Palazzo Gangi

Discover our traditions with only the best dishes at the best restaurants. Make unforgettable memories with an Italian culinary experience of the following dishes.  Panino with panelle and crocchè: the beating heart of Palermo’s street food is sesame bread stuffed with mashed potatoes balls or chickpea omelet. This is an absolute must try in order to have an overview of the rich and tasty Sicilian food culture. Sfincione: made with a pizza-like dough covered with fresh tomato salsa, anchovies paste, capers, and onion. Sfincione is the super tasty version of a pizza from Palermo.  Rice arancina: famous all around the world these rice balls are filled with different ingredients (meat, smoked ham, spinach, mixed cheese, and more) and then deep-fried according to a centuries-long tradition: the best fried-food one can possibly try.  Pasta alla norma: traditionally shaped pasta (usually macaroni), with fresh tomato salsa, fried aubergines, salty seasoned ricotta cheese, and basil. The recipe was born in Catania but shortly after it became a symbol of Sicilian savory food. Anelletti al forno: small sized pasta shaped in the form of a ring (anello in Italian) with meat and pea salsa. One cannot claim to have been in Palermo without trying this. Traditional vegetables with parmigiana di melanzane: a famous Sicilian dish made with fried aubergines, tomato salsa, parmesan, and mozzarella cheese.  Sicilian cannoli: a waffle, traditionally shaped around a hot metallic bar, filled with a sweet and creamy paste made from ricotta cheese, candied fruit, and crunchy pistachios or dark chocolate drops. A colorful sight and an explosion of a sweet taste.  Sicilian Granita: served in a glass it is perfect for relaxing on a warm summer afternoon and it intended to conclude a rich meal. Fresh fruit, sugar, and ice are the simple ingredients but the taste is incredible, especially topped with coffee, chocolate, or more fruit.  Sicilian cassata: traditional Sicilian pie, to be eaten chilled, made with fresh ricotta cheese, dried fruit, wheat paste, and other ingredients according to a hundred year old recipe. 

(Italian Only) We will meet in front of the Teatro Massimo, in the center of Palermo, to start an evening tour of the Sicilian capital. Ready to immerse yourself in a unique and timeless atmosphere? We will start by admiring the famous Teatro Massimo, the largest opera house in Italy. In front of its imposing facade, (often a set of famous films) we will talk about the history of the Florio family, promoters of the cultural and artistic transformation of Palermo during the Belle Époque as well as the construction of the theater itself. We will pass in front of the Opera dei Pupi theater, where the most famous performances of the Sicilian puppet tradition are staged. Did you know that this art has been declared a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by Unesco? We will head towards Piazza Olivella, where the Regional Archaeological Museum and the church of Sant'Ignazio are located, one of the most sumptuous Baroque temples in the city. Not far away is the birthplace of Santa Rosalia, proclaimed patron saint of the city by popular acclaim for having freed it from the plague. We will cross via Roma, a monumental and busy nineteenth-century street full of theaters and shops to arrive at piazza San Domenico dominated by the imposing mass of the church of the same name, the Pantheon of the city. Inside you can admire many tombs and funeral monuments of illustrious Sicilians including that of Giovanni Falcone. We will enter the Vucciria, the city's celebrated ancient market immortalized in a famous painting by Renato Guttuso. We will then head to the Quattro Canti, a scenic Baroque square, the center of the ancient city. Next to it is Piazza Pretoria with its renowned Renaissance fountain and Palazzo delle Aquile, the center of civil power in the city since '400. We will arrive in Piazza Bellini, entirely surrounded by ancient monuments including the characteristic church of San Cataldo with the three red Arab-style domes, symbol of the city and the church and monastery of Santa Caterina where typical Sicilian sweets are still produced according to the ancient recipes of the nuns. We will be able to stop for a coffee in the historic Torrefazione Stagnitta before reaching Piazza Croce dei Vespri, famous for the famous Sicilian revolution of 1200. We will admire Palazzo Ganci famous for being the famous set of the film The Leopard and Palazzo Bonnet, an imposing palace from the '300 today home to the Modern Art Gallery. We will cross a neighborhood full of young artisans' shops to conclude our evening tour in Piazza San Francesco where the majestic fourteenth-century church stands out, the oratory of San Lorenzo where the stolen Caravaggio was located and where the Antica Focacceria San Francesco has been located since point of reference of popular Palermo cuisine.