Day 01
Walking Tour of Cefalù's Jewish Quarter, Harbour, and Cathedral
- The guided tour of Cefalù, near Palermo and Madonie Park, begins with the discovery of the ancient Jewish quarter, just outside the historic centre of the town, where there are still traces of the Jews who populated this area for almost 200 years.
- History and tradition blend with architecture and buildings now inhabited mostly by fishermen, given the proximity to the sea and the ancient Porta Giudecca gate, through which people once entered the neighbourhood. From here, where you can admire the lighthouse, we continue our walk through the suggestive Sicilian alleys until we reach the small fishing port framed by the ancient medieval Porta Pescara gate. This enchanting place, with its colourful fishing boats, has been chosen as a film set for important movies such as New Cinema Paradiso and the latest Indiana Jones 5.
- The tour continues with a visit to the medieval washhouse in the atrium of Palazzo Martino, once a public washhouse, with a lava stone staircase and a series of basins where the water flows from mouths shaped like lion heads, with supports once used to rub clothes.
- Exploring the town, you can admire Palazzo Mandralisca from the outside, which houses the museum famous for Byzantine icons and the portrait of the Unknown painted by Antonello da Messina.
- The tour ends with a visit to the most beautiful jewel of Cefalù, its Cathedral, which UNESCO lists as a World Heritage Site. The Basilica of the Transfiguration, in Norman style enriched by Arab influences, amazes visitors with its imposing facade, marble portal, and two towers on the sides that represent, respectively, the power of the Church with a square plan and the power of the Kings and nobility with an octagonal plan.
- Inside the cathedral, we will visit the Christ Pantocrator overlooking the apse, facing the many faithful who flock to the Basilica to admire its splendour, surrounded by bright gold mosaics and paintings on a golden background in the Byzantine style.
