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.

The Malecon in Cefalu, Sicily

(Pronounced: MAL-eh-con, Shef-ah-LOO)

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli

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The Italian term for a seaside promenade is lungomarino.

Cefalu is considered to have some of the best beaches in Sicily, so this lungomarino - which follows the coastline - offers attractive scenic views.

Our apartment  is not far from the sea, so we saw these charming views daily.

Have a look for yourself.

Entrance to Poseidon Beach

This is the main entrance to Poseidon Beach.

Cefalu has a rich history, and the influence of Greek culture can be found in various aspects of the town.

From the Greek religion, Poseidon was the god of the sea known by the Romans as Neptune.

In either case, Poseidon/Neptune had a bad temper, a violent nature and terrible mood swings.

Jeeze.

How do you appease a god like that?

Looking down Poseidon Beach

Vendors set up their wares here on the walkway which looks towards the Medieval section of Cefalu.

You can also see the two Norman towers of Cefalu's Cathedral in the upper right, with La Rocca just out of view, also on the right.

Restaurants, cafes and tourist shops line the lungomarino.

Beach goers relaxing on the beach

Depending on the day of the week, the beach was casually full or completely packed.

The sand here was smooth, not rocky or a bother to your bare feet, which is why international sunbathers love this place!

Pastel buildings with bright blue doors

In this shot, the seaside walkway is just a stone's throw to the left.

As you can see, food establishments are one after the other hoping you'll try their place when you are hungry!

Menus are posted on banners, chalk boards or are displayed on tables at the front of the restaurant.

The pastel colors and blue doors are charmingly typical of southern Italy.

Most likely zoning and building codes limit construction in order to maintain a cohesive look that complements the existing architecture. This preserves the character and charm of the town.

From the beach looking towards Rocca di Cefalu

We hiked up this Rock, which is an imposing feature of Cefalu. The hike started off as a fairly easy incline, but progressed to a winding, slippery, deeper ascent as we went forward.

This rock is also a commanding presence at Cefalu's harbor.

No matter where you are in the town, you are pretty much in sight of this huge granite rock.

Motorcycles for rent

If you are a motorcycle enthusiast, Italy and Sicily are the places for you!

The scenery, the hills, the winding roads, the history... you will love it.

Rent a bike here, right at the beach.

The beach at the Old Harbor

Lounge chairs to relax in, umbrellas to shade you from the sun, boats to rent, the cool Tyrrhenian Sea and nearby restaurants.

An iced drink, some gelato, cappuccino or a full meal and wine - all within a few steps.

What more could you want?

A panoramic view of the Old Harbor

In this panoramic view, to the complete right is a pier.

In the center right, you can see Poseidon beach in the main part of Old town.

This photo was taken from our position of standing in the Old Medieval Section of Cefalu city.

The Cefalu pier is a popular spot for photographers because of its picturesque views. This area is a great spot for families with plenty of space for kids to play and enjoy the sea views.

There are a variety of water activities, including swimming, kayaking, and paddle boarding in the nearby waters.

Billy and Akaisha at the Old Harbor

This area of Cefalu is great for photographers.

With the age-old buildings in the background, boats bobbing in the harbor and the colorful umbrellas all lined up, it makes for some very romantic shots.

Young international students

These young people were students at Solemar Academy, ranked among the very best Italian language schools in Sicily.

How fortunate they were! and what a great place to go to school!

The school is just 100 meters away.

Blond beauty wearing our baseball cap

Happy to be wearing our RetireEarlyLifestyle.com ball cap, this young woman gave us a BIG smile!

Plunging off the pier!

Billy was able to catch this bathing cutie right as she jumped off the pier.

Apparently the water was a bit cold, as these swimmers bobbed out of the water as fast as could be to get back to the warmth of their towels in the sun.

Stracciatella gelato, cappuccino and a croissant

At one of the many cafes on the lungomarino, Billy and I stopped to have this typical Italian treat - some Stracciatella gelato, a coronetta and a cappuccino.

Originally created in 1961, Stracciatella is a variety of gelato with fine strands of drizzled dark chocolate stirred through it.

It's a delight every time we have a scoop.

Picture perfect

Now here's a postcard for you!

Doesn't this just look classic?

Striped blue and white sun umbrellas lined up on a Medieval European beach.

What a life we live!

Cefalu's Cathedral

With bright yellow umbrellas in the foreground, you can't miss Cefalu's Cathedral right in the center.

The two Norman towers define this church. La Rocca stands by, stoic as ever.

Make a take a trip to Cefalu.

The food is superb, there are several beaches you can stretch out on, rent a boat, hike up La Rocca, or while the time away at a cafe.

It's all here just waiting for you.

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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