Cefalu: Sicilian Charm in the Off- Season

(February 12-16, 2025)

On the northeast coast of Sicily, an hour by car from Palermo, is scenic Cefalu. We traveled there by train from Taormina and stayed for four nights at the Sunset Hotel. The hotel had beautiful views of the sea and was an easy 10 minute walk into town. The waterfront path goes in two directions from there and we enjoyed long peaceful walks along the sea with stunning views in both directions. The weather was pleasant for strolling, while still a bit early for swimming. February is definitely not tourist season; some businesses are closed, but we enjoyed experiencing the local life of this former fishing village. Fishermen still supply the local restaurants, but the working harbor is now located further down the coast (the other side of the Rock.)

Scenes of Cefalu’s Sea Walk with the village at the foot of “La Rocca”

Sites to See in Cefalu

The Museo Madralisca is Cefalu’s only museum. It is housed in a former nobleman’s townhouse and has a funky collection of “stuff.” The house itself is worth a walk-through and the shell and coin collections are pretty amazing. The museum’s biggest claim to fame is the painting “Portrait of a Man ” by Antonello da Messina (1465).

Film buffs should take note that the 1990’s “Cinema Paradiso” was filmed in Cefalu and tells the story of a village boy turned filmmaker. The photos below show the house pictured in the film, now a bed and breakfast, and the fishing pier, where movies were projected on the brick wall in the movie’s final scene.

Below are more scenes of Cefalu’s fishing pier and the town.

The Cathedral

The two towers of Cefalu’s Cathedral (Duomo) are visible from a distance. The cathedral’s story is one of religion and politics. During the Norman occupation in the 12th century, King Roger II’s ship ran aground off Cefalu. He survived the wreck and vowed to have a church built in gratitude. The political part is that he wanted to move the capital of Sicily to Cefalu in order to lessen the power of Palermo. He died before he could accomplish the move or see the completion of the cathedral almost 100 years later. The story explains why a small fishing village can boast such a remarkable structure. Both Byzantine and Arabic influences can be observed, but much of the interior remains simple and unfinished. The stained glass windows were completed in 2013 and they created some controversy due to their contemporary look. I personally enjoyed the history and eclectic nature of the Cathedral. The Piazza del Duomo in front of the cathedral is a delightful place to enjoy coffee and snacks in the sunshine.

Cefalu’s sites can be seen in a day or two. If it’s good beach weather you may want to stay longer. The beach is long and the sand is clean and golden. The beach scenes in Season 2 of “The White Lotus” were filmed here. We enjoyed a cocktail in the sunshine at one of the seaside bars.

We stayed in Cefalu for four nights and enjoyed long slow walks along the water and through town. Leisurely coffee breaks, long lunches, siestas, and card games in the evenings enhanced our enjoyment of small town Sicily in the off-season. The local people were cheerful and welcoming and the food and wine were beyond good. We had wonderful meals at 22 Cucina Isolana, Trattoria Mandralisca, and Cortile Pepe in the city center.

Being in Cefalu in February gave us the opportunity to experience the local life without many other tourists. We exchanged greetings with residents on our walks along the sea. Shopkeepers were happy to chat whether we were buying or not. Getting a table for lunch or dinner was never a problem and the chefs proudly cooked for us. Fresh pasta really does taste better!

I imagine this place a lot livelier in the summer, but if you want a slow paced Sicilian experience, I recommend Cefalu in late February.

After our relaxing stay in Cefalu, we were off to Agrigento on the southern coast to experience the Valley of the Temples. We traveled on a Sunday and the train schedule was limited, so we splurged by hiring a driver to take us there. The ride through the Sicilian countryside was beautiful. We arrived in Agrigento around 11:00 am which gave us time to check into our lodging, get lunch and tour the Greek temples in the afternoon. Watch for my next article about Agrigento.

Thank you for reading and happy travels. Ciao.

Geri