We fell in love with Cefalu during our one week stay and have vowed to return. With a well-preserved and beautiful UNESCO old town, Cefalu has so much to offer. The winding streets lead down to the charming harbour and main beach, which provides as much atmosphere as it does photo opportunities.. yes it’s crazy picturesque. The Sicilian food is exceptional, and there’s a lot of places to grab an aperitivo or vino. We have put together 7 of the top things you need to do when you visit Cefalu to help fuel your travel inspiration and plan your stay!
Walk the picturesque old town:
This is a must, and something you’ll definitely do during your stay. We encourage you to get up a little earlier (e.g. before 9am) to beach the crowds and enjoy the town calm and relaxed. It is nice to contrast the old town without many people, and when it is bustling later in the day. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site and it definitely deserves this status! Think beautiful main streets, an impressive main square (and cathedral), a charming harbour and main beach, tiny alleyways and postcard views. We thoroughly enjoyed our strolls around the old town, and this was something we would do every day during out stay!
Enjoy the vibe by the harbour & main beach:
The little Cefalu old town looks like a postcard, and it can be enjoyed sitting on the pier, or the main beach. We spend some time every day during our stay either relaxing on the main beach adjacent to the old town walls, or sitting on the pier playing cards with a vino. The main beach is picturesque umbrellas, music playing from a little hole in the wall bar, and a hum of ‘happy noise’ from beach-goers. Make sure you spend some time here, take some photos, swim in the crystal clear water. It’s a vibe!
Enjoy the Sicilian street food:
One of the best parts of Sicily is the amazing Italian food. We loved the street food, including the freshly made-to-order arancini (head the best ‘made-to-order’ option is from Sfrigola), tasty local deli-made sandwiches (La Cefalu Nostrana), and so many great baked goods like cannoli. You can also get incredible pasta (see Pasta e Pasti – lunch only) and home-cooked Nonna-style food (La Brace). You won’t be disappointed by the food. See our complete guide below for every more recommendations.
Hike to La Rocca di Cefalù (the rock):
The historic rock towers over the Cefalu old town, and is of the best activities to do when in Cefalu. You will be greeted by incredible views of the town and coastline below, so bring your camera. However, bring your walking shoes as it’s a moderate effort, and timing is everything here. If you visit during summer, or even shoulder season, the temperature after around 10-11am can be above 30 degrees, and the hike can become very hot. We recommend you head up as soon as the gates open (8am) or later in the evening before they close (8pm). The hike will take around 1.5-2 hours all up, and is moderate effort. Read more about the hike here.
Get a coffee or beverage and people watch the locals:
The simple act of appreciating a beautiful setting and observing local Sicilians enjoying the moment is definitely worth doing. Head to the main square, or along one of the many open air café’s in the town (e.g. Bar Duomo or Al Caffe). During our stay we would watch the locals converse, in particular, the older Italians and their animated conversations. It’s a beautiful sight and one of our favourite memories.
Shop at the little boutiques and stores in the old town:
The Sicilian stores are very aesthetic. Offering stunning pottery like traditional Sicilian heads, beautiful plates and vases, plus much more. If you’re like us, you’ll want to ship half the store home. Additionally, there’s a multitude of little boutique stores, and even the ‘tourist’ trinket stores seem more aesthetic than normal. We got sucked into some cute little briscola magnets which look great on our fridge at home!
Watch sunset by the harbour:
There are numerous excellent sunset locations, however our favourite spot was to perch on the pier looking back at the old town and beach. The hum of happy locals and tourists alike blended together to create a backdrop to the picturesque setting in front of us. We grabbed a pack of briscola cards, a bottle of cheap local wine from the supermarket, and relaxed until the sun had set… the perfect end to a beach day!
If this guide has got you salivating over Cefalu, then we encourage you to read our full Cefalu guide (see here) which covers these in more depth. We also share further recommendations, food and drink locations, to views, great beaches, and so much more!
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