The finest things to buy in Sicily are not the generic Italian tourist shop merchandise the mass-produced ceramics, the branded limoncello, the items that appear identical in every souvenir shop from Palermo to Taormina. They are the products that are specific to this island, produced with ingredients and techniques that exist nowhere else, and that cannot be found at equivalent quality outside the territory that produced them. The Modica cold-process chocolate. The Bronte pistachio. The Pantelleria capers. The Marsala Vergine Riserva. The Caltagirone majolica. The Trapani coral.
This guide covers the Sicilian products worth seeking out and bringing home with specific guidance on where to buy them, what to look for and why each product is specific to this island rather than merely a generic Mediterranean souvenir.
In this guide
- Modica chocolate the Aztec preparation
- Bronte pistachio
- Pantelleria capers and Sicilian preserved foods
- Sicilian wine what to bring home
- Marsala the authentic version
- Sicilian olive oil
- Ceramics Caltagirone and Santo Stefano di Camastra
- Trapani coral
- Sicilian linen and textiles
- Pastry and sweets to take home
- Sicilian salt and sea salt from the Trapani pans
- Where to shop in Sicily
- Practical tips for bringing Sicilian products home
Modica Chocolate the Aztec Preparation
Modica chocolate is the most specific, most transportable and most consistently well-received food souvenir from Sicily. The cold-process preparation cacao paste and raw sugar worked at temperatures that prevent the cacao butter from melting, producing a chocolate that is granular rather than smooth, that crumbles rather than melts and that releases flavour at full intensity without dairy softening arrived in Sicily via Spanish colonialism in the 16th century from the Aztec tradition and has been produced in Modica continuously since. It is not available at equivalent quality outside Sicily; the production technique is specific to a small number of Modica producers and the result is genuinely unlike any other chocolate in the world.
The flavours reflect the Arab and Spanish spice palette that informed the original preparation: cinnamon, vanilla, chilli, orange peel, carob, almond. The pure cacao version (100% cacao, no sugar addition) is the most specific for those who want the most intense expression of the preparation. The Bonajuto shop on Corso Umberto I in Modica (established 1880, the oldest chocolate shop in Sicily) is the reference address; the Quetzal and Rizza shops provide quality alternatives. Multiple Modica chocolate producers also ship internationally from their websites. The chocolate travels well at normal temperatures (it does not melt as a standard chocolate would) and keeps for several months. Read our complete Modica guide.
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Bronte Pistachio
The Bronte pistachio grown on the volcanic basalt slopes of Etna northwest of Catania is considered the finest pistachio in the world, with a flavour intensity and a balance of sweet and slightly bitter that distinguishes it from the Iranian and American pistachios that dominate international markets. The volcanic soil produces an oil content and a chlorophyll level in the nut that no other pistachio-growing region can replicate: the Bronte pistachio is greener, more intensely flavoured and more aromatic than any comparison product.
The best forms for bringing home: raw shelled pistachios (available at the Bronte market and at specialist food shops in Catania and across eastern Sicily), pistachio pesto (DOP-certified, in glass jars), pistachio cream (for spreading on brioche, for pasta, for ice cream) and pistachio flour (for baking). At source in Bronte, the cooperative shops sell the full range at producer prices. In Catania, the shops around Via Etnea and the Pescheria market area have the best selection. The pistachio harvest is biennial the Bronte Sagra del Pistacchio in alternate years (late September or early October) provides the freshest available product. Read our complete Bronte pistachio guide.
Pantelleria Capers and Sicilian Preserved Foods
The capers of Pantelleria the volcanic island between Sicily and Tunisia are the finest capers produced in Italy and among the finest in the Mediterranean. Pantelleria capers are large (the bud is 12 to 14mm, larger than the standard Sicilian caper), intensely flavoured with the specific character of the volcanic soil and the low rainfall of the island, and preserved in sea salt rather than brine the salt preservation maintaining the flavour intensity that the brine version dilutes. They are available in Pantelleria itself (a ferry from Trapani, or a short flight) and at specialist food shops in Palermo and Trapani.
For the broader preserved food category, Sicilian tuna (tonno) in olive oil particularly from the traditional producers of Mazzara del Vallo and the Egadi Islands is among the finest preserved tuna in Italy. The ventresca (belly section, the most prized cut) packed in extra virgin olive oil is the best form for bringing home. Sicilian anchovies in salt (from Sciacca and the southern coast) and the colatura di alici (anchovy liquid from the artisanal production of the coast) are equally specific and transportable. Read our complete Trapani guide for the best food shops in the western coastal zone.
Sicilian Wine What to Bring Home
The wines worth bringing home from Sicily are the ones that are either unavailable internationally at the same price or unavailable at all outside the island. The Etna DOC Nerello Mascalese from the small-production contrada estates (Benanti, Terre Nere, Cornelissen, Passopisaro) is available internationally but at prices significantly above the cellar door or local wine shop price buying at source saves 20 to 30 percent. The Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG from the COS or Occhipinti estates is the most internationally discussed Sicilian red outside Etna and is equally worth the cellar visit purchase. For white wines, the Etna Bianco Carricante from Benanti or Terre Nere and the Grillo from the better Trapani producers are both excellent travel companions. Most Italian wine travels well; the luggage concern is weight rather than fragility if properly wrapped.
The Malvasia delle Lipari from the Aeolian Islands is the most specific island-only wine in Sicily the sweet dessert wine made from sun-dried Malvasia grapes grown on Salina and Lipari. It is available internationally but the on-island purchase from small producers (Hauner, Caravaglio, Colosi) provides the most direct connection to the product. Read our complete Sicilian wines guide and wine tasting guide.
👉SEE THE BEST SICILY WINE TASTING HERE
Marsala the Authentic Version
The Marsala worth bringing home is not the cooking wine that has dominated the international perception of this category it is the Marsala Superiore Riserva or the Marsala Vergine, aged 5 to 10 years in the solera system of the Florio or Pellegrino cellars, with a complexity and depth that approaches a dry Amontillado Sherry in character. The aged Vergine Riserva in particular is one of the most undervalued fortified wines in Italy available at the Marsala cellar shops at prices significantly below what the equivalent quality of Sherry or Port would cost. Read our complete Marsala guide.
Sicilian Olive Oil
Sicilian extra virgin olive oil particularly from the DOP zones of the Monti Iblei (Hyblaean plateau), the Colline di Trapani (western coast) and the Val di Mazara (western interior) is among the finest in Italy. The specific variety of the Sicilian cultivars (Biancolilla, Cerasuola, Moresca, Nocellara del Belice) produces oils with a specific character greener, more peppery and more intensely fruited than the milder Tuscan and Ligurian styles that is specific to the island. The olio nuovo (new oil from the October harvest) is the finest form and the most seasonal; in October and November it is available at source from the producers and agriturismi. At other times of year, the DOP-certified oils from specialist food shops in Palermo, Trapani and the Val di Noto are the most reliable quality indicators. Glass bottles travel better than tins for carry-on; tins are more practical for checked luggage.
Ceramics Caltagirone and Santo Stefano di Camastra
Caltagirone, in the foothills between Catania and Agrigento, is the principal centre of Sicilian majolica production a tradition of tin-glazed earthenware decorated in the specific Sicilian palette of cobalt blue, antimony yellow, copper green and manganese purple that has been maintained in the town since the Arab period. The majolica tiles of Caltagirone cover the risers of the famous Scalinata di Santa Maria del Monte (the 142-step ceremonial staircase of the town) and appear throughout Sicily as architectural decorations the distinctive Sicilian use of individual hand-painted tiles as functional objects rather than purely decorative pieces.
The Caltagirone ceramics quarter, concentrated around the Scalinata and the Piazza del Municipio, has the highest density of quality producers from the established traditional workshops to the younger designers who apply the historic palette to contemporary forms. The pieces worth buying: the traditional Sicilian head vases (teste di moro the crowned head pitchers that are the most iconic Sicilian ceramic form), individual decorative tiles, the modular floor tiles and the functional tableware in the historic Caltagirone palette. Santo Stefano di Camastra on the northern coast between Cefalù and Messina is the other major Sicilian ceramics production zone, with a slightly different aesthetic more rustic and more colourful in its palette and a full main street of workshop-shops. Read our complete Cefalù guide for the northern coast context.
Trapani Coral
The coral-working tradition of Trapani using the red coral harvested from the deep waters of the Sicilian Channel and the Pantelleria area is one of the most ancient artisanal traditions in western Sicily, documented since the medieval period and representing the most specific jewellery product available in the city. The coral is shaped into figurines, jewellery pieces (necklaces, bracelets, earrings), miniature boats in the baroque tradition and the specific protective amulets (cornetti, corno portafortuna) of Sicilian popular culture. The finest pieces are available at the better Trapani jewellers and at the Museo Pepoli, which has a reference collection of historic coral work. The raw coral is now significantly rarer and more expensive than in the past due to fishing restrictions; the finest contemporary coral work uses recycled or antique material.
Sicilian Linen and Textiles
The Sicilian linen tradition handwoven household textiles, embroidered tablecloths, the traditional punto a giorno (hemstitch) work survives in the craft shops of the Val di Noto and the interior towns, particularly in Chiaramonte Gulfi and the Ragusa province. The quality of the finest Sicilian handwoven linen is exceptional and represents one of the more specific textile souvenirs available in Italy outside the Florentine and Venetian traditions. The traditional designs geometric patterns derived from the Arab textile tradition, floral patterns from the Norman court embroidery are specific to the island. The Ragusa area shops and the artisan markets of the Val di Noto are the best sources.
Pastry and Sweets to Take Home
The Sicilian pastry products that travel best: the paste di mandorla (almond paste confections in fruit and vegetable shapes, frutta di martorana, available vacuum-sealed from good pasticcerie long shelf life, excellent gift); the hard-shell cassatine (individual small cassata pastries with harder sugar casing that travels better than the full cassata); the Sicilian almond biscuits (ricciarelli, paste reali) from any quality pasticceria. The Fiasconaro panettone from Castelbuono (Madonie mountains) available in the company’s online shop and at the Castelbuono boutique is the finest Sicilian Christmas gift and ships internationally. The Modica chocolate (see above) is the single best food souvenir for bringing home. Read our complete Sicilian desserts guide.
Sicilian Salt from the Trapani Pans
The Sicilian sea salt from the Trapani salt pans harvested from the shallow coastal lagoons between Trapani and Marsala by the same method used since the Phoenician settlement of the coast is available in the characteristic terracotta amphora containers at the saltwork shops along the salt pan road. The coarse salt (sale grosso) is the primary product; the fleur de sel (fior di sale, harvested from the surface of the evaporation ponds on calm days in summer) is the fine salt product. Both are available at the saltwork visitor centres and at the specialist food shops of Trapani. The amphora presentation makes it the most visually distinctive of the Sicilian food souvenirs. Read our complete Trapani guide.
Where to Shop in Sicily
For food products: the historic markets of Palermo (Ballarò, Capo, Vucciria) for spices, preserved foods, local cheeses and the specific Sicilian market products that do not appear in supermarkets. The specialist food shops (salumerie, enoteche, gastronomie) of the main Sicilian cities for wine, olive oil, tuna, capers and packaged food products. The producers themselves (Bronte cooperative shops, Marsala cellar shops, Modica chocolate makers) for the best prices on the most specific products. The Val di Noto and Ragusa province agriturismi for olive oil, honey, aged cheese and the estate products of the Hyblaean plateau.
For artisan products: the Via Roma and Via dei Bambinai ceramics quarter in Caltagirone; the main street of Santo Stefano di Camastra; the artisan craft shops of Erice (the medieval hilltop town above Trapani, which has the finest concentration of quality craft shops in western Sicily, including the genovesi pastry of the original convent recipe); and the smaller artisan markets of the Val di Noto baroque towns (Noto, Ragusa Ibla, Scicli) where local artisans sell textiles, ceramics and handmade jewellery. Read our complete Palermo markets guide and Erice guide.
Practical Tips for Bringing Sicilian Products Home
Food products within the EU have no import restrictions for personal consumption quantities. Bringing Sicilian olive oil, wine, chocolate, capers, preserved fish and dried pistachios home to any EU country is entirely legal and requires no declaration.
For non-EU travellers: most processed food products (chocolate, wine, olive oil, dried and preserved foods) are permitted in personal baggage to most countries, but fresh produce (fruit, vegetables, fresh cheese) is restricted by agricultural import rules in many non-EU destinations. Check the specific rules for your home country before purchasing fresh perishable items. The Modica chocolate, dried pistachios, canned tuna, bottled olive oil and wine are the safest food souvenir choices for international travellers.
Wine and olive oil in glass bottles are best checked rather than carried on the weight allowance of most airlines accommodates several bottles in a checked bag with appropriate wrapping. The specialist wine bags (Vinchic, The Wineskin) that provide cushioned protection for bottles in checked luggage are available at Palermo and Catania airports.
Ceramics should be wrapped individually in clothing or bubble wrap and carried in hand luggage where possible the checked luggage environment is frequently rough enough to break pieces that are not extremely well cushioned. Small tiles and individual pieces travel more safely than large vases. The Caltagirone shops will wrap fragile pieces for travel if asked; some offer international shipping.
Buy the Specific Things
The principle of Sicilian souvenir shopping is specificity. Not “Italian chocolate” but Modica cold-process chocolate. Not “Mediterranean olive oil” but Nocellara del Belice DOP from the Belice valley. Not “Italian ceramics” but Caltagirone majolica in the historic Sicilian palette. The items that are specific to this island its geology, its history, its ingredient traditions are the ones that carry the island home with them in a way that a generic item cannot. A jar of Bronte pistachio pesto on the kitchen shelf in January, used in a pasta that tastes nothing like the restaurant version but tastes exactly like something that could only have come from the volcanic slope of Etna, is a better memory than any postcard.
For the complete Sicily planning picture, read our Sicilian food guide, our Sicily travel tips and our Sicily packing list.
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