| An early morning was in store for me: I decided | | | | remaining of four city gates and a popular spot |
| to accompany my newly found friend and sailing | | | | for photographers. A few steps away from here |
| buddy Claudia to her bus which would take her to | | | | is the "lavatoio", a public laundry washing area with |
| the airport in Catania to return back to her home | | | | a stone fountain with numerous basins that were |
| in Germany. Right next to the bus station, a few | | | | used until recently to wash clothes by hand. I |
| steps from the municipal buildings of Milazzo, was | | | | strolled through the narrow streets which were |
| a bus stop for a local bus that was going to the | | | | now getting quieter since the afternoon siesta |
| train station. I inquired with the bus driver who | | | | time had started. Cefalu is flanked on its eastern |
| told me he would be leaving within 10 minutes. | | | | side by a rocky promontory called "La Rocca" |
| Perfect! My backpack contained all the necessities | | | | which towers over the town and promised to |
| for a day excursion by train to Cefalu, a | | | | provide a perfect vantage point of the area. So I |
| gorgeous medieval town about two hours west | | | | strolled up to the Piazza Duomo and beside the |
| of Milazzo. So Claudia and I had to say goodbye, | | | | ancient Norman cathedral I found a narrow side |
| after spending more than a week together, | | | | street that was running right along the base of |
| having enjoyed our intense sailing experience | | | | the rock. A few hundred meters further inland |
| through the Eolian Islands. After a big hug and the | | | | the pathway started to climb upwards, with the |
| promise that we would both see each other | | | | view getting increasingly more impressive. About |
| again, we went our separate ways. A fifteen | | | | 15 minutes into the climb I reached a gate with |
| minute bus ride took me to Milazzo's rather | | | | two local municipal employees who were charging |
| unremarkable train station on the outskirts of | | | | admission of 3.50 Euros to the rock. I figured it |
| town where I caught the 8:12 am train to Cefalu. | | | | was worth it, paid the fee and continued my |
| I enjoyed two hours of the beautiful ride along | | | | climb. Looking up towards the top of the rock I |
| the northern coastline of Sicily, past hills, villages, | | | | saw the stony ruins of a fortification dating back |
| orchards and vineyards. Just after 10:15 I arrived | | | | to the 12th and 13th century. Once I had reached |
| in this medieval town and I noticed right away | | | | the plateau below the summit I saw a number of |
| that this was a popular tourist destination. The | | | | ancient structures, including the "Tempio di Diana", |
| walk downtown was very quick and within 10 | | | | a megalithic structure dating back to about the |
| minutes I had reached the old medieval section of | | | | 9th century BC. The noon time sun was too hot |
| town. Corso Ruggero is the town's main street | | | | for me to try to make it all the way to the |
| and lined with many retail shops featuring food, | | | | Norman fortification ruins at the top of the |
| fashion and local handicrafts, particularly some of | | | | mountain so I walked along the forested plateau |
| the brightly painted earthenware items such as | | | | towards a lookout area that provided an |
| vases and huge round plates. Today were | | | | astounding view of the centre of Cefalu. The rock |
| municipal elections and several polling stations had | | | | walls descended almost vertically down, and this |
| been set up around town to allow the locals to | | | | vantage point allowed me to look almost straight |
| cast their vote. I had reached the main square, | | | | down into the courtyard of the Norman Cathedral. |
| Piazza Duomo, which is anchored on the eastern | | | | The weather was absolutely gorgeous and the |
| side by Cefalu's Cathedral, an enormous imposing | | | | views over the turquoise coastline of Sicily were |
| building, starting in 1131 under Norman ruler Roger | | | | simply phenomenal. I sat down for a bit to rest |
| I. A beautiful square flanked by numerous outdoor | | | | and soak it all in. Then I strolled along the lower |
| cafes was stretching up towards the steps of the | | | | fortification walls which cap off the plateau area |
| Duomo whose size truly dwarfs all the other | | | | just before the precipitous drop of the rock and |
| surrounding houses. The Cathedral dominates the | | | | caught a good look westwards of the town and |
| square with its two massive bell towers. I walked | | | | the coastal mountains inland. I have traveled a fair |
| into church but a mass was just being held for a | | | | bit in the last few years, but the beauty of Sicily |
| group of boys and girls who were celebrating their | | | | is indeed quite overwhelming. The heat had made |
| First Communion. Far away from the entrance | | | | me thirsty and I figured it was time to head back |
| door I could see the extremely well-preserved | | | | into town to sit down in some patio and take in |
| gigantic Byzantine stone mosaic of Christ | | | | some fluids. Naturally, the walk down was much |
| Pantocrator with the Virgin Mary, dating back to | | | | quicker than the climb up and within about 25 |
| 1148. Norman churches are generally very rare, | | | | minutes I had reached the old town. It was the |
| and their grey stone austerity differs greatly | | | | middle of the afternoon and everything was shut |
| from the generously ornamented baroque | | | | down now, typical siesta-style. I did find a local bar |
| churches that are much more common | | | | that served me an ice-cold limonata (actually two |
| throughout Europe and Latin America. From here I | | | | or three since I was absolutely parched) and I |
| started to explore the old town of Cefalu. I | | | | was listening to some Australian tourists talking |
| walked all the way to Via Ortolano, the street | | | | loudly at the next table. There seemed to be |
| furthest north which is separated from the | | | | quite a few Aussies in this town, along with some |
| seafront by a row of houses. The Capo | | | | German and French tourists. Definitely not too |
| Marchiafava rampart, a fortification dating back to | | | | many North American travelers though... After |
| the 16th and 17th centuries, testifies to the | | | | quenching my thirst I took a stroll along the |
| strategic importance of this town on the northern | | | | waterfront promenade in the modern portion of |
| coast of Sicily. As a matter of fact, similar to | | | | Cefalu. Dozens of street vendors, mostly of |
| other areas of Sicily, Cefalu has been inhabited for | | | | North African background, had set up tables to |
| thousands of years. During the Greek era it was | | | | sell belts, inexpensive jewelry, electronic gadgets |
| called Cephaloedis (meaning "head"), and the | | | | and all sorts of other knick-knacks. People were |
| Greeks, Carthaginians, Byzantines, Romans, | | | | lounging along the long sandy beach in the new |
| Normans and many other feudal groups left their | | | | part of this town and it certainly looked like a |
| mark on this town. Narrow houses with small | | | | great place for some sun-worshipping. I felt a little |
| windows are built together, and most of them | | | | exhausted from all the hiking in the hot sun and |
| feature hidden interior courtyards, private | | | | decided to head back to Milazzo and caught a |
| sanctuaries for generations. At the northern end | | | | train back. I really enjoyed the two hour train ride, |
| of Via Ortolano is an opening towards the small | | | | all the windows were open and the warm air was |
| fishing harbour of Cefalu. A small sandy beach | | | | blowing through my train compartment. In my |
| provided a great opportunity for local kids to cool | | | | head I was still trying to process all the beautiful |
| off, restaurants with outdoor terraces invited to | | | | images that I had seen in this exquisite historic |
| have a cool drink, and Japanese tourists, well | | | | town. After a quiet evening and a stroll along the |
| sheltered from the noon time sun, were sitting in | | | | Lungomare (to watch the ritual of the passegiata, |
| a corner of the beach, painting the scenic | | | | the daily stroll along the waterfront), I had a nice |
| waterfront. I relaxed a bit on a bench, watching | | | | relaxing evening in the apartment, reading, sitting |
| the scene and continued my walk westwards | | | | on the balcony, and looking forward to my final |
| along Via Vittorio Emanuele, the main street | | | | discoveries of Milazzo and its surrounding areas |
| running along the northern waterfront of Cefalu, | | | | tomorrow. |
| separated from the water by narrow medieval | | | | Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a web portal |
| fishermen's houses. One of the popular sights in | | | | for unconventional travel & cross-cultural |
| Cefalu is the Gothic-style "Porta Marina", also called | | | | connections. |
| "Porta dei Pescatori" (Fishermen's Gate), the only | | | | |