FLAVOURS OF PALERMO

Take a bite out of Palermo’s culinary culture on a private food tour. Gourmands will get a true taste of Sicily as they stroll from one kiosk to the next, savouring the authentic flavours of the island’s street food capital.

Your private guide will meet you at your accommodation and lead you on a tour of Palermo’s historic markets and favourite eating destinations, allowing you to gain a real feel for the local food-centred way of life. You will get to see where real Palermitans shop, eat and drink, discover what sets Palermo’s lively food scene apart from other Sicilian cuisines, and be treated to the best cannoli you’ll ever have in your life.

Follow a scented trail down the city’s backstreets on a quest for local aromas… you will soon find yourself nosing your way through the vibrant souk-like food bazaars, a legacy of Palermo’s two-hundred-year Moorish domination. Enjoy the spectacle of sensations: hear the raucous cries of hawkers calling out in dialect to encourage passing trade; admire stands brimming with a tempting assortment of produce that will make your mouth water; feast your eyes on crisp green vegetables, juicy fruits, delicious cheeses, the freshest of fish; watch bargainers as they haggle for the best deal. From here it only takes a tiny step of the imagination to picture the sights and scents of exotic wares and oriental spices that Arab merchants would have displayed on this very spot 1,000 years ago.

While you amble past the market stalls your guide will point out the locals’ best-loved haunts and invite you to sample their creations. Along the way you will enjoy a wonderfully entertaining tour of Palermo’s major attractions and get to know the history behind its gastronomic treats, each the fruit of a different chapter in the city’s riveting past. Indeed, a long list of conquerors have impacted Palermo’s culinary heritage and left a lasting mark on local recipes and cuisine.

You will also get better acquainted with the everyday rituals and customs of shoppers. As in other aspects of daily life in Italy, when searching for the very best produce on offer, personal relations are fundamental. Loyal and reliable service from the vendor and regular trusted custom on the part of the shopper result in a mutually satisfactory exchange and a felicitous balance – one which it is unwise to upset!

Tasty highlights of your street food tour might be arancine (fried rice balls stuffed with ham and cheese), panelle (chickpea fritters), crocché (fried potato rolls with parsley, mint and onion) and sfincione (a thick bread topped with tomato, onions and anchovies). A final toast with a glass of wine… here’s to you, Palermo!