Scala dei TurchiRealmonte, Agrigento
Menu

Is Scala dei Turchi a UNESCO site? Ownership, red powder and verified facts

A group of visitors walks on the sand beside the fence of wooden posts and netting at the foot of Scala dei Turchi, while other people stand on the steps higher up
Photo Veneta Mihova (Pexels)

Scala dei Turchi is not a UNESCO World Heritage site. Realmonte asked for listing in 2007 and the Sicilian regional assembly committed to a bid in 2019, but nothing was ever inscribed. The real recognition dates from 2024 and comes from the IUGS, the International Union of Geological Sciences, for the geological value of its layers. Since 26 September 2023 the plots of the private owner who claimed the cliff have been public, donated to the municipality of Realmonte.

The main facts, in order

  • 27 February 2020. On the orders of Agrigento prosecutors, the Coast Guard seized the access to the cliff because of rockfall risk, vandalism, removal of marl and the unclear legal status of the land; the owner was investigated. The area was returned to him in November 2021.
  • January 2022. The cliff was covered in a washable red powder; it was cleaned on 9 January and two men from Favara were identified on 12 January thanks to security cameras. They were convicted at first instance on 14 July 2025, and according to AgrigentoNotizie an appeal is scheduled in Palermo.
  • May 2022. The owner, Ferdinando Sciabarrà, appealed to Elon Musk to buy the Scala, a provocation the then mayor denied.
  • 26 September 2023. Sciabarrà donated his plots to the municipality.
  • 2024 to 2026. Paid visits to the lower part began in June 2024; access was banned again on 11 April 2025 and the lower part reopened on 8 May 2025, with a fixed route and automatic closures. New rules on tickets and payment were announced in May 2026.

Many outlets, including the Italian Wikipedia, credited the 2024 recognition to UNESCO; that is wrong. What the IUGS listing means is explained in our guide to the geology. How the visit works today is on our page on tickets and opening hours, and closures and reopenings on our page on whether it is open today. For the whole visit, start from our complete guide to Scala dei Turchi.

Frequently asked questions

Is Scala dei Turchi a UNESCO site?

No. The municipality of Realmonte made a request in 2007 and the Sicilian regional assembly passed a motion in 2019, but the sources show no inscription. Since 2024 it has been on the geological heritage list of the IUGS, the International Union of Geological Sciences, which is not UNESCO.

Who owns Scala dei Turchi?

The plots of Ferdinando Sciabarrà, who claimed ownership, have belonged to the municipality of Realmonte since 26 September 2023, when he donated them. The strip of state coastal land by the sea, about 1,800 square metres, has been held by the municipality under a concession since July 2022. Sources disagree on how the other plots were divided.

What happened with the red powder?

In early January 2022 the cliff was covered in a washable red powder, not paint: iron oxide according to the heritage authority's analyses reported in the press, red zinc oxide according to reports on the trial. It was cleaned off on 9 January by technicians and volunteers.

Was Scala dei Turchi ever for sale?

No sale is recorded. In May 2022 the private owner made a provocative appeal to Elon Musk to buy it, which the then mayor denied, pointing to the agreement already under way. In September 2023 he donated his plots to the municipality free of charge.

What is the latest news?

In May 2026 the mayor of Realmonte announced new access rules and, according to the Sicilian daily La Sicilia, in September the municipality sent a formal warning to a mineral water brand over unauthorised use of the cliff's image. The current opening status is on our page on whether it is open today.

Updated on 13 October 2026

Camilleri, Montalbano and Pirandello: Scala dei Turchi in books and films

Is Scala dei Turchi in Inspector Montalbano? Where it really appears in Camilleri's books, Pirandello's birthplace nearby and the films shot on this coast.

Nature at Scala dei Turchi: plants, loggerhead turtles and coastal birds

Scala dei Turchi is a Natura 2000 site: orchids, juniper and dunes, the loggerhead turtles that nest on this coast, the water quality and how to behave.

Scala dei Turchi tickets in 2026: price, booking and opening hours

Scala dei Turchi tickets 2026: €6, paid on site by card only, no online booking. Opening hours, daily cap, free entry and the outdated info to ignore.