Gourmet Tour - Mondello And Sicilian Delicacies

OVERVIEW

Get a taste of seaside Mondello and browse a centuries-old market where many of the fresh ingredients found in your lunch will be on display. Sun-splashed Mondello, a northern district of Palermo, is known for its lengthy beach but it is also home to a curious attraction – a late 19th-century Chinese palace complete with pagoda roofs. After viewing the exterior of this unexpected landmark, you will browse La Vucciria, an ancient open-air market where every imaginable type of locally sourced food is for sale. Crates of produce, a huge variety pasta, piles of squid and swordfish steaks; it’s all there. With visions of these delicacies still fresh in your mind, you will settle in at a nearby restaurant for a traditional Sicilian lunch. Although the menu changes seasonally, it will likely include the quintessential dish caponata, a pungent sort of ratatouille with eggplant as the main ingredient.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Behold a rather out-of-place Chinese palace in Mondello, a district north of Palermo.
• Browse the seemingly endless stands in the centuries-old open-air market La Vucciria.
• Enjoy a Sicilian lunch made with locally sourced ingredients, perhaps from La Vucciria.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.