Excursion at sunset to the Rocca di Cefalù

The Rocca di Cefalù is a 268 high limestone cliff which surmounts Cefalù, an italian town in Sicily. The cliff is linked to the myth of Dafni, the son of the nymph Dafnide and the god Hermes. Dafni, after swearing to be faithful to a nymph and then breaking the promise, gets blinded.

The myth of Dafni

Dafni, according to the myth, spent the rest of his life singing sad pastorali, which he is considered the inventor of, and decided eventually to end his life by jumping off the cliff, but the god Dionysus turned him into stone saving him instead.
There are different versions of this myth, such as a version in which Dafni gets turned into a stone statue in Cefalù.

The Rocca

Part of the perimeter is characterized by crenellated walls from the Middle Ages that had been completed in the XV century. On the western side of the wall there is an access door.
On top of the cliff there are the remains of a medieval castle, dating back to the XII-XIV century, that give to the cliff the name in dialect: “u castieddu”. The castle was originally built in the XII century and restored later. Next to the remains of the castle, there are the remains of the Temple of Diana, a megalithic monument probably devoted to the cult of pagan divinities.
On the lower-western part you will find some ruins and a series of mills and enforced pipes.

Guided tours

To visit the Rocca di Cefalù, you have to walk on Corso Ruggero and then on Saraceni street, then proceed until you will reach the walking trail to the Rocca. The path is exposed to the sun, so it is discouraged to walk the path during the hottest of the day. It is recommended, instead, to visit the Rocca during the fall season.
The entrance ticket can be bought up ahead at the ticket office.
Opening hours are from 9:00 to 19:00. From November to March, is possible to visit the Rocca everyday from 9:00 to 16:00.

For more information visit the website: www.visitcefalu.com