CAPO BIANCO, SICILY: BETTER THAN SCALA DEI TURCHI

Move over Scala dei Turchi (Stair of the Turks), Capo Bianco is now the best white cliff to visit in Sicily. Located in Eraclea Minoa, not far from Scala dei Turchi, you’ll find the immensely beautiful Capo Bianco. Found along Spiaggia di Capo Bianco (Capo Bianco Beach), the barely known white cliffs are truly breathtaking. With Scala dei Turchi now officially closed, Capo Bianco will soon become a more popular place to visit.

In this travel guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about visiting Capo Bianco. We’ll provide details about the brilliant coastal walk to reach the white cliff and we’ll show you some awe-inspiring photos of this stunning place.

What Is Capo Bianco?

Capo Bianco is a lesser-known white cliff located in the south of Sicily. Also known as the White Cliffs of Eraclea Minoa and translating, in English, to the White Cape, Capo Bianco remains one of the most beautiful natural attractions in Sicily. But, with the hoards of tourists flocking to the white cliffs at Scala dei Turchi, most miss out on visiting the underrated White Cape.

Well, now that Scala dei Turchi is closed, it won’t be long until tourists are turning up in their numbers at the marvellous White Cape. So, we highly recommend visiting now, before it becomes crowded like Scala dei Turchi. Indeed, when Beck and I visited in 2023, we only saw a handful of people passing by Capo Bianco. Sure, there were a dozen or so people along Spiaggia di Capo Bianco. But, not many were exploring or particularly interested in the freakishly white cliffs at the White Cape.

You’ll also want to visit Zingaro Nature Reserve, Favignana and Spiaggia San Vito lo Capo

Where Is Capo Bianco in Sicily?

Capo Bianco is located in the ancient Greek city of Eraclea Minoa (spelled Heraclea Minoa in Greek) in the south of Sicily. To help you get your bearings, here’s an interactive map of Capo Bianco in Eraclea Minoa, Sicily.

FYI – there is another popular beach that goes by the name of Spiaggia di Capo Bianco. This beach is also located in Italy, in Portoferraio, on the island of Elba.

Capo Bianco Hike: Stats and Map

To reach Capo Bianco, you’ll need to do a short coastal walk. Admittedly, the coastal walk is brilliant in its own right and worth doing even without visiting the mighty White Cape. Here are the trail specs for the Capo Bianco hike and a link to a map with GPS-guided directions.

• Type: Loop
• Distance: 4.5km
• Time: 1.5–2.5 hours
• Accumulated elevation gain: 60m
• Trailhead: Parking
• Difficulty: Easy
• Map: Wikiloc

Capo Bianco

From the large car park, next to the Archaeological Area of ​​Eraclea Minoa, you’ll walk in a southwest direction, towards Spiaggia di Capo Bianco. Following along the coast, you’ll find there are two adjacent trails to follow. You’ll notice a well-worn dirt track and a newer well-defined pebbled trail.

The main difference is that the well-worn, less-defined dirt trail, takes you closer to the edge of the cliffs. So, if you take this trail you’ll have to exercise caution as you near the cliff’s edge. By taking this trail, you’ll enjoy better views of the coast as you near Capo Bianco. Eventually, you’ll get a glimpse of the magnificent White Cape.

Soon enough, you’ll arrive at the top of the breathtaking Capo Bianco in Eraclea Minoa – one of Sicily’s best kept secrets. Similar to Scala di Turchi, the cliffs are very chalky. So, expect a few white-stained items of clothing if you sit or lie down on the cliffs!

From Capo Bianco, you’ll enjoy mindblowing views of the water. From the top of the cliffs, you can walk down to the beach called Spiaggia di Capo Bianco. Again, be careful as you walk down the cliffs. We don’t recommend scrambling down the corner’s edge of the cliffs. A little further north of the corner of the White Cape, you’ll find easier trails to descend that are levelled and easier to walk down.

Spiaggia di Capo Bianco (Capo Bianco Beach)

After finding a safe trail descending the white cliff, you’ll soon reach the sand and pebbles of Spiaggia di Capo Bianco. From the base of Capo Bianco, on the beach, the white cliffs really come to life. Standing tall above you, the cliffs almost sparkle in the sun! Certainly, take your time to explore the base of the incredible white cliffs.

Spiaggia di Capo Bianco Cave

Near the base of the White Cape, you’ll also find an immense cave. Indeed, we think the cave at Spiaggia di Capo Bianco in Eraclea Minoa is one of the coolest sea caves in Sicily. Just be aware, that there are snakes sunbathing near the cave’s entrance. It goes without saying that Beck got quite a fright when she almost stood on a black snake. Not since our last snake encounter (in Australia), had I seen her so shaken up!

Once you’ve explored the cave at Spiaggia di Capo Bianco, you’ll continue the coastal walk along the beach. When we visited, there were lots of shells, perfect skipping-stone pebbles and, sadly, a bit of rubbish on the beach. With the pristine Strait of Sicily to your left, you’ll walk around 800 metres before turning right onto a trail, leading through some flat grassland.

Soon enough, the trail sharply ascends as it meanders its way back to the top of the cape. At the top of the steep trail, you’ll enjoy lovely views of the coastline. From there, you’ll follow the defined pebble trail, which eventually rejoins the outbound trails, back to the car park.

How to Get to Capo Bianco in Eraclea Minoa

The easiest and quickest way to get to Capo Bianco in Eraclea Minoa, Sicily, is to drive there yourself. You’ll find free parking at the main car park. Certainly, it’s rare to find free parking in Sicily, so enjoy it! If you don’t have your own set of wheels, then we recommend hiring a car.

To find out more about renting a car with Discover Cars, read our Discover Cars review and Discover Cars Insurance review.

Personally, Beck and I picked up our car hire from Catania International Airport. For an automatic car, we only paid around €7 ($7USD) per day! Of course, with all car hire companies in Sicily, and Italy, make sure you’re aware of the rules and conditions of the car hire. That way, you won’t get hit with any unexpected fees from the car hire companies, which are usually all too eager to unsuspectingly charge you for something or other.

As far as we’re aware, public transportation doesn’t go to the White Cape. So, you’ll need a car for this adventure!

Hiking Essentials

These are our hiking gear essentials for exploring the White Cape.

To find out more about all of the gear that we use and recommend, read our guides about our favourite hiking gear, travel gear and camera gear. Otherwise, read our comprehensive travel packing checklist.

Bonus Tips

• Day trip from Agrigento: certainly, visiting the White Cape is one of the best day trips you can do from Agrigento.
• Visit before it’s too late: as they say, all good things come to an end. Just as Scala dei Turchi met its fate with being closed, we’re sure the White Cape won’t stay open to the public forever. Visit now whilst it’s still not a big tourist attraction!
• Visit the nearby Scala dei Turchi: yes, Scala dei Turchi is now officially closed. But, you can still enjoy a visit to these breathtaking white cliffs.

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