Bed and Breakfast Palazzo Villelmi

Cathedral of Cefalu', Arab washing place, Museum Mandralisca, La Rocca

The small town Cefalù is located 70km east of Palermo and is really worth a visit! Cefalù is a picturesque fishing village that enjoys a splendid position between the sea and a rocky promontory. The town’s current name derives from the Greek word Kephaloidion, meaning head or chief, and the town saw its heyday under the Norman king Roger II, who decided to initiate the work on the cathedral in 1131. The town is divided in two parts; an old part that is mainly for pedestrians and has many nice little boutiques, and a new modern part with supermarkets, gas stations and car rentals. Corso Ruggero is the main street in the old town center, and it has many different shops and in cross-streets you will find many good restaurants. The old town center is dominated by the cathedral and the Rock rising in the background. The town’s history is chequered; many different kinds of people have governed it, for example the Arabs, the Greeks and the Normans. The historical heritage is reflected in architecture, location and the atmosphere. Today Cefalù has a population of 14, 000, but in the summer months this number is more than doubled. Cefalù has become incredibly popular in recent years; the town is fascinating and many tourists that come here choose to come back.