Have you been to Sicily? I bet, at some point, you ended up visiting the Turkish Steps (Scala dei Turchi). We did too.
Frankly, our trip left me conflicted between admiration of this natural wonder and regret of visiting another tourist trap.
Scala dei Turchi is on everyone’s list of places to visit in Agrigento, so expect some company. Moreover, every visitor would try to outdo others in taking a most memorable photo.
At times, it makes Turkish Steps looks more like a backyard of some 19th-century asylum than a natural wonder. However, be patient and wait till sunset. Even with cloudy skies, you would be rewarded with amazing views.
Why the Turkish Steps?
I’ve been asked number of times about origin of the name.
The Steps part comes from the shape of the formation. Indeed, it looks like a giant staircase formed by a white limestone rock (called marl).
In the past, the Saracen pirates often raided the coast. The Steps presented the perfect spot for safer landing.
Without going into too many details, by the time of Crusades, Europeans called all Arabs and Muslims Saracens. At the same time, Saracens were mostly Turks. For a short while, both names were used, but eventually Turks prevailed. Hence, The Turkish Steps.
Enjoy the show!
The high resolution versions of these photos are available on 500px website.
If you plan to visit The Turkish Steps, you can find additional information about the parking and the map in this post – Agrigento In Two Days.
If you are interested in Sicily, you may also like:
- Is Taormina just a playground of rich and famous?
- Elusive Street Art Of Palermo
- Up To Etna And Down To Conca Crater
- Sea Side of Palermo
- First day in Sicily: Mondello and Capo Gallo
- Valley of the Temples Photo Essay
- Eraclea Minoa Strolls
- Unexpected Messina
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The rock formations look really stunning especially in the sunset photographs! I would really love to see this too with my own eyes.
Thank you, Karla 🙂
Thanks for the gorgeous photos – makes me want to go there to experience/photograph the Turkish Steps myself.
Thank you 🙂
Looks so beautiful! Would love to go one day. Why do they call it Turkish Steps?
Hi, Marissa, great to hear from you :). Thank you. Great question about the name. I’ve been asked about its origins number of times so I just updated the post with the explanation. In short, the name refers to the shape of the formation (looks like a giant staircase) and the fact that Turkish pirates favorited that spot for landing during their raids.
Neat info! Thanks 😀