Mediterranean Coast - Sicily - page 495

near the small town of Realmonte, 15km west of Agrigento. Named after the Arab and
Turkish pirates who used to hide out from stormy weather here, it's a popular spot with
local sunseekers who come to sunbathe on the milky-smooth rock and swim in the indigo
sea. Take a picnic to make a full day of it, otherwise you can lunch at the Lido Scala dei Turchi
at the top of the steps down to the beach.
A further 5km west of Realmonte, there's a great sandy beach at Siculiana Marina and
lovely walking at the WWF-administered Riserva Naturale Torre Salsa ( www.wwftorresalsa.it ) ,
where well-marked trails offer panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and coast.
A good place to cool off is the beautiful Torre Salsa beach , accessed from the reserve's north-
ern entrance.
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Eraclea Minoa
Nowadays a small summer resort - empty for most of the year, packed in July and August
- Eraclea Minoa was an important Greek settlement in ancient times. According to legend
it was originally founded by the Cretan king Minos who came to Sicily in pursuit of
Daedalus, a former favourite who had fallen out of grace and escaped from Crete. Histor-
ical evidence suggests the city was established by Greek colonists in the 6th century BC
and went on to flourish in the 4th and 5th centuries. The scant remains of the city can now
be seen at the archaeological park (admission €4.50; 9am-1hr before sunset Mon-Sat) on a headland
back from the main seafront village. The ruins are relatively scarce - the crumbling re-
mains of the soft sandstone theatre are covered with protective plastic - but the views and
singing scrub are gorgeous.
Once you've done the history, head down to the beach , a wonderful, photogenic strip of
golden sand backed by willowy eucalyptus trees, cypress groves and chalk cliffs. Here
you can indulge in a refreshing facial massage. There's a natural mud rock at the western
end of the beach, which you can scrape off and rub onto your skin - you'll see all the loc-
als doing the same. Dry off in the sun then rinse in the sea and you'll have removed 10
years in 10 minutes.
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