HISTORY OF CEFALÙ:
Cefalù was settled around the 4th century BC by the Greeks. In 307 BC, the town was conquered by Syracuse, and in 254 BC by Rome. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Cefalù passed under Byzantine domination, and remaind there until the 8th century. Read More [...]
In 858, Cefalù was subjugated by the Arabs, and for the next two hundred years it was part of the Emirate of Palermo. In 1063, the town was conquered by the Normans of Roger I, the first Count of Sicily. Between the 13th and 15th centuries, it was under the rule of different feudal families.
Starting with the 15th century, the history of Cefalù can be assimilated to that of Sicily and the rest of Italy. After the landing of Giuseppe Garibaldi on the island, in January 1861, the city proclaimed its adhesion to the newly created Kingdom of Italy.
GEOGRAPHY OF CEFALÙ:
Cefalù is a town of about 14.300 inhabitants located on the northern coast of Sicily, part of the Metropolitan City of Palermo. The town lies at the foot of a magnificent rocky promontory called La Rocca. Read More [...]
Cefalù is situated 70 kilometers east of Palermo, 145 kilometers northwest of Catania, 150 kilometers northwest of Acireale, 175 kilometers west of Messina and about the same distance northwest of Taormina, 190 kilometers northwest of Ragusa, 200 kilometers northwest of Syracuse, 210 kilometers northwest of Modica, and 220 kilometers northwest of Noto.
TRANSPORT TO CEFALÙ:
The closest airport is the Falcone Borsellino International Airport, located about 100 kilometers west of the city, in Punta Raisi. Read More [...]
To get to Cefalù from the airport, you can take one of the buses of Autolinee Prestia e Comandè to Palermo, and then the train from the Palermo Centrale railway station. The bus ticket costs 6.30€ and the trip takes about one hour. The train ticket is 6.20€ and the trip takes about 50 minutes.
If you arrive in Sicily at the Catania–Fontanarossa Airport, near Catania, you can get to Cefalù by train, from the Catania Centrale railway station. The trip takes between 3 and 4 hours, and the cheapest ticket costs 14.10€. A train ticket from Messina is 10.90€ and the trip takes between 2 and 3 hours.
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN CEFALÙ:
Cefalù, which is part of the Madonie Park (Parco delle Madonie), is a seaside resort and a tourist destination, and is included in the club of the most beautiful villages in Italy (I borghi più belli d'Italia). The town is also known for its beautiful long beach and for its quiet historical center. Read More [...]
In 2015, the Cathedral of Cefalù was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monreale.