Photo: Ludvig14, CC BY-SA 4.0Things to do in Cefalù
55 places selected among attractions, museums, squares and viewpoints
Cefalù, classically known as Cephaloedium, is a city and comune in the Italian Metropolitan City of Palermo, located on the Tyrrhenian coast of Sicily about 70 km (43 mi) east of the provincial capital and 185 km (115 mi) west of Messina. The town, with its population of just under 14,000, is one of the major tourist attractions in the region. Despite its size, every year it attracts millions of tourists from all parts of Sicily, and also from all over Italy and Europe. It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia.
Must-see in Cefalù
1. ⛪ place of worship
Cefalù Cathedral
The Cathedral of Cefalù (Italian: Duomo di Cefalù) is a Roman Catholic basilica in Cefalù, Sicily. It is one of nine structures included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monreale. The cathedral was erected between 1131 and 1240 in the Norman architectural style, the island of Sicily having been conquered by the Normans in 1091. (Wikipedia)
2. ⛪ place of worship
Sanctuary of Gibilmanna
The Sanctuary of Gibilmanna is a Christian shrine in the province of Palermo, Sicily, southern Italy. It is located in Gibilmanna, a frazione of the comune of Cefalù on a slope of the Pizzo Sant'Angelo, a peak in the Madonie chain, at an altitude of some 800 m. (Wikipedia)
3. ⛪ place of worship
Abbey of Thelema
The Abbey of Thelema is a small house which was used as a temple and spiritual centre, founded by Aleister Crowley and Leah Hirsig in Cefalù (Sicily, Italy) in 1920. The villa still stands today, but in poor condition. Filmmaker Kenneth Anger, himself a devotee of Crowley, later uncovered and filmed some of its murals in his film Thelema Abbey (1955), now considered a lost film. (Wikipedia)
4. 🏛️ museum
Museo Mandralisca
Museum in Italy
5. ⛪ place of worship
Purgatorio
Church building in Cefalù, Italy
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6. 🌉 architecture
Lighthouse of Cefalù
Capo Cefalù Lighthouse (Italian: Faro di Capo Cefalù) is an active lighthouse located on the promontory of Capo Cefalù under the steep limestone ridge, 280 metres (920 ft) high, named Rocca east of Cefalù, Sicily on the Tyrrhenian Sea. (Wikipedia)
🏰 Castles and fortresses in Cefalù
Castello di Cefalù
👑 Palaces in Cefalù
Osterio Magno
Building in Cefalù, Italy
Palazzo Atenasio Martino dei baroni di Rocca e Valdina
Palazzo Legambi
Palazzo Maria
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Palazzo Pirajno
Palazzo Villelmi de Fallesia
⛪ Churches and places of worship in Cefalù
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Immacolatella
Church building in Cefalù, Italy
Santa Maria d'Itria
Church building in Cefalù, Italy
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chiesa della Santissima Annunziata
Church building in Cefalù, Italy
Maria Santissima della Catena
Church building in Cefalù, Italy
San Sebastiano
Church building in Cefalù, Italy
Santa Oliva
Church building in Cefalù, Italy
Santa Maria
Church building in Cefalù, Italy
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Town hall of Cefalù
Ex monastery and town hall
Abbazia di Santa Anastasia
🌉 Bridges, towers and architecture in Cefalù
Malpertugio Viaduct
🏔️ Nature around Cefalù
Pizzo Carbonara
📍 16 km from Cefalù
Pizzo Carbonara is the highest peak of the Madonie mountains in Sicily. (Wikipedia)
Rocca di Cefalù
Mountain in Italy
Monte San Calogero
📍 27 km from Cefalù
Mountain in Italy
Monte Mufara
📍 19 km from Cefalù
Riserva naturale orientata Monte San Calogero
📍 28 km from Cefalù
Protected area in Italy (EUAP1144)
Riserva naturale orientata Bosco di Favara e Bosco Granza
📍 29 km from Cefalù
Protected area in Italy (EUAP1121)
Querceti sempreverdi di Geraci Siculo e Castelbuono
📍 19 km from Cefalù
Protected area in Italy
🥾 Hiking trails near Cefalù
Sentiero Gratteri – Isnello passando da Pizzo Dipilo
Moderate · 8.6 km · ↑ 485 m · ~3 h
Hiking trail from Gratteri to Isnello
Sentiero Fianco Ovest Pizzo Carbonara
Hard · 7.5 km · ↑ 275 m · ~2 h 15 min
Hiking trail from Pizzo Carbonara to Croce dei Monticelli
Sentiero Battaglietta – Piano Sempria
Moderate · 8 km · ↑ 390 m · ~2 h 45 min
Hiking trail from Piano Battaglia to Piano Sempria
Sentiero Pizzo Carbonara
Moderate · 7.1 km · ↑ 370 m · ~2 h 30 min
Hiking trail
Sentiero Vallone dei Molini (San Mauro Castelverde)
Moderate · 4.8 km · ↑ 225 m · ~1 h 30 min
Hiking trail
Sentiero Case la Pazza – Piano Pomo – Piano Sempria
Moderate · 6.5 km · ↑ 365 m · ~2 h 15 min
Hiking trail from Case la Pazza to Piano Sempria
Sentiero Portella Colla – Case Disiceddi (Piano Cervi)
Easy · 9.9 km · ↑ 400 m · ~3 h 15 min
Hiking trail from Portella Colla to Case Disiceddi (Piano Cervi)
Sentiero della Pace
Hard · 8.8 km · ↑ 745 m · ~3 h 30 min
Hiking trail from Contrada Gisa to Santuario Madonna dell'Alto
Balconata su Polizzi Generosa Ovest
Moderate · 8.2 km · ↑ 475 m · ~2 h 45 min
Hiking trail from Polizzi Generosa to Vivaio Forestale
Sentiero Bomes (Favara e Granza)
Hard · 7.7 km · ↑ 480 m · ~2 h 45 min
Hiking trail
Milianni – Area Attrezzata San Felice
Easy · 4 km · ↑ 400 m · ~1 h 45 min
Hiking trail from Milianni to Area Attrezzata San Felice
Tusa – Scavi di Halesa
Easy · 7.5 km · ↑ 110 m · ~2 h
Hiking trail from Tusa to Scavi di Halesa
Sentiero Italia – Sentiero 588 Quacella
Easy · 4.2 km · ↑ 315 m · ~1 h 30 min
Hiking trail from Sentiero Italia to Sentiero 588 Quacella
Cammino di San Felice da Nicosia - Tappa 1
Easy · 5.3 km · ↑ 611 m · ~2 h 45 min
Hiking trail from Castel di Tusa to Tusa
🧭 Worth seeing around Cefalù
Halaesa
📍 19 km from Cefalù
Halaesa (Ancient Greek: Ἅλαισα, Latin: Halaesa), also known as Halaesa Archonidea and also spelled Alaesa or Halesa was an ancient city in Sicily, situated near the north coast of the island, between Cephaloedium (modern Cefalù) and Calacte (modern Caronia). (Wikipedia)
Temple of Victory
📍 19 km from Cefalù
The Temple of Victory (Greek Nikē) is a Greek temple of the ancient city of Himera in Magna Graecia located in the archaeological area of Termini Imerese, in the Metropolitan City of Palermo in Sicily, southern Italy. (Wikipedia)
Castello dei Ventimiglia
📍 13 km from Cefalù
Building in Castelbuono, Italy
Palazzo Vescovile
📍 12 km from Cefalù
Collesano Castle
📍 14 km from Cefalù
Norman castle ruins in Collesano, Italy
Teatro Pietra Rosa
📍 12 km from Cefalù
Open-air theatre in Pollina, Sicily, Italy
Museo del Risorgimento
📍 13 km from Cefalù
Museum in Castelbuono
Archaeological museum of Himera
📍 19 km from Cefalù
Museum in Italy
Museo civico di Castelbuono
📍 13 km from Cefalù
Museum in Italy
Museo Naturalistico Francesco Minà Palumbo
📍 13 km from Cefalù
Museum in Italy
Other destinations nearby
Photo credits
- Cefalù Cathedral — Photo: Berthold Werner, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Sanctuary of Gibilmanna — Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY 4.0
- Abbey of Thelema — Photo: Erik Albers, CC0
- Museo Mandralisca — Photo: Davide Mauro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pizzo Carbonara — Photo: MoritzP from Dortmund, Germany, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Rocca di Cefalù — Photo: Bjs, CC0
- Halaesa — Photo: Allie_Caulfield from Germany, CC BY 2.0
- Temple of Victory — Photo: Clemensfranz, CC BY 2.5
- Purgatorio — Photo: Ludvig14, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lighthouse of Cefalù — Photo: User:Matthias Süßen, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Madonie Regional Natural Park — Photo: Martin Teetz, Public domain
- Immacolatella — Photo: Codas, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Santa Maria d'Itria — Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Vinx999 assumed (based on copyright claims)., Public domain
- Osterio Magno — Photo: Bjs, CC0
- chiesa della Santissima Annunziata — Photo: Codas, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Maria Santissima della Catena — Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Vinx999 assumed (based on copyright claims)., Public domain
- Palazzo Atenasio Martino dei baroni di Rocca e Valdina — Photo: Arch. P.Culotta, Arch. G.Leone, Arch. G.Mangano, Dis. D.Pedi, CC BY-SA 3.0
- San Sebastiano — Photo: trolvag, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Santa Oliva — Photo: SilviaPen, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Palazzo Legambi — Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Vinx999 assumed (based on copyright claims)., Public domain
- Santa Maria — Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Vinx999 assumed (based on copyright claims)., Public domain
- Town hall of Cefalù — Photo: trolvag, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Palazzo Maria — Photo: trolvag, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Palazzo Pirajno — Photo: trolvag, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Abbazia di Santa Anastasia — Photo: HaguardDuNord, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Palazzo Villelmi de Fallesia — Photo: Codas, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Monte San Calogero — Photo: Ferpint, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Monte Mufara — Photo: Andreadipiazza, Public domain
- Malpertugio Viaduct — Photo: BanxietyFree: Lose the Fear...Live the Life, CC BY 2.0
- Castello di Cefalù — Photo: José Luiz, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Riserva naturale orientata Monte San Calogero — Photo: NinoRuffino66, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Riserva naturale orientata Bosco di Favara e Bosco Granza — Photo: Davide Mauro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Castello dei Ventimiglia — Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY 4.0
- Palazzo Vescovile — Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Vinx999 assumed (based on copyright claims)., Public domain
- Collesano Castle — Photo: Carlo F. Polizzi, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Querceti sempreverdi di Geraci Siculo e Castelbuono — Photo: Davide Mauro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Teatro Pietra Rosa — Photo: Carlo Columba, CC BY-SA 2.5 it
- Museo del Risorgimento — Photo: Formica rufa, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Archaeological museum of Himera — Photo: Davide Mauro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Museo civico di Castelbuono — Photo: Carlo Columba, CC BY-SA 2.5 it
- Museo Naturalistico Francesco Minà Palumbo — Photo: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
- Sentiero Gratteri – Isnello passando da Pizzo Dipilo — Photo: Davide Mauro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sentiero Fianco Ovest Pizzo Carbonara — Photo: Davide Mauro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sentiero Battaglietta – Piano Sempria — Photo: Davide Mauro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sentiero Pizzo Carbonara — Photo: Carlo Columba from Palermo, Italia, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Sentiero Vallone dei Molini (San Mauro Castelverde) — Photo: Davide Mauro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sentiero Case la Pazza – Piano Pomo – Piano Sempria — Photo: Davide Mauro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sentiero Portella Colla – Case Disiceddi (Piano Cervi) — Photo: Peppesev, CC BY 3.0
- Sentiero della Pace — Photo: Davide Mauro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Balconata su Polizzi Generosa Ovest — Photo: EDN2024, CC BY 4.0
- Sentiero Bomes (Favara e Granza) — Photo: Codas, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Milianni – Area Attrezzata San Felice — Photo: Patrick1977, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Tusa – Scavi di Halesa — Photo: Pivari, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sentiero Italia – Sentiero 588 Quacella — Photo: Carlo Columba from Palermo, Italia, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Cammino di San Felice da Nicosia - Tappa 1 — Photo: jean-michel gobet, CC BY-SA 3.0