Cefalù, Sicily!

It’s so easy to fall in love with Italy, especially after you’ve been on the beaten paths of the mainland and overdosed on the hustle and bustle of Roma, the canals of Venezia, the Duomo of Milano and the fabulous religious works of Firenze, to name a few Italian highlights.

But come to Sicily, slow down and literally eat and drink in the pleasures the region has to offer. We are so smitten with Sicily that we have returned for a third time in under three years, trips made extra palatable by the small group tour led annually by Chef Gaitano, owner of the Ortygia Restaurant in Bradenton, Florida. This year there are 11 of us on the foodie tour, including Chef.

We are headquartered here it Cefalù for a week on the northern coast of Sicily on the Tyrrhenian Sea about an hour east of Palermo. It was founded by the Greeks, way, way back, let’s say before 400 B.C.

After changing hands through the Western Roman Empire and the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) empire, it was conquered by the Arabs and later, in 1063, captured by the Normans. The town was moved from a relatively inaccessible position to the foot of a large rock (la rocca) by the sea and there began construction of the present Byzantine-style cathedral, known locally as Duomo. Still today, it’s twin towers dominate the little town of 14,000 inhabitants.

Cefalù’s beaches and charm attract a million visitors annually from across Europe. We don’t see many Americans, as they have yet to discover this little gem. And Sicily is filled with little gems, which is why we return. There are many day-trip destinations from here, and we go to several, but first we show you the picture-postcard town of Cefalu.

Cefalù, at the base of La Rocca (the rock) on the Tyrrhenian Sea

Il Duomo, the Norman-era cathedral from the 12th century that dominates Cefalù

The footprint of Cefalù follows the old city walls

The beach in Cefalù is considered one of Sicily’s best, and it is a main summer tourist attraction

A gate through the old city walls, upon which houses are built

Six lookout towers strategically placed at intervals along the coastline of Cefalù facilitated messaging in quick time in days of yore. Long before texting.

 

Another view of il Duomo and il Rocco

There is no escaping il Duomo

Piazza del Duomo, the center of the Old Town

Outside il Duomo

Not the easiest cobblestones to negotiate on our walk around the medieval section of town

Cars, scooters, little trucks and pedestrians use the narrow streets, at your peril!

 

 

 

Frutta vendors are ubiquitous in Sicily, moving through the narrow streets selling their produce to the inhabitants who come down from their homes above the streets to buy the freshest fruits and vegetables

The fresh fruits and vegetables in Sicily are abundant and delicious, and naturally ripened

Sicilians like their marzipan, too!

Nothing like a nice pair of Italian shoes

As we discovered in other years, The Godfather movie is still a hit in Sicily

A good way to view Cefalù is from the sea, and we enjoyed a picnic on our “three-hour tour” along the seacoast. Chef Gaetano with Tom.

Christian, our fellow traveler, took a dip in the Tyrrhenian Sea when we were at anchor

Disembarking our three-hour tour, having never lost our way, as did another three-hour tour starring Gilligan