Porto Empedocle is a special Sicilian village surrounded by nature. To make it so characteristic, this small seaside village in the province of Agrigento, are certainly its narrow and cobbled streets, characteristic of this part of Sicily, but not only, you can find everything in the post.
In the province of Agrigento, in the heart of nature, it stands Porto Empedocle: a small and adorable village surrounded, or rather immersed, in the sea. A place born on the shores of the Mediterranean and which has developed its entire history around it, rising as a country that has lived on fishing for centuries and which in recent decades has opened its doors to a considerable income due to tourism.
The origins of Porto Empedocle
The past cultural history of the village is exquisitely mixed with the present one that does not feel inferior to that which preceded it.
The name of the place comes from that of the famous philosopher Empedocles and the town, albeit small, has continued over the years to call important literary figures to itself, giving birth and providing the background to the works of Luigi Pirandello and giving shelter to the famous fictional character created by Andrea Camilleri: Commissioner Montalbano carrying out his investigations a Vigata, the stage name of Porto Empedocle, which for a few years has introduced this additional name to official documents.
Although this is now an extremely touristy place, it is sensational to be able to notice how much the way of life of the local inhabitants has tried to remain as pure as possible, without being overwhelmed by the typical tourist habits. It is therefore still possible to admire in the residents customs characteristics of the real Sicily, between old artisans intent on revealing the secrets of the trade to the next generation and fishermen returning from work, loads of fresh fish to take home or sell shortly thereafter.
Apart from the features and rudimentary old houses e the narrow alleys that stand out for the whole country, Porto Empedocle has no real tourist attractions and owes most of its fame to the wonderful sea on which it is born, considered without mistake one of the most beautiful in Italy.
La Scala dei Turchi: when to visit it
The unmissable place of your trip to Porto Empedocle, after having indulged in the whole small but rich village, is the Scala dei Turchi: a natural reserve of breathtaking beauty able to recall what seems to be the entire holiday community that surrounds.
For this reason, it is highly recommended to evaluate the period in which to go there. The best? During the low season of September or just before summer, when the pounding heat of Sicily is still present but the tourist horde no longer.
If, on the other hand, as good daredevils, you still decide to go to the Scala dei Turchi in high season, the inclusion in the beach bag of a nice protection 50 and a large hat to cover the head is categorical: the famous Sicilian temperatures combined with the pure white of the Scala could be fatal.
If, after having carefully prepared yourselves at the Scala dei Turchi in the height of summer, you decide to try your luck, the only advice I have to give is to go to a small beach reachable only on foot or by sea that you can observe from the top of the Scala. The road to get there is a bit winding, but the game is definitely worth the candle.
