The Beginning of Our Spark in Sicily

We always imagined that the beginning of our Sicilian chapter would be cinematic. Soft sunlight, a quiet coastline, maybe even a dramatic musical score if the universe was feeling generous. Instead, it began with a fully packed car, a slightly stressed dog and two adults trying to decode the mysteries of the Italian ferry system in San Giovanni.

Even though we booked everything in advance, nothing about that ferry felt organised. We stood in a line that may or may not have been a line, tried to interpret the hand gestures of a man who absolutely did not work there and wondered if anyone was ever going to check our tickets. (Spoiler alert, they did. Eventually. At the very last possible moment.)

The ferry ride itself was surprisingly short. A lot of people got out of their cars to go on deck, but we decided not to stress Mailo and staying inside the car turned out to be absolutely fine. A peaceful little crossing before Sicily greeted us with its first challenge - driving through Messina.

To this day, Messina remains the hardest drivable city in Sicily for us. No lines or order. Even Palermo is easier and Palermo is… Palermo. But we survived and eventually we arrived in Cefalù, where our host for the month was waiting for us with that calm Sicilian energy that says: “Everything is fine. Why are you stressed?”

Finding a place to live (aka the First Great Quest)

We had been struggling to find accommodation for August and September that didn’t cost the same as a small private island. We tried everything: Airbnb, Booking, Idealista, Facebook groups, prayer, manifestation, the whole spiritual toolkit. The prices were sky-high, especially in Cefalù, which is beloved by tourists and expats for a reason.

But in the end, we found something perfect, a small summer house inside Madonie Park, camping-style but charming, peaceful and surrounded by nature.€700 a month including utilities - an absolute miracle for high season. And, most importantly, perfect for Mailo.

It was a drive from the centre, but we didn’t mind. The silence alone was worth every kilometre.

Cefalù… the beautiful city we didn’t expect to not love

This is where the surprising part comes in.

We expected to fall instantly in love with Cefalù and while it is absolutely stunning, it didn’t give us the “real Sicilian life” feeling we were secretly looking for.

There is nothing wrong with Cefalù. It’s gorgeous, polished, very international… but it is also completely packed with tourists. Every day and every hour. In August, it feels like the entire world has arrived at once, with suitcases, sandals and the same expectations for gelato and an aperitivo.

We enjoyed our month there, truly. But we realised quickly that we wanted a different kind of Sicily for our long-term life.

Prices in restaurants and even the groceries were also higher than elsewhere. We had to be a little more mindful with money than we expected (welcome to Sicily lesson #1 “Beauty has a price tag, especially in August”).

Parking? For the sake of our nerves, and our brand-new car, we usually parked in the main paid parking near the beach. Around €15 a day and absolutely worth avoiding the chaos of trying to squeeze into side streets made for horse carts, not modern cars.

Our secret beach (and the birth of our “Sicily personality”)

But the real star of our Cefalù stay wasn’t the town, it was our little “secret” beach: Spiaggia degli Uccelli.

This beach changed us.

At first it was… a lot.
Parking on the side of the street?
Walking on the street, and I mean Main Street, to get there?
My inner rule-follower almost passed out.

But Sicily has a way of softening you, whispering, relax… let go… you’re fine.

So we relaxed... finally. And it was worth every step.

To this day, it remains one of the most magical beaches we have ever seen.
It's a little wild, but absolutely beautiful, magical and absolutely not as crowded as the main beach. And, best of all, no one minded our four-legged child. Dogs were welcome (or at least not forbidden), which instantly made it feel like home.

We went there almost every day. For swims, sunsets... and sometimes simply to keep our sanity.

Daily life in Madonie

For walks, we usually wandered through Madonie Park. It wasn’t huge where we stayed, but it gave Mailo the freedom to run and explore and gave us the peace we needed after the chaos of Messina and the intensity of Cefalù’s crowds.

Would we recommend Cefalù? Absolutely.

Just because it wasn’t the right long-term fit for us doesn’t mean it is not magical.
It absolutely is.

Cefalù is:

• stunning
• polished
• easy to navigate without Italian
• full of beaches and great sunsets
• very comfortable for short stays or holidays

If you’re visiting Sicily, you should absolutely experience it, unless you are trying very hard to avoid tourists.

The beginning of Spark of Sicily

Thank you for reading our very first post.

We are so excited about the beginning of Spark of Sicily and everything we hope to share here, the beautiful, the chaotic, the useful and the real and unfiltered.

If you have any questions, feel free to write to us here or on our YouTube channel.
You can also see our Cefalù experience in our video.

This is only the beginning.
The spark is here.
And now it grows.