Sign in with Facebook- Join for free
- Sign In
Sign in with FacebookLatest Cefalú hotel reviews
Pro
Great views, food and wine
Con
No pictures in or from the museum
In a nutshell
Gets my vote a country mile ahead of Mondello in Palermo
brendareed Says: The cathedral was the primary reason I chose to come to Cefalù. The Duomo dates back to the Norman era and contains some of the best preserved mosaics in all of Sicily. So it was a no-brainer that I would stop here. It seemed larger than life in the middle of the pedestrian...
brendareed Says: At the front of the cathedral displayed high on the apse is Christ Pantocrator holding an open book with Greek and Latin words stating “I am the Light of the World: he that followesth me shall not walk in darkness.” The mosaic figure, along with the rest of the mosaics in...
brendareed Says: When you are in Cefalù, you can’t miss La Rocca. It is that massive rock that dominates the city, making even the large Norman cathedral tiny next to it. La Rocca stands 278 m (912 feet) tall. At the top are several ruins from different time periods – the Temple of Diana...
brendareed Says: Near the fortification ruins and the Temple of Diana is a house-like structure that has stones dating back to the 9th century BC. The portal or doorway of this house is made with these massive megalithic stones, most likely found on La Rocca and used later for this...
La Rocca – Byzantine fortification ruins
brendareed Says: I found the fortification ruins to be the most interesting. Along the edge of La Rocca, but not at the higher summit, and overlooking the city of Cefalù, there were just a few remains of the fort where guards would watch over the city. The castellated walls give it a...
La Rocca – 12th century castle ruins
brendareed Says: At the very top of La Rocca (the summit is 278 meters – or 912 feet) are the ruins of a 12th-13th century castle. Realizing that the safest place to put a castle is at the top of the hill, I still have to wonder how the people initially got up there to build it!We climbed up...
brendareed Says: The Temple of Diana is one of the lower structures to be seen on La Rocca. After passing through the gate of the fortifications, you can choose to head straight up to the temple – still a bit of a climb, but not as high up as the castle ruins. If you choose to go to the...
brendareed Says: Walking through Cefalù is a pleasant outing. There are so many things to see and, on a day other than Sunday, shops to visit and eateries to dine at. The Piazza Duomo is the heart of the area with the cathedral standing at the head of it. The narrow streets are cobblestone...
1 Review and 83 Opinions Cefalu Sea Palace is quite a new hotel with gleaming, snazzy interior decor and balconies...
1 Review and 76 Opinions This is a 4 star hotel in a mediterranean style. Located on a little bay about 2 Km from the centre...
Al Porticciolo Ristorante: Great Seafood
jayrule Says: Two Large restaurants about 5 stores apart. Great decor with wood oven for pizzas. The large menu and portions makes swapping and sampling between guests ideal. The set dishes are great: 4 - 5 courses for 20 - 35 Euros. We shared the different ones to get a great selection...
brendareed Says: After climbing La Rocca, we headed to the cathedral. But before that, we decided to grab something to eat. Bar Duomo was right there at the Piazza Duomo and, being a Sunday, was one of the few places open to eat. We each got a slice of pizza and a soda; Hubby naturally went...
RoscoeGregg Says: This is a very nice cafe located on the corner of the Piazza in front of the Duomo. The tables are nicly situated to take in the scene. The cafe and service were very good. It seemed a little less expensive that table service in Rome. There is a nice counter if you wish to...
AL GABBIANO: SEE THE BEACH from your table
MASSSACA Says: A wondeful restaurant with very nice service stuff is the Al Gabbino.We stay there at a evening in March 2010. The menu card is voluminous, elaborate and with a good price level.If you get a place at the big window, you can look outside and see the bay of Cefalú.Dont miss...
brendareed Says: Having driven to Cefalù, we needed to find parking. It was a Sunday afternoon when we arrived and we didn’t have too much trouble finding street parking about 10 minutes away from the main pedestrian section of town. Parking was inexpensive and you aren’t charged for two...
brendareed Says: We drove to Cefalù along the A20, getting off at the nearby exit. There is no exit right at Cefalù so drivers need to be aware that the exit will be several miles before the city; you then have to drive along the narrower coast road – not a bad thing since this very...
Getting from Palermo Airport to Cefalu
PeterWilliamson Says: Train direct from the airport itself to Palermo Centrale and then find a train rattling down the Palermo Messina line (change train). Palermo Centrale doesn't have too many platforms and has displays showing the stops. Cefalu is about 12 stops down the line. The station...
Il Bacco: Vine and Internet Point
EPoodle Says: It is shop selling wine, liquores and oil (mostly).They have good prices and people working there will suggest you sncerely good wine. I was very satisfied with the prices.People are very nice. I bought a Sicilian wine which I tasted in the restaurant. Nero d'Avola - Syrah...
Capriccio Siciliano: Tipical Sicilian Products
EPoodle Says: Capriccio Siciliano is very nice shop ruled by very nice people. You'll find a lot of similar shops in Siciliy, but I'd suggest this one to everyone because I bought very good products with good prices and people that work there were really nice.They give you to taste e.g....
Helpfulness
Should you decide to make the climb up the steep rock that dominates Cefalù, be warned that is not for those that are out of shape or fearful of heights. It is a steep, long uphill climb that begins with deceptive wide steps and becomes a jagged narrow rocky trail. Don’t get me wrong – by all means make the climb if you are able because it is well worth it. Just be aware that many people may not be able to climb all the way to the top. I also would not recommend this with small children – not only is it very steep, but there are multiple areas where a small child could get injured or fall.
Now, if you have decided that you are going to make the climb, come prepared:
Wear sturdy shoes. You don’t need hiking boots, but flip flops or sandals won’t do. I had my standard walking shoes that I wear on all my hikes and they were just fine.
Bring water. Especially on hot days. You will need it. Snacks if you need them would be a good idea.
Bring a camera (but you probably don’t want to lug all your gear with you!). You won’t regret having I with you once you see the views.
We read on the signs that the hike takes 45 minutes up and back. No way – 45 minutes up and that is if you don’t stop to look at everything. Allow a good 2-3 hours minimum for the climb and to enjoy all the structures and sights at the top.
Watch your step while up there! A herd of wild goats roams La Rocca. They are pretty good at keeping out of sight, but not so good at not leaving their droppings all over the trails and rocks.
Most important, take your time and enjoy the workout. You will be rewarded for your efforts by the views…and the gelato when you get back down to town!
Written Dec 18, 2012
Take a Close Look At Some Ancient Ovens
RoscoeGregg Says: When you climb to the top of LaRoca you will pass some very well preserved stone ovens. This same type of oven is still used all over southern Italy to make those excellent pizzas.The flattened dome shape of these ovens are specifically designed to cook food by focusing the...
brendareed Says: One of my favorite parts of La Rocca was the view! It made all that climbing worth it! From the high vantage point, we were treated to views of the city, the mountains, the sea, as well as ancient structures and interesting plant life. It was easy for me to take photos from...
Sponsored Links
On our way to Palermo, we stopped at Cefalù because I was interested in seeing the Norman Cathedral with its magnificent mosaics dating back to the 1100s. After arriving in Cefalù and realizing that...
Cefalù and the Madonie National Park
Cefalù comes from the ancient Greek word for "head": Sicily was itself a Greek colony a couple of thousands years ago. As a matter of fact the position of Cefalù is very easy to detect along the...
As our last day with a car we decided to visit Cefalu before going to our hotel in Palermo and ditching our car. We were told that nobody in their right mind would drive in Palermo. We left Monreale...
I must have seen Cefalu first some 14 years ago, in a photo album about Sicily, my school award for good results. I must have flipped through the pages, but at that time Sicily didn't mean anything to...
A lovely village about 70 km east of Palermo, with a nice center of narrow streets at the foot of "La Rocca".
Build your own Cefalú page
Sponsored Links
Comments