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Italy is one of those countries that no matter how hard I try to take a break from it, I keep getting drawn back like a bee by honey.
With 50 Italian cities in, 13 of the 20 regions visited and all the country’s top tourist destinations ticked off, I could theoretically hang up the boots and spend my summers elsewhere… if only my next favorite seaside holiday wasn’t just an €18 Ryanair flight.
This summer I flew to Sicily again for more ricotta-filled cannoli, afternoons of lounging on a sunbed at a local lido, and cheeky early evening spritzes, but little did I know I wouldn’t find paradise in the bustling streets and chaotic fish markets of Palermo…
But in a charming town just an hour away, where everyday life actually feels slower and more deliberate prices are cheaper than what you would think.
Italy: as it was meant to be experienced
Cefalù is a small coastal town in northern Sicily that, all these trips to Italy later, makes me feel like my Mediterranean summer prayers have finally been answered.
It’s not exactly an undeveloped city that’s even difficult to get to due to the complete absence of public transport, or where you can order from the local osteria as the locals only speak their heavily influenced version of a Sicilian dialect.
I speak Italian, but Sicilian? That’s still a few sleeves awayas they say… another maniche maneuver.
It may not be the first destination that Americans think of when planning their trip to Italy, but it is actually quite popular in the realm of travel planning in Sicily, so trust me, the tourists are there, especially the retired French and occasional Spanish tour groups that make that one-day trip from Palermo.
Nowhere in Italy is truly undiscovered these days.
At the same time, Cefalù feels a little less swamped than the average Italian gong show in a summer seaside resort, and a little more… welcoming.
Personally, I think this is due to the sheer size of the coastline, which reduces the crowds along the main beach, the relaxed atmosphereand the fact that it has never fully surrendered to tourism.
Coastal charm and none of the chaos in Palermo
The first thing I noticed when I rode the train from Palermo to Cefalù was how clean it felt in comparison. Listen, I love Sicily and southern Italy as a whole, but there’s no doubt that it can be an assault on the senses at times.
Not to mention dirty and with a permanent stench of sun-dried fish coming from the markets.
Cefalù feels nothing like an average, chaotic Sicilian center.
The streets tend to have no potholes, no piles of garbage festering in a corner, traffic in the city center is limited as only residents or those with special permits are allowed to take cars into the old town, and in general the pace of life is much less… ahem, oppressive.
If you’re a little surprised by the absolute madness of Palermo, and want to escape the chaos of the big city, Cefalù is the obvious choice.
A Mediterranean fairytale scene
The second thing that caught my attention, and perhaps made me swoon a little, is how breathtakingly beautiful this city is.
I mean, every Italian city in the history of ever will tick the same boxes, albeit with a little variation here and there. By that I mean they will have the cobbled alleys, the pastel facades (with the classic weathered shutters of course) and a ‘Duomo’ square dominated by a towering cathedral.
Cefalù is no different, though there is a twist.
It actually sits on the edge of a bay, backed by a towering rock massif, and the town itself is practically wedged between the cliff face and the turquoise Mediterranean Sea.
Rather than stretching inland in a dense conglomeration of buildings and narrow vias with seemingly no end, it has no choice but to sprawl across the coastline, with the mansions grouped around a small harbor like a postcard coming to life.
Are a pocket-sized, sun-drenched, Mediterranean fairytale sceneand one you won’t get over anytime soon.
Wondering how safe Italy is to visit right now? The answer is very simple: the country scores 91 out of 100 on the Traveler Safety Index, based on reports from recent visitors themselves:
Nicest old part of Sicily?
With its Norman towers rising high above the red-tiled roofs of the old town, Cefalù Cathedral is the clear landmark in the city. Built in the 12th century with impressive Byzantine mosaics, right at the foot of La Rocca, the massif that dominates the skyline, it really doesn’t get half the praise it deserves.
Granted, it’s not as ornate as Monreale’s, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, nor as grandiose in scale as Palermo’s, but something about its minimalist, solemn interior, with the golden Christ Pantocrator mosaic behind the altar, makes it that much more striking.
What they don’t tell you is that the best arancina in town (that’s singular for arancini) is right next to the Duomo Cefalù cathedral, a pasticceria known for its signature Taiano: slow-cooked beef, fried eggplant, fresh basil and pecorino, all wrapped in a fried rice shell.
Can you still keep a local secret?
Al Caffè, on the descent that leads from the train station to the port, is where the residents of Cefalù go for a bichierino coffee in the morningand those heavenly pistachio paste filled croissants that almost explode in your mouth with the first bite.
Foodie recommendations aside, be sure to take some time to explore Cefalù’s Old Town: it’s probably the main reason I fell in love with this place.
Between the medieval streets, all lined with artisan cafes and boutiques, and the Lavatoio Medievale, one of Europe’s last remaining medieval laundries still active, built around a natural stream, it will surely steal your heart too.
This is how you spend summers in Italy
Now you can’t visit Cefalù without taking it easy and spending a long afternoon idly on the beach, without much to do.
There are two beaches in the town, both blessed with soft gray sand and surrounded by blue-green seas. The longest, which runs as much as a mile, Spiaggia di Cefalu here you will find all the parasols, beach bars and lidos.
Lido, if you don’t know, is the Italian equivalent of a beach club, where you pay around $20-30 for an umbrella and lounge chair, and spend the whole day basking in the warm suncrossword puzzles in your newspaper.
If that’s your vibe, and you like being just a few steps away from that Aperol and… fritto misto Order when the post-swim munchies hit, I can recommend Lido Poseidon, closest to the old town. Prices are quite modest, and renting a sun lounger for a day, even in high season, will cost you only $15-20.
Cefalù, and Sicily as a whole, is still a bargain today, despite all its problems White Lotus effect.
The second beach, and perhaps my favorite, is a small sandy cove next to the jetty, backdropped by wall-to-wall stone houses right on the water. This is more of a first come, first serve, sunset swim and people watch kind of place. The classic Cefalù postcard photo.
Oh, and if you don’t feel like lying on the beach because you’ll be walking through the city later, there’s always the jetty.
Outside the city, the wilder beaches of Mazzaforno and Settefrati offer crystal clear waters and fewer crowds than the walkable swimming spots, but if you’re heading there under the blazing Sicilian sun, you’ll want to slather on your sunscreen and wear comfortable shoes.
Make sure you do this before you fly to Europe this season familiarize yourself with the continent’s new travel rulesincluding mandatory fingerprinting that Americans are expected to agree to.
The easiest way to avoid those infamous boarding problems is to perform a little destination check via the Entry Requirement Checker.
More than just a day out
Cefalù is not something you rush through, although many will still consider it a day in Palermo. Again, after all, it’s less than an hour away by train, and tickets cost a flat rate of $10-15.
The real tea is Allow Cefalù to work slowly under your skin.
I’m not saying you should stay all week, but if you feel like wandering aimlessly, sampling different trattorias and doing absolutely nothing in between swims without feeling like you’re just checking items off a bucket list, then stick around for a long weekend.
This isn’t a stopover: it’s a delay, and it gets better the less you try to rush.
