From 8th to 10th June 2018 I spent a weekend in Sicily, to be precise in Cefalù, thanks to the Italian Travel Blogger Association, Visit Cefalù and the tourism councillor. Everyone had told me that Cefalù is a beautiful village, one of these where you must go at least once in life: now I can say that it is exactly like that! It is no coincidence that it is among the most beautiful villages in Italy.
But what to do in Cefalù? There are many more things than you can imagine. Start by recommending a visit to the Cathedral of Cefalù. A legend tells that the Cathedral has been built after the vote to the Most Holy Savior by Roger II, who landed on the beaches of Cefalù escaping a storm (actually looks like a building with a fortress character). Completed in Sveva age, the building is in Romanesque style with Byzantine features. From the 3rd of July 2015, it is UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Arab-Norman itinerary of Palermo, Cefalù and Monreale (such as the Cathedral of Palermo). The rectory is famous for its mosaics, which they say are among the best preserved of the whole island, and among them, the most beautiful and vital is the Christ Pantocrator. To better know the story I refer you also to the post of the Italian blog Io amo la Sicilia. The Cathedral also has an official website, to which I refer you for all the additional information you might need (as the previous link, the cathedral website is in Italian).
The town is dominated by the Rocca of Cefalù, a rock of 268 meters on whose western side climbs the path that allows you to climb the fortress and which was fortified in the Middle Ages. About after half of its perimeter, there are some medieval battlements, the most recent part of which was completed in the fifteenth century, and along the western side of the walls is the door from which the path that goes up to the remains of the castle. Along the way to follow you pass numerous buildings like remains of warehouses and the remains of a megalithic construction (IX century BC) called the temple of Diana. Right at the top are the remains of the medieval castle dating back to the XIII-XIV century. From the Piazza del Duomo, when it is dark, you can see a metal cross, several meters high, erected to illuminate and dominate the city view. The last entry is at 18:00, and at 8.00 pm the gates are strictly closed: keep in mind because it takes about an hour and a half (maybe something more during the summer) to get to the top!
Tips on where to eat? We went to Ristorante Kentia al Trappitu, which also has a beautiful terrace overlooking the sea (and Cefalù itself); in the evening, however, we ate a bite on the seafront (in summer you could also find some live music). I also recommend you, although it may sound trivial and obvious, to take a walk through the alleys of the city centre: still very animated even after dinner, tell Cefalù much better than many words. A little suggestion before going on to talk about the surroundings of Cefalù: the Mandralisca Museum houses the painting “Ritratto d’Ignoto” by Antonello da Messina. For a few more suggestions, I refer you to the post written by Monica di Turista di Mestiere and to the bits of advice written by Paolo di Italia con i Bimbi (both always in Italian, I’m sorry, but I hope that both of them can be helpful).
During the weekend spent in Cefalù, I had a walk in Castelbuono, a village that I did not know at all and that I was happy to have been able to visit even for a short time. What to see here? Inevitably the Ventimiglia castle, built in 1317 at the behest of Count Francesco I Ventimiglia (the restoration of 1997 brought to light the remains of a building from the previous era). The cube-shaped form resumes the Arabian style, while the square towers the Norman one and the round tower the Svevian military buildings. Unfortunately, over time some parts have been lost due to natural events.
Today the castle is home to the Castelbuono civic museum and, in a silver urn, there is the Sacred Skull of St. Anna, the object of celebrations that take place every year from 17 to 27 July. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday (9:30 am – 1:00 pm and 3:30 pm – 7:00 pm). The Sunday of our visit, the main course hosted the “Infiorata”, and in town, there will be many events, practically until November! Even in this case, although almost obvious, I suggest a nice walk through the streets of the centre (in summer it is boiling, I also recommend to have a hat and a bottle of fresh water). Once in town you can not miss the Fiasconaro’s panettone (Family company), considered the best in the world: taste it (at the bar in front of the family, when we passed we offered small samples) and then let me know if I was right or not to say that it is indeed a very good panettone. Finally, if you are passionate about athletics, I point out the international running track, athletics race that is held on July 26 of each year in Castelbuono: organised by the Atletico Polisportivo Castelbuonese Group, the competition brings a lot of people to the city. I conclude the list of suggestions with the beautiful Gorges of Tiberio, located between San Mauro Castelverde and Castelbuono (half an hour’s drive from Cefalù).
How to reach Sicily? There are several ways, of course! If you want to arrive by plane, there are four possibilities:
– Catania Fontanarossa International Airport. It is the main airport of Sicily and is located 5km from Catania;
– Palermo Falcone e Borsellino International Airport – Punta Raisi. It is the main airport in Western Sicily and is located 35km from Palermo;
– Trapani Airport – Birgi. It is a military airport open to civil traffic, which is 17km from Trapani and 16 from Marsala;
– Pio la Torre di Comiso Airport, located 5km from Comiso and 15km from Ragusa;
As an alternative to the plane, you could book a ferry, a choice that would allow you to bring your car and save on the costs of the rental in case of a travelling trip. The cities from which the ferries depart are: Genoa, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Reggio, Cagliari and Naples (here is a link to calculate the prices and timetables of the boats in the Naples – Palermo route) and the cities where you can arrive are Palermo, Messina, Termini Imerese, Trapani and Milazzo.