Cefalù may look like a luxury destination, but it’s easy to enjoy on a budget. This guide shares simple tips for experiencing its beaches, food, and charm without overspending.
Palermo Airport to Cefalu: Travel Anxiety Nightmare
A fact we weren't aware of before reaching Palermo was that trains to Cefalù do not run late. We clearly had a travel angel that day.
Due to a delay in our flight from Dublin, we missed the train from Palermo Airport to Palermo Centrale, arriving just after the last train had left. The next train wouldn't get us there until 10 minutes past the deadline. With Palermo Airport far from the city, we felt the pressure of possibly spending over 150 euros on a taxi to Cefalù.
We booked a taxi to take us from the airport to the station, with an ETA just 10 minutes before departure. That eased my travel anxiety as we stepped out into the scorching Italian heat.
In my professional opinion, the pre-book taxi service at Palermo Airport is mayhem. It took us 6 minutes to find our driver, which was crucial.
7 days in Cefalù - a chance to completely unwind
Highlights from our trip that will make you fall head over heels for Cefalu.
Beaches and Spritzes
The beaches here are stunning, with numerous options for renting a sunbed for the day. However, keep in mind that prices tend to rise on weekends! When we went, we arrived early to soak up as much sun as possible. Rates were around €20 per bed on weekdays, but can jump to €30-€40 on weekends. While there are sections of the beach open to the public, they can get quite crowded. Plus, you'll find lifeguards on duty for added safety.
At the far end of town, you'll discover a lovely pier that connects to the main streets. Here, you can enjoy a refreshing limoncello spritz for just a couple of euros while taking a seat by the water or enjoying a leisurely stroll. You'll also find yourself on the main street of all the restaurants with sea view terraces!
Culture Corner
We purchased a piece of artwork from Giuseppe Forte, a talented artist who has a charming shop along a cobbled street. I could have spent hours browsing his work. You can see Giuseppe in the picture to the right, a lovely man that takes much pride in his work. He was so kind to offer his time to show me his artwork - not only does he bring Sicilian landscapes to life, but his artwork also digs deeper into the pain of the human experience.
La Rocca
If you're up for an adventure, consider hiking La Rocca, which offers stunning panoramic views. The trail is moderately challenging and around 1 hour in length.
Boat Trip
This boat trip was booked for my birthday but has to be rescheduled due to crazy sea conditions on the day of. Which wasn't weird in itself, but it's the second time I've had a boat trip booked for the 5th of august in Sicily that had to be cancelled for sea conditions.
Our boat tour was booked here and set sail at 10.30 am from the marina (20 minute walk away - the taxi cost was ridiculous ).
We were taken around the Cefalu coast, offered knowledge about it's medieval history and had a chance to swim with fish, drink prosecco and eat bread with olive paste. We were the only two that weren't apart of a family group that had booked on, but that meant nothing. We had a great time and enjoyed meeting and learning about our fellow travelers.
Rooftop Bar
We couldn't believe the value of Dokeio - a rooftop bar that felt hidden away from the bustling streets despite being in the centre of town. Located above a hotel you will need to use the hotels elevator to access it. We wandered in late night and were seated straight away and as we were leaving we booked in for the next again night for sunset.
BUDGET EATING
For a budget-friendly lunch, grab some arancini balls for just €2.50 from local stalls. A couple of nights we saved money by grabbing a takeaway pizza and a bottle of wine and heading down to the beach.
If you need supplies, there's a supermarket only a 15-minute walk from the main town that offers everything you'll need.
Restaurants We Ate Ate
- L'Antica Corte (we sat here as the San Salvatore procession passed)
- La Sicilianna (we ate here two times and enjoyed!)
- Il Gabbiana (lunch on the beach)
- Al Coralle
- Al Porticciolo (very affordable pizzas and wine)
LOW COST DAY TRIP
We took a gorgeous day trip to Castelbuono, which felt refreshingly quiet compared to Cefalu. The trip only cost €4.70 altogether on the public bus, tickets can be purchased at the cafe in the train station which is where the bus departs. We enjoyed incredibly cheap carafes of wine and delicious ice creams, along with shops offering complimentary samples of panettone with manna. We didn't have time to explore inside the castle but we went into the cathedral, you can also visit their Catacombs!
San Salvatore Festival
Our visit coincided with San Salvatore, an August festival featuring four days of celebrations, music, and dancing at the Duomo, capped off with a spectacular fireworks display on the night of August 6th.
The streets were lit up with decorations and most nights there were market stalls down by the promenade.
Staying near La Rocca and the Duomo meant that the 9 AM canon fire echoed off the rocks, reverberating into our ears.
On the last night of the festivities there is a somber procession that moves through the town, restaurants hustle to move tables and chairs and service even paused while staff members paid their respects to San Salvatore.
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