How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Cefalù, Sicily

Relax on the beach, explore the picturesque medieval town, visit one of Sicily’s most important churches, and hike to the top of Cefalù Rock for panoramic views over the city and coastline…these all top the list of things to do in Cefalù.

Cefalù is a gorgeous seaside town. With its picturesque setting next to a long stretch of golden sand and a stunning mountainous backdrop, it’s one of Sicily’s prettiest cities.

We loved this city, as there is a wonderful mix of things to do here. Those who are active and adventurous can hike to the top of Rocca di Cefalù for the views. For those who want to simply relax, this is a great place to spend a few hours on the beach. And the old town, with its maze of beautiful streets, historical sites, and fantastic cafes and restaurants, is very fun to explore.

Spend a few days in Cefalù, day trip here from Taormina or Palermo, or do what we did, and visit Cefalù on the drive between Palermo and Cefalù.

Here’s everything you need to know to plan the perfect trip to Cefalù.

Where is Cefalù?

Cefalù is located on the north coast of Sicily, about 70 km east of Palermo. This city sits on the Tyrrhenian Sea and has a very wide beach, one of the big draws for tourists.

With its location in between Palermo and Taormina, it is a popular day trip destination from each of these cities.

Aerial view of Cefalù and Cefalù Rock | shutterstock.com

Best Things to Do in Cefalù

Hike to the Top of Rocca di Cefalù (Cefalù Rock)

Rocca di Cefalù is the giant, rocky hill that forms the dramatic backdrop of Cefalù. Hiking to the top of this hill is one of the best things to do in Cefalù. Not only are the views breathtaking but you get to see the remains of several ancient temples.

Entrance & Fee to Visit Rocca di Cefalù

The hiking trail and temples are located in a park (Parco della Rocca di Cefalù). There is a fee to enter this park (€5), which is paid at the ticket booth. This ticket booth is located on Via Pitrè, on the east side of town. On Google Maps, the entrance is labeled ‘Parco della Rocca di Cefalù.’

Entrance into the park

The ticket booth and snack bar at the entrance to the park

Since this is a park with an entrance gate, it is not open 24 hours. The park opens at 8 am and closes at 5 pm (last entrance at 3 pm) in the winter and 7 pm (last entrance at 5:30 pm) in the summer. Get updated hours and pricing here.

There is a small shop inside of the entrance gate that sells cold drinks, smoothies, and snacks. There are also bathrooms here.

PRO TRAVEL TIP: There is a sign at the entrance stating that you must wear closed-toe shoes. Sandals, flip flops, and other open-toed shoes are not allowed and they do check your footwear before allowing you on the trail.

Hiking Rocca di Cefalù

From the entrance to the top of Cefalù Rock, it is a 1 km/0.6 mile uphill walk. The first part of this walk will be on stone paths, with quite a few steps thrown in here and there. As you work your way up the hill, there are a few viewpoints and a few benches, should you need to sit and catch your breath.

Roughly a third of the way up the trail, you’ll reach a trail split. Follow signs to go to the castle first and then visit the temples on the walk down. Beyond the first trail split, the path changes to a dirt path and winds its way up the remainder of the hillside.

PRO TRAVEL TIP: This trail is almost completely exposed to the sun. It can be hot, even in the mornings. This is a hike that is best done first thing in the day, to avoid the midday heat and sun. Don’t forget your sunscreen and water!

The castle (Castello di Cefalù) sits at the highest point. There is not much left of the castle, other than a few walls and structures. Take a few minutes to explore the area. There are several great viewpoints up here, looking in different directions along the coast.

Castello di Cefalù

On the walk down, take the detour to the Temple of Diana (Tempio di Diana). There are signs indicating these trail splits.

The Temple of Diana is a Megalithic building thought to date back to the 9^th or 8^th century BC.

Temple of Diana

Inside the Temple of Diana

From the temple, it is a short walk over to the stone walls. This is well worth the detour, as the views over Cefalù are amazing. These stone walls run several hundred meters along the edge of Cefalù Rock.

The view of Cefalù from the medieval walls

The path along the walls gradually heads downhill. We were hoping they’d connect to a street in town but nope, this is a dead end. There’s no real need to walk the full length of the walls, since the views don’t change that much. Go as far as you like, then turn around, walk back to the Temple of Diana, and then continue on the paths back to the entrance.

Another view from the walls

As you walk down from the Temple of Diana, you will walk by another archaeological site, then the path rejoins the steps, and soon you will be back at the entrance. This is the perfect time to sit in the shade and drink a cool drink before heading into town.

How Long Does it Take?

This takes 1 to 2.5 hours, depending on how fast you walk and how much you choose to explore on Rocca di Cefalù.

We walked 3.2 km/2 miles total, taking us just over one hour, but we move fast. This included all the detours listed above and walking the full length of the walls.

Cefalù Rock Hiking Stats & Elevation Profile

Below are the stats for the hike to the castle, the Temple of Diana, walking the full length of the medieval walls, and returning to the entrance.

Distance: 2.65 km (1.65 miles) for the entire hike
Total Ascent: 287 meters (862 feet)
Lowest Elevation: 68 meters (223 feet)
Highest Elevation: 274 meters (900 feet)
Time: 1 to 2 hours 30 minutes

Explore the Medieval Old Town

The old town of Cefalù is a delight to explore. It’s small, it’s compact, and its streets are lovely. Wandering these streets is Cefalù’s #1 experience. This is the perfect place to put down your map and go exploring, but if you need a little direction, here are a few streets and landmarks not to be missed.

Corso Ruggero is the main thoroughfare through the old town. It is lined with cafes, restaurants, and a few historical buildings. There are also quite a few boutique shops, making this one of the best towns to visit in Sicily if you like to go shopping.

Osterio Magno is a fortified palace that sits on Corso Ruggero. The ticket to the Cathedral includes a visit here.

Via Carlo Ortolani di Bordonaro and Via Vittorio Emanuele are main streets that run along the outer perimeters of the old town. It’s also worth exploring the tiny side streets that run through the heart of town.

Via Carlo Ortolani di Bordonaro

Piazza Garibaldi, with its colorful buildings, is also a very pretty spot to visit and photograph in Cefalù.

Piazza Garibaldi

Piazza del Duomo

This is the large square that sits in front of the Cathedral of Cefalù. It is lined with shops and restaurants and is a busy spot midday. This is the perfect place to take a photo of the cathedral with Cefalù Rock in the background.

Piazza del Duomo and the Cathedral of Cefalù

Visit the Cathedral of Cefalù

The Cathedral of Cefalù is one of Sicily’s most important religious sites. It is one of the nine buildings listed on the Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monreale UNESCO World Heritage Site (most of these buildings are located in and around Palermo).

The cathedral dates back to 1131. There are a few Byzantine mosaics, with the Pantocrator in the apse being the most notable.

The Pantocrator

On a visit here, you can go inside the church for free. A paid ticket allows you to see and do more. Climb the towers, get an up-close view of the mosaics, see the cloister, and/or walk the rooftop terraces.

We did the Red Itinerary, which is the full tour. This tour includes the rooftop terraces, the two towers, the sacristy, the Episcopal Chapel, and the Canons’ Cloister.

We love tower climbs and walking the rooftop terraces of churches, but this one was just OK. There is a mesh net over the windows of the towers, which gets in the way of taking photos. And the view from the terrace is over a small portion of town and the side of Cefalù Rock, not the most exciting view.

For us, the highlight was seeing the amazing mosaics in the apse. The cloister is also nice, but there are better ones in Sicily (at the Monreale Cathedral, the cloister is beautiful).

If you choose to visit the rooftop, you also get a view looking into the nave, which is one of the highlights.

The view from the tower (iPhone photo)

The cloister

PLAN YOUR VISIT: There are several ticket types (called itineraries) that you can see on the official website. The official website has hours, pricing, and the link to purchase your tickets in advance (a good idea to avoid the ticket line).

Explore the Coastal Rocks

Lining the north side of town is a rugged, rocky coastline. This is a picturesque spot, with views of the old town and the buildings built on top of the ancient defensive walls that once protected the city. This is free to do.

The easiest place to get a view of the coastline is from Bastione di Capo Marchiafava.

If you want to get down onto the rocks, from Corso Ruggero, turn right onto Via Porpora. Walk about one minute and look for a tunnel between the buildings on the left side of the road. There is a staircase here that leads onto the rocks.

Piazza Marina & Spiaggia del Porto Vecchio

Spiaggia del Porto Vecchio is a tiny beach that sits right next to the old town. Piazza Marina is the square here that overlooks the beach. Walk out onto the Old Pier for a great view of the tiny beach, the medieval town, and Cefalù Rock.

For another unique view of the beach, Porta Pescara is a passageway from the town onto the beach.

Spiaggia di Cefalù

This long, golden beach is the perfect place to spend a few hours (or a full day, if you have that kind of time). White Lotus fans will recognize this beach, as it was used as the filming location for the hotel’s beach.

Numerous beach clubs line Spiaggia di Cefalù but if you get here early enough, you can stake your spot in the sand at one of the free, public areas. You can also go snorkeling, paddleboarding, or sea kayaking.

Dine in Cefalù’s Best Restaurants

We had lunch at Triscele Restaurant, which is located on Via Umberto I°. When the weather is nice, have a seat on their outdoor patio and do a little people watching as you dine at one of Cefalù’s best restaurants. Inside, tables sit in cavelike setting.

This restaurant serves traditional Sicilian cuisine. We had the octopus, the beef tartare, ravioli, and pasta with red prawns and trout eggs and everything was wonderful. Prices here are on the expensive side, but if you want a Michelin-like experience, look no further. This restaurant is open for lunch and dinner.

Since we were in Cefalù just for the day, we only had time to eat at one restaurant. Brama Restaurant was also high on our list. It also gets excellent reviews and serves Sicilian cuisine.

For seaside views, Bastione & Costanza has a small outdoor seating area that overlooks the rocky coast and megalithic walls.

Dokeio is a rooftop lounge bar with beautiful views of the city and Cefalù Rock.

22 Cucina Isolana and Enoteca La Cave are two restaurants open for dinner that get rave reviews.

Museo Mandralisca

This museum, a small art museum that is located inside of old fisherman’s house, comes up on a lot of lists. ‘Portrait of an Unknown Man’ by Antonello da Messina is the museum’s most famous work of art. We didn’t visit this museum but for art aficionados, it could be worth the visit.

Italy Travel Guide

See all of our articles

Map of Cefalù

How to Use This Map: Click the tab in the top left corner of the map to see a list of the points of interest and to turn layers on/off. Click the icons on the map to get more information about each point of interest.

To take this map with you, click the star next to the title of the map which adds it to your Google account. Next, within your Google Maps app, select ‘Saved’ and then select ‘Maps’. This map title will now appear in your list.

How to Get to Cefalù

You can get to Cefalù by train, by car, and on a day trip tour from Palermo or Taormina.

By Train

From Palermo, direct trains take about 50 minutes, with trains leaving frequently throughout the day. From Taormina, you are looking at a 3-to-4-hour journey, with one transfer in Messina. From Catania, it takes 4 to 5 hours to travel to Cefalù, with a transfer in Messina.

The Cefalù train station is located a short distance outside of the old town. From the train station, it is a 10-minute walk to the start of the Rocca di Cefalù hike and a 12-minute walk to Piazza del Duomo.

By Car

We visited Cefalù as part of a bigger road trip through Sicily. Our day started in Palermo, we drove to Cefalù and spent the day here, and then continued on to the Etna wine region.

Since we had luggage in our car, we were concerned about theft, so Tim spent a lot of time researching ‘safe’ parking lots in Cefalù. We parked at Parking Historical Center Dafne Cefalù (Parcheggio Centro Storico Dafne Cefalù on Google Maps), which is located between the train station and old town. It’s a relatively secure lot and our luggage was safe and sound (we never had any issues in Sicily, but Tim did a huge amount of research for each town and where to park).

PRO TRAVEL TIP: Rent a car or SUV that is large enough to hold all of your luggage. If you leave any bags in view on the backseats, you are a bigger target for theft. Tim would back into a parking space, with the back end of the car almost up against the wall/fence/tree, so that back door could not be opened. This helps prevent car theft while traveling, which can be an issue in Sicily.

Here are driving distances and times from other destinations in Sicily:

Palermo: 70 km, 1 hour 10 minutes
Taormina: 215 km, 2 hours 30 minutes
Catania: 180 km, 2 hours 15 minutes
Messina: 165 km, 2 hours

By Tour

From Palermo, this day trip tour includes Cefalù and Monreale. Monreale is famous for its amazing cathedral, definitely a sight to see in Sicily.

If you are traveling from Taormina to Palermo, you can make a stopover in Cefalù on this tour.

How Much Time Do You Need in Cefalù?

To see the highlights (Cefalù Rock, the cathedral, explore the old town, and sit down to lunch or dinner), you need about 6 hours. If you want more time to relax on the beach, plan on spending at least one day and night in Cefalù.

Cefalù is one of our favorite towns in Sicily. We only spent about 6 hours here, but I think it would be a wonderful place to spend a few nights. With lots of great restaurants and places to stay, plus the ability to day trip from Cefalù to some of Sicily’s top destinations (Taormina, Palermo, Mount Etna, and the Valley of the Temples), Cefalù makes a great home base. It’s not as chaotic as Palermo or as busy and touristy as Taormina.

How to Spend One Day in Cefalù

If you only have one day in Cefalù, here’s how to plan your day.

Arrive early, ideally around 8 am. If you have a car, there will be plenty of parking. If you plan to hike up to the top of Cefalù Rock, the park opens at 8 am. This is the earliest you can hike, and if you are here from May through October, when the weather is warm, getting an early start avoids the hot temperatures and blazing midday sun.

From mid-morning through mid-afternoon, explore the old town. Wander the streets, visit the cathedral, have lunch, and go shopping. If you are doing well on time and the weather is warm, spend a few hours on the beach before moving on to your next destination.

If you plan to do the hike, visit the beach, stroll through the historic area, and sit down to a nice lunch or dinner, you may need several changes of clothes and shoes. The cathedral requests that you cover your knees and shoulders, so keep this in mind when choosing your clothing for the day. We changed our clothes and shoes at our car after the hike.

Where to Stay in Cefalù

Abelia Sea Suites has an unbeatable location overlooking Cefalù Beach and just a few steps from the old town. It gets exceptional reviews and some rooms have a balcony with a sea view.

Salemare Rooms & Suites also gets exceptional reviews, has a similar location near the beach, and offers rooms with a sea view.

Dalì al Mare is a small, 3-star property in the old town that gets excellent reviews.

If you prefer an apartment, take a look at Terrazza Roberto (two-bedroom apartment overlooking the sea) or Meravigghia Suites (excellent location in the heart of the old town and a near perfect review score).

Calanica Resort is a beachfront resort that has a private beach. All rooms are bungalows, some with a sea view. It also has an outdoor pool and restaurant. It is located about 5 km from the Cefalù old town.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Cefalù known for?

Cefalù is known for its stunning beaches, charming medieval old town, and the famous Cefalù Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring impressive Norman architecture and mosaics. It was also a filming location for season 2 of the HBO series White Lotus. The Cefalù beach was used as the hotel beach and you frequently see aerial and land shots of Cefalù throughout the series.

Is Cefalù Worth It?

Cefalù is one of Sicily’s prettiest cities. With its oceanfront location, medieval old town, long, golden sand beach, excellent restaurants and shops, and hilltop castle, there’s something here for everyone. This is one of our favorite towns in Sicily and a must-see on a visit here.

If you have any questions about the best things to do in Cefalù or how to plan a trip here, let us know in the comment section below.

More Information for Your Trip to Sicily

We have TONS more information about Italy in our Italy Travel Guide, including Rome, Florence, Venice, Tuscany, the Dolomites, the Amalfi Coast, the Cinque Terre, Basilicata, and Puglia.