The sea temperature at Cefalù today is 21.7 °C (71 °F) – cold to refreshing water, better for a short swim. The usual October average is 22.9 °C. The forecast for the next 3 days is 21.4 to 21.7 °C. Over the last 30 days the sea has cooled from 25.7 °C to 21.7 °C. Swimmable from May to November, when the sea averages 18 °C or more. Source: Sea Temp Map (seatempmap.com) – NASA MUR satellite data and the Copernicus Marine sea forecast.
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 14.2°C / 57.6°F | 15.1°C / 59.1°F | 15.6°C / 60.0°F |
| February | 13.7°C / 56.7°F | 14.3°C / 57.7°F | 14.7°C / 58.4°F |
| March | 13.6°C / 56.5°F | 14.4°C / 58.0°F | 15.0°C / 58.9°F |
| April | 14.7°C / 58.5°F | 15.6°C / 60.0°F | 16.2°C / 61.1°F |
| May | 18.2°C / 64.8°F | 18.7°C / 65.6°F | 19.1°C / 66.4°F |
| June | 22.7°C / 72.9°F | 23.6°C / 74.4°F | 24.4°C / 75.9°F |
| July | 26.6°C / 79.8°F | 27.2°C / 80.9°F | 27.5°C / 81.5°F |
| August | 27.0°C / 80.6°F | 27.6°C / 81.8°F | 28.5°C / 83.2°F |
| September | 25.2°C / 77.4°F | 25.8°C / 78.5°F | 26.3°C / 79.3°F |
| October | 22.3°C / 72.2°F | 22.9°C / 73.2°F | 23.6°C / 74.4°F |
| November | 19.3°C / 66.7°F | 20.3°C / 68.5°F | 20.8°C / 69.5°F |
| December | 15.9°C / 60.6°F | 16.9°C / 62.5°F | 17.5°C / 63.4°F |
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10.8°C / 51.5°F | 11.5°C / 52.8°F | 12.5°C / 54.4°F |
| February | 10.7°C / 51.2°F | 11.5°C / 52.8°F | 12.4°C / 54.4°F |
| March | 11.4°C / 52.5°F | 12.4°C / 54.3°F | 13.3°C / 56.0°F |
| April | 13.1°C / 55.6°F | 14.2°C / 57.6°F | 15.1°C / 59.1°F |
| May | 16.9°C / 62.5°F | 18.0°C / 64.3°F | 18.9°C / 66.0°F |
| June | 22.0°C / 71.7°F | 23.2°C / 73.7°F | 24.3°C / 75.8°F |
| July | 25.0°C / 77.0°F | 26.1°C / 79.0°F | 27.2°C / 80.9°F |
| August | 24.7°C / 76.5°F | 25.8°C / 78.4°F | 26.7°C / 80.0°F |
| September | 22.3°C / 72.1°F | 23.4°C / 74.2°F | 24.4°C / 75.8°F |
| October | 19.2°C / 66.5°F | 20.1°C / 68.2°F | 21.0°C / 69.7°F |
| November | 15.7°C / 60.2°F | 16.4°C / 61.6°F | 17.3°C / 63.1°F |
| December | 12.5°C / 54.6°F | 13.2°C / 55.7°F | 13.9°C / 57.1°F |
5-year averages (2021–2025). Min/Max are typical daily lows and highs, not record extremes. (Copernicus ERA5)
Cefalù holidays
On the northern coast of Sicily, about an hour east of Palermo, Cefalù is a fishing town tucked below La Rocca, a limestone headland, with a Norman cathedral at its heart. The cathedral, begun by King Roger II in 1131, belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Arab-Norman Palermo and the cathedral churches of Cefalù and Monreale.
Beaches
The main beach is a long curve of fine sand that runs west from the old town along the Lungomare promenade, with gently shelving water that suits children and both free and paid sections. East of the headland, the bay below the Kalura area has pebbles and rocks and often clearer water, and further west the coves of Mazzaforno and the long beach at Salinelle are easiest to reach by car. In August Cefalù's town beach is packed, so it pays to arrive early.
Things to do
Inside the cathedral, a golden mosaic of Christ Pantocrator fills the apse above the altar. A path climbs La Rocca from the old town past the remains of the so-called Temple of Diana to the ruins of a castle and a view along the coast; it takes about an hour and has little shade. On Via Vittorio Emanuele, stone steps lead down to the medieval wash-house, the Lavatoio, where a stream still runs through the basins. The Mandralisca Museum holds Antonello da Messina's Portrait of an Unknown Man. Inland, the Madonie mountains and the town of Castelbuono make a half-day trip, and Palermo is about an hour away by train.
Weather and best time to visit
The sea at Cefalù warms fastest from May to June, by about 5 °C (9 °F) in one month.
Summers in Cefalù are hot and dry, and the sirocco from North Africa can bring a few days of hot, hazy air. August is the busiest month, when Italian families fill the beach around the mid-August holiday of Ferragosto. May, June, September and early October are warm but calmer. Winters are mild and wetter, and some hotels close.
Hotels and where to stay
The old town has small hotels and apartments in its lanes, close to the cathedral and the harbour. Hotels along the Lungomare are a few steps from the sand, and the Kalura area east of the headland is quieter and closer to the rocky coves.
Signature hotels: Hotel Kalura
Airport and getting there
Palermo Airport (PMO) is about 100 km away, roughly an hour and a quarter by car; Catania Airport is about two hours. Cefalù has a railway station on the line between Palermo and Messina, and regional trains reach Palermo Centrale in about an hour. In summer, boat excursions leave Cefalù for the Aeolian Islands.