Oh, Cefalù. It’s been months since we saw you but I can still feel your magic. We have been fortunate to see so many of the great sites of Italy, larger cities and smaller ones, but none really compare to the little town of Cefalù on the northern coast of Sicily, about an hour’s drive from Palermo.
We stayed a little outside of the city center at Hotel Le Callete which is only a 15-minute walk from town (highly recommend!). We wandered into the old town around the golden hour (my favorite time of day). Little did we know what awaited us. It was that perfect span of time when the Italian sun sets and creates an imaginative glow over everything it touches. Every corner we turned, it was hard to not want to stop and take a picture with our eyes and keep it ingrained in our memory banks. Italy (especially Sicily) “is a beautiful dream that keeps returning for the rest of your life.” It’s true. But the dream that will return before all others is the moment we rounded the corner and made our way to the beach and down the little pier, taking a look back at this quaint little fishing village, the orange glow of the buildings reflecting off the water. I will forever remember this little moment in time. I remember thinking, “Is this place real or a dream?” “Where are we?” I almost felt the need to pinch myself but when I looked around I realized this IS a real place with real people who call it home. A few teenagers were still soaking up the last of the sun on the beach, kids were playing in the water and a few boats were making their way back to shore. This little dream called Cefalù is a community living their everyday life.
As we continued to explore, we walked towards the Duomo di Cefalù (It is one of the seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Italy), and I realized we were witnessing and sharing a beautiful “passeggiata”. I had always appreciated the Italian tradition of la passeggiata but this one was extra special. The air smelled of citrus, groups of older men in animated conversation were embracing each other and people of all ages were playing in the piazza. Time had slowed down, life was happening all around us and it was a beautiful thing, one that we often take for granted (Now you know how this site got its’ name). 🙂 Our time in Cefalù was a reminder “to live la passeggiata” where ever we are. And hopefully one day soon, you too can experience the magic of dreamy Cefalù. If you do, here are some of our recommendations:
Places to Stay:
Places to Eat:
- La Brace Ristorante
- Bar Duomo (For cannolo e gelato!)
- Le Chat Noir
- Cortile Pepe
- Al Porticciolo
