[Jan. 2024] We took a train trip to Cefalu from Palermo, Sicily, Italy, where we were staying.
First, we took a bus for the first time from near the Church of San Domenico near our accommodation in Palermo (€1.80).
Maybe because it was early in the new year, there was only one ticket window open at the deserted station, and there was a long queue.
It was €7.10 one way to Cefalu.
We almost rushed to board the local train just after 9:30, and it was very crowded.
It goes along the sea, so the view is lovely.
I thought it would take an hour, but we arrived in 40 to 50 minutes.
The reason why I chose Cefalu in the first place is because I had heard that it was a beautiful seaside town and I had always wanted to go there.
Looking at the guidebook again, I saw that a photo of Cefalu was used on the cover.
And it said that it was used as the location for the famous film, “Cinema Paradiso.”
It was a very good film, wasn’t it.
There is a castle ruin on a hill overlooking the town.
It was originally an Arab fortress that was rebuilt by the Normans in 1061.
According to the guidebook, you can reach this place by climbing the Salita Saraceni stairs, which take about 45 minutes, and see a spectacular view.
This time, we decided not to go because I had just recovered from an illness.
We didn’t have any particular plans, so we just wandered around the town below.
Looking at the beautiful pots lined up on the stairs, you can see that they are working to beautify the town as a tourist destination.
We came out into a large square and beyond that was a magnificent cathedral.
It is said to be one of the leading Arab-Norman buildings, and is older than the famous Monreale Cathedral.
Despite its impressive structure, the inside looked simple.
This may be because some parts were under restoration.
After leaving here, we headed to a beach that is well known for its beauty.
There was something interesting about the sight of old houses built right up to the beach.
Because it was winter, we couldn’t go into the sea, but the water was clear and clean.
Suddenly, I noticed people swimming in the sea.
These hotheads are everywhere.
I remember we saw people swimming in the cold-looking sea during the New Year holidays in Portugal two years ago.
Then, we happened to come across a 16th-century laundry, and went down.
I say “down” because it was about four metres below the street.
We went down a rather lovely wide curved staircase.
There were several basins where a spring gushes out, and I could imagine how washerwomen used to gather here and chat while working.
