3 Best Sights in Cefalù, Sicily

Cefalù is dominated by a massive headland—la rocca—and a 12th-century Romanesque Duomo, which is one of the finest Norman cathedrals in Italy. Roger II began the church in 1131 as an offering of thanks for having been saved here from a shipwreck. Its mosaics rival those of Monreale. (Whereas Monreale's Byzantine Christ figure is an austere and powerful image, emphasizing Christ's divinity, the Cefalù Christ is softer, more compassionate, and more human.) At the Duomo you must be respectfully attired—no shorts or beachwear permitted. Three themed tours explore the Duomo complex, taking in the museum, cloisters, roof, and towers (from €10).

Cefalù's old stone port and beach make it the town's most wonderful spot to spend time, although it can get very busy with happy snappers. Wander around the pier with its look-out niches for spectacular views of Spiaggia del Vecchio Molo, the picturesque beach backed by the old town's hodgepodge of buildings. White-foamed waves often crash against the rocks and walls, making themselves inviting subjects for fun photographs. For the adventurous and sure of foot, there's a rudimentary concrete path among the shoreline rocks from Largo Eroi del Mare (dedicated to brave men lost to the sea in 1951) as far as Bastione di Capo Marchiafava (with panoramic terrace) and the new port.

This museum displays the private collection of Baron Enrico Pirajno di Mandralisca, a member of a local aristocratic family. Throughout his life, Mandralisca collected antiques, artwork, fossils, ancient ceramics, and various other geological and natural history objects to form this extensive collection. His library and other items were eventually donated to the town and became this museum. The most significant piece of art here has to be the Portrait of an Unknown Man by Antonello da Messina. Sometimes called the "Sicilian Mona Lisa," the portrait of a mysteriously smirking man is one of the early Renaissance artist's masterpieces.