Climbing La Rocca -The Rock
Trip Start
Feb 05, 2010
1
23
101
Trip End
May 20, 2010
Where I stayed
Cefalù, Sicily, Italy
Saturday, February 27, 2010
are uninteresting. Also go to Museo Mandralisca (5E) which is a
minor private museum.
Hike up wide staircase (the Salita Saraceno) to the summit of the rock.
The citadel ruins include an oven, cisterns, and 4th century Tempio di Diana (Temple of Diana). Its a scenic hike with lots of plants and great views down onto the town and beaches. I
enjoy butterflies and watching sheep munching. Access is free and open from 9am to 5pm. Two signs say “Access fortificato cerchia di mura”
Return to the cathedral which is a popular place for people to hand out. Kids play football. The cathedral is extra special when the sandstone color stone lights up perfectly and is framed against the rock behind it.
In our walks today I enjoy the outside of the Chiesa Immaculada. I'm not a shopper but the shops look enticing. There are some interesting antique stores. There are plenty of little shops to buy basic food supplies so no need to search for the supermarket. We also find
the remains of a laundry area. In the evening it looked like a drug
deal was going down.
Today we eat at two restaurants. I recommend the Ostaria del Duomo which is
right on the Piazza del Duomo with indoor and outdoor seating. Inside
there are interesting photos of the town. We are the only customers
at lunch so I suggest I get a service fee if I bring them some
business. For lunch we have salad and pasta with tomato sauce and
eggplants. I add lovely freshly grated parmesan and garlic which
comes finely chopped in olive oil. This restaurant, like many,
charges a 10% service fee which is like a tip. For dinner we have
the set multi course meal of the deal. We get several options for
each course. We start with mussels in a light tomato sauce followed
by pasta with swordfish in a cream sauce and finish up with some thin
sliced beef in marsala wine sauce. The meal description let us know
that bread was included but drinks not. The meal is 15E and bottled
water 2E. Its ok to share a multi meal like this.
We also visit the tourist office which is helpful and has a good map. They even ask us to fill out a survey. I note on it that this city is the cleanest I've seen in Italy (trash wise).
