Palermo travel guide: where to stay, what to do, and where to eat in Palermo, Sicily, Italy.
Best souvenirs
Authentic items worth bringing home.
Opera dei Pupi puppets
Where: Figli d'Arte Cuticchio (Via Bara all'Olivella 95) and the Museo Pasqualino shop; hand-made pupi from about €100 (~$115), small souvenir puppets from about €10 (~$11.5)
Cassata, cannoli and frutta martorana
Where: Pasticceria Cappello (Via Colonna Rotta 68) and Antico Caffè Spinnato (Via Principe di Belmonte 115); single pastries about €2–€5 (~$2.3–$5.75)
Sicilian ceramics
Where: Hand-painted ceramics from Caltagirone and Santo Stefano di Camastra are sold in shops around Via Maqueda and the Kalsa; plates and tiles from about €10 (~$11.5)
Spices, capers and dried fruit
Where: Mercato di Ballarò and Mercato del Capo; capers and sea salt are common, from about €3 (~$3.45) per bag
Sicilian olive oil and almond products
Where: Delicatessens near Via Maqueda and Via Libertà; olive oil bottles from about €8 (~$9.2)
Sicilian wine and liqueurs
Where: Enoteche on Via Maqueda and around Politeama; Marsala, Nero d'Avola and amaro from about €8 (~$9.2)
Traditional markets
Where locals shop and travellers find treasures.
Mercato di Ballarò
Palermo's largest and oldest street market, in the Albergheria district near the Cattedrale, with produce, fish, spices and street food stalls.
Where: Ballarò, Albergheria district
Hours: Daily about 7AM–8PM, quietest on Sunday afternoon
Mercato del Capo
Old street market near Teatro Massimo running along Via Sant'Agostino, with fish, produce, street food and everyday goods.
Where: Capo district, near Teatro Massimo
Hours: Daily about 7AM–7PM, quieter on Sunday
Mercato della Vucciria
Historic market quarter near Piazza Marina, now smaller by day and a lively bar and street-food area at night.
Where: Vucciria, edge of the Kalsa
Hours: Few market stalls by day; evening bars and food stalls about 6PM–late
Mercato delle Pulci (Piazza Papireto)
Flea market on Piazza Papireto near the Cattedrale, with second-hand goods, vintage items, books and curios.
Where: Piazza Papireto, near Palazzo dei Normanni
Hours: Mainly Mon–Sat mornings to about 1PM (reported; confirm locally)
Shopping districts
Neighbourhoods known for retail.
Ballarò and Capo markets
Via Maqueda and Via Roma
Via Libertà and Politeama
Kalsa and Via Bara all'Olivella
Piazza Papireto flea market
Bargaining tips
Negotiate like a local.
Bargaining is not customary in shops, delis or boutiques; prices are fixed
Gentle bargaining is accepted at flea-market stalls such as Piazza Papireto, especially for larger items
Food-market prices at Ballarò and Capo are quoted per kilo; asking for a small sample is acceptable
Ask the price before picking up goods at market stalls, and pay in cash with small notes
Customs & restrictions
What you can and can't take home.
Items:
- Custom
- Tax-free shopping (VAT refund)
- Detail
- Non-EU residents can claim VAT back on qualifying purchases above €70.01 (~$80.51) in a single shop displaying a Tax Free sign. Ask for the tax-free form at the till and have it validated at the customs desk before leaving the EU.
- Custom
- Sunday and midday closures
- Detail
- Many small shops close on Sunday and take a long lunch break from about 1PM to 4PM; larger shops on Via Libertà open more continuously. Markets slow down in the early afternoon.
- Custom
- Seasonal sales (saldi)
- Detail
- Winter sales run from early January and summer sales from early July for several weeks, with discounts shown in shop windows.
- Custom
- Cash and cards
- Detail
- Most shops accept cards, but market stalls and small producers often prefer cash, so carrying small euro notes is useful.
- Custom
- Authentic puppets and ceramics
- Detail
- Hand-made pupi and Sicilian ceramics cost more than mass-produced souvenirs. Ask about the maker and origin before buying expensive pieces.