Lauren & Dylan
Lauren & Dylan
Fly into the Palermo Airport
The closest airport to Cefalù is the Palermo Airport (PMO). There are no direct flights from the United States to Palermo. However, many major European and Italian cities fly into Palermo every day during peak season, so you should have no problem finding a flight to accommodate your schedule. Direct flights to Palermo (PMO) (flightconnections.com)
Our wedding venue, Hotel Le Calette, is approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes from the airport by car. There is the option to take the train, use a hotel shuttle service (I was quoted 165 euros from Hotel Le Calette for up to 3 passengers), or hire a private driver/taxi service to get you into town.
Cefalù By Taxi
We used Cefalù taxi services to get back to our hotel a few times during our recent trip. Taxis were readily available at taxi stands and drivers accepted cash, credit card and tap to pay.
You can also arrange for taxi airport transfer services. You can book these services via the website provided below.
Cefalù By Train
Another option is to take the train from the PMO airport to Cefalù. This is best if you're a light traveler, staying in Old Town (City Center), or don't mind a bit of a walk/taxi. This is the most affordable option to get to Cefalu - I promise it's not hard!
Here's how you do it: Take the train from Punta Raisi (that's the airport's town, and the station is in the airport, you will see orange signs once you clear baggage claim) to Palermo Centrale. This first train will take about 30 minutes. Once at Palermo Centrale, you will transfer trains to Cefalù. This will take about 45 minutes. The whole trip will cost less than 20 euros per person. You can buy your tickets ahead of time, or at a kiosk right at the Punta Raisi train station.
Note: When reserving your tickets online, search from Punta Raisi to Cefalu. The reservations will automatically include the transfer/layover in Palermo Cental (it's like booking a flight, you don't need to book two separate trips). When we booked online, we were provided with a QR code for our tickets. There was a Trenitalia worker who scanned our tickets from my phone while we were on the train.
Book train tickets here: https://www.trenitalia.com/en.html
Renting a Car
First off, renting a car during your stay in Cefalù is not necessary. Cefalù is a small town that is easily walkable from most resorts - we walked from Calette into town a few times and it took around 30 minutes, tops. Plus, parking in Old Town is a nightmare...no parking lots in Sicily!
Taxis are also available from designated taxi stands (one at the train station, one in town, one at the beach) and can be ordered from your hotel. Uber is also newly available in Sicily, however we found this to be 2x the price of taxis.
However, for those of you who are interested in exploring the beauty of Sicily beyond Cefalù, we recommend renting a car during your stay on the island. Most, if not all, of the hotels we recommend have parking lots available for guests.
There are a few required documents for renting a car in Sicily (your US driver's license, an International Driving Permit, passport). Be familiar with the requirements before renting a vehicle.
There are several rental car options available right at the Palermo Airport. You can book your rental car service in advance, via a website like DiscoverCars.com or AutoEuro.com.
Important: Make sure you indicate if you need an automatic transmission!
Hotel Le Calette
Our wedding ceremony and reception on Sunday, September 1st will take place here. This is the property where Lauren & Dylan will be staying.
Use discount code: WEDDING PFENDT/APESSOS
The code is available for a stay up to five nights.
The hotel can arrange taxis as needed to Old Town, as well as to and from the airport. There is also a hotel shuttle service that can be arranged, however we found this to be a pricier option.
Note: Le Calette is a 20-30 minute walk to Old Town. When on foot, you would exit at the base of the hotel property by the water. Then you will walk through a parking lot by the marina and up the road following the coast. Keep right because cars will come around the bend.
Hotel Alberi del Paradiso - Cefalu
Alberi del Paradiso is the sister property to the Hotel Le Calette (approximately 6 minutes away by car, or a 45-minute walk). This resort has a shuttle that provides services into Old Town, to the Calette Beach Club and to the Hotel le Calette (where Lauren + Dylan will stay) that runs daily during peak season.
Use discount code: WEDDING PFENDT/APESSOS
The code is available for a stay up to five nights.
Airbnb in OLD TOWN
For those of you less inclined to stay at a resort, consider booking an Airbnb in Old Town Cefalù! There are plenty of options available, however we recommend booking early if this is the route you would like to take, since many properties get booked quickly during the busy season. Airbnb | Cefalù - Vacation Rentals & Places to Stay - Sicily
If you choose to stay in Old Town, you will be in spritz-spitting-distance to our Saturday welcome events, however we recommend calling a taxi to the wedding venue on Saturday. You could walk to Le Calette from Old Town, but it will likely be very hot and uncomfortable in wedding attire!
Hotel Kalura 4 Stars
We do not have a code for this property, but it is a short walk to Hotel Le Calette (7-10 minute walk to our ceremony and reception). This is a moderately priced seaside resort that offers beautiful views, restaurants, yoga, bike rentals and more! The hotel can arrange taxis as needed to Old Town, as well as to and from the airport.
blue bay cefalù
This is another property very close to Hotel le Calette (10-15 minute walk to our ceremony and reception). This is an affordable hotel that has its own private, pebbly beach.