Vucciria, Ballarò and Capo: street food in Palermo's historic markets

Palermo's historic markets

La Vucciria

La Vucciria is one of Palermo's best-known historic markets, known at the time as Bucceria grande to distinguish it from other smaller markets.

The term Bucceria derives from the French boucherie, because originally it was a market where only meat was sold, but over time it became Vucciria, which refers to the confusion, the hubbub, caused by the typical way of selling at these markets.

The origins of Vucciria date back to Arab rule, and its appearance has undergone various changes over the centuries.

Ballarò

Stretching from Piazza Casa Professa to Corso Tukory, Ballarò is the city's largest and oldest market. The etymology is still uncertain: the name could derive from Bahlara, a village near Monreale, or from Ag-Vallaraja, the name of the rulers of the Indian region of Sindh, or from Segeballarath, meaning fair or market.

The Capo

The Capo is a market located in the ancient district of Seralcadio, also formed under Arab rule to accommodate Arab slave traders, the schiavoni. The main entrance is at Porta Carini, but it extends over four streets: via Carini, via Beati Paoli, via di S. Agostino and via Cappuccinelle.

Originally, these markets sold only meat, but today you can find everything from meat to fresh local fish, fruit, vegetables and even typical Sicilian sweets.

All the goods are displayed on the stalls and it's the ideal place to immerse yourself in Palermo and Sicilian gastronomy.

It's also the place where tourists meet the locals, where they can sit and eat Palermo and Sicilian street food.

Let yourself be intoxicated by the aromas of Palermo's street food and sample typical Sicilian products such as u pani ca me (bread with spleen), pane e panelle (bread with chickpea flour fritters) or stigghiola (lamb or kid tripe) and sfincione (pizza with onion sauce, anchovies, caciocavallo cheese and breadcrumbs).