Italy is one of those countries that no matter how hard I try to take a break from, I keep getting drawn back like bees to honey.
50 Italian cities in, 13 out of 20 regions visited, and all of the country’s mainline tourist destinations ticked off, I could in theory, you know, hang the boots up and go spend my summers elsewhere… if only my next favorite coastal getaway weren’t just an €18 Ryanair flight away.
This summer, I flew out to Sicily again for more ricotta-stuffed cannoli, afternoons of complete idle lounging on a sunbed in a local lido, and cheeky early-evening spritzes, but little did I know I’d find paradise not in Palermo’s bustling streets and chaotic fish markets…
But in a charming small town only an hour away, where daily living feels actually slower-paced, more intentional, and prices are cheaper than what you might think.
Italy: The Way It’s Meant To Be Experienced
Cefalù is a small coastal town in northern Sicily that, all of these Italy trips later, feels like my Mediterranean summer prayers finally answered.
It’s not exactly some undeveloped town where you’d struggle to even get to due to the complete absence of public transport, or place an order at the local osteria ’cause locals only speak their strongly-affected version of a Sicilian dialect.
I can speak Italian, but Sicilian? That’s another pair of sleeves, as they say… un altro paio di maniche.
It may not be the first destination Americans think of when they plan their trip to Italy, but it’s actually quite popular within the realm of Sicily travel planning, so trust me, the tourists are there, particularly the retired French and occasional Spanish tour group taking that one-day trip out of Palermo.
Nowhere in Italy is truly undiscovered these days.
At the same time, Cefalù feels a touch less overrun than your average Italian summer beach town gongshow, and somewhat more… welcoming.
Personally, I believe it’s due to the sheer size of its coastline, which helps even out crowding along the main beach, the laid-back atmosphere, and the fact that it’s never fully given itself over to tourism.
Coastal Charm & None Of The Palermo Chaos
The first thing that stood out to me when pulling up to Cefalù on the train from Palermo was how clean it felt in comparison. Listen, I love Sicily and Southern Italy as a whole, but there’s no question it can be something akin to an attack on the senses at times.
Not to say dirty and with a permanent stench of sun-dried fish emanating from the markets.
Cefalù feels nothing like your average, chaotic Sicilian hub.
The streets don’t typically have potholes, no mounting piles of garbage festering in a corner, traffic in the city center is limited as only residents or those with a special permit are allowed to take cars into the Old Town, and overall, the pace of life is far less… ahem, oppressive.
If you got a bit taken aback by the absolute madness that is Palermo, and you’re looking to catch a break from the big city chaos, Cefalù is the obvious choice.
A Mediterranean Fairytale Scene
The second thing that caught my attention, and maybe instantly made me swoon a little, is how drop-dead gorgeous this town is.
I mean, every Italian town in the History of ever will tick the same boxes, albeit with a slight variation hither and thither. By that I mean, they will have the cobblestone alleys, the pastel-hue facades (with the classic weathered shutters, of course), and a ‘Duomo’ square dominated by a soaring cathedral.
Cefalù is no different, but there’s a twist.
It actually sits on the edge of a bay, backed by a towering rock massif, and the town itself is practically squeezed between the face of the rock and the turquoise Mediterranean.
Instead of sprawling inland in a dense conglomerate of buildings and narrow vias with seemingly no end, it has no option but to straddle the shoreline, with the townhouses clustered around a tiny harbor as a postcard come to life.
It’s a pocket-sized, sun-drenched, Mediterranean fairytale scene, and one you won’t be able to get over anytime soon.
Wondering how safe Italy is to visit right now? The answer is very: the country scores 91 out of 100 on the Traveler Safety Index, based off of reports by recent visitors themselves:
Cutest Old Town Area In Sicily?
With its Norman towers rising high above the red-tiled roofs of the Old Town, Cefalù Cathedral is the clear landmark in town. Built in the 12th century with impressive Byzantine mosaics, right at the foot of La Rocca, the massif that dominates the skyline, it truly doesn’t get half the praise it deserves.
Granted, it’s not as ornate as the UNESCO-listed one over in Monreale, nor as grandiose in scale as Palermo’s, but something about the minimalist, solemn interior, with the gold Christ Pantocrator mosaic behind the altar, makes it that much more striking.
Now, what they don’t tell you is that the best arancina in town (that’s just singular for arancini), is just next to the cathedral at Duomo Cefalù, a pasticceria known for its signature Taiano: slow-cooked beef, fried aubergines, fresh basil and pecorino all wrapped up in a deep-fried rice shell.
Can you keep another local secret?
Al Caffè, on the downhill road that leads from the train station to the port, is where Cefalù natives go themselves for a bicchierino of coffee in the morn, and those heavenly pistacchio paste-filled croissants that practically explode in your mouth at the first bite.
Foodie recommendations aside, definitely take your time exploring Cefalù Old Town: it’s probably the main reason why I fell head over heels with the place.
Between the medieval streets, all lined with artisan cafés and boutiques, and the Lavatoio Medievale, one of Europe’s last-surviving medieval laundries still active, built around a natural stream, it is sure to steal your heart too.
Now, This Is How You Do Summers In Italy
Now, there’s no visiting Cefalù without actually slowing it down and spending a long afternoon idly lying on the beach, just not doing much.
There are two beaches in town, both blessed with soft gray sands and hugged by teal seas. The longest one, running for a whopping one mile, Spiaggia di Cefalù is where you’ll find all the umbrellas, beach bars, and the lidos.
Lido, if you’re not aware, is the Italian equivalent of a beach club, where you pay around $20–30 for an umbrella and lounger, and spend the entire day basking in the toasty sun, crossing crossword words on your newspaper.
If that’s your vibe, and you like being only a few steps away from that Aperol and fritto misto order when the post-swim munchies hit, I can recommend Lido Poseidon, the closest one to the Old Town. Prices are fairly modest, and renting a lounger for the day, even in high season, will only set you back by $15–20.
Cefalù, and Sicily as a whole, is still a steal of a deal these days, despite all the White Lotus effect.
The second beach, and maybe my favorite one, is a tiny sandy cove beside the jetty, backdropped by wall-to-wall stone houses right on the water. This one’s more of a first-come, first-served, sunset-swim, and people-watching kind of beach. The classic Cefalù postcard shot.
Oh, and if you don’t fancy lying on the beach, as you’ll be walking around town later, there’s always the jetty.
Outside town, the more rugged beaches of Mazzaforno and Settefrati offer crystal-clear water and smaller crowds than the swimming spots you can walk to, but if you’re trekking there under that scorching Sicilian sun, you’d better slather on your sunscreen and wear comfy shoes.
Before you fly to Europe this season, make sure you familiarize yourself with the continent’s new travel rules, including the mandatory fingerprinting Americans are expected to acquiesce to.
The easiest way to avoid those infamous boarding hiccups is to run a little destination check on the Entry Requirement Checker.
More Than Just A Day Trip
Cefalù is not somewhere you rush through, although many will still treat it as a Palermo day trip. Again, it’s less than an hour away by train, after all, and tickets cost a fixed rate of $10–15.
The real tea is letting Cefalù slowly work its way under your skin.
I’m not saying stay the whole week, but if you’re keen on wandering aimlessly, sampling different trattorie, and doing absolutely nothing in between swims without feeling like you’re just checking items off a bucket list, linger around for the long weekend.
This isn’t a stopover: it’s a slowdown, and it gets better the less you try to rush it.
