Cefalù is 148 km. far from Agrigento, 130 km. from Caltanissetta, 183 km. from Enna, 185 km. from Messina, 74 km. from Palermo, which province it belongs to, 256 km. from Ragusa, 241 km. from Siracusa, 173 km. from Trapani.

The municipality has 13.997 inhabitants and its area covers 6.580 hectares for a density of population of 213 inhabitants per square kilometre. It rises on a coast hilly area and is 16 metres above sea-level.

Cefalù is a typical bathing small town and an agricultural centre and as such it has some products like olives, grapes, fruit and citrus fruit. Important are also its fish products whether fresh fish or canned-fish.

Famous tourist centre in the ancient times it was called Kephaloidion that originates from the Greek word kefalè (head), referring to the rock that overlooks it. The place is on the west slopes of a spendid promontory.
Different evidences found out some caves assure the presence of people in pre-hellenic age. In 254 B.C. the small town was under Romans' control and in 858 it was conquered by the Muslim after two long sieges. With the Norman domination about 1063 for Cefalù began a good period; in fact it had a strong economy and enjoyed artistical splendour and in 1131 it became the bishop's residence.
For different centuries it was from a political point of view a very important ecclesiastic possession since it has large properties as well as numerous privileges.

Cefalù has got many important monuments. The valuable Cathedral erected in 1131, inside is full of works of art among them there are precious mosaics; Piraino Palace of Cinquecento; the church of St. Maria della Catena ornated by a pretty portico; the church of Purgatory and the Monte Pietà (Mount Piety) dated back to the Baroque period. Further there is the pre-historic Sanctuary called Tempio di Diana (Temple of Diana) that dates back to the V century B.C.. It is placed on a cliff that overlooks the centre and near it is placed the Sanctuary of Gibilmanna, built in the XVI century is destination of pilgrimages from all Sicily.

Very important and particularly interesting as monument is the solemn and vivid figure of the Cristo Pantocratore which dominates the high part of the apse's area of the Cathedral. The attention is suddenly caught by the magnificent image of Christus with the right hand that blesses and the left hand holds the Holy Scriptures.