Cefalù and Caccamo – Sicily Trip #5 (Italy)
We’re getting back in the car today to explore the other side. But Sicily is so vast that it takes a full road trip to see it all. From Palermo, and in just one day, we can only push as far as Cefalù and Caccamo.
We struggle to find a parking spot. Construction on the main avenue cuts the available spaces in half, and the huge parking lot outside town is just that… outside town. We finally manage to squeeze into a small spot, pay for parking, and walk 15 minutes to the old town. This place must be 10 times busier in summer. That beautiful beach is sure to draw crowds and crowds.
Cefalù is a postcard town, but also a unique spot. I try to compare it to other similar towns, but I can’t quite find one; it’s a bit like Dubrovnik, a bit like Mdina, but not quite. The old town is very dense, with charming alleys. It’s surrounded by rocks, but there are tiny hidden doors that lead to the sea and sometimes to coves where you can happily swim in summer. I get the feeling locals prefer these hidden spots over the beach available to everyone. So the game is to find these little doors. One opens onto a café (unfortunately closed today). And then, every now and then, you come face to face with medieval remnants, like old public washhouses carved into the stone.
The highlight of the day is a walk up to La Rocca, a large cliff that offers breathtaking views over Cefalù and the Tyrrhenian Sea. I hesitated a lot about going, as some reviews are catastrophic, and I expected to risk my life. Especially since at the ticket office, they asked for our full names and to check in when we got back down safely. In the end, there’s nothing dangerous, just an extraordinary view. The Temple of Diana, visited along the way, is more than disappointing.
I posted a video on Instagram that perfectly captures the vibe of this extraordinary town:
Caccamo
We head to Caccamo in the late afternoon. In front of the castle, a guide shyly offers his services, but I’m too tired to listen to anything. My memory of this castle is very vague. I was more struck by the landscapes from the castle.
We then head back to Palermo and return the car. It’s the end of our Sicilian stay, and we’re off to Pompeii , and Naples.
