Things to Do in Palermo
Join us on this day trip to Cefalú from Palermo! Discover the rich history, natural beauty, and Mediterranean charm of this coastal gem of northern Sicily.
👋 WHO WE ARE
We are a team of Sicilian tour guides, we lead free-tip walking tours designed to help travelers experience the real Palermo and get a useful introductory look at this city.
Born and raised in this city, we’ll take you beyond the surface — from majestic squares to secret alleys, from street food to ancient legends. This isn’t just a walking tour — it’s a deep dive into Palermo’s soul.
IMPORTANT: We are professional guides and we run tours as a primary occupation. Please, book this tour only if you are seriously planning to join. Cancelling a reservation is fine, not showing up is disrespectful.
🔍 WHAT TO EXPECT
Palermo is full of contrasts — chaotic and elegant, ancient and vibrant.
We’ll guide you through a mix of grand landmarks and raw, local corners, giving you a deep and honest view of the city’s spirit. We talk food, culture, legends, and daily life — always with heart, humor, and truth. Palermo is not a postcard. It’s a living, breathing story. Come walk it with us — we’ll show you the real thing.
☀️ MORNING TOUR
Itinerary:
- Teatro Massimo – Start strong with Italy’s biggest opera house and a story of rebirth.
- Quattro Canti, Piazza Pretoria & Piazza Bellini – Gorgeous baroque squares with scandalous tales.
- Secret alleys – Vicolo Cagliostro & Vicolo Brugnò: Palermo’s underworld of mystics and rebels.
- Ballarò Market – Dive into Palermo’s boldest market. Learn how to move, what to eat, what to avoid.
- Casa Professa or Cathedral – Entry to one of these stunning churches (depending on time/day).
- Local recommendations – The best eats, aperitivo spots, cultural tips and more.
🌙 EVENING TOUR
(focus on nightlife and neighborhood vibes)
Itinerary:
- Teatro Massimo – Meet here and kick off with the beating heart of Palermo’s cultural scene.
- Olivella Aperitif Area – Discover the perfect spot to enjoy an evening drink like a local.
- Vucciria – From forgotten market to street food mecca: full of stories and contradictions.
- Kalsa (including San Francesco d’Assisi Church, outside) – A district reborn, with nightlife, resistance, legends, and artistic secrets.
- Quattro Canti, Pretoria & Bellini Squares – Baroque, fountains, power and pride.
- Cathedral (exterior view) – Palermo’s eclectic icon, full of symbolism and layers of history.
- Tips & ideas for your evening – Drinks, bites, and local-only spots
💬 WHY JOIN OUR TOUR?
✔️ 100% Local guides
✔️ A full mix of food, culture, legends & real talk
✔️ Perfect for solo travelers, curious minds & new friends
✔️ Tips to make the most of your time in Palermo
✔️ No scripts. No filters. Just passion.
ℹ️ GOOD TO KNOW
- Reservation is mandatory.
- Please arrive on time — we can’t wait for latecomers.
- Minimum 6 participants required to run the tour.
(Rarely a problem during high season.) - Tour may run 10–15 minutes longer than scheduled — our guides love what they do!
- Wear comfortable shoes and bring curiosity!
👉 TIPPING POLICY
This is a free-tip walking tour.
You choose the value at the end.
- Tips in Euro only
- Suggested minimum: €10 per person
(FYI: we have about €4 in costs per guest)
We welcome you to the city with The Best Free Walking Tour of Palermo. You will see that each monument, each name and even each souvenir has a meaning and a background story that deserves to be told. It is a must to know about street food and how much of it is true when it comes to the mafia. It's time to discover where to get the essence of the city 🤩
Some of the stops are:
👉 Teatro Massimo
👉 Via Maqueda
👉 Quattro Canti
👉 Piazza Pretoria
👉 Piazza Bellini
👉 Chiesa della Martorana
👉 Chiesa di San Cataldo
👉 Corso Vittorio Emanuele
👉 La Cattedrale di Palermo.
The tours are conducted by certified guides 😎 .
It will be our pleasure to take you along Palermo's streets and discover their secrets. Be a local 🫶
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOiW8NVS_i0
Palermo is a wonderful city and we will discover it together. In the morning visit we will find ourselves in front of the Massimo Theater and then enter the Capo market, one of the oldest markets in the city, where we can get to know a little of the street food of Palermo. We will walk along the Maqueda road until we reach the Quattro Canti and from there to the so-called Piazza della Vergogna - we will discover the reason for this curious name - and to the neighboring Piazza Bellini, where the Martorana Church is located, which will leave you with the open mouth. We will finish touring the Cassaro, the oldest street in the city until we reach the Cathedral. While in the afternoon visit, being the market closed, we will reach the Piazza Marina, very close to the city port. Being an official guide, if you wish we can visit the interior of the Cathedral, so keep in mind that as in the rest of Italy, it is necessary to enter the churches in a decent way: it is not possible to access with bare shoulders and with very short pants or dresses (just take a cloth to cover yourself) During our tour we will talk about the history of the city, but also about gastronomy, curiosities and surely you have any questions about the mafia. It is a very pleasant visit, you will surely like it!
keep in mind that you will not only enjoy a visit with an authorized guide (I dedicate myself professionally to it), a personalized itinerary in small groups, but that In addition we will also have radio microphones so you can comfortably follow the explanations and take pictures without being attached to me. Reservation is essential
On this tour of Palermo's churches, we'll visit its most important churches and climb their bell towers to enjoy the city's unique views!
