Sicily
This is probably the most unique and bizarre beach anywhere. The Scala dei Turchi is not graced by sand or even pebbles but instead by chalk. On the coast of Realmonte in southern Sicily, a snow-white chalk cliff fifty metres high climbs towards the sky. The white giant looks like stairs leading from the sea up to the top of the cliff. According to legend, pirates whom the locals called “Turks” sheltered here from storms. Hence the name: Scala dei Turchi – Stairway of the Turks.
Sicily - Scala dei Turchi
The Scala dei Turchi near Realmonte has more to offer than snow-white chalk cliffs leading like steps into the clear blue sea. The gigantic cliff is flanked by two beaches of fine sand. The water here is so clear that you can watch the fish and see the clams under water with the naked eye. In order to get there, you have to be prepared to climb the strenuous path over the cliff. But this is well worth the effort. Untouched nature and a unique view of the coast from Agrigento to Capo Rossello await the bold climber.
Palermo - Palazzo Brunaccini
Oh, to live once like a real princess! Guests can fulfil this wish in the Palazzo Brunaccini located in the historic centre of Palermo. The boutique hotel, built in 1714, belonged to the princess Lucrezia Brunaccini in the 18th century. The history of this elegant house can still be experienced today. Historic and traditional furniture, paintings and photographs adorn the eighteen suites and provide a wonderful contrast to the modern designer furnishings and the contemporary art on the walls. The Palazzo Brunaccini is only 700 metres from the impressive Cattedrale di Palermo and lies exactly between the churches Chiesa del Gesu and Chiesa del Carmine Maggiore.
Palermo - Botanical Gardens
Wild nature with a long history behind it. The botanical gardens in Palermo as they are today have existed since 1786. The Royal Academy of Palermo, today the university, was granted a small plot of land on which to cultivate medicinal herbs and for teaching and research. Roughly 108,000 square feet (10,000 square metres) of this green, jungle-like oasis marches along the Via Lincoln, on the outskirts of the Kalsa quarter. The rare and exotic selection of plants – such as the enormous dragon trees – is what make this botanical garden so unique. Especially impressive is its emblem: a Moreton Bay fig (Ficus macrophylla) planted in 1845.
