Scala dei Turchi

When it comes to secluded Italian beaches free of crowds, it’s Sicily for the win. The beach at the base of Scala dei Turchi, a rocky cliff on the coast near Realmonte, is particularly striking in its uniqueness. Its fiery bronze sands are a stunning contrast to the azure ocean in front and the pale gray cliffs behind. The area is famous for being one of the island’s most beautiful natural wonders—visit once, and you’ll understand why. This blindingly white rock outcropping, shaped like a giant staircase, juts into the sea near Realmonte, 15km west of Agrigento. It's a very popular spot with local sunseekers who come to sunbathe on the milky-smooth rock and dive into the indigo sea. To escape the crowds, walk another few hundred metres north along the white rocky shelf, and descend to the long sandy beach below. The beach was named after the Arab pirates who used to hide out from stormy weather here (known colloquially as Turchi, or 'Turks').