Hotels near Cefalù

Cefalù sits 70 km east of Palermo on the Tyrrhenian coast - a small fishing town with a Norman cathedral that is one of three Sicilian buildings sharing the Arab-Norman UNESCO listing. King Roger II commissioned the Duomo di Cefalù in 1131; the apse mosaic of Christ Pantocrator, completed by 1148, predates and is generally considered superior to the more famous version at Monreale.

The town stretches between the cathedral and a long sandy public beach (La Spiaggia di Cefalù) - a rare combination on the same morning in Sicily. La Rocca, the 270 m limestone headland behind the town, is a 45-minute climb to a ruined Norman castle and panoramic views back over the red roofs and harbour. The 16th-century Lavatoio Medievale stone-vaulted public laundry on Via Vittorio Emanuele is a quirky free stop. Cefalù makes a relaxed day trip from Palermo or a quieter base for two or three nights than the capital.

Pro Tip: Take the 9:00 AM Trenitalia regional train from Palermo Centrale (45 min, 5.60 EUR) to see the cathedral before the 11:00 AM tour buses, then have a long lunch at one of the Lungomare seafood restaurants and stay for an evening swim before the last train back at around 9:30 PM.