Cefalù is a fishing village and popular beach resort on the north coast of Sicily, Italy, 75 km east from the provincial capital and 185 km west of Messina. The town is one of the major tourist attractions in the region.

Of Greek foundation, the city evidently derived its name from its situation on a lofty and precipitous rock, forming a bold headland projecting into the sea.

The main sight: The Cathedral-Basilica of Cefalù, (Italian: Duomo di Cefalù). The cathedral, dating from 1131, was commenced in the Norman style, the island of Sicily having been conquered by the Normans in 1091. According to tradition, the building was erected after a vow made to the Holy Saviour by the King of Sicily, Roger II, after he escaped from a storm to land on the city's beach. The fortress-like character of the building, which, seen from a distance, rises as a huge bulk above its medieval town, may in part reflect the vulnerability of the site to attack from the sea. It also made a powerful statement of the Norman presence.