Cefalù

The jewel of the Tyrrhenian Coast is no doubt Cefalù, a classically appealing old Sicilian town built on a spur jutting out into the sea.

The city's medieval origins have left behind many interesting historical sites to explore. The Palazzo Maria in Piazza Duomo and the Osteria Magno in Corso Ruggero are palaces that date back to the 13th century. They were both owned by the Ventimiglia family, an influential aristocratic family that dominated and owned most of the agricultural wealth of this part of the island in the Middle Ages.

Among its many evocative historic locations is the medieval washhouse. Carved out of rustic lava stone and used until the early 20th century, the ancient bathhouse is home to a series of basins fed by the waters of the Cefalino River, which flow out from 22 iron lion-shape spouts. Here, you can get a sense of how life was in Sicily in the Middle Ages.