Cefalu
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By Dion Protani
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Latest update: 6 January 2023
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An hour to the east of Sicily's capital Palermo lies one of its most popular seaside towns: Cefalù. The landscape here is dominated by an imposing rock, simply known as La Rocca, that looms over the town below.
The town itself consists of several beaches, an interesting centro storico (old town), a marina and a fishing port. One of Cefalù's greatest attractions however is its Cathedral, to which the town owes its UNESCO World Heritage listing. |
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Most visitors come to Cefalù during the summer to enjoy its excellent holiday facilities. The crystalline water around Cefalù's beaches make it a great place for swimming and while you're not in the water or sunbathing, there's plenty more around the town to explore.
The old town has a typical Sicilian fishing village feel to it, even though it has grown somewhat with the advent of tourism. Cefalù was once ruled by the Arabs and the layout of the oldest streets in the town owes itself to this period. Nowadays, along those streets you'll find dozens of bars and restaurants as well as plenty of shops.
Without doubt the centrepiece of the old town is the incredible Cathedral ("Duomo" in Italian). Built in the twelfth century by Sicilian ruler Roger II, the Cathedral has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 2015 under the heading "Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monreale". Apart from its impressive exterior appearance, Cefalù Cathedral's interior is simply jaw-dropping with its Byzantine mosaics. The mosaics date back to 1148 but are still incredibly rich and vivid; dominating the scene is the huge Christ Pantocrator that fills the room with a golden glow.
The Cathedral is situated on Piazza Duomo: an attractive, palm tree-lined square with outdoor bars and restaurants. This is one of the best places to hang out in Cefalù before considering your next move for the day. If you've already explored the tangled web of streets and had enough of the beach, you could consider a hike up La Rocca. From Piazza Duomo you can see the rock rising behind the twin towers of the Cathedral and you can climb up the rock along a footpath, eventually arriving at the ruins of the megalithic Tempio di Diana.
If the steep rock climb doesn't appeal then there's a more gentle walk you can take and still get some great views. Head north from Piazza Duomo and then turn right to follow the coastline as it gradually leaves the town centre. After a few hundred metres of this gently rising slope you'll be able to look back and get some great views of Cefalù's old town and shoreline. You can also carry on at this point and eventually find the marina.
Cefalù is one of the best-appointed towns in Sicily when it comes to accommodation with no shortage of hotels to suit all budgets. It's also a handy base from which you can explore the nearby coastal towns or head inland to towns like Caccamo, Castelbuono or the expansive Madonie Regional Nature Park. It's also a nice, easy run to Palermo from here with car, train and bus all an option with journey times of around an hour.
For anyone that finds the Cathedral mosaics appealing, and I suspect that means most people that see them, it's worth the effort to visit the cathedrals at Monreale and Palermo, along with the Palatine Chapel at the Royal Palace of Palermo which is perhaps the very pinnacle of the art form.
The old town has a typical Sicilian fishing village feel to it, even though it has grown somewhat with the advent of tourism. Cefalù was once ruled by the Arabs and the layout of the oldest streets in the town owes itself to this period. Nowadays, along those streets you'll find dozens of bars and restaurants as well as plenty of shops.
Without doubt the centrepiece of the old town is the incredible Cathedral ("Duomo" in Italian). Built in the twelfth century by Sicilian ruler Roger II, the Cathedral has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 2015 under the heading "Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monreale". Apart from its impressive exterior appearance, Cefalù Cathedral's interior is simply jaw-dropping with its Byzantine mosaics. The mosaics date back to 1148 but are still incredibly rich and vivid; dominating the scene is the huge Christ Pantocrator that fills the room with a golden glow.
The Cathedral is situated on Piazza Duomo: an attractive, palm tree-lined square with outdoor bars and restaurants. This is one of the best places to hang out in Cefalù before considering your next move for the day. If you've already explored the tangled web of streets and had enough of the beach, you could consider a hike up La Rocca. From Piazza Duomo you can see the rock rising behind the twin towers of the Cathedral and you can climb up the rock along a footpath, eventually arriving at the ruins of the megalithic Tempio di Diana.
If the steep rock climb doesn't appeal then there's a more gentle walk you can take and still get some great views. Head north from Piazza Duomo and then turn right to follow the coastline as it gradually leaves the town centre. After a few hundred metres of this gently rising slope you'll be able to look back and get some great views of Cefalù's old town and shoreline. You can also carry on at this point and eventually find the marina.
Cefalù is one of the best-appointed towns in Sicily when it comes to accommodation with no shortage of hotels to suit all budgets. It's also a handy base from which you can explore the nearby coastal towns or head inland to towns like Caccamo, Castelbuono or the expansive Madonie Regional Nature Park. It's also a nice, easy run to Palermo from here with car, train and bus all an option with journey times of around an hour.
For anyone that finds the Cathedral mosaics appealing, and I suspect that means most people that see them, it's worth the effort to visit the cathedrals at Monreale and Palermo, along with the Palatine Chapel at the Royal Palace of Palermo which is perhaps the very pinnacle of the art form.
Comune di Cefalù
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Province: Metropolitan City of Palermo
Region: Sicily Population: 13,958 (source: ISTAT 1 January 2023) Size: 65 km² Highlights: Cefalù Cathedral, beaches, centro storico Close by: Palermo, Mount Etna, Aeolian Islands, Santa Flavia Recommended accommodation: Artemis Hotel |
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UNESCO World Heritage Site
Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monreale Year: 2015 |
One of I Borghi più belli d'Italia (Italy's Most Beautiful Villages)
Listing headline: Terra del Mito (Land of Legend) |
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