Sicilia Local Customs

 
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Most Viewed Local Customs in Sicilia

1.

Meals and drinks   Palermo

Meals and drinks, Palermo

 8 Reviews  Palermo presents an impresive range of fresh fishes . While being in Sicily I ate all my lunch at a friend mom's home, and later on I was trying to find the recipes of whatever she was making. The... 

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2.

Daily life   Palermo

Daily life, Palermo

 2 Reviews  Coming from the UK I know how it feels when you go on holiday and as soon as it gets a little bit hot you need to put your flip flops on and a skimpy little vest top. Well they don't do that in... 

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3.

Shopping   Palermo

Shopping, Palermo

 3 Reviews  In general people are less focussed on famous labels like Armani, Versace (like in Rome). I couldn't believe the number of blond people. (probably has to do with the history of a/o the Normans). The... 

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4.

Il Tocco   Palermo

Il Tocco, Palermo

 1 Review  IL TOCCOThe game of ' Tocco 'is a very old popular tradition in Sicily which has always been played by working-class people. The original point of this game is to drink in a circle of friends around... 

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5.

History   Palermo

History, Palermo

 2 Reviews  Back in the 1950s the Piazzale Ungheria in the centre of Palermo was the place to be seen as you sipped an espresso. It was here, at one of the cafés under the arcade, that Giuseppe Tomasi di... 

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Oranges and lemons, and pass the limoncello

by TheWanderingCamel

It's hard to imagine a Sicily without orange and lemon trees - you see them everywhere. Nine out of ten lemons sold in Italy are grown in Sicily, and the island is famed for its blood oranges with their deep red juice. Like so many other important elements of the Sicilian diet, citrus fruits were introduced to the island by the Arabs.Whether it's orange juice freshly squeezed for you by the girl in Siracusa's market who, baby on her back, was tossing oranges and catching them on the point of her knife, never missing one (a great sales gimmick), a refreshing lemon granita on a hot day or a shot of potent limoncello as a digestif after dinner - fresh zesty citrus really is the taste of Sicily.

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Sicilian Christmas Lights

by MikeBird

We thought the Christmas attractions such as the lights in the shopping streets of Siracusa and Noto were very tasteful and elegant. There were no flashing illuminations to be seen on private housing and we felt that generally the Christmas decorations were played down - certainly in comparison with the UK. The Santas climbing up or down ladders hanging off the balconies were about the only form of acknowledgement to the festive season seen on housing. The shops all had smart, themed decorations but they were certainly not 'in your face' - all very tasteful and smart. Well done Siracusa!

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Shop at the local Market

by MikeBird

Surely the local markets must be one of the favourite things to do as a tourist or traveller anywhere around the world? They are busy places where you can get a real feel for local life and the characters on both sides of the stalls.We were not disappointed by our regular visits to the market in Ortigyia, the old heart of Siracusa. The market there only extends along 3 streets and is open every weekday but only in the mornings. You'll not find any meat for sale but the fish is wonderful; very varied and undoubtedly fresh. Other stalls were selling fresh vegetables and fruit in season (I wouldn't recommend the prickly pears - they're very pippy but the huge oyster mushrooms were fantastic). There was one busy trailer selling a wide variety of cheeses and sausages. A few other stalls selling hats, scarves, leather goods, second hand books and somewhat tacky cheap imported goods were...

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Try out the local Gelateria

by MikeBird

Italy is famous for its ice cream and Sicily seems to be no exception. I was really impressed with the number of small shops given over to the sale of ice creams - the Gelateria. Our local, just on the corner away from our apartment stayed open till late ( at least 10pm) and we would usually end up there after our meal out - having our dessert of icecream.There was a wide range of sizes; cups or edible wafer cones starting from 1.50Euros up to about 3.00Euros. The range of flavours was dazzling and my family all found their favourite: Black Nero chocolate flavour (wife), Pistachio (son No. 1), Strawberry (son No. 2), Ricotta (daughter) and nutty melange (me).The shop had room for a couple of tables and so we could eat our purchases in comfort. Eating icecream late at night in the cool/cold winter night in Sicily seemed to be a very popular activity and the shop certainly appeared to do a...

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New Years Eve celebrations in Siracusa

by MikeBird

We had seen the temporary stage which had been erected in the Piazza del Duomo in the heart of Ortigyia, the old town of Siracusa, and we had imagined there was going to be a free concert by some local bands. Instead at about 11.30pm there were local celebrities doing a non stop chat show with, what looked like, links to local TV and radio. The hotel on the Piazza had been doing a tremendous trade in drinks ( at extortionate prices) and the milling crowd were all good humoured with many families present and the occasional dog as well. Every now and then fireworks were let off but this was closely monitored by the Polizei who were also evident in their uniforms.At midnight there was a spectacular display of fireworks high in the night sky. Many bottles of fizzy wine were opened and shared around. Some people were dancing to the music and there was generally a lovely atmosphere. A...

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siesta

by picek

So, you're in the South and life cycles here differ - I am glad they value so much their leisure time and are not changing this siesta habit because of pressure and prejudices from 'outside'. But if you do get hungry you'll be mostly seeing closed restaurants and shops; according to words of local living here siesta time is between 2 pm - 7 pm. In most of towns where we were they only had open few bakeries and coffee bars. Nothing one can do about it when you're visitor - just make sure that you fill your stomach before you'd usually do or wait until evening when streets and restaurants become lively and sociable. I don't know how much they adhere to siesta in touristic places like Taormina. Maybe you'd be better off there if you get hungry at 3 pm and want to sit down for lunch or good meal. But for the rest of towns...

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Sicilian Street Markets

by mircaskirca

Sicilian street markets provide some of the best experience on the island, they are sights in themselves. During my travel throughout Sicily I realized that Sicilians are healthy because much of their culture revolves around healthful fresh ingredients, and the best place to find what's in season is the local market. Every town, village and neighbourhood has one but you have to know where to find them, hidden as they are from the main streets. There are also many street vendors that deliver their fruit and vegetables around the town. Tables strain under the load of fresh fruits and vegetables of every shape and colour (oranges, lemons, artichokes, cherry tomatoes, fennel, broccoli, eggplants, courgettes are everywhere), swordfish, cuttlefish and prawns, cheeses and ricotta, olives, capers, dried tomatoes, spices and herbs. But Sicilian outdoor market is much more than the food. It's the...

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Traditional Sweets

by mircaskirca

Sicilian sweets, known all over the world, are heritage of past dominations.They are of the highest quality, rich in colour and elaborately designed, and every province keep its own tradition. Any decent pasticceria (pastry shop) and even small bar have a good selection of delicious cakes and pastries. The most traditional are: Cassata - the queen of Sicilian desserts, made with ricotta cheese, sugar, vanilla, diced chocolate and candid fruits Cannoli (cream horns) - famous pastry tubes filled with sweetened ricotta and sometimes candied fruit or chocolate pieces; they are found throughout the island though there are some cities in Sicily to be well known for their cannoli Frutti della Martorana (Martorana fruits) - marzipan pastries coloured and shaped to resemble real fruits, among islands's most popular treats. The origin arrives from Martorana convent in Palermo where enclosed nuns...

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Sicilian Wine

by mircaskirca

Wine has been made in Sicily for many centuries and the island is home to more vineyards than any other region in Italy. Today, wine is an integral part of the Sicilian diet. If you go into any trattoria in a small town, ask for 'vino locale' to accompany your meal, and you will taste a wine that is almost unchanged for centuries. It is often high on alcohol (up to 16%). Rustic, local wines are often surprisingly good and accompany the local flavours of pistachios, capers, almonds, citrus fruits, tuna and swordfish. Today, a new generation of young Sicilian agriculturalists is combining the excellent growing conditions and indigenous grapes with modern wine techniques. For those who want to know more about Sicilian wine, there are wine tasting tours in all wine-producing regions. The main varieties are:Nero d'Avola is a very popular, one of the oldest grapes. It was once used for making...

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Trinacria - Symbol of Sicily

by mircaskirca

The Trinacria is the ancient name for Sicily and a symbol of the island. It derives from the archaic Triskele, that is that strange figure composed of a head of a woman from which three human legs are folded at the knee. The word means 'triangle' as for the shape - the three points represents the three capes of Sicily, Pachino, Peloro and Lilibeo. But for a symbol that must be older than any cartographic conception of the island, there are other interpretations as well. While the Greeks called it Triskele, the Celtics called it Triskelion and the Romans Trinacrium, meaning 'star with 3 points', other spiral forms of Trinacria are often classed as solar symbols. Since earliest ages, the concept of the Great Goddess was a trinity and the model for all previous trinities (female, male and mixed; the Gods of Spring, Summer and Winter or heaven, earth and underworld - hell).The head in the...

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Local traditions and culture in Sicilia

Top 3 Hotels in Sicilia

Hotel Ambasciatori  Palermo

 1 Review and 450 Opinions

 Hotels in Palermo

Liberty Hotel  Catania

 2 Reviews and 198 Opinions  Catania is a rough city in Sicily and the Liberty Hotel is in a bad area of the city. I tried to... 

 Hotels in Catania

Hotel Des Etrangers Et Miramare  Siracusa

 1 Review and 264 Opinions  We are a mother and a daughter who stayed at the Hotel Miramare et Estrangers in August 2009. During... 

 Hotels in Siracusa

1,309 Hotels in Sicilia
 
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Local Customs: Cities in Sicilia
  1. Palermo Local Customs
  2. Taormina Local Customs
  3. Catania Local Customs
  4. Siracusa Local Customs
  5. Messina Local Customs
  6. Agrigento Local Customs
  7. Cefalú Local Customs
  8. Giardini Naxos Local Customs
  9. Isola Stromboli Local Customs
  10. Scopello Castellammare Del Golfo Local Customs
  11. Isola di Lampedusa Local Customs
  12. Isola Favignana Local Customs
  13. Isola di Pantelleria Local Customs
  14. Mondello Local Customs
  15. Ragusa Local Customs
  16. Modica Local Customs
  17. Isola Salina Local Customs
  18. Sciacca Local Customs
  19. Campobello di Licata Local Customs
  20. Randazzo Local Customs
  21. Caltagirone Local Customs

More Cities in Sicilia

 

Questions and Answers

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Q:  Any recomendations for romantic restaurants in palermo? Or just unusual or unique? 

domenicococozza profile photo

A: Try to get to Porticello, to the east of Palermo. You will need to take a taxi ( about 20 minutes) Ask the driver to take you to Ristorante Francu u Pescatore ( sea... 

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