://www.flickr.com/people/elwoodd/
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  Patrizia Peruzzini
Scala dei turchi circa 2002   MissBoriken / Atlas Obscura User
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  gingercinnamon / Atlas Obscura User
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2020-10-11   prakva / Atlas Obscura User
No trespass! :-(   prakva / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Scala dei Turchi is located on the coast of southern Sicily between Realmonte and Porto Empedocle, Agrigento.

The origin of the name comes from the many invasions of Turkish pirates and the "stairs" are formed by eroded Marl, clay and silt similar to calcite and limestone.

When visiting Scala dei Turchi, hike down one of a few steep sandy trails that lead to a beach full of locals and tourists covered in wet Marl, hoping to glow from the benefits it supposedly contains for the skin. Beach-goers that are not taking part in the natural mud bath can be seen jumping off of the cliffs and rocks, and into the deep, buoyant water of the warm Mediterranean. Local tourism authorities recommend climbing the steps barefoot.

Looking at one end, you will see the white steps, where Turkish and Barbary Coast pirates slipped in on several raids for plundering. Climb to the top for a beautiful sunset on the Mediterranean Sea.

In 2007, Realmonte municipality applied for the inclusion of the Scala dei Turchi on the UNESCO Heritage List. The status hasn't been given to the area yet.

Update as of November 2020: The area is currently off-limits and under review for conservation efforts. 

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Edited By

TeaAndCoffeeLover, prakva, Collector of Experiences, gingercinnamon...

  • TeaAndCoffeeLover
  • prakva
  • Collector of Experiences
  • gingercinnamon
  • MissBoriken

Published

October 5, 2012

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Sources
  • http://www.visitsicily.info/en/scala-dei-turchi/
  • https://rove.me/to/sicily/scala-dei-turchi
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scala_dei_Turchi
Scala dei Turchi
Strada Provinciale 68
Realmonte, 92010
Italy
37.293059, 13.471157
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