Food Tour, 10+ Tastings

Food Tour, 10+ Tastings, 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.), rated 5 across 861 traveller reviews.

Overview

Three and a half hours, more than ten tastings, and a route that winds from central Palermo toward the Ballarò market. This walking tour from Secret Food Tours pairs street food with stories, moving between stops where guides explain the history behind each dish. The final stretch lands in Ballarò, where the group eats alongside locals shopping the stalls.

The menu covers the classics. Arancina, panelle and crocché, sfincione, a spiced Palermitan sausage or a vegetable mix, pasta alla Norma, real cannoli, coffee, a glass of white wine and a shot of Zibibbo sweet wine. There is also a signature secret dish the operator keeps undisclosed until the day.

Groups run to a maximum of 12 travellers, and reviewers often describe the atmosphere as sociable, with mixed nationalities and easy conversation. Vegetarians have reported being accommodated. Anyone with a food allergy should contact the operator ahead of the tour so arrangements can be made.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet your guideMorning tours meet at Porta Nuova, in front of the Arch on the Corso Calatafimi side. Afternoon tours from 2pm meet at Via Maqueda 172, outside the entrance to the university's law and economics buildings.
2. Walk and tasteThe guide leads the group through the streets with stops for tastings, sharing stories of Palermo's history and heritage along the way.
3. Signature secret dishAt one point in the walk the group is served the operator's undisclosed signature dish.
4. Ballarò marketThe tour finishes in the bustling Ballarò food market, sampling Sicilian delicacies among the local crowd.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will shape the day, from how much food arrives to how much walking is involved.

• Come hungry. Several reviewers advised against eating before the tour, with one warning not to have lunch before an afternoon departure. The ten-plus tastings add up to a lot of food, plus wine and coffee.
• Walking shoes. The listing states the tour involves a fair amount of walking and recommends comfortable shoes. One reviewer described it as a way to dine and exercise at the same time.
• Group feel. The cap is 12 travellers per departure. Reviewers mention small mixed groups of different nationalities and guides who keep everyone together through the streets.
• Weather matters. The experience requires good weather and may be cancelled in poor conditions, with a different date or a full refund offered. On hot days one reviewer noted the guide kept the group supplied with cold water.
• Dietary needs. The listing asks travellers to contact the operator in advance about any dietary requirement. Vegetarians have reported being catered for, and one reviewer with a food allergy praised the response from the guide and operator.
• Menu can shift. The itinerary and menu can change based on venue availability, weather and other circumstances. The listing advises confirming the meeting point for your departure time in advance.

Common issues. Gratuities for guides and hotel transfers are not included. The tour is not wheelchair accessible, and the amount of walking may not suit everyone. A minimum number of travellers is required, and if it is not met the operator offers a different date, a different experience or a full refund. One reviewer mentioned a food allergy issue on tour, which the operator followed up on, a reminder to flag allergies when booking.

Common Questions