Take the senses and taste buds in the Palermo streets with this selection of the 6 most beautiful markets in Palermo!
She was Phoenician, Carthaginian, Roman of course before moving into the hands of Byzantins then under Muslim and even Norman domination. And it is not over, since the Holy Germanic Empire has settled there as well as the Bourbons and the Spanish.
Palermo is the whole history of the Mediterranean in one city. And what better places to experiment with local life and sicilian melting than markets? It is certainly an experience not to be missed because the atmosphere is incredible, not to mention the many delights you can find there.
And to make you even more interested in registering them in your visit program, here is our selection of the 6 most beautiful markets in Palermo.
1. The Ballaro market

Photo credit: Shutterstock – Yulia Grigoryeva
Market days: Monday to Sunday
Type of market: food from Monday to Saturday, embracing and antiques on Sunday
Let's start with the oldest market in Palermo but also the largest. It settles every day along the via the same name, crosses pretty squares with baroque churches, such as Casa Professa or Piazza Carmine. Walking among the stalls is a multisensory experience that begins with the vendors who scan the quality of their goods and their attractive prices to the cantonade.
In addition, some stands offer to taste local dishes such as:
- ♪ _panel_doughnuts with chickpeas flour;
- amonggiana which is a gratin of eggplants;
You can also find all along the via small hostels appreciated by locals and young people who sirote there birra Forst.
On Sunday morning, it is the antique and embracing stands that take place!
2. The Vucciria market

Photo credit: Shutterstock – Pramen
Market days: all week
Type of market: food and chips
It is an atypical place where this market is held in Palermo. If you spend the night on a weekend, there’s a good chance you’ll find yourself in the middle of a young DJ. The streets around them have fantomatic airs with their facades that have kept the stigmata of the Second World War.
The market can also derogate because it is very small and there is not a lot of stalls like Ballaro. Surprisingly, the name Vucciria comes from the French “butchery” in reference to the first activity of the market, a slaughterhouse, but that reassure you, no longer exists. Today, you will certainly come across spiders, fruits and vegetables, meat and a few chips.
But above all, the Vucciria market is the perfect place to taste some traditions of street-food local .
Among them, boiled octopus, crocche, shaving literally "frying remains", or even of milza di Rocky which is a sandwich based on abs.
You are warned to live this experience!
3. The Il Capo market

Photo credit: Shutterstock – Rolf_52
Market days: daily, Sunday is quieter
Type of market: food and crafts
Although it is not specialized in this commodity, this market in Palermo is known for its fish. So it’s time to take a look at the freshness of this scale. Because yes, you find fish that is just fished but also "oldest."
Now, if the products of the sea are not your cup of tea, no worries, the colored stalls of fruits, vegetables and olives are well present. There are also spice stands that recall the medieval origin of the market when the Sicily was dominated by the Arab-Muslim empire.
Near the entrance to the Carini door, there are the sellers of street food Sicilian with fried croquettes and eggplants. Generally, the products are considered less expensive than other markets such as Vucciria.
4. Mercato delle Pulci

Photo credit: Shutterstock – Catrina Genovese
Market days: every day, even holidays
Type of market: Chip market
You must pass at one point or another near this market in Palermo since it is at the foot of the cathedral. It goes more precisely from Peranni Square to Papiretto Square.
Here stands are more or less permanent to house vintage furniture, antiques or reproduced, bibelots and other objects. You also find some antique shops. Here, the master-word is really chiner to find something in this joyous bric-to-brac.
You are not alone no-plus because the market is taken by tourists who hope to find a nice souvenir to bring back in their suitcase.
5. The Borgo Vecchio
Market days: daily during the morning
Type of market: food
It is part of the historical markets of Palermo. A visit is the opportunity to discover a unknown part of the city because outside the traditional historic centre. The cause? Its construction corresponds to the development of a new port in the 16th century.
Like all the old markets of the city, it originates from the Arab-Muslim occupation and is still present in North African influence. There are fruits, vegetables, meat and fish as well as spices of course.
But its interest is also to observe local life in a popular neighborhood outside the beaten paths. In addition to the stalls, the streets have kept their traditional craft shops away from the tourist embossment of the old centre. Here you can feel the real life of Sicilians, not always romantic but not without any interest.
6. The I Lattarini market
Market days: daily
Type of market: textiles, mercerie
The name of this market in Palermo comes from the Arabic “Souk el attarin”. Located in the Kalsa district between Vucciria and Ballaro, he was specialized in spices.
Today, his vocation has changed to the benefit of mercerie. Cord, yarn, wool, embroidered cotton, buttons you necessarily find your happiness here. The tinkers can buy blue work, rubber boots but also professional blouse. There is also a corner for city clothes like jeans and other knits.
It is a great opportunity to discover another facet of the Palermo markets.
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