Retire Early Lifestyle
Retirement; like your parents, but way cooler

In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this financially independent lifestyle, they invite you to take advantage of their wisdom and experience.

A Hike to Castello di Cefalu (Cefalu Castle)

(Pronounced Chef-ah-LOO)

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli

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Nestled on Sicily's coastline, Cefalu is a treasure trove of beauty, with stunning scenery and an international beach scene. It's where the beautiful people hang out.

But Cefalu offers more than just sun and sand.

Atop a dramatic rocky outcrop known as La Rocca, you'll find the intriguing Castello di Cefalu, also called Castello della Rocca. While not a complete fairytale castle today, Castello di Cefalu whispers tales of its Norman past. The ruins stand as a testament to a bygone era, offering breathtaking panoramic views of the town and coastline below.

The trailhead to this hike wasn't far from our apartment so we were excited to get going.

Google map showing the Castello di Cefalu

During the Arab rule of Sicily from 827 to 1091, a fortress was built on La Rocca. Then, after the Normans conquered Sicily in the 11th century, they rebuilt and expanded the fortress into a castle. This Norman castle became known as the Castello di Cefalu.

A typical Cefalu neighborhood

The neighborhood surrounding La Rocca is steep, as you can see here.

This narrow cobblestone road is shared by cars, pedestrians and motorbikes, and these houses have been here for ages.

Unfortunately, not much of the Castello di Cefalu remains today. Over the centuries, the castle fell into disrepair and was eventually abandoned. Today, there are only a few loose rocks and low crenellated walls left. However, the climb up La Rocca is still very much worth it for the panoramic views of Cefalu and the surrounding coastline.

View from the trail

There is a trail that leads to the top, and a small entrance fee to get into the Park. We received the Senior discount allowing us to enter for only $2.50Euros per person, which we put on our credit card at the machine in front of the trailhead.

The first part of the trail is fairly easy with cut-out steps and a slight incline.

The views of the town are expansive, even at this level.

The top of Cefalù Rock was already inhabited in ancient times as the remains of a temple with enormous stonework can still be seen.

Under Byzantine rule the settlement on the mountain developed into a real town, causing the partial depopulation of the town center below.

View from higher up on the trail

Cefalù's strategic position on La Rocca, this towering rock formation, made it a prime location for defensive structures. During the Arab rule of Sicily (827-1091), a fortress was established atop the mountain, laying the groundwork for the future castle.

At the rock face looking out

Following the Norman conquest of Sicily in the 11th century, the existing fortress underwent a significant transformation.

The Normans rebuilt and expanded the structure, solidifying its role as a castle. This Norman castle, known today as the Castello di Cefalù, became a prominent landmark in the region.

The easy part of the trail

As you can see, the steps here are not steep at all, and have been cut in such a fashion to accommodate the general public.

Getting to the castle however, is quite hard as the only way to get up this 270 meters high mountain is walking up a very long and winding footpath.

The pathway is uneven, slippery and would be described more as climbing than hiking.

Sea view from above

The rectangular set of buildings in the center are the local branch of the National Police Force of Italy, known as the Carabinieri Comando Compagnia of Cefalu, Sicily.

The Carabinieri are responsible for a wide range of law enforcement duties, including maintaining public order and safety, investigating crimes, arresting criminals, traffic control and protecting public property.

The building is a modern structure with a large car park in the center

Founded in 1814, the Carabinieri are one of the oldest police forces in the world.

A gate on the trail

These walls are centuries old!

This is where the "hike" really begins.

Town perspective from above

On this photo, Billy has pointed out where the train station is, and where our apartment in Cefalu is located.

You can see the old historical town as well as the modern high-rise buildings of today.

Aerial view of the town

This is another aerial view of the town below showing the blue, blue Tyrrhenian Sea.

Easy but rocky path

This is a little more up the trail, where the steps have vanished. But at least there are still guard rails!

This is also quite easy compared to further up the mountain where we found ourselves scooting on rocks or pulling ourselves up by wild branches that grew along the side.

Billy and Akaisha

Ultimately, we only made it about 86% up the mountain.

Some people quit long before us and some passed us by to ambitiously get to the top.

Coming down, those who made it to the top said there wasn't much of the castle to see anyway and that the views were pretty much the same as we had already observed.

In this case it was the first time we have ever not made it to the top of a mountain we wanted to climb.

This was a bit surprising for us!

We could blame it on our shoes, on our age, on the steepness of the hill itself, the heat... any number of things, but we felt a combination of disappointment, relief and realization.

We chose not to go further. We realized that it was better for our bodies to go back down the steep hill instead of continuing on to the summit. And we were relieved that there was no more climbing this day for us.

After spending 2 weeks grappling all around the Sassi in Matera, Italy, our bodies were still twisted, turned, and sore.

Gosh.

We had to say no!

Steep La Rocca

It's an arduous climb, and if we were to do it again, I would have on hiking boots (no, we don't travel with them) and a walking cane to keep balance and to help lift me up.

And, I'd have taken a daypack with some water packed in it.

The women at the trailhead who were wearing dresses and high heels - I guarantee you - never made it even 25% up the hill!

Would we recommend you going to Rocca di Cefalù?

Yes, yes, yes!

Wear good shoes and comfortable clothing for the hike. Bring water and snacks to keep you energized during the climb. Be prepared for steep and rocky paths. Take your time and enjoy the views along the way

__________

Rocca di Cefalù

Salita Saraceni, 90015 Cefalù PA, Italy

22PF+J8 Cefalù, Metropolitan City of Palermo, Italy

Entrance fee: $5Euros per person

Children 6-14 years and adults over 65 - $2.50Euros

Credit card payment is accepted.

Hours vary according to season

At the entrance is a coffee shop with drinks and snacks. That's where you’ll find the path that leads you to Castello di Cefalù.

Retire Early Lifestyle appeals to a different kind of person – the person who prizes their independence, values their time, and who doesn’t want to mindlessly follow the crowd.

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