Palermo Street Food Legends & Ballarò Market Tour
About this activity
Highlights
- Explore Palermo's historic Ballarò Market
- Taste authentic Sicilian street foods
- Learn about local culinary traditions
- Visit traditional food vendors
- Experience Palermo's vibrant street food culture
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Guided tour of Ballarò Market
- Tasting of traditional Sicilian street foods
- Visit to local food vendors and eateries
- Transportation to and from the meeting point
Itinerary
Since 1947, this renowned Palermo eatery is famous for its traditional fried specialties. Taste panelle (chickpea fritters) and crocchè (mashed potato croquettes), classic local snacks; a true Sicilian street food experience.
Pass by: The Arch of Cutò is an ancient monument in Palermo, dating back to the 13th century. It is part of the Palazzo Cutò and it's one of the main entrances of Ballarò Market.
Visit a beloved Palermo bakery, running for 56 years and celebrated even by the NY Times! The chef will prepare two types of sfincione: the Palermitano with tomatoes and caciocavallo cheese, and the Bagherese with tuna, cheese and onions.
Arancina is the most famous street food in Palermo. In this old pharmacy, Anna has opened a small bistrò where the food is prepared fresh everyday and arancine are nice and round, as they should be!
Pass by: One of Palermo’s most striking historic squares, just steps from Quattro Canti. At its center stands the Fontana Pretoria, a 16th-century Renaissance fountain originally made in Florence and later transported to Palermo in 644 individual pieces.
Enjoy a cannolo espresso at a hidden pastry stop inside a former monastery. Watch as one of Palermo’s best cannoli is filled fresh on the spot with creamy ricotta and finished with pistachio, chocolate chips, and candied fruit.
Pass by: This square is a unique intersection of history and it's most famous for housing two UNESCO World Heritage churches side-by-side, each representing the city's Arab-Norman heritage.
We will end our tour with a coffee stop, in this 100 years old roastery. Casa Stagnitta is a reference to locals when it comes to good coffee and pastries.
Meeting point
Start Location
Unknown location
Important information
Know before you book
- Tour operates rain or shine
- Vegetarian options available upon request
- Please inform of any dietary restrictions in advance
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable walking shoes
- Bring a bottle of water
- Be prepared for a 3-hour walking tour
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Accessibility
- Stroller Accessible
- Service Animals Allowed
- Easy Public Transport
Good to know
- This activity requires a minimum of 2 guests. Should this not be met, we will contact you directly to help you get rescheduled or reimbursed.
- Children under 4 years old do not need a ticket and can join the tour for free. However, food is not included. Paid tickets with food included are available for ages 4 and up.
- Please note that the tastings mentioned are a selection of the delicious foods we often feature. Both offerings and tour stops may vary by day or season, but you're sure to enjoy a delightful array of local flavors!
Traveler reviews
Amazing Palermo food tour
Our tour with Inncenzo was amazing. He was so passionate and knowledgeable about Palermo and its rich history and culture. The food stops were all different and equally delicious. We would definitely recommend!!
Enjoy an in-depth food-focused tour by Sicilian natives
This was an excellent tour and I cannot recommend it enough! Our guide Giusi was a Sicilian native and so she could relate the food we sampled to Sicilian culture generally and also to her own childhood food experiences and memories. She has also been a professional cook and so could explain how the dishes were prepared. It was very hot on the day of our tour and she was very good at getting us tables in the shade to eat our samples. That alone was amazing! She knew all the vendors of our food and they clearly knew and liked her. All of the vendors and/or their families had been producing their specialties for at least 50 years. The food itself was plentiful. For the savory dishes we had two different versions to compare. All the food was bursting with flavor! (There is a list of the specific food on Eating Europe’s website) We had a beverage at every stop, including two different kinds of soda. The sodas added a nice extra dimension to the tour. We also really appreciated the cold bottled water on such a hot day. The espresso at the end was the best I have had in Italy. I really cannot recommend this tour enough!
Palermo ed & best food, highly recommend Inno!
Inno was an awesome guide and educated & fed our family of 8 all the best of Palermo, so much to learn & eat, we enjoyed every minute of our tour and highly recommend!
Food, Learning, and a Beautiful Walk
It was a great time touring Sicily and eating the local foods. we had the best guide! Worth the money - you don’t just get food but some history of Sicily
Great food tour
Great information! Delivered by inno in a experienced and friendly manner. Excellent job!!