The Greek name sounds very similar to the Italian name, though the Italian seems more Sicilian.
Cefalù is only 70 kilometers far from the main city and one of the most touristic places on the north coast of Sicily. I remember the place as the summer retreat for many ‘Palermitani’. And of course the place for holidays, beaching, night-life.
When I was in Palermo for just two days one day I wanted to visit Cefalù and driving along the coast. The views one gets from this side on Palermo are spectacular.
History is long for this little city. Because of the incredible position on a top of a hill just overlooking the sea it had already a population long time before out time. It eventually became Greek during the Hellenic period of Sicily but was not mentioned at all. Maybe it was just a fortress then. Romans came and the Byzantine domination changed later into the Arab Emirate of Sicily. Before being part of the Kingdom of Italy it was n possession of the Bishops of Cefalù.
It was Roger II of the Normans who started to built the city on the hill’s foot. It was him to construct the cathedral of Cefalù. The upper town was almost inaccessible.
The Greek name ‘Kefalidis’ means ‘head’ as the place of the town was on the ‘head of a mountain’.
The main sight to visit in the cathedral. Unfortunately it was closed over lunchtime and would not open before 4 pm. But we had to leave as we had our ferryboat in the early evening to return on the mainland.
We found a good parking place just in the center of the city and walked around. As it was lunch time we found a tiny restaurant just in one of the side streets. It looked cozy inside and even some people were sitting on tables out in the street. Obviously tourists from Northern countries, we found it too cold.
We had a wonderful lunch, fish and veggies and all paleo. That’s what I love in Italy: there is always a good choice of meals without flour/sugar/dairy. But non the last I always ask to be really sure.
Later we had a walk through the narrow lanes and finding not too far away the cathedral in an open piazza.
‘Of course’ the cathedral was closed so we had a cappuccino sitting in the sun outside (in the sun it was OK). I loved the view of the cathedral, with high pointed arches and windows. Very Norman though. I was very intrigued by the date palm. It was not too often I have seen it in Sicily and wondered if it is not a common tree also here as it is very near to Northern Africa and for sure the climate very similar.
We left in the early afternoon in order to catch our ferryboat. On the way back we bought some broccoli and fresh fennel to bring them home. We had a wonderful sunny day along the coast from Palermo to Cefalù and I am glad we could have a day like this right to the end of our Sicily holidays.
If you come in summer be prepared to have a lot more people around than we had in winter!
Cefalù, Sicily/Italy:
For further information:
Website about Sicily
