What town in Sicily is the most rustic and authentic? Has anyone been to Cefalu? Please tell me about it and..

Question

I do not want a big city full of cars, etc. but a simple quiet old city atmosphere. Is Cefalu like that? Are there other places?

Answer 1

Cefalu is a tourist trap just like taormina like chuckle head explained.  I have lived in sicily for the past 4 years and I have been to 90% of the cities.  Palermo and Catania are the two largest and offer lots of pricks and traffic.  Only going inland can you escape the tourists and all the traffic.  SOme medium sized towns are Enna, and a really cool one is Caltigirone.  Those are both towards the East side of the island.  On the West there is Enrice, which is surrounded by a wall you may get run over by a horse and carriage but not a car.  It has awesome views.  Marsala is also very cool.  Look Pantelleria is an island and you have to boat it or fly there, but it is the coolest.  Hardly any cars, lots up water and sun.  You cant ask for a more small town atmosphere.  Pantelleria is my first choice as the coolest small city in Sicily.  Resultano is also cool but inland.  If you go there, find "Bar Giovanni" and meet the owner.  He lived in Iraq in the 70's and makes the best wine on the whole island.  That is what I know.

Answer 2

Cefalu is like that...it is beautiful, with small old streets and beautiful views on the sea. I was only there briefly and loved it.

Taormina is also beautiful, but much more crowded, and lots more traffic. It is mora a mass-tourism place. None of the two is a "big city", but if you want a quiet place, I would reccomend Cefalu