Page 118 - The Rough Guide of Sicily

La Vucciria

North of Corso Vittorio Emanuele and east of Via Roma, one of Palermo’s oldest
markets, La Vucciria, is said to be named after the French boucherie, for butcher’s
shop. Once the most renowned market in Palermo – and subject of one of Renato

Guttuso’s most famous paintings – it is now a shadow of its former self, though it still
has several basic bars and fish trattorias. There are a couple of excellent little
trattorias tucked away in the alleys (best at lunchtime), and some very basic bars
where the wine comes straight from the barrel.

SHOPPING IN PALERMO

Palermo’s old quarter sometimes seems like one big market. Apart from the stalls of
Il Capo, Vucciria and Ballarò, where a range of household items is on offer
alongside the fruit and veg, the city has several flea markets (mercati delle pulci) –
with the occasional antique lurking amid the knick-knacks and curios – notably on
Piazza Peranni near the cathedral, displaying chandeliers galore, and the

Albergheria’s Piazza San Francesco Saverio off Corso Tukory (this last on Sunday).
You’re more likely to find jewellery, watches – often convincing copies of branded
products – and “designer” clothing on Via Sant’Agostino and the backstreets of the
Capo quarter. More upmarket boutiques are scattered along Via Roma and Via
Ruggero Séttimo, and on and around Viale della Libertà.

Sicilian puppets and ceramics of varying quality are sold along Corso Vittorio
Emanuele, Via Divisi and around Piazza Marina, or in the new city around Piazza
Castelnuovo and along Viale della Libertà. You’ll also find model Sicilian carts in
abundance in all these areas – a typical, if rather corny, souvenir. For frutta di

Martorana look in any decent pasticceria – these are sold by weight, and do not
need to be kept chilled.

One of the best supermarket chains is Oviesse, which has a branch at Viale della
Libertà, on the corner with Via Siracusa (Mon–Sat 9am–8pm, Sun 10am–1pm & 4–
8pm). The ubiquitous SISA, CRAI and GS supermarkets are also perfectly adequate,
though prices are much higher than at the street markets.

There’s a large selection of English books at Mondadori Multicenter, Via Ruggero

Séttimo 18 (daily 9.30am–8.30pm; 091 769 061); and Feltrinelli, Via Cavour 139
(Mon–Fri 9am–8.30pm, Sat 9am–9pm, Sun 10am–1.30pm & 4–8.30pm; 091 781
291).