Explore Palermo history and markets with local street food tasting on a private walking tour

Ballarò is one of the oldest street markets in Palermo, one of the most lively and surely picturesque of Sicily. Its name, Ballarò indeed, recalls its ancient arab origins, as it is Sicily’s outdoor market tradition, which explains their similarity to Arab suqs. This incredible street market is located in the city center, extending from Piazza Ballarò – in the Albergheria district – along Via Ballarò and to Corso Tukory, a few steps away from the central station, so it’s very easy to reach.

The Zisa is a castle in the western part of Palermo in Sicily, southern Italy. It is included in the UNESCO Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monreale World Heritage Site.

The Church of San Cataldo is a Catholic church located at Piazza Bellini in central Palermo, Sicily, Italy. Erected in 1154 as a notable example of the Arab-Norman architecture which flourished in Sicily under Norman rule on the island, the church is annexed to that of Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio.

The Church of St. Mary of the Admiral, also called Martorana, is the seat of the Parish of San Nicolò Dei Greci, overlooking the Piazza Bellini in Palermo, Sicily, southern Italy. The church is a Co-cathedral to the Eparchy of Piana degli Albanesi of the Italo-Albanian Catholic Church, a diocese which includes the Italo-Albanian (Arbëreshë) communities in Sicily who officiate the liturgy according to the Byzantine Rite in the ancient Greek language and Albanian language The Church bears witness to the Eastern religious and artistic culture still present in Italy today, further contributed by the Albanian exiles who took refuge in southern Italy and Sicily from the 15th century under the pressure of Turkish-Ottoman persecutions in Albania and the Balkans. The latter influence has left considerable traces in the painting of icons, in the religious rite, in the language of the parish, in the traditional customs of some Albanian colonies in the province of Palermo. The community is part of the Catholic Church but follows the ritual and spiritual traditions that largely share it with the Orthodox Church. The church is characterized by the multiplicity of styles that meet, because, with the succession of centuries, it was enriched by various other tastes in art, architecture, and culture. Today, it is, in fact, as a church-historical monument, the result of multiple transformations, also subject to protection. Since 3 July 2015, it has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site within the Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monreale itinerary.

The Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele is an opera house and opera company located on the Piazza Verdi in Palermo, Sicily. It was dedicated to King Victor Emanuel II. It is the biggest in Italy, and one of the largest of Europe, renowned for its perfect acoustics.

Il Capo is a popular market in Palermo, born in Arab times, eleven centuries ago in the ninth century A.D., over the course of Papireto river, in a very populated area, inhabited by Schiavone family, who were pirates slave traders. Why is it called "Il Capo" market? Because this area was the Caput Seralcadi, from the Arabic word Sari al-Quadi, or the street of the Qadi, the judge. It stretches along Via Carini and Via Beati Paoli, Via S. Agostino and Via Cappuccinelle. The Augustinian friars populated this area, since they had their seat in the convent connected to the fourteenth-century church of S. Agostino. One of the main entrances is Porta Carini, near the Palace of Justice. Here too, colors, smells, shouts characterize a world that has its roots in the Arabic age; the stalls of meat, fish, fruit, vegetables in season hide narrow and dark alleys, a real souk of food and ethnic groups, showing its true soul, full of color and dirt, tradition and superstition.

The Norman Palace has a Medieval facade with wonderful and opulent interior. The Royal Palace of Palermo, also known as the Norman Palace, was the seat of the Kings of Sicily during the Norman domination and consequently the seat of power for the following rulers. With a rigorous Medieval exterior look, don’t get fooled as the interior is opulent and rich. Not all areas of the Norman Palace are accessible to visit, but the main areas to see -in order of importance- are the Palatine Chapel, The Royal Apartments and the exhibition space. The gold covered mosaics of the Palatine Chapel need no explanations, this impressive site is a feast for the eyes, a masterpiece, a mixture of Byzantine art with Norman/Arab construction with ceilings and walls covered in gold mosaics. The Royal Rooms are also incredible with stunning mosaics and frescoes. But be aware that the Royal Rooms can only be visited from Friday to Monday at certain times of the day as they are currently used from the Sicilian government for parliamentary business.

Palermo is the capital of the Italian island of Sicily. The 12th-century Palermo Cathedral houses royal tombs, while the huge neoclassical Teatro Massimo is known for opera performances. Also in the center are the Palazzo dei Normanni, a royal palace started in the 9th century, and the Cappella Palatina, with Byzantine mosaics. Busy markets include the central Ballarò street market and the Vucciria, near the port.

Palermo Cathedral is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Palermo, located in Palermo, Sicily, southern Italy. It is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. As an architectural complex, it is characterized by the presence of different styles, due to a long history of additions, alterations, and restorations, the last of which occurred in the 18th century.

Piazza Pretoria, also known as the square of Shame, is at the limits of the district of Kalsa, near the corner of Cassaro with Via Maqueda, just a few meters from the Quattro Canti, the exact center of the historic city of Palermo.

Quattro Canti, officially known as Piazza Vigliena, is a Baroque square in Palermo, Sicily, Southern Italy. It was laid out on the orders of the Viceroys between 1608-1620 by Giulio Lasso and Mariano Smiriglio at the crossing of the two principal streets in Palermo, the Via Maqueda and the Corso Vittorio Emanuele. The piazza is octagonal, four sides being the streets; the remaining four sides are Baroque buildings, the near-identical facades of which contain fountains with statues of the four seasons, the four Spanish kings of Sicily, and of the patronesses of Palermo. The facades onto the interchange are curved, and rise to four floors; the fountains rise to the height of the second floor, the third and fourth floors contain the statues in niches. At the time the piazza was built, it was one of the first major examples of town planning in Europe.

One of the main tourist attractions in Palermo is the Vucciria Market. The Vucciria, founded over 1,000 years ago by the invaders from North Africa, is legendary because it has entered into the Italian Language in Sicily. The Vucciria is just a little tourist market these days. The people of Palermo are still a bit sad that the Vucciria is no longer the crazy, noisy food market it once was.