The Scala dei Turchi, a rocky and brilliantly white cliff on the coast of Realmonte in southern Sicily, is so popular with travelers that everyone wants to take a selfie in this spectacular place. Unfortunately, the site has become so overcrowded that local authorities will now put a stop to the influx of visitors.

Time slots for visiting the Scala dei Turchi

The cliffs have become such a popular Instagram motif that visitor flows now unfortunately need to be regulated: The responsible municipality of Realmonte has come up with a booking system, allowing visitors to purchase tickets for a specific time slot for five euros. The time slot is limited to half an hour, and only a maximum of 20 visitors can climb the cliffs and take a selfie at the same time. The booking system is set to go online on October 31st.

Curbing tourist crowds

Thousands of tourists and onlookers climb every year on the white marl cliff edge, a sedimentary rock that is so endangered and threatens to crumble gradually. After the Scala dei Turchi was also crowned the most popular Instagram beach by a portal, everything got even worse.

According to Realmontes Mayor Sabrina Lattuca, visitors even tore down a barrier to reach the cliffs, which were closed that day due to poor weather forecasts and intended to protect tourists.

The fascinating Scala dei Turchi ("Stair of the Turks") in Realmonte, in the southern Sicilian province of Agrigento, is one of the most significant tourist attractions in the region: Bright white and reminiscent of bizarre steps, the site is practically an invitation to serve as a photo hotspot. The place also served as a film set in Andrea Camilleri's detective stories featuring the popular "Commissario Montalbano."

All of this unfortunately led to the Scala dei Turchi now being a place affected by rampant overtourism.