Cefalu è una pittoresca cittadina in provincia di Palermo, sulla costa settentrionale della Sicilia. Sorge su un promontorio roccioso, un vero e proprio gioiello della natura caratterizzato da spiagge sabbiose, tanto sole e ottimo cibo: tutti elementi che la rendono una delle destinazioni balneari più attraenti d’Italia. Il suo spettacolare scenario, caratterizzato dall’antico porto peschereccio dominato dalla magnifica cattedrale normanna, si adagia sotto la possente Rocca, un’enorme rupe calcarea dalla cui sommità si gode di panorami mozzafiato che si estendono fino a Palermo. Le stradine del suggestivo centro medievale portano alla cattedrale di Piazza del Duomo, una delle chiese più belle della Sicilia. La piazza è circondata da palme, un luogo ideale per una rilassante pausa caffè durante il giorno. Mentre le spiagge, lo shopping e le visite turistiche sono le principali attività da fare durante il giorno, Cefalu è vibrante anche a tarda sera con i suoi tanti ristoranti e bar tra cui scegliere per un’indimenticabile soggiorno.
Located on the northern shores of Sicily between Palermo and Messina is the charming village of Cefalu. Cefalu is renowned not only for its ricotta pastries, gelati artigianali siciliani (handmade Sicilian ice cream) and seafood but also for its one-of-a-kind breathtaking and peculiar Cattedrale and serene beaches and sea waters. The island of Sicily was conquered by the Normans in 1091. According to tradition, Cefalu’s famous cathedral was erected in 1131 as a vow made to the Holy Saviour by the King of Sicily, Roger II, after he escaped a violent storm to land on the city’s beach. Having found this hidden Sicilian treasure and escaping death, Roger II ordered the immediate construction of a magnificent cathedral to manifest eternal gratitude to the people of Cefalu and honor their Sicilian hospitality and generous hearts. The imposing structure and strategic positioning appear to be protecting the entire village. It is one of Sicily’s most prominent cathedrals and certainly an unforgettable visit.
The name “Cefalu'” comes from the Greek “Kefaludion” (head) as in the top, the first, the most important. Today, Cefalu is a very simple fishing hamlet where everyday life is slow and restorative, where children still play soccer in its alleys draped with hanging clothes from balcony to balcony soaking in the Sicilian sun, where an incredible scent of freshly baked pane and ricotta-filled cannoli graciously perfume the air and palm trees intertwine with olive groves. Seafood is abundant and is the staple cuisine all summer in the cucine cefaludesi (in Italian) or cifalutane (in Sicilian).
If you’d like to dig deeper and understand the appeal of this enchanted corner of Sicily, head to the Sanctuary of Gibilmanna, one of the most prominent centers for devotion to the Virgin Mary in all of Sicily. For here, in Cefalu, true magic awaits you.
Photo credit: Francesca Mignosa
