Palermo: Food Tour of 9+ Tastings, Arancini, Cannoli & More

About This Experience

This three-hour walk through Palermo's old town is led by a local guide and built around a long list of tastings. It opens with the city's fried street foods, then moves through the markets. The guide introduces vendors and helps you order, and explains how Arab spices and Italian classics both shape the local food. The meeting point is at Porta Nuova, on Via Vittorio Emanuele.

Ballarò Market is part of morning tours only, so the route differs if you book an afternoon departure. At Vucciria Market, a former centre of Palermo's nightlife, you taste homemade dips, pasta and regional specialities with Sicilian wine. A coffee stop follows. A visit to an old church that houses a bakery ends with a cannolo made fresh for you.

The tasting list in the listing runs to arancina, sfincione with a Partannina soda, Palermitan sausage that is not spicy, mixed vegetables, panelle, crocché, pasta alla Norma, cannoli, coffee, a glass of white wine and a shot of Zibibbo sweet wine. A final dish is kept as a surprise by the operator. Partannina is a Sicilian soda served alongside the sfincione, the thick Sicilian focaccia.

The itinerary and menu can change depending on availability, weather and other circumstances. There is a fair amount of walking, so wear comfortable shoes. Contact the operator before the tour about any dietary requirement. The experience is not suitable for wheelchair users or people with mobility impairments. Tips for the guides are not included, and the operator says they are appreciated.

Highlights

• Taste arancina, sfincione, panelle and crocchè
• Walk through Ballarò Market on morning tours
• Try pasta alla Norma, dips and regional dishes at Vucciria
• Visit a bakery inside an old church for a cannolo
• Drink a Partannina soda, a coffee, white wine and a shot of Zibibbo
• Learn how Arab and Italian influences shaped Sicilian food

What's Included

• ✓ Arancina, sfincione and a Partannina soda
• ✓ Palermitan sausage that is not spicy, and a local mix of vegetables
• ✓ Panelle and crocché
• ✓ Pasta alla Norma and a cannolo
• ✓ Coffee, a glass of white wine and a shot of Zibibbo
• ✓ A surprise signature dish chosen by the operator

Not Included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off
• Gratuities for the guides, which the operator says are appreciated
• Extra food and drinks beyond the tastings

Good to Know & Caveats

• Ballarò Market is part of morning tours only.
• The itinerary and menu may change with location availability, weather and other circumstances.
• Contact the operator in advance about any dietary requirement so they can plan for it.
• This tour involves a fair amount of walking, and comfortable shoes are recommended.
• The menu includes sausage, so ask about vegetarian options before booking.
• Wine is included, so keep the legal drinking age in mind for younger guests.

Meeting Point

Porta Nuova, Via Vittorio Emanuele 475, 90134 Palermo