Our Favorite Nearby Places
Sightseeing
A lovely little mountain town with fresh, potable springwater pouring from fountains here and there. There's also an old castle to climb up to on a loop through town (see signs for the Urban Geopark trail starting from the tiny centro. Ask anyone where it starts as the locals are eager for you to enjoy their town. For a good early afternoon meal, drive through Isnello towards Collesano until you see a sign on the left for Ristoranti Smeralda. The view of the mountains from their terrace makes the meal still more memorable. Great antipasto menu + pizza in the evening at La Brace.
11 locals recommend
Isnello
A lovely little mountain town with fresh, potable springwater pouring from fountains here and there. There's also an old castle to climb up to on a loop through town (see signs for the Urban Geopark trail starting from the tiny centro. Ask anyone where it starts as the locals are eager for you to enjoy their town. For a good early afternoon meal, drive through Isnello towards Collesano until you see a sign on the left for Ristoranti Smeralda. The view of the mountains from their terrace makes the meal still more memorable. Great antipasto menu + pizza in the evening at La Brace.
One stop shopping for lovers of Sicilian ceramics with better prices and more selection than you'll find in Cefalu'. Pleasant walking, dining, and small town atmosphere. You can get there by train easily but the walk from the station is all uphill in case you have mobility issues.
51 locals recommend
Santo Stefano di Camastra
One stop shopping for lovers of Sicilian ceramics with better prices and more selection than you'll find in Cefalu'. Pleasant walking, dining, and small town atmosphere. You can get there by train easily but the walk from the station is all uphill in case you have mobility issues.
The town of Finale di Pollina is worth a visit on your way to the Finale beach (pictured) or the turn-off to the town of Pollina perched high above the sea on a massive limestone crag. At Finale you'll find pizzerias along the waterfront with a stone walkway leading to an ancient watchtower.
8 locals recommend
Finale
The town of Finale di Pollina is worth a visit on your way to the Finale beach (pictured) or the turn-off to the town of Pollina perched high above the sea on a massive limestone crag. At Finale you'll find pizzerias along the waterfront with a stone walkway leading to an ancient watchtower.
This town of 3,000 is definitely off the beaten path—more like up in the air. It sits 750 meters high on a knoll about 13 km south of SS113. There's an open-air theatre that gives onto a panoramic view of the Madonie; events in summer and fall only. Your best bet for a successful stop is to visit first the tiny Museo della Manna (no entrance fee) to learn how manna (yes, the kind that was supposed to have fallen from the sky) is produced and why. You'll get free brochures in English about what to see in town as well.
21 locals recommend
Pollina
This town of 3,000 is definitely off the beaten path—more like up in the air. It sits 750 meters high on a knoll about 13 km south of SS113. There's an open-air theatre that gives onto a panoramic view of the Madonie; events in summer and fall only. Your best bet for a successful stop is to visit first the tiny Museo della Manna (no entrance fee) to learn how manna (yes, the kind that was supposed to have fallen from the sky) is produced and why. You'll get free brochures in English about what to see in town as well.
Famous for its medieval Ventimiglia castle, the town is as authentic a modern mountain village as they come. The countryside on the way is classic Madonie and the people who live there love it. They are especially proud that they are Mafia-free and holding steady at just under 10,000 inhabitants in spite of the ups and downs of the Sicilian and Euro-zone economy. Be sure to walk along the Corso before or after the afternoon siesta to enjoy the concentrated energy of the townspeople going about their business. We loved the fact that you can drink mountain spring water straight from the public fountain on the Corso after you've made yourself dizzy eating an entire cannolo garnished with candied orange or cherries, the latter being hard to find these days.
102 locals recommend
Castelbuono
Famous for its medieval Ventimiglia castle, the town is as authentic a modern mountain village as they come. The countryside on the way is classic Madonie and the people who live there love it. They are especially proud that they are Mafia-free and holding steady at just under 10,000 inhabitants in spite of the ups and downs of the Sicilian and Euro-zone economy. Be sure to walk along the Corso before or after the afternoon siesta to enjoy the concentrated energy of the townspeople going about their business. We loved the fact that you can drink mountain spring water straight from the public fountain on the Corso after you've made yourself dizzy eating an entire cannolo garnished with candied orange or cherries, the latter being hard to find these days.
Founded in 648 BC by colonists from Zancle, Himera was the scene of a crushing defeat of the Carthaginians at the hands of allied forces of Agrigento and Syracuse (480 BC). The main museum is situated at the top a hill south of the main Messina-Palermo road above the plain where sits the remains of the Tempio della Vittoria and a newly constructed museum annex. On display since 2013 are items from the extensive necropoli discovered as the train tracks were relocated. The exhibit of human and equine burials are not to be missed. An excellent short video orients you to the site. You are meant to visit the main museum first but if you are short on time you can buy tickets at the annex and spend 30 minutes enjoying the well designed annex only.
Temple of Victory
38 Strada Statale 113Founded in 648 BC by colonists from Zancle, Himera was the scene of a crushing defeat of the Carthaginians at the hands of allied forces of Agrigento and Syracuse (480 BC). The main museum is situated at the top a hill south of the main Messina-Palermo road above the plain where sits the remains of the Tempio della Vittoria and a newly constructed museum annex. On display since 2013 are items from the extensive necropoli discovered as the train tracks were relocated. The exhibit of human and equine burials are not to be missed. An excellent short video orients you to the site. You are meant to visit the main museum first but if you are short on time you can buy tickets at the annex and spend 30 minutes enjoying the well designed annex only.
This sanctuary dedicated to the Madonna is 800m above sea level in the middle of a forest of oak and chestnut trees. This is one of six 6 c. sanctuaries by Gregory the Great. Do not miss the Byzantine style 11 c. fresco of the Virgin and Child in one of the chapels. You can also visit a museum (limited hours) dedicated to the lives of the Capuchin brothers set up in the convent-annex. This is a great side trip to get out of the sea-level heat. There are mountain trails to pursue right from the steps of the church; at the bottom of the steps, facing the sea, turn right and go slightly downhill on a grassy path to the trailhead. The museum is beautifully done and atmospheric even if you aren’t religious.
29 locals recommend
Santuario Gibilmanna
Via del Giubileo MagnoThis sanctuary dedicated to the Madonna is 800m above sea level in the middle of a forest of oak and chestnut trees. This is one of six 6 c. sanctuaries by Gregory the Great. Do not miss the Byzantine style 11 c. fresco of the Virgin and Child in one of the chapels. You can also visit a museum (limited hours) dedicated to the lives of the Capuchin brothers set up in the convent-annex. This is a great side trip to get out of the sea-level heat. There are mountain trails to pursue right from the steps of the church; at the bottom of the steps, facing the sea, turn right and go slightly downhill on a grassy path to the trailhead. The museum is beautifully done and atmospheric even if you aren’t religious.
This list is merely what we like to do, time and again, when we are in the Cefalù area.
1. La Rocca is the name of the huge promontory that looms above the historic center of Cefalù. There are the remains of human habitation atop La Rocca going back to the Bronze Age. Interpretive signs in Italian and interesting English occur on the trail so you can leave your guidebook behind. It is a good steep climb to the top; we strongly recommend sports shoes or sandals with deep tread, sunscreen, a liter or two of water per person, and cash to pay the entrance fee (see below). (According to Lonely Planet (2011), the entrance to the area is blocked on wet winter days.) We always pack a lunch or a snack as well since we invariably decide to linger over the views longer than planned. Allow about three hours for a leisurely round trip that gets you back to town before sunset. The most direct route from the apt. is this: Go up via Mandralisca to the Piazza Duomo. Walk uphill to the right of the Duomo towards the base of La Rocca. Just before the street ends you will see a small pedestrian passageway on your right that runs between some private residences. Follow this lane uphill—there will be stairs and an obvious paved trail that runs along the foot of La Rocca. You will pass an inhabited cave on your left as you walk behind the last reach of houses (this is public space so you are not trespassing) and there will be a somewhat decrepit fence on your left as you walk. Follow this path past the belvedere as it bends to the left—when in doubt bear leftward and uphill. Eventually you will see the path widen and signs that indicate you are at the start of the climb to the archeological sites—turn left to climb the stairs to the gate in the first set of walls. There is now an entrance fee of 3-4 euros per person that goes toward maintenance of the site. (We don’t know if this applies year round or to non-EU visitors only.) Trails on La Rocca are interconnected so you can’t get lost if you stay on them; it is best not to scramble off the trail since the hillside is easily eroded and dangerously steep. You can wander freely among the ruins at the top and take in the sight of the beautiful coastline of the Calura district east of town. From the top, be sure to take the trail down to the northeast side of the site to explore the buildings and wooded area there. Visit the so-called “Temple of Diana”, then walk downhill to peer over the ramparts. The quilt of red rooftops, the cathedral gardens, and the turquoise sea spreads before you like a personal invitation to return to sea-level.
To get back to the apt., all the streets below the entrance to the ruins flow towards the Corso. Head downhill on any of them to enjoy the narrow, hilly backstreets of Cefalù at your leisure.
2. La Giudecca, Presidiana, and beyond. One of our favorite morning or evening walks. Walk up via Mandralisca and turn left onto the Corso. Go two blocks and turn right onto via Candeloro. Stay on this road until you are walking along the eastern sea wall headed for the lighthouse (il faro). As you are walking along the sea wall with the sea on your left, you are in La Giudecca, once the Jewish quarter of town. There are benches on the seaside and stairs that take you down to the shoals. (Swimming is not encouraged here but the path they’ve built on the shoals runs between the Old Port at the end of via Bordonaro and the end of La Giudecca. The shoal path is safest at low tide and requires sports shoes because it is almost always wet with slippery spots.) La Giudecca today is just a short stretch of street with shops on one side and a good sidewalk on the other. It ends roughly just below the lighthouse even though the road continues. In summer, the Il Faro restaurant is a good spot for a coffee or a light dinner al fresco. Keep walking past il faro and the former military bunkers high in the rock wall near it and you’ll come to an intersection. Take the left branch heading downhill to Presidiana or the “new” port of Cefalù. We like to wander along the concrete pier, grab an ice cream treat at the tiny bar in the parking lot, or follow the shoreline to the Maritime Office and former tuna cannery (Ex-Tonnara). As you walk towards the cannery, you'll see a large pizzeria on your right called La Tavernetta which is open year round and popular with locals.
3. The east side of La Rocca is known as La Calura (also pronounced La Caldura). While it was once a patchwork of country homes each with its own garden, laying hens, and orchard, for a long while now Calura has been home to several large hotels that have all but appropriated the rocky coves hidden on this part of the coastline. If you are really adventurous, instead of going down to the port, walk all the way to the Hotel Kalura on the main road, always going east on the road closest to the shore. Walk a couple dozen meters past the main entrance to the hotel until you get to a public stairway that takes you down to “their” beach, which is a semi-sandy little cove. The stairway may be unpleasant or even closed (we haven't been there in a few years but not much changes in public beach access once established). The little beach at the bottom of the stairs is a cozy nook that is fun to imagine you could have had all to yourself—60-70 years ago. If it is not summer, you just might have it to yourself. There is no public access to the ruins at the end of the knob that juts into the sea beyond Hotel Kalura. These days the best way to see the coast of La Calura is by boat, inflatable raft, or even on a good air mattress (inquire at Presidiana about boat rentals). If there's still public access to the Hotel Kalura beach, you can launch yourself and a companion on a couple of inflatable mattresses and paddle along the craggy shoreline for hours to see the caves lined with sea urchins, numerous other sandy coves, and to get a good work out or tan at the same time. Do this only when the weather is fine, the sea is flat, and you are a confident swimmer. With those conditions, the sea is wonderfully benevolent and requires in addition only sunscreen and common sense. There are no lifeguards, of course, so do be careful if your walk turns into a swim at La Calura.
4. If you visit Calura once and decide to go back again to look for an all-day beach spot, there is open, pebbly beach where swimming is possible just past Calura, not more than an additional 10 minute walk. Instead of heading down the lane that dead-ends at Hotel Kalura, bear right so that you end up on the main road (to Messina, SS113). Walk on the highway (mindfully) for a few minutes until you come to a shallow pullout, wide enough for parking. If others are there before you (on weekends, generally), look near the cars parked along the guard rail for an opening that will take you down to the wide beach. Be prepared for a crude, steep trail lined with brambles and (sadly) litter. Once you're down on the beach you can walk east a long ways over beaches and shoals. Some locals snorkel in this area. The main reason to seek out this part of the coast is to get away from other tourists, especially on Sundays, when Lungomare is packed. There are no public showers or other services and it is a long walk (40 minutes?) from the apt. If you're in good shape and need some outdoor privacy, the pros may outweigh the cons for you. We highly recommend you take plenty of water to drink.
When we walk home from the port or Calura we go back the way we came, near the sea, although you can walk clockwise around La Rocca to complete the circuit. In summer, the latter trip can be long and hot with serious traffic irritants.
5. Il Bastione. This is a small but ancient overlook we walk to that is just minutes from the apt. Walk down via Mandralisca and turn right onto via Vitt. Emanuele. Walk towards the old marina (you can add a walk down to the end of the pier, especially at sunset) then bear right onto via Bordonaro. There are large, expensive restaurants and tiny shops all along this picturesque street. Eventually on your left you’ll see an opening that in good weather has tables set up in it for the L’Antica Corte bar and restaurant (we’ve eaten there and the food is ok, with acceptable in-town prices.) Walk past the tables and up the stairs to the overlook—another good place to watch the sun set. When you've had enough of staring out to sea, go back down the stairs. To your right is a church we’ve been meaning to visit but haven’t yet. Its schedule for mass is posted near the door. To your left is another access point to the path along the shoals. If is it low tide you can take it back to the Old Port (Porta Vecchia, aka Porta Pescara). Unfortunately, both the overlook and the shoal path may be marred by litter, particularly in the summer months. To make your walk to il Bastione into a loop, bear left back onto via Bordonaro. Then follow the streets that bear right until you approach Piazza Duomo from the north.
6. Museo Mandralisca. This small but interesting museum is just a few steps up the street from the apt. (on your right). There is an admission fee (less for EU citizens and students with IDs). As the guidebooks all say, Antonella da Messina's “Portrait of an Unknown Man” is worth the price of admission.
7. Bar Santa Lucia. This bar is part of a big hotel (Santa Lucia) at the edge of Cefalù. We've stopped there for coffee or dolcini (handmade pastries) for years but always by car. We recently discovered that you can walk to it along Lungomare if you really want to. The road along Lungomare extends all the way from the historic center of town to the next small headland. There’s a sidewalk along its entire length. Toward the end of the sidewalk there is an open staircase with a handrail (across the street, on your left) that takes you straight up the cliff, across a tiny waterway that trickles down from the back of the hotel (at the end of summer there may be no water, just seepage and flying insects). At the top of the staircase you’ll find the hotel. Straight ahead there’s a door to the hotel lobby and a locked pool area to your right. Turn left and walk east on the service road behind the hotel. This service road will bend and empty onto the main road into Cefalù (SS113)—you’ll hear the traffic as you approach. Turn right at the main road and walk back towards the hotel on the sidewalk—you'll see the outdoor seating and that's the bar. As in all Italian bars, you check out what’s in the cases and order, pay at the cassa or cashier’s stand, then go back to the barista with your receipt to prove you paid. It used to be that you had to tip the barista in order to get your food or coffee but we see less of that these days; if you don’t have small coins for a tip you won’t be scorned. If you sit inside you pay no cover. If you sit outside you’ll be waited on and there will be a cover charge added to your bill. This bar is busy with locals and tourists day and night and has a lively metropolitan air that is different from the Lungomare scene. The pastries and drinks are excellent! You might be tempted to take an elaborate ice-cream cake home with you but the long walk home counsels against it.
On this walk you will likely see places to hang out on the beach that seem better than the intense crowding on Lungomare close to the city center. There are public fresh-water shower heads at this end of the beach too. There are also blue parking spots along the road you can pay for using parking schede you brought along for the purpose. We walk home the same way we came to avoid having to walk on the busy highway.
8. Il Duomo and Il Chiostro. Obviously, the Duomo is worth visiting while you’re town. There’s no admission fee. It's best not to go during mass or weddings if you want to get up close to the famous Byzantine mosaic of Christ. Head-coverings are no longer required for women but there’s a sign that asks for all visitors to be modestly dressed. Be sure to visit the cloister next door (entrance is to the left of the Duomo as you face it, at the end of the blind alley). The cloister is not always open but we think the evening hours are 4 pm (16.00) until dusk. There is an admission fee but you get a small guide to the carved columns with it. There’s not much else to see beside the courtyard and columns but if you like architectural details and medieval atmosphere it is worth it.
401 locals recommend
Cefalù
This list is merely what we like to do, time and again, when we are in the Cefalù area.
1. La Rocca is the name of the huge promontory that looms above the historic center of Cefalù. There are the remains of human habitation atop La Rocca going back to the Bronze Age. Interpretive signs in Italian and interesting English occur on the trail so you can leave your guidebook behind. It is a good steep climb to the top; we strongly recommend sports shoes or sandals with deep tread, sunscreen, a liter or two of water per person, and cash to pay the entrance fee (see below). (According to Lonely Planet (2011), the entrance to the area is blocked on wet winter days.) We always pack a lunch or a snack as well since we invariably decide to linger over the views longer than planned. Allow about three hours for a leisurely round trip that gets you back to town before sunset. The most direct route from the apt. is this: Go up via Mandralisca to the Piazza Duomo. Walk uphill to the right of the Duomo towards the base of La Rocca. Just before the street ends you will see a small pedestrian passageway on your right that runs between some private residences. Follow this lane uphill—there will be stairs and an obvious paved trail that runs along the foot of La Rocca. You will pass an inhabited cave on your left as you walk behind the last reach of houses (this is public space so you are not trespassing) and there will be a somewhat decrepit fence on your left as you walk. Follow this path past the belvedere as it bends to the left—when in doubt bear leftward and uphill. Eventually you will see the path widen and signs that indicate you are at the start of the climb to the archeological sites—turn left to climb the stairs to the gate in the first set of walls. There is now an entrance fee of 3-4 euros per person that goes toward maintenance of the site. (We don’t know if this applies year round or to non-EU visitors only.) Trails on La Rocca are interconnected so you can’t get lost if you stay on them; it is best not to scramble off the trail since the hillside is easily eroded and dangerously steep. You can wander freely among the ruins at the top and take in the sight of the beautiful coastline of the Calura district east of town. From the top, be sure to take the trail down to the northeast side of the site to explore the buildings and wooded area there. Visit the so-called “Temple of Diana”, then walk downhill to peer over the ramparts. The quilt of red rooftops, the cathedral gardens, and the turquoise sea spreads before you like a personal invitation to return to sea-level.
To get back to the apt., all the streets below the entrance to the ruins flow towards the Corso. Head downhill on any of them to enjoy the narrow, hilly backstreets of Cefalù at your leisure.
2. La Giudecca, Presidiana, and beyond. One of our favorite morning or evening walks. Walk up via Mandralisca and turn left onto the Corso. Go two blocks and turn right onto via Candeloro. Stay on this road until you are walking along the eastern sea wall headed for the lighthouse (il faro). As you are walking along the sea wall with the sea on your left, you are in La Giudecca, once the Jewish quarter of town. There are benches on the seaside and stairs that take you down to the shoals. (Swimming is not encouraged here but the path they’ve built on the shoals runs between the Old Port at the end of via Bordonaro and the end of La Giudecca. The shoal path is safest at low tide and requires sports shoes because it is almost always wet with slippery spots.) La Giudecca today is just a short stretch of street with shops on one side and a good sidewalk on the other. It ends roughly just below the lighthouse even though the road continues. In summer, the Il Faro restaurant is a good spot for a coffee or a light dinner al fresco. Keep walking past il faro and the former military bunkers high in the rock wall near it and you’ll come to an intersection. Take the left branch heading downhill to Presidiana or the “new” port of Cefalù. We like to wander along the concrete pier, grab an ice cream treat at the tiny bar in the parking lot, or follow the shoreline to the Maritime Office and former tuna cannery (Ex-Tonnara). As you walk towards the cannery, you'll see a large pizzeria on your right called La Tavernetta which is open year round and popular with locals.
3. The east side of La Rocca is known as La Calura (also pronounced La Caldura). While it was once a patchwork of country homes each with its own garden, laying hens, and orchard, for a long while now Calura has been home to several large hotels that have all but appropriated the rocky coves hidden on this part of the coastline. If you are really adventurous, instead of going down to the port, walk all the way to the Hotel Kalura on the main road, always going east on the road closest to the shore. Walk a couple dozen meters past the main entrance to the hotel until you get to a public stairway that takes you down to “their” beach, which is a semi-sandy little cove. The stairway may be unpleasant or even closed (we haven't been there in a few years but not much changes in public beach access once established). The little beach at the bottom of the stairs is a cozy nook that is fun to imagine you could have had all to yourself—60-70 years ago. If it is not summer, you just might have it to yourself. There is no public access to the ruins at the end of the knob that juts into the sea beyond Hotel Kalura. These days the best way to see the coast of La Calura is by boat, inflatable raft, or even on a good air mattress (inquire at Presidiana about boat rentals). If there's still public access to the Hotel Kalura beach, you can launch yourself and a companion on a couple of inflatable mattresses and paddle along the craggy shoreline for hours to see the caves lined with sea urchins, numerous other sandy coves, and to get a good work out or tan at the same time. Do this only when the weather is fine, the sea is flat, and you are a confident swimmer. With those conditions, the sea is wonderfully benevolent and requires in addition only sunscreen and common sense. There are no lifeguards, of course, so do be careful if your walk turns into a swim at La Calura.
4. If you visit Calura once and decide to go back again to look for an all-day beach spot, there is open, pebbly beach where swimming is possible just past Calura, not more than an additional 10 minute walk. Instead of heading down the lane that dead-ends at Hotel Kalura, bear right so that you end up on the main road (to Messina, SS113). Walk on the highway (mindfully) for a few minutes until you come to a shallow pullout, wide enough for parking. If others are there before you (on weekends, generally), look near the cars parked along the guard rail for an opening that will take you down to the wide beach. Be prepared for a crude, steep trail lined with brambles and (sadly) litter. Once you're down on the beach you can walk east a long ways over beaches and shoals. Some locals snorkel in this area. The main reason to seek out this part of the coast is to get away from other tourists, especially on Sundays, when Lungomare is packed. There are no public showers or other services and it is a long walk (40 minutes?) from the apt. If you're in good shape and need some outdoor privacy, the pros may outweigh the cons for you. We highly recommend you take plenty of water to drink.
When we walk home from the port or Calura we go back the way we came, near the sea, although you can walk clockwise around La Rocca to complete the circuit. In summer, the latter trip can be long and hot with serious traffic irritants.
5. Il Bastione. This is a small but ancient overlook we walk to that is just minutes from the apt. Walk down via Mandralisca and turn right onto via Vitt. Emanuele. Walk towards the old marina (you can add a walk down to the end of the pier, especially at sunset) then bear right onto via Bordonaro. There are large, expensive restaurants and tiny shops all along this picturesque street. Eventually on your left you’ll see an opening that in good weather has tables set up in it for the L’Antica Corte bar and restaurant (we’ve eaten there and the food is ok, with acceptable in-town prices.) Walk past the tables and up the stairs to the overlook—another good place to watch the sun set. When you've had enough of staring out to sea, go back down the stairs. To your right is a church we’ve been meaning to visit but haven’t yet. Its schedule for mass is posted near the door. To your left is another access point to the path along the shoals. If is it low tide you can take it back to the Old Port (Porta Vecchia, aka Porta Pescara). Unfortunately, both the overlook and the shoal path may be marred by litter, particularly in the summer months. To make your walk to il Bastione into a loop, bear left back onto via Bordonaro. Then follow the streets that bear right until you approach Piazza Duomo from the north.
6. Museo Mandralisca. This small but interesting museum is just a few steps up the street from the apt. (on your right). There is an admission fee (less for EU citizens and students with IDs). As the guidebooks all say, Antonella da Messina's “Portrait of an Unknown Man” is worth the price of admission.
7. Bar Santa Lucia. This bar is part of a big hotel (Santa Lucia) at the edge of Cefalù. We've stopped there for coffee or dolcini (handmade pastries) for years but always by car. We recently discovered that you can walk to it along Lungomare if you really want to. The road along Lungomare extends all the way from the historic center of town to the next small headland. There’s a sidewalk along its entire length. Toward the end of the sidewalk there is an open staircase with a handrail (across the street, on your left) that takes you straight up the cliff, across a tiny waterway that trickles down from the back of the hotel (at the end of summer there may be no water, just seepage and flying insects). At the top of the staircase you’ll find the hotel. Straight ahead there’s a door to the hotel lobby and a locked pool area to your right. Turn left and walk east on the service road behind the hotel. This service road will bend and empty onto the main road into Cefalù (SS113)—you’ll hear the traffic as you approach. Turn right at the main road and walk back towards the hotel on the sidewalk—you'll see the outdoor seating and that's the bar. As in all Italian bars, you check out what’s in the cases and order, pay at the cassa or cashier’s stand, then go back to the barista with your receipt to prove you paid. It used to be that you had to tip the barista in order to get your food or coffee but we see less of that these days; if you don’t have small coins for a tip you won’t be scorned. If you sit inside you pay no cover. If you sit outside you’ll be waited on and there will be a cover charge added to your bill. This bar is busy with locals and tourists day and night and has a lively metropolitan air that is different from the Lungomare scene. The pastries and drinks are excellent! You might be tempted to take an elaborate ice-cream cake home with you but the long walk home counsels against it.
On this walk you will likely see places to hang out on the beach that seem better than the intense crowding on Lungomare close to the city center. There are public fresh-water shower heads at this end of the beach too. There are also blue parking spots along the road you can pay for using parking schede you brought along for the purpose. We walk home the same way we came to avoid having to walk on the busy highway.
8. Il Duomo and Il Chiostro. Obviously, the Duomo is worth visiting while you’re town. There’s no admission fee. It's best not to go during mass or weddings if you want to get up close to the famous Byzantine mosaic of Christ. Head-coverings are no longer required for women but there’s a sign that asks for all visitors to be modestly dressed. Be sure to visit the cloister next door (entrance is to the left of the Duomo as you face it, at the end of the blind alley). The cloister is not always open but we think the evening hours are 4 pm (16.00) until dusk. There is an admission fee but you get a small guide to the carved columns with it. There’s not much else to see beside the courtyard and columns but if you like architectural details and medieval atmosphere it is worth it.