Bike Tour With Street Food Tasting

Bike Tour with Street Food Tasting, 3.5 hours, rated 4.8 across 678 traveller reviews.

Overview

This Sicilyland tour spends three and a half hours on a bike, pairing Palermo's architecture with a series of street food tastings. You meet at the Sicilyland bike shop near the central station, get fitted with a bicycle and helmet, and set off behind a licensed bilingual guide. A radio guide is provided as part of the kit. The route sticks to a relaxed pace on flat ground, which the operator says suits all ages and fitness levels.

The ride crosses Piazza Bellini and Piazza Pretoria, where Arab, Norman, Byzantine and Spanish influences sit side by side, then continues along the Cassaro to San Francesco Church and Piazza Marina. One of the stops is a Moreton Bay fig tree said to be 173 years old, one of the largest of its kind in Europe. From there the route swings past buildings tied to the Spanish Inquisition and out to the waterfront, following the seafront toward the old Arab castle at the Port of Cala.

A street food tasting break is built into the ride. Reviewers mention cannoli, granita, arancini and a taste of Sicilian beer. Several travellers said doing this tour on their first day helped them get their bearings, so it works well early in a trip. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at the bike shopMeet at the Sicilyland Palermo Bike Tours Shop, a short walk from the central station and the Four Corners. Helmets are handed out before the ride sets off.
2. Historic squaresRide through Piazza Bellini and Piazza Pretoria, with commentary on the Arab, Norman, Byzantine and Spanish art and architecture on show.
3. Cassaro and old streetsCross the Cassaro to see San Francesco Church, Piazza Marina and the giant Moreton Bay fig, said to be one of the oldest and largest in Europe.
4. Inquisition-era landmarksPass ancient palaces connected to the Spanish Inquisition and notable churches along quiet backstreets.
5. Waterfront ridePedal along the seafront promenade, with views over the sea and harbor, toward the first Arab castle at the Port of Cala.
6. Street food tastingStop for a tasting of regional street food. Reviewers describe cannoli, granita, arancini and a Sicilian beer sample.
7. Tour endsThe whole tour lasts three and a half hours.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points help this tour go smoothly, based on the listing and what recent travellers have reported.

• Fitness and terrain. Palermo is very flat and the operator describes the tour as suitable for all ages and fitness levels. One reviewer who booked an electric bike said it was not needed in hindsight, and another described the entire route as flat and easy to do.
• Guides and headsets. A licensed bilingual guide leads the ride and radio headsets are provided so commentary carries over street noise. Reviewers often mention the guide being knowledgeable, funny and good at managing the group through traffic.
• Food stops. Tastings are included in the price. Reviewers mention cannoli and granita at one break, then arancini and a Sicilian beer sample near the cathedral.
• Getting there. There is no hotel pickup. The meeting point is the Sicilyland bike shop, roughly six minutes on foot from the central station, three minutes from the Four Corners and fifteen minutes from the port.
• Traffic and route. Some sections mix with pedestrians, scooters and other vehicles. Reviewers note the guide handles this well and that quiet streets and the waterfront promenade balance out the busier parts.
• Timing your visit. Several travellers said doing this tour on their first day in Palermo helped them get oriented fast. Booking it early in a stay means the landmarks you pass become familiar for the rest of the trip.

Common issues. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so you need to make your own way to the bike shop. The route crosses some busy streets with scooters and trucks, and a few reviewers felt tighter group management at the start would help. Weather can interrupt the ride, with one reviewer caught in a thunderstorm. One reviewer noted the bikes were stored at a different location and had to be brought over.

Common Questions