• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Take a walk off the beaten track, away from the tourist crowds, and see the real side of Palermo. On this private tour, go beyond the classic route and explore Kalsa where you’ll experience a different Palermo, like a local with a local by your side!

Destination

Palermo, Italy

Category

City Highlight Tours

Duration

2.5 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Español, Italiano, Polski

Included

• Private Guide
• All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral

Excluded

• Entrance to attractions

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 2 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at in front of Caffe Luca - Palermo to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. Off the Beaten Track

   Done with the main highlights of Palermo? Check out Kalsa. Explore a lesser-known part of the city that will give you a more authentic feel of Palermo. Check out Chiesa Santa Maria dello Spasimo, Piazza Pretoria and more!

4. The Real Deal

   Let a local expert in the area you’ll visit show you their Palermo from a different perspective - away from the tourist traps. See street art, cultural hot spots, local vendors, hangout spots, and historical gems, and embrace the vibe!

5. Personalized Recommendations

   Want to explore more of the area after the tour? Your host is happy to recommend their favorite eateries and where to take a break while wandering in this vibrant area

6. Unique Plan

   Depending on your host, this tour will be experienced based on their knowledge, passion, and expertise. Pick a host that matches your interests and see their city through their eyes!

7. Make it yours

   Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

   Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

   Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Jack🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Karolina)

3 February 2025

Thoroughly recommend. Karolina is lovely and this tour was a great way to start our trip Loved it

Natalia🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Salvatore)

28 December 2024

Ieri sera abbiamo avuto il piacere di partecipare a una visita guidata con Salvatore a Palermo, ed è stata un’esperienza davvero straordinaria! Salvatore è una guida eccezionale, con una conoscenza approfondita della storia, della cultura e delle tradizioni della città. Ogni racconto era ricco di dettagli interessanti e presentato con grande passione e coinvolgimento. Ci ha guidato attraverso i luoghi più emblematici di Palermo, facendoci scoprire non solo la bellezza della città, ma anche la sua anima autentica. È stato incredibilmente attento alle nostre esigenze, rispondendo con pazienza e professionalità a tutte le nostre domande. Se volete vivere Palermo in modo unico e indimenticabile, consiglio vivamente una visita guidata con Salvatore. Grazie di cuore per questa serata meravigliosa!Perfetto

Isabel🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Salvatore)

15 November 2024

Salvatore was a fantastic host, who fully adapted our interests into the tour. He seems to have a huge knowledge of Palermos history and specials and can easily share those in a very sympathic and open way. Especially the contact before the tour, asking for our expectations was highly appreciated! It was interesting and fun to be your guest, thanks again! Definitely off the beaten track

Kelly🇺🇸 United States

(About local Salvatore)

2 November 2024

Salvatore met us exactly on time at our easy-to-find rendezvous point. We learned a lot about the historical district and I know some of the things we saw would have been overlooked by us if we were on our own - or even if we were in a more traditional tour group. That’s what we love about these Off The Beaten Track tours. Salvatore is very knowledgeable about the history of the area and also has a great sense of humor. Thank you for giving us a great day. Exactly what we hoped for

Markus🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Karolina)

27 October 2024

Karolina is a very friendly guide with profound historical and contemporary knowledge about the Kalsa district (politics, art etc.). It was a pleasure to stroll together through the district.

Katrin🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Salvatore)

26 October 2024

Die Tour durch das Kalsa-Viertel mit Salvatore war sehr gut. Wir hatten zwei Kids dabei, die noch nicht ganz so flüssig in Englisch waren. Das hat aber weiterhin nicht gestört, da Salvatore immer gewartet hat, bis wir das wichtigste übersetzt hatten. Zudem hat er stets neue Geschichten parat gehabt, die die Führung durch das Kalsa-Viertel interessant gemacht hatten. Man merkt bei Salvatore, dass er "sein" Stadtviertel und Palermo liebt. Dadurch waren die 2.5h sehr kurzweilig und wir haben einen tollen Eindruck von der Stadt und ihren Menschen bekommen.Authentische Führung

Dianne

(About local Karolina)

24 October 2024

Karolina was informative, interesting and great company. We saw and learnt a great deal about Palermo during our tour.Great experience

Pascal

(About local Salvatore)

24 October 2024

Wir hatten eine sehr schöne und informative Führung mit Salvatore. Er hat uns sowohl im historischem als auch in den lokalen Dingen vieles über Kalsa erzählt und hatte auf unsere Fragen auch immer Antworten. Wir können Ihn und die Tour nur empfehlen. Der Preis für die Tour war mehr als berechtigt. Toller Reiseführer

jens

(About local Salvatore)

22 October 2024

We, a group of four, totally enjoyed walking Kalsa with Salvatore. With a big smile on his face he enthusiastically shares his wide knowledge, of art, history and his city. Highly recommended to anybody visiting Palermo.Great time with Salvatore

Tim🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Karolina)

27 August 2024

We had a great tour of Kalsa with Karolina. She was very knowledgeable and passionate about Kalsa, Palermo and travelling in general. Karolina was happy to adapt the tour to fit our needs, was very informative, bringing the history to life and very helpful with general advice and top tips. We would be happy to recommend Karolina to anyone interested in finding out about the local history of the coolest area in Palermo Great tour of Kalsa, Palermo

Jennifer🇺🇸 United States

(About local Karolina)

17 June 2024

We really enjoyed our time with Karolina. She was incredibly knowledgeable about the history of Palermo. She showed us a lot of history in Kalsa. She was very personable and was easy to talk to. I would not hesitate to take another tour with Karolina.Awesome tour with Karolina!

Chris🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Salvatore)

10 June 2024

Salvatore was a great guide with an obvious love for the city of Palermo. He recounted the historical events - some quite gory - while we stood on the actual cobbles where they took place. As well as past events he gave us some good tips for bars to visit later in the day. Highly recommend tour and guide.Great tour with fascinating insights

Liesbeth🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Salvatore)

16 May 2024

The tour was really interesting. Salvatore told a lot about the history and the daily life of the Kalsa area. He is a very dedicated and friendly guide. I wouldn’t have missed this tour, it was an unforgettable experience and for me the number one of all tours I’ve done so far.Great experience

Jerome🇺🇸 United States

(About local Salvatore)

25 November 2023

Our tour of Kalsa was the first thing we did upon arriving in Palermo and it proved to be a very worthwhile introduction to the city. Salvatore's easygoing, approachable style helped us get a better understanding of Palermo and its people, which enhanced the rest of our time in the city. His wealth of knowledge and passion for Palermo combined with his professionalism made for an excellent street-level experience. We'd do it again! Jerry & NancyKalsa walkaround a real treat

Sjoerd🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Salvatore)

16 November 2023

Met Salvatore op pad in Kalsa was fantastisch. Een makkelijke verteller, oog voor leuke details en trots op zijn eigen (woon)buurt. Heerlijk om op deze manier juist een andere kant van Palermo te zien, waar je anders niet snel zou komen. Salvatore leidt je met humor en interessante achtergronden op een relaxte manier door dit deel van het prachtige Palermo. Een aanrader!Mooi op pad buiten de gebaande paden

Jane🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Salvatore)

30 October 2023

We were very pleased with our walking tour of Kalsa with Salvatore. We met at an easy-to-find place and the guiding started immediately. We were shown many places that we would not have entered or noticed ourselves and Salvatore was very knowledgable on the history of Sicily as well as the local area in Palermo. I am very pleased that we decided to take this tour, something we have never done before. Being at the older age of the range, and on a hot afternoon, it would have been even better for us if there had been a few more sitting breaks or even a visit to a little cafe! Really interesting and well balanced

frpp

(About local Salvatore)

25 October 2023

Salvo is a wonderful guide giving us a marvelous tour around Kalsa. Excellent

Joy🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Salvatore)

19 October 2023

We enjoyed our hidden gems tour of Palermo with Salvatore. There was so much to see and learn about the history of Palermo. Salvatore is charming and enthusiastic. He has so many interesting and funny stories to share, would definitely recommend this tour.Great introduction to Palermo

Peter🇺🇸 United States

(About local Salvatore)

13 October 2023

Salvatore is the best! His historic knowledge of Palermo is delightful is his way of relating past history to present day. As the tour is titled, it is off the beaten path away from other tours and the one on one with Salvadore is the best, Bravo!A history lesson

Alexandra🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Salvatore)

10 October 2023

We had an absolutely amazing experience with our tour guide Salvatore in Palermo! His knowledge and passion for the city shone through as he guided us through the charming streets of the old town. Salvatore’s insights into the history and culture of Palermo were invaluable, making our tour not only informative but also incredibly engaging. His friendly and approachable demeanor instantly made us feel to walk around with a friend and he went above and beyond to ensure we had a memorable experience. I highly recommend Salvatore as a tour guide for anyone looking to explore the rich heritage of Palermo. Thank you, Salvatore, for an unforgettable tour!Unforgettable tour

Nikki

(About local Salvatore)

4 October 2023

Real great experience with great stories, historical deepening experience of a part of the city. Salvatore is great storyteller, knows his background information. But mainly is pro in linking all details and storylines togheter to really see city in a different time frame. You will walk around with new born eyes. Friendly guy, who takes his time and helps you on the wayFantastic tour

chkqntpbxq

(About local Salvatore)

24 September 2023

First of all thank you to Salvatore for meeting us with just one hours notice. That was really great service 🙏🏻 The walk was really interesting and your knowledge of the city and its history was huge. We absolutely enjoyed every minute of it and can highly recommend Salvatore as your guide in Palermo. Great guide and walk

Barb

(About local Salvatore)

17 September 2023

Salvatore was an excellent choice for a city tour on our first day in Palermo. His knowledge of Palermo and the history, both current and ancient was exceptionable. On a walking tour we were able to see and understand much more of what we were looking at instead of just walking past a cite. We only had 2 short days in the city so was glad we did this first. It was a private tour with only the 4 of us. We could hear and understand him clearly. He had very good English. Well worth your time and money.

Anastasia

(About local Salvatore)

17 September 2023

We had a great private tour around Kalsa quarter of Palermo with Salvatore. Learnt so much about history, architecture and many remarkable events of the city! Salvatore had a very well thought through route and a story line that will stay for sure in our memories of Palermo. Much appreciated!Great Palermo tour

Jennifer🇺🇸 United States

(About local Salvatore)

28 June 2023

Salvatore is not only knowledgeable about Palermo but has created a well structured tour of Kalsa from beginning to end. I highly recommend.Lovely way to visit Palermo

Willem🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Salvatore)

31 May 2023

Walking trough Palermo (off the beaten tracks) with Salvatore was a superb experience. He gives you an insight in the history of the city and her citizens. It feels like a story full of cliffhangers 🙂. All kinds of subjects were included in this tour, like history, legends, architecture, food, art and museums. Very much appreciated!! Johan, Lieve, Valérie & WillemGrazie Salvatore!

Astrid 🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Salvatore)

28 May 2023

Salvatore is very friendly and patieent. Due to traafficjam we came an hour later as we planned, and he was very understandig. There was disabled person in our group who could not do the whole tour wuth us and Salvatore eksplained him some facts abot Palermo and gave, some tips what he could do on his own. The gude was performed professionally but also very personal and informativ. We enyojed the tour and we can surely recommend Salvatore as a good guide. Palermo with Salvatore

Jackie🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Salvatore)

24 May 2023

Salvatore clearly loves his home city of Palermo & is great at passing that enthusiasm on to his guests. He really brought the history of Palermo to life, putting everything into context, telling us why and how this amazing city developed such a unique culture, so that we felt a part of it. He didn’t shy away from some of the darker sides of it and gave us a complete picture, with lots of stories, humour & fun on the way. Highly recommended!Brings Palermo to life!

Kathy🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Salvatore)

19 May 2023

Salvatore is clearly very passionate about Palermo and we did the Kalsa tour with him. He brought the city alive with his passionate and knowledgeable tour commentary and was very engaging - he managed to connect the whole area in a very clever way by referencing various facts and posing several questions for us to think about - the pace was just right for us and we thoroughly enjoyed it - thank you xxFantastic knowledgeable local guide

Michaela🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Salvatore)

16 May 2023

Salvatore knows so much about this city, its history and culture. The tour was very interesting and we enjoyed it very much. It was a perfect walk through the oldest part of Palermo. We recommend taking the tour with Salvatore!High recommendation!

Kate🇺🇸 United States

(About local Salvatore)

10 May 2023

Salvatore gave a great tour, bringing to life the layers of history in the Kalsa neighborhood. He has a deep understanding of the history and culture of the neighborhood. He was friendly and engaged, answered all of our questions and gave recommendations for local restaurants and bars. Highly recommend!Great Kalsa tour!

Nancy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Salvatore)

5 May 2023

Salvatore is a wonderful tour guide. He really brought the city of Palermo to life. We saw a learned a lot in our time with him. Fantastic Tour

Stéphanie 🇧🇪 Belgium

(About local Salvatore)

22 April 2023

We met Salvatore on time and started our tour. We immediately felt that we were in good hands. Salvatore loves and knows his city. He shared so many interresting infos about the Kalsa area and Palermo. Every building, corner, street, views and churches have an history that Salvatore shared with enthusiasm. We could ask as much questions as we wished and he always had an answer. I would definitely advice you to book your private tour with Salvatore as he will open your eyes our so many things you could miss if simply walking in the city without information. He is really a great guide, easy company and very friendly. Book your private tour with no hesitation

Unknown

(About local Salvatore)

21 April 2023

Salvatore a été un guide très agréable et sympathique. Nous avons appris beaucoup de chose et surtout bien compris aussi l histoire et la structure de la ville . Ce que nous conseillons en début de séjour !!! Nous conseillons vivement un tour avec lui ! MerciTres interressant et agréable

m.hynes098🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Salvatore)

16 April 2023

We both throughly enjoyed the tour and Salvatore proved to be very knowledgeable and a good communicator with a good sense of humour. In the two and half plus hours we were never rushed and learnt a lot about both local history and culture. Both a great introduction and a excellent introduction to the city of Palermo.Off the Beaten Track - Palermo Kalsa Tour

Giovanni🇮🇹 Italy

(About local Salvatore)

26 March 2023

Avevo prenotato il giro della Kalsa con Salvatore per fare una sorpresa alla mia compagna e sua figlia e lui è stato meraviglioso e disponibile sin dal primo contatto. Durante il giro ha saputo offrire uno sguardo sul cuore etnico di Palermo ricco di storie, tradizioni ed allegra simpatia. Consiglio assolutamente un tour con Salvatore per rendere l'esperienza del viaggio e della scoperta ancora più emozionante e sorprendente: più che la solita guida un incredibile travel designer! GiovanniLa Kalsa che non ti aspetti!

Barbara🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Salvatore)

2 February 2023

Salvatore hat uns die schönsten Plätze in der kalsa gezeigt, man merkt, dass er dieses Viertel liebt und es einem nahebringen möchte. Es war hochinteressant und wir können diese Tour nur weiter empfehlen! Ein toller Nachmittag mit Salvatore

Nora🇮🇹 Italy

(About local Salvatore)

10 January 2023

We had the best time with Salvatore! He told us a lot of interesting historic - but not only - facts and gave us a warm welcome to his beautiful city. We really enjoyed the tour with him, which was perfect for us as a family with our little daughter and my in-laws. Would do it all over again! Off the beaten track

Justin🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Karolina)

13 November 2022

Karolina was amazing! We learned so much about the history of Palermo, and how the locals live. we also discovered fantastic local places to eat and drink. She took us to the best cannoli place. we also laughed a lot!Super fun and lots of information!

Radu🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Karolina)

13 November 2022

Karolina has been amazing. Incredibly insightful, she took us around the areas that we hadn't seen and shared so much history and cool facts about the place. Fantastic experience

Shelly🇺🇸 United States

(About local Salvatore)

30 October 2022

Salvatore was one of the best tour guides we have ever had! He was so enthusiastic as he shared information about his city. His passion for history was evident with each topic he covered. He is a personable guide eager to ensure our tour was fun while informative.Passionate Enthusiastic Guide

Jana🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Karolina)

23 October 2022

Karolina told us many interesting stories about the history of the city. We were already a few days in palermo at the time of the tour and still she told us new stories, showed us new places and gave us new information. We were very satisfied and gladly recommend it. Thank you Karolina !Highly recommended!

Roger🇺🇸 United States

(About local Salvatore)

16 October 2022

Salvatore was right on the mark. He took me places and gave explanations I would not have found otherwise. I highly recommend him.Honest, frank, direct historian

Bruce🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Salvatore)

12 October 2022

My fiancé and I booked the Off the Beaten Track tour with Salvatore and we cannot recommend him highly enough. Salvatore was knowledgable, friendly and laid back and we learned so many interesting facts about the city. We only wished that we booked the tour at the start of our holiday as Salvatore recommended lots of interesting places to visit that we ran out of time to see. A must if you are visiting Palermo! Exploring Sicily

Christian

(About local Salvatore)

30 September 2022

Salvatore's tour has the perfect mix of old and new history, local knowledge and good places to go. And we had a lot of good laughs. Can definitely recommendExcellent tour through Kalsa

Robbertwerktelefoon🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Karolina)

28 September 2022

We have had an awesome trip with Karolina, she has been telling us many different stories about historical events and has taken us places we would definitely miss in case we went into the city on our own, thanks for having you as our guide! We can recommend you to other explorers of Palermo! Great tour through Palermo

Sharen🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Salvatore)

19 September 2022

Salvatore is the best guide ever. We not only saw the main sights, but also out of the way places which we would not have discovered on our own. We had a great history lesson and also many interesting tales, and learnt a lot about life in Palermo. Salvatore is very personable with great English. What a great way to start our holiday in Sicily.A wonderful experience

Angela🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Salvatore)

17 September 2022

It was an excellent tour on a hot afternoon. Salvatore introduced us to places we might not have visited, set the context for Sicily’s history and gave us new insights to the well-known tourist spots. We also took the opportunity to explore the delights of a micro-brewery that we might otherwise have passed by. We very much enjoyed his company for the afternoon.An afternoon of insights and curiosities

stephen🇺🇸 United States

(About local Karolina)

3 September 2022

Karolina was terrific,very knowledgeable about the history of the area,great personality and fun to spend a few hours with.She recommended a number of things to do on our own which we did,the highlight being the Palazzo Butera.If you’re looking for a unique experience in Palermo,this is the tour and Karolina is definitely the guide to chose.Great Kalsa Tour

Melli🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Karolina)

6 August 2022

The tour with Karolina was simply perfect. Not only is she a genuinely sweet person but also so knowledgeable and passionate about Palermo and she knows how to pass on that passion. It was a perfect mix between history and facts, hidden gems, art and insights on the Sicilian lifestyle. Very happy with our choice :) AMAZING tour