Agrigento's nearest beaches are at San Leone, about 6 kilometres south on the coast road, and at Porto Empedocle. San Leone has a long sandy beach backed by tourist facilities, restaurants, and cafes that fill up with Palermitans and locals in July and August. Out of peak season it is quieter and the water is excellent. Local buses run from Agrigento town centre to San Leone. The beach at Scala dei Turchi, about 15 kilometres west near Realmonte, is one of the most unusual on the island: a brilliant white limestone cliff, eroded into stepped terraces, where bathers sunbathe on the natural ledges. The light-coloured rock glows in evening sun and the whole formation is protected as a geological site, though access to the beach below remains possible.