Medieval Lavatoio

In Cefalù, almost hidden by the shops that characterise the historic centre, there is a place that can catapult its visitors into a bygone era. We are talking about the famous Medieval Lavatoio, an ancient public wash-house in Via Vittorio Emanuele that houses several stone basins, into which the waters of the Cefalino river flow.

Called ‘U Ciumi’ by the locals, this site consists of twenty-two cast-iron mouths, and was frequented daily by washerwomen who came here to clean their laundry. Its value is inestimable: in fact, the wash-house recounts a fundamental aspect of the daily life of the Cefaludese community, and is still today a testimony to the most characteristic customs of the place.