15 THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN CEFALù

Send

Cefalu is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy And it doesn't surprise us at all. As you approach the coastal road, you realize that the environment is unique, and it is impossible not to fall for its charm. Of Arab-Norman origin, this small town is one of the most visited in Sicily, so be prepared because you will most likely share it with a few more tourists. In this post we will tell you 15 things to see and do in Cefalù.

Curiosity: if you are a cinephile without remedy, we recommend you see the movie "Nuovo Cinema Paradise"by Giuseppe Tornatore. It was filmed here and it is very, very beautiful.

1. If you only had time to do one thing, we have no doubt: go to small dock that is in the area of the old port. Walk to the end and turn around, in front of your eyes you will have some of the best views in all of Sicily, the Cefalù beach hugging the buildings, whites, cream and little yellows that literally arise from the sand.

2. And now, let's hope you wear a swimsuit because you can stand the urge to take a dip There is very complicated! If you go in high season and there are too many people, there is no problem because the beach is very long and you can continue walking until you find your ideal place.

3. On the dock there are two places that you cannot miss. The first one is through a small door on the wall, which overlooks the rocks and the open sea. The second is climbing the stairs up to the top of the wall, up there you will have the perfect panoramic view. They are two great places to watch the sunset, but it's beautiful at all hours.

Find cheap accommodationin Cefalù here

4. Walk the Via Vittorio Emanuele and the Corso RuggeroThey are the two main arteries of the center of Cefalù and both are full of all kinds of shops (from ethnic clothes to ceramics, from places prepared by the famous cannolis to chic restaurants).

5. Climb to the Rock, the mountain that dominates the town. The climb that begins on the Cuesta de los Saracenos and crosses the three walls takes about 30-40 minutes. Upstairs is the old castle, the ruins of the temple of Diana (from the 9th century BC!) And some truly impressive viewpoints. It costs € 4 (we found it quite expensive, but once up, the views take away the “pissed off”). Curiosity: they say that the Rock is shaped like a head, in fact, the name Cefalu comes from the Greek word "kephaloidion" which means "head-cover". In this post we tell you how to make your visit to the Rock.

Views of Cefalù from La Rocca

6. Upon returning from the climb and on the way to the center, go through the Via Carbonari. There, pay attention to your left side because you will pass through the narrowest street we have ever seen!

7. The Duomo of Cefalù It certainly deserves a visit, and not only because it was declared Unesco Heritage, but because it has a curious architecture (Arabo-Norman) and its square is a real delight. Of course, beware of the surrounding bars: we saw very bad reviews in several of them (they charge a coperto / excessive service and the quality is regulera). We could not enter the Duomo since when we arrived it was already closed, but we had read that inside it retains a beautiful Byzantine mosaic from the 6th century, and it should be very worth the visit of its cloister, from the Norman era, and unique in Sicily . Legend has it that Rogelio II was the one who ordered the construction of this cathedral, after miraculously surviving a shipwreck and arriving right at Cefalù.

8. In the Piazza Duomo you can also see the town hall, which was once the Monastery of Santa Catalina, the beautiful Palazzo Pirajno, thePalazzo Mariaand the Vescovile seminar, one of the oldest seminars in Sicily. It is best to sit on the stairs of the Duomo and contemplate everything that happens around. You will not get bored!

9. Another place that we loved, and a little further from the center, isPiazza Garibaldi. The atmosphere here is more local, and is surrounded by beautiful buildings and palaces such as the Chiesa di Maria SS della Catena, what was the Porta Maggiore, one of the entrances to the old city, and the Clock Tower.

10. TheChiesa della Badiola It is the other religious building that is worth visiting. It is one of the oldest in Cefalù (dating from 1159) and apparently it was built by Roger II before even the Duomo. Formerly it was dedicated to San Jorge and San Lorenzo, but in the 17th century it was transformed into an orphanage, together with the institution “La Badiola”, hence the current name.

Duomo of Cefalù

11. In Corso Ruggero there is a building that stands out among the others: theGreat Osterium. It is a magnificent palace, residence of King Roger II of Sicily, and that stood out and stands out for its greatness. It passed through the hands of different nobles, and it was improved over time. It highlights the part of the “bichromatic palazzetto” that combines the yellow sandstone with lava rock, black, the windows and the impressive tower.

12. From the Old Port to the north, the beautiful Via Ortolani di Bordonaro Carlo, an excellent option to have a beer in one of the terraces, bars and restaurants. Run parallel to the rocks of the coast and if you continue to Chiesa dell'Itria, you can climb some stairs to the Bastione di Capo Marchiafava, a defensive bastion of the s. XVII from where there is a wide view of the coast.

13. A curious place is the “Medival Lavatoio”, Where once the women of Cefalu came down to wash their clothes. The curved staircase that gives access to the spring (which is still running today), and the stones, fountains and supports where the clothes were washed are still perfectly maintained.

14. There near is the Pescara holder, which gives access to the sea and has great views. It is one of the favorite places for instagram lovers and in general for lovers. There are even those who say that if you kiss with your partner there, you will be together forever. It does not seem to have much scientific rigor but hey, trying costs nothing haha.

15. Another street that we recommend you to travel is the Lungomare, the promenade, to soak up the smell of the sea and see the different lidos (private beach areas, with sun loungers and parasols rental service), free beaches and the most chic places. Also from here the views of the headland and below the town are very beautiful.

If you go in backpacking plan we recommend “Pasta & Pasti”(Where there are rich and cheap pasta, from € 6). On the other hand, if you have more budget and want to have a delicious dinner you can go “To the Porticciolo”Where there are menus based on fish or if you prefer you can choose a pasta (€ 12-17) or a pizza.

And a good ice cream or a cannolo? We tested those of a small ice cream shop Gelateria del Lavatoio, next to the Medival Lavatoio and where there is just a bench where you can swell. Both the ice cream (€ 2) and the cannolo (€ 2.50) were rich.