Cefalù
Member of I Borghi più belli d'Italia
Two shapes define this Sicilian seaside town: the great Rocca and the twin towers of the cathedral that Roger II began in 1131, when he moved the town down to the harbour at the rock's foot. The old centre is a grid of lanes running from Corso Ruggero to the old port, where the houses of the Giudecca quarter hang over the sea. In summer its beach fills up.
Highlights
- Byzantine mosaics of 1148 in the cathedral apse, led by Christ Pantocrator
- The climb up the Rocca to the megalithic Temple of Diana
- The medieval wash-house on Via Vittorio Emanuele
- Osterio Magno on Corso Ruggero, once the Ventimiglia family's seat (IT)
- Hydrofoils from the new port to the Aeolian Islands
Text adapted from Wikipedia (Cefalù (IT), Cefalù (EN)), Wikivoyage (Cefalù). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Population: 13,881
Things to see
Events through the year
- Good Friday processionWooden statue of the Addolorata carried through the town
- Ottava del Corpus Domini and FrottolaProcession handing out blessed bread in front of the main churches
- 'Ntinna a mariFishermen climb a greased pole over the sea to grab a flag
- Feast of the Santissimo SalvatoreBanner raised, all bells rung, final procession and fireworks
- Feast of the Madonna of GibilmannaMass, procession and pilgrimages at the Gibilmanna sanctuary
- Feast of the Immaculate Conception
- 'A vecchia strinaOlder children roam the streets banging old tins and pots
Dates follow the traditional patterns in our sources: check locally before you travel.
Adapted from Wikipedia (Cefalù), Wikivoyage (Cefalù). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Specialities of Sicily
Typical of the region rather than of this village.
Arancini 002Public domain- Cannolo sicilianoSweet
- Cassata sicilianaSweet
- GranitaSweet
- Pasta alla NormaDish
Adapted from Wikipedia (Sicilian cuisine, Cucina siciliana). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to sleep
45 places to stay within 3 km
- Hotels 25
- B&Bs and guest houses 18
- Campsites 2
Data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Thermal baths nearby
- Thermal spa: Pozza Termale Sclafani Bagni · ~1 h 07 by car
- Hot spring: Surgiva Cavura Sclafani · ~1 h 07 by car
Data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Nearby member villages
- Geraci Siculo · 22 km
- Petralia Soprana · 27 km
- Gangi · 31 km
- Sperlinga · 42 km
- Calascibetta · 55 km