Sicily · HISTORICAL TOURS

15 Historical Tours in Sicily Worth Your Day

25 tours  ·  from $24 a head

A short list for a long island: 15 historical tours, each with a price, a duration and the one detail to check before you pay.

Palermo: Street Food and History Walking Tour - From the meeting point toward Capo Market
Food & Drink, Food Tours in Sicily, Historical Tours, Palermo Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Walking Tours in Sicily

Palermo: Street Food and History Walking Tour

1.Street Food and History Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,294 reviews · from $54Our pick

Walk Palermo’s old town with local guide Fabrizio, pairing Capo Market tastings with stories about the city’s landmarks and food traditions. Try Sicilian staples such as panelle, arancine and cannolo, visit the Cathedral and Quattro Canti, and finish with a drink. The three-hour route suits first-time visitors who want food and history in one outing.

“We had an awesome time on this tour! Everything was super well planned, and our guide Fabrizio made it really fun and interesting. We got to see some amazing places and learned a lot along the way. Definitely worth it!”

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Palermo: UNESCO World Heritage Sites Guided Walking Tour - Martorana’s mosaics and Piazza Pretoria’s marble
Guided, Historical Tours, Palermo Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Walking Tours in Sicily

Palermo: UNESCO World Heritage Sites Guided Walking Tour

2.UNESCO World Heritage Sites Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 548 reviews · 3 - 5.5 hours · from $41

Explore central Palermo on a guided walking tour with a licensed English- or Spanish-speaking guide. See Teatro Massimo, Vucciria Market, Martorana Church, Piazza Pretoria, Quattro Canti, and Palermo Cathedral, where admission is included. Guides such as Renata, Simone, and Stefania bring local stories and customs into the route. A Sicilian sweet is part of the experience; a separate upgrade adds the Norman Palace and Palatine Chapel.

“Simon was an excellent guide and was a fountain of knowledge. He knew his history but was also happy to give us insights into everyday Sicilian lifestyle and culture.”

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Palermo: Walking Tour of Historic Markets and Monuments - Legends give the streets another layer
Historical Tours, Market Tours in Sicily, Palermo Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Walking Tours in Sicily

Palermo: Walking Tour of Historic Markets and Monuments

3.Walking Tour of Historic Markets and Monuments

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 478 reviews · 3 hours · from $35

Walk Palermo’s historic center with an Italian-speaking guide, visiting the Cathedral, Teatro Massimo, Quattro Canti, Fontana Pretoria, and Capo market. Hear tales of Santa Rosalia and the Beati Paoli, and look for Sicilian street food and pastries to sample. Claudio and Fabrizio are among the guides associated with recent tours, though your guide may differ.

“Grazie a Fabrizio abbiamo trascorso una bella mattinata in giro per Palermo, scoprendo storia e curiosità di una città che merita di essere conosciuta. Un’esperienza che consiglierei e che ci ha dato tanti spunti anche su cosa fare nei prossimi giorni di vacanza qui.”

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Walking Tour and street food Tour Palermo / History and Food - Fontana della Vergogna brings the Renaissance into view
Food & Drink, Food Tours in Sicily, Historical Tours, Sicily Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Walking Tours in Sicily

Walking Tour and street food Tour Palermo / History and Food

4.Walking Tour and street food Tour Palermo / History and Food

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 379 reviews · from $55Top rated

Start at Quattro Canti with Palermo-born guide Domenico Aronica, then walk the old town’s churches and squares before sampling Sicilian street food at Ballarò market. Expect history as well as bites: arancini, local pizza, fresh juice and cannoli are listed among the tastings. The small group is capped at 15.

“A fantastic, interesting tour covering both the rich history of Palermo while also trying delicious, local food. Dom is an engaging and hilarious tour guide. One of the best we have ever encountered. Approached the tour with enthusiasm and made it thoroughly enjoyable for our whole group.”

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Discover Palermo in 3 hours. Art, history, markets and street food - Hear the Florio story at Teatro Massimo
3-Hour Experiences, Food & Drink, Food Tours in Sicily, Historical Tours, Market Tours in Sicily, Palermo Tours, Tour Reviews

Discover Palermo in 3 hours. Art, history, markets and street food

5.Discover Palermo in 3 hours. Art, history, markets and street food

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 352 reviews · from $34

Walk Palermo’s old center with a local Italian-speaking guide, passing the Capo market, cathedral, Teatro Massimo and Baroque squares. The route blends monuments with stories of the Florio family, Santuzza and the Beati Paoli, plus optional street-food tasting stops. Guides named in past tours include Maurizio and Fabrizio, but the guide is not guaranteed.

“Una bella visita ma soprattutto una guida davvero brava e preparata (Maurizio) con tante storie interessanti. Peccato il gruppo un po’ troppo numeroso, altrimenti le 5 stelle ci sarebbero state tutte”

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Palermo in 2 hours Main monuments and historic markets - Crossing the Cape Market
2-Hour Experiences, Historical Tours, Market Tours in Sicily, Sicily Tours, Tour Reviews

Palermo in 2 hours Main monuments and historic markets

6.Palermo in 2 hours Main monuments and historic markets

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 136 reviews · from $23Best value

Start near Via Cavour at 10:30 am and walk Palermo’s historic center with a licensed guide. The route links Teatro Massimo, Piazza Pretoria, the Cape Market and other landmarks, ending inside the Arab-Norman Cathedral. A short street-food tasting is included, but other food and monument admissions are not. Guides named on past outings include Maurizio and Fabrizio.

“Maurizio is a Fabulous tour guide. A walking tour of the city is a fantastic way to start to understand the history and culture, as well as a source of information for your visit”

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Cefalù: History and Legends Guided Walking Tour - The viewpoint, then the lanes
Cefalu Tours, Guided, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Walking Tours in Sicily

Cefalù: History and Legends Guided Walking Tour

7.History and Legends Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 132 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $37

Walk Cefalù’s narrow streets and viewpoints with local guide Ambra, hearing the town’s history, legends and food stories along the way. The 90-minute tour includes a seasonal taste: ice cream or granita in summer, sfincione in winter. It does not include the La Rocca hike.

“the guide was friendly professional and knowledgeable. it was full of interesting information and history about Cefalu. it was a great introduction”

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Palermo : Historic Markets & monuments Walking Tour - Starting on Via Ruggiero Settimo
Historical Tours, Market Tours in Sicily, Palermo Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Walking Tours in Sicily

Palermo : Historic Markets & monuments Walking Tour

8.Historic Markets & monuments Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 129 reviews · 3 hours · from $41

Walk central Palermo with a local guide, from the Cathedral and Teatro Massimo to Quattro Canti, Fontana Pretoria and Capo Market. The three-hour route includes Sicilian street-food sampling, though food and drinks are listed as not included. Guides speak English, French, Italian or Spanish; private tours are available.

“Very enjoyable afternoon, Martina was warm and welcoming and shared with us her knowledge of the city.”

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Palermo Historic Center Walking Tour by Palermo Wonders - The Capo church and a choice of baroque interiors
Historical Tours, Sicily Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Walking Tours in Sicily

Palermo Historic Center Walking Tour by Palermo Wonders

9.Palermo Historic Center Walking Tour by Palermo Wonders

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 107 reviews · from $139

See Palermo’s historic center on a private three-hour walk with a local, multilingual guide. The route can include Teatro Massimo, Capo market, Palermo Cathedral, the Royal Palace and Cappella Palatina, plus a baroque church. Mauro is frequently named as guide, but your guide may differ. Palace and church entry fees are extra.

“Mauro was a wealth of information and really helped us understand Palermo. The history and local knowledge was fantastic and he streamlined all the interesting places efficiently. Thanks!”

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Bike tour of the historic center of Palermo with tasting - Ballarò, Porta Nuova, and the Norman Palace
Bike Tours in Sicily, Food & Drink, Historical Tours, Sicily Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Bike tour of the historic center of Palermo with tasting

10.Bike tour of the historic center of Palermo with tasting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 91 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $53

Ride a standard bicycle through Palermo’s historic center with an English-speaking guide, stopping at landmarks from Piazza Pretoria to the old harbor. The three-hour tour includes a Sicilian street-food tasting and a group of no more than 15. Guides have included Fabio, Deborah, Elena, Paulo, and Catarina.

“Wonderful cycling tour of the city of Palermo with our guide Deborah. She provided us with a lot of information about the history (including the Mafia) and buildings of the city. She had good English and was a lot of fun. I would highly recommend because it is a great way to enjoy your stay in Palermo”

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Palermo: Historic Center Guided Bike Tour with Food Tasting - From Fontana Pretoria to Palermo’s grand squares
Bike Tours in Sicily, Food & Drink, Food Tours in Sicily, Guided, Historical Tours, Palermo Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Palermo: Historic Center Guided Bike Tour with Food Tasting

11.Historic Center Guided Bike Tour with Food Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 85 reviews · 3 hours · from $45

Ride through Palermo’s historic center with an English-speaking local guide, passing major monuments, old markets, and La Cala. The three-hour tour includes a bicycle, bottled water, and a sample of street food or an almond pastry. Guides have included Elena, Fabio, Caterina, and Eve, though your guide may vary.

“The tour and Elena our guide was wonderful. Loved to hear all about the history of Palermo. Would def recommend this tour.”

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Palermo Street Food tour: art, history and ancient markets - Starting at Piazza Olivella
Food & Drink, Food Tours in Sicily, Historical Tours, Market Tours in Sicily, Sicily Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Palermo Street Food tour: art, history and ancient markets

12.Palermo Street Food tour: art, history and ancient markets

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 78 reviews · from $49

Walk Palermo’s historic center for three hours with a professional guide, visiting the Capo market and landmarks including the Cathedral and Quattro Canti. Tastings include panelle, crocchè, sfincione, arancina and cannolo, plus a drink. Guides named for this experience include Fabrizio and Maurizio, though your guide may vary.

“Fabrizio, a true Palermitani, was our excellent guide for the tour. He started us with some history and then we hit the Capo street market where Fabrizio had arranged for us to taste many local specialties, enough to fill us up (served as lunch), anRead more”

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Partinico: Historic Sicilian Vineyard & Wine Tasting Tour - Inside the 600-square-meter Sicilian baglio
Food & Drink, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Wine Tours in Sicily

Partinico: Historic Sicilian Vineyard & Wine Tasting Tour

13.Partinico: Historic Sicilian Vineyard & Wine Tasting Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 36 reviews · 2 hours · from $53

At Farm Augustali near Partinico, walk among vineyards, olive and citrus groves, then tour a 600-square-meter Sicilian baglio, winery and cellar. An English, Italian or French-speaking guide explains the wine process before brunch with five Sicilian appetizers, red wine and white wine. The two-hour tour costs $53 per person.

“We really enjoyed the tour and the tour guide Beatrice was very kind and informative! We got to see all of the vineyard and all the animals which was lovely! The wine was exquisite and we would like to come back during the summer.”

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Guided Cultural Tour of the Godfather Film in Messina - Forza d’Agrò: churches and far-reaching views
Catania Tours, Godfather Movie Tours, Guided, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Guided Cultural Tour of the Godfather Film in Messina

14.Guided Cultural Tour of the Godfather Film in Messina

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 31 reviews · 4 to 6 hours (approx.) · from $162

Travel from Catania to Savoca and Forza d’Agrò in a private, air-conditioned vehicle with guide Gabriele. Visit Bar Vitelli, the Church of San Nicolò, village churches, and panoramic viewpoints. At key film locations, Gabriele can show you scenes from The Godfather before you walk the same paths. Allow about four to six hours; lunch and the €2 church entry fee are extra.

“Our Godfather tour in beautiful Savoca and Forza D’Agro with our guide Gabriel couldn’t have been more memorable! He was so knowledgeable about the movies and made sure we not only saw the exact places where scenes were filmed but took many photos of us in those places. He made gremolata suggestions at Bar Vitale (lemon was our favorite) and lunch recommendations at a lovely restaurant in the village. We’ll never forget our wonderful experience in Sicily!”

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Sicilian cooking class in the historic baglio Florio Adamo - Appetizers: caponata, arancine and garden herbs
Cooking Classes in Sicily, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Workshops

Sicilian cooking class in the historic baglio Florio Adamo

15.Sicilian cooking class in the historic baglio Florio Adamo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 27 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $94

At the former Florio factory, Liliana and cooks including Vito guide you through Sicilian appetizers, handmade pasta from the estate’s Perciasacchi wheat, and a ricotta dessert. You cook by hand, eat what you prepare and sample the family’s wine in a historic farm setting. Allow 3.5 hours; transport needs advance clarification.

“Liliana was so much fun and the food and wine were so good! Highly recommend this!”

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New in Historical Tours

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★ 4.1Catania Historic center Walking tourFrom $354 reviews
★ 5.0Valley of the Temples and Historical Center by E-Bike with Lunch IncludedFrom $854 reviews

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