Boasting sweeping views of the Cefalu old town, coastline and the Tyrrhenian Sea, hiking La Rocca di Cefalù is a must do when you visit. We have put together a little guide to help you best prepare, and enjoy your hike up to the best view point in Cefalu. We ventured up during our one week stay early to beat the heat. The views were exceptional, and the hike was moderately challenging but enjoyable. We particularly enjoyed sitting at the walled archaeological site looking down at the Cefalu Cathedral and old town below. While the hike duration wasn’t that long, it had decent incline, and some of the trail was relatively uneven, thus it may not be appropriate for everyone. Read on for some of our tips, and see some of the amazing shots!
Things to know before you hike La Rocca di Cefalù:
- Opening Hours: La Rocca di Cefalu opens at 08:00 am, and has a closing time of 8pm. The last access time is at 6:30pm. These hours may vary in offseason/winter..
- Best time to hike La Rocca? During peak season, we would highly recommend you visit as close to the 8am opening hours as possible for multiple reasons. Firstly, in summer Sicily gets very warm, and can reach over 40degrees during the middle of the day. Even at 8am it is often >25degrees. By starting at 8am you will at least have the coolest part of the day, and have some shelter from the sun until around 9am when it rises above the rock. Secondly, the hike can get busy around mid-morning.
- Cost to access La Rocca di Cefalù: You will have to pay a 5 euro per person fee to access the park and the hike. For children aged 6 to 14, for adults over 65 and for teachers the cost is 2.50 euros.
- How long does the hike to La Rocca di Cefalu take? This will depend on your fitness level. It took us around 15minutes to get to the first view point, and around 45 minutes to reach the top of the rock where the castle ruins were. We then ventured down to the archaeological site, stopped for some photos, and then returned to the town. Overall, the hike took up around 1.5 hours. We would allow 45-60 minutes for the way up, and similar or slightly less on the way down, factoring in some time for photos or drink breaks.
- Footwear considerations! Evey time we do these ‘touristy hikes’ we are amazed at some of the tourists who hike up in sandals, or inappropriate footwear. In particular, we saw someone trying to hike up in wedge heels. The second part of the trail becomes rocky and uneven and we would definitely recommend runners, or even hiking boots.
- Water is a must! There are no water fountains or shops to buy water during the hike. As the temperature rises, it is super important to make sure you are hydrated. Bring enough water with you!
- Facilities: There are no bathroom facilities on the hike, so be prepared. At the archaeological site 2/3 the way up the mountain there are picnic tables and bins. This is a good spot for a lunch or picnic. We stopped here for our drink break as we appreciated the view.
- Respect the surroundings: Any time you’re heading into nature, we urge you to respect the area you’re hiking into. Take your rubbish with you, follow the signs, and generally stick to the safety precautions.
- Where is the best view during the La Rocca di Cefalu hike? There are great views the entire way up, including a view point around 10-15 minutes up, one at the archaeological site, and views at the castle ruins up top. We liked the archaeological site views the best as it overlooks the old town and cathedral.
We hope you found this little guide useful! Check out our blog for more Cefalu, Sicily and Europe guides where we share our experiences, tips and hidden gems!
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