The Muslims were active traders, and Palermo's markets, which spill over into narrow alleys shaded by colorful awnings, still have an Arabic feel. Nothing else connects you with local life more than a visit to a bustling Palermo market.
The best, most famous market in Palermo is La Vucciria. In Sicilian dialect, vucciria means "hubbub" or "voices," and that's what you'll hear here. The market spills onto the narrow side streets of Piazza San Domenico, off Via Roma between Corso Vittorio Emanuele and the San Domenico church. This is one of Europe's great Casbahlike markets, with mountains of food ranging from fresh swordfish steaks to all sorts of meat and recently harvested produce, reflecting the bounty of the Sicilian countryside. The array of such items as wild fennel, long-stemmed artichokes, blood oranges, and giant octopus will astound you. This market trades Monday through Saturday until 2pm. Try to go before 10am, when it's at its most frenetic and colorful. The markets described below keep roughly the same hours.
If you're seized with market fever, you can also visit Mercato di Capo, a large street market that captures some of the spirit of the city's Saracen past. This market sprawls around the area of Chiesa di Sant'Agostino. Clothing stalls flank the streets of Via S. Agostino and Via Bandiera; the items here tend to be cheap and poorly made. More interesting is the food section off Via Volturno, which spreads along Via Beati Paoli and Via Porta Carini. The most colorful part of this market converges around Piazza Beati Paoli. The stalls wind toward the old gate, Porta Carini, which used to be a part of the city wall surrounding Palermo.
The third great market of Palermo is Ballarò, in the Albergheria district, roughly between Piazza Carmine leading to Piazza Casa Professa and Piazza S. Chiazra. This is mainly a food market, with mountains of fruits and vegetables along with fishmongers and hawkers of discount clothing.
Feasting at the Markets
We like to visit the markets not only to look at the fabulous produce, but also to enjoy some of the tastiest snacks in Sicily. It's a great way to have lunch as you graze from stall to stall.
Some visitors stroll along while munching chopped boiled octopus (purpu in Sicilian) and delectable, freshly cooked artichokes. Naturally, there's plenty of fresh bread and luscious vine-ripened fruit as well.
You can also purchase absolutely delicious panelle (chickpea fritters) or calzoni (deep-fried meat- or cheese-filled pockets of dough). If you have an adventurous palate, dig in to a roll filled with beef spleen or tripe, called pani cu' la meuza. These pani are often topped with fresh ricotta or a velvety cheese known as caciocavallo. Hot sauce is sprinkled on at the last moment.
