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Mafia-Themed Tour in Sicily Angers Residents

By Sebastian Modak

The Italian island of Sicily is famous for pristine beaches and hot summers, vineyards that blanket the slopes of the very active Mount Etna , and historical towns where a 16th-century Baroque cathedral can be found just steps away from the best meal of your life. It's also famous—or, more accurately, infamous—for being the birthplace of the Cosa Nostra, better known as the Mafia—the organized crime syndicate that over the last 150 years has spread its influence from Sicily, into the United States and beyond.

Now, as The Local reports, one Sicilian tour operator based in the western coastal city of Trapani is capitalizing on that tumultuous aspect of its history by offering Mafia-themed tours, where tourists will visit Mafia museums, the old estates of the most notorious dons, and make a stop in the town of Corleone, memorialized in Francis Ford Coppola's Godfather films. The Cosa Nostra in the region made international headlines as recently as August 2016, when the federal government ordered the dissolution of Corleone's town council due to Mafia infiltration.

Unsurprisingly, many Sicilians are not happy with the tour group, claiming that it exploits a violent history ( and present ) that touches many locals' lives. Maria Falcone, sister of a judge killed by the Mafia in 1992, told The Local that the itinerary is "an insult to the pain of the victims and a slap in the face to those who labour every day to eradicate the Mafia culture." Vito Damiano, mayor of Trapani, reportedly has demanded that the tour agency's website be shut down.

The tour operator, meanwhile, claims the trips are actually anti-Mafia, in the way that they raise awareness about the organization's often nefarious influence on Sicilian politics and daily life, which continues to this day, but the defense hasn't stopped people from saying it's just too soon. The "Corleone" excursion (lunch included) is priced on the agency's website at €100 ($108) and €50 ($54), for a full-day or half-day, respectively.

The Mafia tour—and its local reaction—brings to mind other tour-operated "experiences" that have angered residents for what they see as exploitation or voyeurism. From post-Katrina bus tours of New Orleans's Lower Ninth Ward to rides on abused elephants in Thailand , it's an important lesson that some so-called attractions are not exactly attractive.

Recommended

The anti-mafia walking tour challenging how visitors perceive Palermo

Recently updated on November 30th, 2022 at 01:37 am

The Mafia wars of the 1990s marked a turning point for the Sicilian capital, Palermo . The people had had enough and, after the deaths of two prominent judges, they wanted serious change. We spoke to Palermo tour guide Francesca, who grew up in the city’s heart, about the civil anti-mafia movement, the cultural revolution, and what life feels like in Palermo today. 

On tours to Sicily, lucky Trafalgar guests join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® walking tour and hear about the darkest chapters of Palermo’s gritty history and the organised crime network, Cosa Nostra. Since 2004, the grass-roots movement, Addiopizzo, has been fighting the 200 years of mafia existence through cultural activities, collective responsibility, solidarity and social justice.

Let’s hear from tour guide Francesca about what the real Palermo is like, and how the walking tour in Italy is challenging stereotypes.

Tell us about the Palermo walking tour

“The Palermo No Mafia tour is a three-hour walking tour in the historic centre of Palermo where guests will learn about the mafia and the history of the civil anti-mafia movement in Sicily. Our goal is to go beyond the clichés and stereotypes, giving our guests insights into how the mafia really works and has worked in the past. We take time to remember what many people have done to fight it, even sacrificing their lives.” – Francesca

On the Palermo walking tour Trafalgar guests will wander through the beautiful city centre, past historic sights including the Teatro Massimo, the open-air market Il Capo, Piazza della Memoria (a memorial dedicated to prosecutors and judges killed by the Mafia), Piazza Beati Paoli, the Cathedral, City Hall and Piazza Petroria. Each stop is a chance to reflect and learn about the mafia and the civic movement against Mafioso power. 

GET INSPIRED BY: Best of Italy & Sicily

What is your favourite moment on the walking tour?

“Surely one of the most significant moments is to tell guests how our association, Addiopizzo, started and its constant commitment to the fight against racketeering mafia extortion.”

On the walking tour you’ll meet shopkeepers who have said “no” to paying the pizzo (mafia protection fee). You’ll hear about how Addiopizzo offers support and solidarity to them, and the ethical marketing campaign helping small business. Trafalgar guests learn how to be ethical consumers in Palermo and support businesses that rebel against the mafia.

RELATED BLOG: Beyond Venice and Rome: Explore these off-the-beaten-track Italian towns with Trafalgar

What question do people ask you the most?

“People like to ask: ‘Have you or the other members of the association ever been threatened?’. What surprises guests the most, is that the Mafia hasn’t retaliated against the association or the entrepreneurs on the list.”

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What is your favourite Palermo dish and where should we eat it?

“Sicilian cuisine and, in particular, Palermitana is really one of the best you can try. Surely the main characteristics of the Sicilian culinary tradition are: authenticity, abundance, quality and variety. There are so many dishes to try from the classic cannoli to arancina to Sicilian street food in general. “My favourite dish is the eggplant rolls, and I recommend guests try them at Antica Focacceria San Francesco. This is one of the oldest restaurants in Palermo and it is famous for its street food.”

The walking tour ends at Focacceria San Francesco. Trafalgar guests will hear from the owners about they found the courage to speak out against extortion and there is the option to stay for lunch. 

GET INSPIRED BY: Colours of Sicily

Is it safe to visit Palermo now? What is the feeling on the streets?

“Palermo is a large city and, like all others, is home to both good and bad people. You can feel a clear difference now compared to 30 years ago, when things were tense and complex. Now Palermo feels quiet and safe.  “Beyond stereotypes, Palermo offers a cradle of culture: artistic, architectural and culinary, which has no equal.”

Are you excited to join a walking tour and uncover the real Palermo? Let us know in the comments if Sicily is high on your travel bucket list….

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GODFATHER AND MAFIA TOUR FROM TAORMINA & LIGHT LUNCH

Operating Days

Monday-Wednesday-Friday

Starting Time

Meeting Point

Pick up in hotel

Trip duration

1.900 or 3.000 meters, availability on request, lunch & wine included, visit a well-known winery, godfather and mafia tour from taormina & light lunch, godfather and mafia tour program.

O ur Licensed native English speaking will meet you at 10.00 AM in the lobby of Your accommodation in Taormina, Giardini Naxos or Letojanni.

After 30 minutes driving with 8 seats air-conditioned minivan you will reach Forza D’Agrò, a real and authentic small Sicilian village. Take a Walking tour of the old town and visit the places where The Godfather movie was played.

After a Walking tour of the village with explanation of Sicilian authentic culture and way of leaving You will drive towards Savoca , the second Sicilian small village where the movie was played.   The famous Bar Vitelli where Michael Corleone met the father of his future wife Apollonia. Then walk 5 minutes to reach Saint Lucy Church where they got married. While taking the Walking tour Your Guide will introduce you the real history of Sicilian Mafia, how it grows up and spread very fast all around Italy. You will listen about the real structure (cupola), about its Boss and about the Mafia clan wars to control the territory. 

After the Walking tour you will stop in a nice elegant food venue. Here you will be served a typical Home-Made Sicilian Plate of Pasta and a Glass of red wine while enjoying authentic panoramic views of town. After light lunch in 30 minutes driving You will be dropped off in your accommodation. Expected return is around 15.00

Palermo Private Walking Tour

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• Tours in Palermo

Palermo No Mafia Walking Tour

Overview of the tour in Palermo

The Teatro Massimo, the open-air market "Il Capo", Piazza della Memoria, Piazza Beati Paoli, the Cathedral, the City Hall, Piazza Magione: every stop is a cause for reflection, a chance to mull over the realities of the Mafia and consider the civic movement against Mafioso power. Along the Cassaro, you will come across an orange sticker on their windows. Their owners have said NO to paying the extortion racket, or 'pizzo', and have joined the mafia-free critical consumption campaign promoted by the grassroots movement Addiopizzo. The tour ends in Piazza Pretoria, in front of the City Hall. Here you will have the opportunity to discover some curiosities about how over the course of years the Mafia has related to politics.

This activity includes:

• Accompaniment by antimafia guide
• Small contribution to the Addiopizzo charitable organisation

Meeting point

Piazza Verdi, in front of Teatro Massimo

You will recognize our team as they wear a "NO MAFIA" backpack or an Addiopizzo t-shirt.

Things to note

Please wear comfortable shoes.

Free Cancellation

Free Cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity starts. Late cancellation or your non-arrival is not refundable.

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Western Sicily Full-day Or Half-day Mafia Tour - Trapani - With Ratings

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• Western Sicily Full-day Or Half-day Mafia Tour

Western Sicily Full-day Or Half-day Mafia Tour - Trapani

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Tour Information

Key Details

• Mobile Voucher Accepted
• Duration: Flexible
• Language: English
• Return Details : Returns to original departure point
• Led by a local guide
• All entrance fees included
• Free hotel pickup and drop-off included
• Flexibility to customize your itinerary to your own preferences
• Vegetarian meal option available

Know More about this tour

Get picked up at your preferred location and relax on the drive to the first attraction ofthe half-day or full-day tour. Listen to the guide discussing Western SicilysMafiaand anti-Mafia movement history and related anecdotes to get into the mood of the days adventures. Make several stops and enjoy the best sightseeing spots and interesting local attractions along the way. Start the trip with thefamous Sicilian Mafia Museum in Salemi - a testimony to the origins of Mafia and its influence on Sicilian history and culture. Get a personal tour around the town and enjoy its beautiful architecture and views. Next, pay a visit to another Western Sicily town which has played a crucial role in the development of Mafia and its traditions - such as Corleone, Castelvetrano, Capaci, Lenzi and many more - and learn about themesmerising stories hidden behind itswalls.Take a break and enjoy a traditional lunch prepared specially for you. The lunch is included in the price of the full-day tour, but can be purchased for an additional fee of 15 euro with the half-day tour as well. Explore the Sicilian flavors with a delicious local starter, regional first and second dish, more wine and a sweet Sicilian treat to finish off the meal. If you follow a full-day tour program, immerse yourself into the world of Sicilian Mafiaby exploring its diverse faces. Visit another locationor two, discover the hometowns of the most established SicilianMafia families or sceneries of some of the most dramatic Mafia-related events - and get an in-depth understanding of the influence which Mafia's criminal activities have had on Siciliansociety and the local culture. Once the tour is over, enjoy a hassle-free and convenient ride back to the initial pick-up location.

Local guide

Entrance fees

Lunch (full-day tour only)

Hotel pickup and drop-off (round-trip shared transfer)

Gratuities (optional)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking

There are no age restrictions for this tour

Vegetarian and vegan meal options are available (please advise at time of booking if required)

Lunch for a half-day tour can be purchased for an extra cost of 20 Euro (please advise at time of booking if interested)

Tour language options: English, Italian or Polish (for Polish - please advise at the time of booking)

A pickup can be arranged from any place in the district of Trapani (Trapani, Marsala, Mazara del Vallo, Alcamo, San Vito lo Capo, Erice, Castelvetrano, Castellamare del Golfo and other towns in the area)

For pick-up in other districts of Sicily, there is an extra charge for transports. Palermo town: 100, other places in Palermo district: 100. Agrigento district: 120. The charges are for up to 4 people: therefore, if you are 1 person and your pick up place is in Palermo, you will pay in cash an extra 100 at the end of the tour; if you are 4 persons, each of you will pay 25 in cash at the end of the tour.

all the extra costs are to be paid in cash

Cancellation Policy

• If you cancel within 3 calendar days (72 hours) of the scheduled departure time, the cancellation charge will be 100% of the undiscounted tour price.
• If you cancel between 4 to 7 Calendar days before scheduled tour departure,the cancellation charge will be 50% of the undiscounted tour price.
• If you cancel at least 8 calendar days in advance of the scheduled departure time, there is no cancellation fee. You will receive Full Refund for the paid amount.
• Please note that in case of No show, the cancellation charge will be 100% of the listed tour fare.
• Please note tours booked using discount coupon codes will be non refundable.

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VISIT NO MAFIA MUSEUM PALERMO

Guided tour of the NO MAFIA MEMORIAL museum in Palermo with licensed guide.

The NO MAFIA MEMORIAL museum in Palermo, the highest example in the city that best explains the mafia phenomenon and the antimafia. The museum is located in the historic Gulì palace, along the oldest street in the city, the Cassaro.

The ancient palace home of the Gulì family of pastry chefs, who at the end of 1800 reinvented the Sicilian cassata.  Today, it houses the museum, managed by the CSD (Sicilian documentation center) Giuseppe Impastato of Palermo, which through some photographic exhibitions deals with different themes: banditry, the history of the Giuliano gang, the massacre of Portella della Ginestra, up to the Mafia war and drug trafficking. Particular attention is also paid to mafia crimes, state murders and the history of the anti-Mafia. A fundamental part of the museum is the one dedicated to the figure of Peppino Impastato. In addition, as the Memorial is a dynamic container in continuous evolution, the museum itinerary is integrated with new temporary exhibitions.

Start of first visit from 11:0, last 16.00; The visit is made according to the days and times of opening and closing of the museum. Free: children from 0 to 13 years;

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Blog I Good Travel

Mafia-free travel in Sicily

If we plan to travel to Sicily, the prospect of it gives us pure joy. We look forward to the first-class coffee, delicious ricotta, juicy tomatoes and olives and of course the beautiful beaches, mountain landscapes and the breathtaking Etna volcano. On the other hand, what often receives less attention when planning a trip is the mafia-like machinations on site.

In fact, as a traveler, you don't notice much of it. Nevertheless, it is normal everyday life for many Sicilians. Many companies, including a large number of tourist businesses, pay protection money (“pizzo”) to the mafia as a matter of course. It is seen as a kind of tax that has been able to develop in Sicily over decades and has a long tradition. Hardly anyone speaks about it, but the Sicilian mafia still acts like a kind of shadow government, which often even provides jobs, apartments and medical care in the region, which is characterized by high unemployment. The corona crisis and the difficult economic situation have ensured that organized crime has actually strengthened rather than weakened their position.

How social movements bravely fight the mafia

Fortunately, there are now civil society initiatives that no longer want to take the whole thing for granted. The initiative " Farewell ", Which translates as" Goodbye protection money! "And encourages companies to stop being blackmailed and instead report incidents to the police. While the mafia was able to rely on the fearful silence of the people for decades, with "Addiopizzo" they have received a serious opponent.

The movement was founded in 2004 by a group of friends who were actually planning to open a bar in Palermo. For fear of possible extortion of protection money by the mafia, however, they refrained from doing their thing and without further ado founded the “Addiopizzo” initiative. In a guerrilla action they distributed stickers with the inscription "UN INTERO POPOLO CHE PAGA IL PIZZO È UN POPOLO SENZA DIGNITÀ" (in German: "A whole people who pays protection money is a people without dignity") in the cityscape of Overnight Palermo.

Shop where protection money is not paid

Since then, the anti-mafia movement has bravely opposed organized crime on the ground. With success: More than 1.000 companies are now part of the movement, which by the way can also be easily recognized as travelers by the sticker with the inscription “Pago chi non paga” - in English “I pay those who don't pay” that are often stuck to the doors of shops. These stickers can now be found more and more frequently, especially in larger cities. In the app of the same name the members of the movement are clearly listed and so the app can help to make mafia-free consumer decisions.

Experience mafia-free tourism with "Addiopizzo Travel"

In 2009, the tour operator “Addiopizzo Travel” established itself as an offshoot of the anti-mafia movement. They offer different city tours, which are always about the influence of the Mafia and the counter-movement and which show sustainable alternatives.

From former mafia land to organic farming

What has already been successfully established in metropolises and urban areas thanks to "Addiopizzo" is still difficult in rural regions. In sparsely populated regions in particular, the fear of the mafia-like structures is unfortunately still great, and so it is comparatively easy for organized crime there.

A great initiative that is opposing this is " Free Earth "(In German:" Free Land "). Thanks to the organization, municipalities can assign confiscated land to cooperatives, which can then lease the property on a long-term and cost-effective basis. According to high ecological and social standards, the people of "Libera Terra" use the former Mafia land for organic farming. Today everything grows here, from fruit and vegetables to wine and olives, which in turn are processed into high-quality products and in the "Libera" shops sold. In addition to the political statement, the products are now very much appreciated by the local slow food scene because of their first-class quality.

Set an example yourself on your next trip to Sicily

The commitment of the two initiatives shows that a life without the Mafia is quite possible in Sicily. As travelers, we can also make a contribution by recognizing this valuable work and supporting it on our next trip to Sicily - for example by taking part in an “Addiopizzo” city tour or by buying products where people bravely fight the mafia every day put.

Read more on the topic: Farewell (in English) Free Earth (in English)

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Mafia Museum in Salemi

The Museum of the Mafia and Workshop of the Legality of Salemi , housed in the former convent of the Jesuits , is dedicated to Leonardo Sciascia . The museum exhibits installations, works, collections of testimonies and documents that tell the story of the last 150 years of the Mafia. The museum itinerary is characterized by ten voting booths , inside each of which the Cosa Nostra is treated linked to various elements: from massacres to the relationship with religion, from intimidation to energy and water management. In the following rooms a labyrinth leads to the chronological history of the Cosa Nostra through the reproduction of hundreds of first pages of newspapers. The Sala delle Pale eoliche follows: a grassy mantle instead of a floor, which seems to continue naturally through the projections of a screen that shows the landscapes devastated by the wind. We then move on to the " Palermo felicissima " room, in which a real building abuse is reproduced, which culminates in the mummy of a dead man killed by the mafia set in a concrete pillar. Followed by rooms dedicated to temporary exhibitions.

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Bourdain’s picks, beyond borders, what you should know about the sicilian mafia.

There’s a whole range of things Sicily is known for worldwide. Food clearly is at the top of this list, as well as history, beautiful weather, gorgeous landscapes, and more recently, the European refugee crisis. I am a journalist from Palermo, Sicily’s capital, and whenever I travel overseas, I witness the happiness on people’s faces when they learn that I am from the home of cannoli, pizza, pasta, and beautiful Mediterranean women. Over the years, I have come to realize that I am lucky enough to live in one of those places in the world that people choose to visit on holiday. And they’re right to do so.

However, there’s another side to this island paradise. One that you can really see only if you live in Sicily for longer than a vacation. It’s a side you will know all too well if you grew up here. Of course, I’m talking about the Mafia. It is a phenomenon that we Sicilians are constantly asked about whenever we are abroad. “So you come from the birthplace of the Mafia?” “Does it still exist?” or “Might I get shot in the street if I visit Palermo on holiday?” (I was genuinely asked this question four years ago by an American friend.)

The answer to the first two questions is a big “yes,” but as to the third question: It is highly unlikely that you will be involved in a shooting while walking anywhere in Sicily. The days when the Mafia was rampant and its horrific acts were out there for everyone to see are mostly gone.

However, the Mafia, whose origins can be traced back to the 1800s, still exists. It has survived years-long wars with the state and against Italy’s anti-Mafia investigative committee. It has done so partly by becoming quieter and more hidden. Many people think that this growing elusiveness has made it harder to fight the criminal organization.

When Sicily began the transition from a feudal system to a capitalist one during the 19th century, collusion between criminals and politicians fueled by economic interests was rife. Ever since, there has been a lot of misunderstanding about the Mafia and its members—or Mafiosi, as they are known—both in Italy and abroad. Part of this misinterpretation stems from films and other media. These tend to portray the typical Mafioso as an uneducated, heinous, and rough farmer or businessman of some sort who has strict control over his social group, which in turn relies on the Mafia for help and protection.

Historically, this “Godfather”-like portrait of the Mafia is not entirely wrong, but things are very different today. One thing you need to understand about the Mafia is that its ability to survive and prosper is mainly linked to the fact that it knows how to adapt to social changes.

Sicilians like me live a dichotomy. We all know the Mafia exists: We feel it, and we see different forms of it in our daily lives. Yet it’s something so rooted in our upbringing and socialization that it can be very difficult to describe how we relate to it.

I was born in 1989, three years before the anti-Mafia judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino were brutally murdered. The Mafia killed them because their investigations started to uncover too much of the colossal pyramid that made up the Mafia’s workings. A lot of what they discovered came from the confessions of arrested Mafiosi. These incarcerated men understood that the only chance they had to reduce their sentences was to collaborate with the state.

Perhaps the best-known pentito (the term used to refer to a Mafioso who turned informer) is Tommaso Buscetta, aka Don Masino. It may come as a surprise, but before Buscetta revealed the secret details of the organization in 1984, our understanding of the Mafia was very limited. What was missing was a clear frame of how the Mafia was structured as an organization. A frame that went beyond the individual names of Mafiosi to the interrelations among them, the internal conflicts, the level of corruption of state officials who colluded with criminals, and the economic interests behind these illicit collaborations.

My mother tells me that she remembers all too well when the news of Falcone’s death (the first of the two judges to be assassinated) hit the headlines in May 1992. She was in Paris with my father and simply fell on the sofa and stared at the TV screen, she was completely incredulous. Two months later, Borsellino’s turn came . Like Falcone, he was killed in a bomb attack. Both of them had consciously started a private war against the Mafia knowing they could be assassinated at any moment.

The deadly attacks were ordered by a man who will be remembered as one of the most brutal bosses of the Cosa Nostra: Totò Riina . Over a criminal career that spanned 50 years, he acquired the nicknames “the Boss of the Bosses” and “the Beast.” During that time, he committed or ordered the murder of at least 60 people who belonged to rival Mafia families or worked for legal institutions.

If you visit Palermo, you can see evidence of his brutal legacy: On the highway from the airport to the city center, two commemorative obelisks sit on opposite sides of the road about halfway along the journey. They mark where Falcone, his wife, and bodyguards, were blown to pieces in May 1992.

I remember looking at those obelisks in September 2016. I was going to catch a plane to Padua to meet Giuseppe Riina Jr. , the younger son of the man who ordered that assassination. I was interviewing him because he had just published his autobiography, which caused a massive outrage all over Italy. People were appalled that Riina Jr. portrayed his father in a positive light, and they regarded his book as an insult to the memory of the victims. For this reason, many bookshops refused to distribute it. In interviews conducted by investigators after Falcone’s death, we learned that the Mafiosi who assassinated Falcone were waiting on a mountain overlooking the highway. This location is not far from a town near Palermo called Cinisi. It is where another innocent man was killed by the Mafia before Falcone, Giuseppe “Peppino” Impastato .

Like Riina Jr., Impastato was a son of the Mafia. His father, Luigi Impastato, was a member of a faction led by Gaetano Badalamenti. Unlike Riina Jr., though, the younger Impastato chose to fight the system. He did so by starting a satirical anti-Mafia radio campaign called Radio Aut , in which he named people and revealed their illicit business dealings—all of which put the Mafiosi in Cinisi under the spotlight. Ultimately, he paid the price of this battle when his body was torn apart by an explosion on May 9, 1978.

By coincidence, I find myself indirectly connected to this Mafia-related event. My grandparents had a summer house near Cinisi in the 1970s, it was just a three-minute drive from the business run by the Impastatos. My grandma remembers Peppino Impastato; you couldn’t miss his charisma or ignore what he was doing to fight the Mafia, she would tell me. In fact, she used to speak about him more frequently than my grandfather. Today, Impastato’s younger brother Giovanni Impastato continues to battle the Mafia. Together with his mother, Felicia Impastato, who died in 2004, he transformed his family house in Cinisi into an anti-Mafia association, Casa Memoria Peppino e Felicia Impastato .

I spent 15 summers at my grandparents’ house, and every time I went to the Impastatos’ to shop, I would notice a black and white photograph of a young bearded man hanging next to the counter. This is when I learned about the story of Peppino Impastato. More important, this is when I realized that something called the Mafia was real and very near me.

It’s difficult to summarize the history of the Sicilian Mafia. The number of victims is simply too great. However, one thing you should understand is that people like Impastato, Falcone, and Borsellino did not die because they were fighting the Mafia. They died because they were left alone to fight it. Who abandoned them? The institutions, their friends, their colleagues, their fellow citizens. People who were either too afraid or unwilling to join the right side. As an example, consider the fact that it took 24 years for the Italian government to condemn Badalamenti for Impastato’s murder, which meant his family members were able to find some semblance of peace only in 2002. Or that when his remains were found, the police recorded his death as a suicide.

History teaches us that isolation is all too often the ground upon which injustice can grow unchecked. Today’s Mafia is very different from the one of the years that preceded Falcone’s and Borsellino’s deaths. Back then, Sicily felt like a war zone because of the frequent attacks and murders. These days, the Mafia is rather small scale and goes mostly unnoticed. Crimes take the form of financial extortion of business owners, who are often blackmailed by Mafiosi and forced to pay them a percentage of their revenue to avoid having their businesses destroyed.

In contrast to the spectacular depiction of the Mafia that you might have seen in films and read in books, let me tell you that there is very little grandiosity surrounding the Mafia today. As a Sicilian, I like to believe that something can be learned from the shadows of our past and that the history of the Mafia is not a story of big heroes and enemies but rather of ordinary people with ordinary possibilities. As were those who sacrificed their lives to fight the Mafia and who will always be remembered.

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If You Must, A Mafia Museum In Sicily

The town of Salemi, photographed, is a gem in western Sicily. Not only does it boast a very cool castle that dates back to Arab times, but, in addition to a remarkable St. Joseph’s Day feast tradition, its civic museum is outstanding. Before I tell you more about that, I must mention the busiate pasta festival and that my favorite sheep farm/cheese maker is also just outside of town… But I digress (Oh, and Salemi was the first official capital of Italy in 1860… even if just for a day!).

What I wanted to highlight, however, is that in the town museum, which is actually four+ museums in one building, there is the most outstanding anti-mafia exhibition that you will find in all of Sicily (IMHO). I’m not one to push people towards seeking out la Cosa Nostra; however, it is a subject that holds much curiosity for tourists, and if you want to discuss it in an intelligent, engaging manner, the Salemi museum fosters an excellent opportunity to do so. Your heart and mind will be changed forever once you have witnessed the provoking message of the Salemi Mafia Museum.

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The Mafia Museum in Palermo is also excellent.

Thanks for that tip!

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SICILY ON WEB

The sicilian blog about sicily, sicilian mafia, what you must know before visiting sicily.

My dear traveller, today I wanted to discuss with you about a phenomenon that many people consider as a typical Sicilian custom, namely the Sicilian mafia . In reality, behind this term, there are many misleading opinions and wrong ideas. First of all, the one according to which the Sicilians would be all members of the Sicilian mafia and the second that the criminal organization called The Mafia is only a Sicilian phenomenon.

In the following paragraphs, I’ll show why these opinions are utterly wrong and what is the difference between the real criminal organization called “Cosa Nostra” and the ancient, rural Sicilian mafia. I invite you to read them, before visiting my beautiful Sicily .

Sicilian Mafia. What is it?

The term mafia means a particular custom that pushes people to give out privileges, protection and benefits in return for money. This custom is outlaw and illegal because treats fundamental human rights as merchandise, such as getting a job, political assignments , medical treatments, business growth and so on. These favours are managed by people called “Mafiosi”. However, they don’t give only privileges in return for money, they force entrepreneurs, shopkeepers and politicians to pay a fee in return for their protection or favours. This illegal fee is called “pizzo” in Sicilian, namely “extortion money”. If people reject the protection by the Mafiosi, they can also be intimidated with violent harassment or killed. Over the years, many Sicilian entrepreneurs have been forced to pay a fee to continue working and getting customers for their shops and firms. Many denounced the money extortion and have been killed, such as the Sicilian entrepreneur Libero Grassi, other people continued denouncing and others not, because they feared to be killed by the Mafia. This fear also caused a despicable phenomenon called “ rule of silence” or “omertà”, in Italian.

The word “omertà” indicates a behaviour according to which those who gained benefits from the Mafia denied to having met it. Indeed, many people who were suspected to deal with the Mafia and arrested often said to the policemen: “ Nenti sacciu, netti vitti” or “ I know and see nothing” , even though they saw their neighbor killed by the Mafia in front of their eyes! That is, in short, a rough description about the criminal organization called “Mafia” . Indeed, this word means bossy, snooty and boaster behavior performed to manipulate others , through menaces and intimidation. Just think that in the ancient time, instead, the word Mafia meant a bold man and a charming and seductive woman. At that time, hence, this word had nothing to do with its current meaning. The modern mafia also relates to a particular mindset of some people who practice arrogance against other people, public officers and legal rules.

The Mafia people despise law and justice and work only for the benefit of their personal interest and of small groups of people affiliated with them. This particular mindset permeates our society globally, by now, and it is not a Sicilian phenomenon. Indeed, economical, social and financial manipulation (in order to gain a personal benefit or interest) is spread all over the world and not only in Italy or Sicily . Just think to international trade agreements, or globalization, those are agreements all made through rules similar to the one of the Mafia, namely made only to foster small groups of people. However, the history of my loved Sicily has been marked heavily by the Mafia crimes committed by the Mafia bosses. But at the early stages of the Sicilian history, the mafia was completely different from this cruel organization. Indeed, in the history of Sicily , we can find two different epochs relating to the Mafia: the one of the rural mafia and the one of the criminal mafia called “ Cosa Nostra”, “ Our Thing”.

Sicilian mafia history

The ancient history of the Sicilian Mafia was characterized by the so called” rural mafia”. The rural mafia was a local phenomenon that was born in the 1860, when Sicily joined the Italian State. Before this date, in the island was in force a feudal and medieval lifestyle arranged by barons and counts who entrusted their lands to their own relatives or trusted foremen. After the unification of Italy, the new State entered the capitalism, namely a new economic pattern where people could sell their lands to private buyers. But these private buyers were unable to protect their lands from thieves. From another side, the new Italian State was unable to provide a sufficient number of policemen to oversight the lands that endured too many robberies.

For this reason, the Sicilian landowners turned to private people available to protect and defend them and their lands from thieves. These people usually worn a typical Sicilian hat and took up a typical Sicilian rifle to intimidate thieves and force them to escape. This is the first description of a person who is globally known as a Sicilian Mafioso. In reality, those were private defenders and protectors of Sicilian landowners. Hence, the one you know as an ancient Mafioso was a defender or land keeper hired by the landowners.

These owners endured too many robberies at that time. Indeed, you must know that after the Unification of Italy, Sicilian people were very poor. They couldn’t to afford basic necessities such as meal and bread and many of them were forced to steal pigs, chickens and grains to landowners. In the past, in Sicily , there was also the misconception that these thieves were the real mafia people. This is the first misconception to dispel. They were poor and desperate people who tried satiating their starvation. They were called simply “chicken thieves”, “ arrobba iadduzzi ” , in the Sicilian language . The Sicilian Mafiosi were those who defended landowners from chicken thieves.

These defenders became more and more influential and  were contacted  from other people having any kind of  issues.  For instance, if one was harassed  or offended by his neighbor, he got  in touch with a Sicilian defender who, in turn,  invited the mischief  neighbor  to apologize  for his bad deed.  The ancient Sicilian defenders (known as the rural mafia)  were different from  the modern Sicilian Mafia. They were people who followed a behavioral code to defend persons  in trouble without forcing them to pay in return for protection.  Their only rules were to pacify the disputes and cast out outlaws and thieves.  Due to primary rule followed by these defenders,  namely defending helpless people, they were also called “men of honour”.  Groups of Sicilian men of honour  also formed the so called “ honoured society” or “onorata società” in Italian.  In short, the ancient  Sicilian mafia took care about legal issues of common people and replaced policemen and law officers who were lacking  in  Sicily after the Unification of Italy.

How did the mafia start?

But, then, how did the Sicilian Mafia start their criminal activity or rather, how it turned into the criminal organization called “ Cosa Nostra”? The answer is simple: the Sicilian mafia became the cruel organization called Cosa Nostra because the ancient Sicilian defenders of the landowners became accustomed to replace policemen and this made them develop the idea of impunity for any activities (legal or illegal) they undertook. Due to the growing local influence, they were contacted by many people who turned their attention to them to get any kind of favour, such as customers for their shop, a job, a surgery intervention of a good doctor and any kind of human right that in the Sicilian culture became a benefit or rather a privilege to receive only through the Sicilian Mafia and above all by paying a fee or giving a vote to politicians appointed by the Mafia.

This culture was always fostered by the bad heritage that Sicily found after the Unification of Italy. In the Middle Age, Sicilian people fought to free themselves from many dominations, I suggest that you read the glorious history of The Sicilian Vespers , they weren’t helpless or in need of favours. They had a high idea of dignity and a lot of self-esteem. After the Unification of Italy, Sicily was practically abandoned and treated much differently in comparison to the rest of Italy. It was assigned poor economic opportunities and poor control of the central State about what was happening in the island.

I strongly believe that Sicily would be a great independent island without the rest of the boot, but this is another issue. Even though it is apparently a region with a special statute, in reality Sicily is tied strongly to the rules of Italy. The special statute works only to increase the salary of Sicilian politicians and this bad law can be changed only with a law issued by the Italian Parliament. Hence, the independence of Sicily is actually false or incomplete. But, let’s leave this dissertation and let’s go back to the primary topic, namely to understand why the rural Sicilian mafia started its criminal businesses.

Due to the missing control from Italy, the Sicilian defenders became the most influential people in Sicily . They decided everything in the fullest impunity. They understood that they could manage every economic and social field of Sicily and that they could gain much money from the needs of people, forcing them to pay a fee in return for their protection services.

From this stage, in the early years of the past century, they devoted their lives to smuggle, especially drug, money extortion, public procurement manipulation and vote buying for politicians. They did all this freely without the risk to be imprisoned, because they started menacing those who wanted to escape this racket and forced them to stay in silence and away from policemen. Furthermore, the usage of Justice in Sicily was underestimated from Italy.

From the Sicilian mafia to the American mafia

Since then now, the Sicilian mafia has worked in all the criminal businesses I mentioned in the paragraphs above. This kind of mafia endured a strong halt during the Fascism and the hard repression wanted by Benito Mussolini between 1925 and 1929. At that epoch, Mussolini bestowed the prefect Mori with the power to start a repression against the mafia in Sicily . Tons of mafia bosses were arrested and deprived by their criminal businesses. Many of them were forced to confess through beatings and tortures and those who were still free escaped to the United States. This is the beginning of the American Mafia. Thanks to this strong and effective suppression of the Mafia, the Sicilian landowners received the protection of the policemen for their properties and many mafia men remained practically unemployed. Among these, Carlo Gambino and Joseph Bonanno fled to the USA, while Nicolò and Vito Rizzuto went to Canada.

The famous movie the Godfather , tells just about the rise of the American mafia. This new mafia gained a strong revival in Sicily in the Second World War, in 1943, to be exact, during the Allied occupation. After the fall of Fascism and the destruction of the war, Sicily was without legal control again, without politicians, without buildings and without jobs. The black market grew very much and the American army had to restore a new order from scratch. Since many fascist mayors were deposed, the Allied replaced them with new people who presented themselves as political dissidents and communist fighters.

These new mayors, unfortunately, were Mafiosi. At that time, Sicily ended up in the hands of the Mafia, again. This criminal organization thrived between the 1960 and 1980s the most. It had powerful relationships with the American Mafia and these connections, above all linked to drug trafficking, gave rise to the most famous international investigation and trial against the Mafia called “Pizza connection”, where the most important relationships between the Italian and the American mafia were explored.

Recently, the Italian TV broadcast named “Report” also talked about a powerful, wicked and secretive alliance betwees Sicilian mafia bosses and American agents of CIA (Central Intelligence Agency). This toxic and insane business, called “The Secret Team”, took place after World War II.

It provided that Sicilian mobsters helped these corrupt agents bring atomic weapons (made with uranium) to Libya. In the meanwhile, to facilitate the shipping, uranium depots were even buried in plots near Trapani.  The American agent who arrranged this illegal traffic was, later, arrested.

I checked the Italian Television website, but this interesting journalistic inquiry is missing online. To prove what has been reported, I invite you to read the book about this fact,  just titled The Secret Team .

The investigation on the ties between Sicilian and American mafia was also followed by the Italian prosecutor Giovanni Falcone , who, along with the colleague Paolo Borsellino , started the most effective fight against the Sicilian Mafia, bringing many mafia bosses to the Maxi trial held in Palermo in 1986. To know more, you can also read the book by Giovanni Falcone, titled Men of Honour: Truth about Mafia , a poignant and detailed memoir on the vicissitudes and the fight of this Sicilian prosecutor against the mafia.

The most influential and dangerous mafia bosses were convicted to the 41 bis prison regime. This was the greatest victory against the Sicilian Mafia and I am proud of this. Due to their indefatigable commitment , Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino were murdered by the Mafia in two different attacks in 1992. Before them, other courageous Sicilian men, women, policemen and politicians fought the Sicilian Mafia, their arrogance and their criminal businesses. An ancient history of poverty and indifference of Italy toward Sicily created the Mafia, that is why the Mafia is Italian , not only Sicilian! The Mafia is also in other regions of Italy and in other places in the world, such as China, Mexico and Colombia. For example, in Mexico the Mafia is called Los Zetas .

However, I am forced to admit that the Sicilian mafia has been the only criminal organization in the world to weave close and perverse links with Politics, State and public officers. For this reason, Italy is a country that always goes back and never moves on. The mafia controls, decides and kills, behind silences, secrets and politicians who serves the mafia bosses as submissive kids, in order to be elected!

Beware: bad historical conditions don’t justify the existence of the Mafia. This evil that worked as a cancer to spoil and muddy everything, must always be hated and fought!

The Sicilian Mafia today

My Sicily has been spoiled by the bad customs of the Mafia, but today Sicilian people don’t accept this phenomenon, anymore, such as the ancient landowners. During the economic crisis, Mafia also undertook the business of loan sharks, but many Sicilian entrepreneurs denounced these moneylenders of the Mafia. Furthermore, many properties of the Sicilian Mafia have been seized by the Italian judges and turned into museums and nature parks. They are being used to promote tourism and nature in Sicily . Many of them belong to Sicily region. You can see many of these properties in Palermo , Agrigento and Trapani . The crimes of the Mafia were not able to kill the beauty of my Sicily . Today, many mafia bosses are dead, such as Bernardo Provenzano and Totò Riina, many of them are in prison, such as Nitto Santa Paola, Leoluca Bagarella and Salvatore Lo Piccolo. The latest mafia boss arrested is Matteo Messina Denaro. He was captured in Palermo by the local team of Carabinieri on January, 16, 2023.

Matteo Messina Denaro had been a fugitive mobster for 30 years! He is also responsible for the massacres occurred in Sicily and Italy in 1992-1993. Before being arrested, the so-called boss of Castelvetrano was hospitalized at a private clinic in Palermo because affected by cancer. The disease killed this mafia boss on September, 25, 2023. It is strange that the cruellest Sicilian criminals get always arrested only when they are severely sick!

Today, the Sicilian Mafia is not Sicilian, anymore. We heard about the Mafia in Rome, the Mafia in Milan, the Russian Mafia. As I said, the Mafia is a global phenomenon, now. The most known bosses (dead by now) were Sicilian, from Corleone . Today, this Sicilian village hosts a museum about the fight against the Mafia. I invite you to visit it, because it is an international center of the movement against the Mafia. You can also visit a similar museum in Salemi , a pretty village in the province of Trapani which also has a stunning Norman castle. I am sure you know about the mafia thanks to the movie of the Godfather or because you visited Savoca , the town where the Godfather movie was shot. Unfortunately, Mafia is not a movie, but a reality the Sicilian people have been fighting for years.

They are not members of the Mafia, they are not Mafiosi. Mafia is the most despicable criminal phenomenon that tons of honest Sicilian people( including me) fought firmly. Read my story , to deepen this. Also visit the Saint Domenico Church (see the image) in Palermo , where the prosecutor Giovanni Falcone is buried or the cemetery of Palermo , where you can find the grave of the prosecutor Paolo Borsellino. This grave is not in the monumental cemetery of the city, but in another cemetery called Belvedere , next to a convent. I think these Sicilian heroes deserve your visit as an homage for fighting against the mafia and teaching to people how to refuse this awful criminal phenomenon. I don’t want to talk further about the Mafia, because you can find excellent and comprehensive sources at this link or here .

This is a place to talk about Sicily and I want only to invite you to visit it, because the human cruelty or the Mafia will never destroy its beautiful places and the common sense of equality and justice that the true, honest Sicilians will always have. (Article updated on February, 2, 2024).

And you? What do you think about the Sicilian Mafia?

Leave a comment to reply. Your opinion is very important!

Photocredits in order of appearance:

Corleone Sicily: Luca Lodi – Flickr

calitreview.com

The Godfather Scene: Marco Deksen – Flickr

thetravelboutique.ie

Carlo Gambino – Wikimafia

Salemi Sicily:  http://livesicilia.it

Giovanni Falcone Paolo Borsellino http://www.italy24.ilsole24ore.com/art/politics/2015-07-20/commemorating-paolo-borsellino-italian-hero-and-mafia-victim-23-years-on–121854.php?uuid=ACnACOU

San Domenico church:  Bartolo Chichi Flickr

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Rosalba Mancuso is a freelance journalist born in Sicily. Passionate about her loved island and with extensive writing experience, Rosalba worked as contributor for the main Sicily’s newspapers and as bilingual Italian – English writer. Thanks to her skills, she also founded four websites in English. On Sicilyonweb, Rosalba tells every corner of her beloved Sicily. Furthermore, she writes this blog thanks to your help. Rosalba, in fact, earns a small commission, with no cost for you, when you book your travel or buy products through the affiliate widgets or links you find in her posts.

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60 thoughts on “ Sicilian Mafia, what you must know before visiting Sicily ”

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i am obsessed with the information you have just provided but have to remind you, the mafia’s are families they do not kill for the fun of it, they kill those who are bad people themselves and NO i am not excusing their actions at all. But, we as people can not judge the way they are we dont and will never know what they are living.

Sorry Kaela, I disagree with you. The Mafia families are criminals. Full stop! They kill the ones who threaten their criminal interests. I always think they are demons disguised as humans. They are evil and must be fully erased from Sicily and from the entire world.

I didn’t think my note would be published. I thought it was more of an email to you. Please make it private if possible. Thank you

Just approved and published your comment, Rosalie. Your testimony is extremely valuable for me and the audience of this blog. Thanks again for sharing it.

Are you serious? They are murderers and criminals. Give your head a shake.

I really hope, dear Maria, that Kaela was joking. Unfortunately, I think she was serious. I repeat that the mafia is evil, and those who defend them are worse than the same mobsters!

In which region of Sicily is the Mafia most active? I’m planning a trip to Enna next year but i will feel kind of bad when there is a lot of mafia activity there.

Hi Marco, the Mafia is active in the entire Europe, by now. Traditionally, Palermo and Catania were the headquarters of mobsters, but today things have changed. Feel free to visit Enna next year, it is a quiet town and you’ll enjoy a wonderful vacation.

I have just read the an article about how the mayor of Locana is offering money to get people to live there. Of course there was no mention of why this beautiful place has such dwindling numbers. Does it have anything to do with the mafia?

No, Vicki, this fact has nothing to do with the mafia. That is only a marketing strategy to revitalize tourism in this picturesque village.

I appreciate this article! I just found out I had grandparents and great grandparents from Southern Italy and for one grandparent Palermo was his birth place. The others seem to be from Campania. I’ve always been drawn to Italian culture and people and now I might have a clue why that is. I have been doing my own look at ancient Italian and Greek history (which was woefully absent from my public school education) the ancient world through to medieval times has always captured my interest and I am now looking into a visit! This article helped a lot, to deepen my understanding of the beginnings of the mafia, how they adapted to the changes of joining Italy and the protection piece then morphing into a greedy, violent mob of criminals. Will human ever learn that violence and crime is the worst way to live?

Hi MT, Thanks for sharing your experience and opinion about this article. Humans know the detrimental sides of crime and violence, but they pretend to not be aware, because they are accustomed to taking advantage of the illusory outcomes of misdeeds.

Thank you for your posting. It was very interesting. My grandparents moved from Sicily to the US around 1902 from Prizzi in the Province of Palermo. I have some questions which I would like to communicate with you directly via email.

Thank you so much, Carl, for sharing the story of your family on my blog. You can send me your questions by email at any time. I’ll be happy to answer you.

Good evening Rosalba. My grandparents were born in Castelvetrano. My grandfather came to the US around 1910. My grandmother followed a couple of years later. She was 18 I believe. They live in Brooklyn, NY. My grandfather was murdered by the mafia in 1925. Left my grandmother with 6 kids to raise on her own. From what I was told, he was in the mafia in NY and wanted to get out. That’s when they murdered him. They came in and took everything my grandmother had (which was a lot). I have their names. I am going to Castelvetrano Sicily in April. I would love to know more about my grandfather but wouldn’t even know where to start! Any help would be wonderful. Thank you!!!

Hi Rosalie, Thank you so much for sharing your family history with me. To retrace your roots, you can reach the municipality of Castelvetrano once you have arrived in the town.

Wow my grandparents exact same but they were Patti

My reply was to Carl

Hi Phil, I hope you’ll receive the reply from Carl. Anyway, thank you so much for sharing a sweet detail about your family.

read cosa nostra,the history of the sicilian mafia by john dickie,,,that tells you all you want to know.

Hi Cole, thanks for the information. I also suggest that you read “Cose di Cosa Nostra”, the book written by Giovanni Falcone and Marcelle Padovani. Giovanni Falcone was one of the corageous Sicilian prosecutors who fought against the Sicilian Mafia. I talked about him in my post, also.

Ciao Rosalba- my fathers parents came from Riesi and I have been to Sicily about a dozen times spending most of my time in Taormina.I can understand how the Mafia is a “way of life” in Sicily and elsewhere, but I thought that the Mafia had been concentrated on the eastern part of the island and less so than the Messina side. Has that changed? I plan on going to Sicily next year. I visited Riesi and met the the “Padrone” of that area in 1984 while researching my grandparents property that had been left to my father who was the eldest of 8 children at the time of my grandfather’s death. My grandfather was a rural Mafioso as described above and later emigrated to the US with his wife who was forced to marry him. I’d like to communicate with your more on email to ask some more pointed questions. I also read Blood washes Blood by Frank Viviano which I thought was a fascinating look at the culture and mindset of the Sicilians. Be safe.

Hi Peter, thanks for sharing your life experience with me on my blog. Nowadays, Mafia is fully different from the past. It is not only in the Eastern Sicily, but in the entire island, including the province of Messina, as well. It has connections in the North of Italy and in Europe, in addition to the United Staes.It is not longer rural, but organized and hidden in the key industries of our economy. Today,it is just the anniversary of the murder of Italian prefect Carlo Alberto Dalla Chiesa, who was killed by the mafia on September,3,1982 along with is wife Emanuela Setti Carraro. Mafia is an evil, as I said, and we must continue fighting it! I hope you’ll visit my Sicily next year. Stay safe you, too, meanwhile!

Thank you for your article. I have read books on Falcone. I have watched The tv series la Piovra. If you are not updated you think that Sicily is still like this. Thank you for The information. I d like to visit. I live in Sweden. Now gangsters are rising here. Not everywhere but in certain locations. There is something to learn from Sicilian history.

Thank you Rickard. I am very happy to hear your heartfelt opinion about the Sicilian history. Yes, it was a hard and sad history, but information must never hide the truth, because, as Mr. Falcone said: “The truth is the heart of the human dignity”.

Hello Everyone,

I have just recently returned from a 8 day stay in Sicily. I visited Modica, Siracussa, Ortigia, Modica and Mount Etna. These were absolutely beautiful places and all the people we met, were kind, helpful and amazing people. So please visit and enjoy the warmth and hospitality of the Sicilian people. I will admit I was very apprehensive about visiting Sicily, due to its history of the past. But I enjoyed and loved every minute of my stay and did not want to leave. I will visit again as soon as I can because it has so much to offer people. I was also with a group of people who had various disabilities and we were all welcomed and nothing was too much trouble. Just like the UK, Sicily is an ‘island nation’ and as such, we are very Proud and Adaptable Islanders. So don’t let the problems of the past affect this wonderful island and its people.

Hi Lorraine, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for your heartfelt words. Sure, Sicily has very kind and warm people and is always a wonderful place to visit. Rather, tourism and travel are the best way to erase the bad past of my loved island. I am also very happy you appreciated your vacation through the picturesque places of my birthland.

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Very interesting article, informative and well written. I am right now spending a few days in Marsala and Trapani. Both fantastic cities, especially Trapani, with very friendly locals and fabulous food.

Thank you so much Daniel, for appreciating this article. It is really encouraging for me that my readers find my pieces well written and informative. I am also happy to know about your wonderful travel to my beloved Sicily. Yes, the Mafia will never spoil the beauties of my island and I am here to bring them to all those who love it!

When is the best time of the year to visit Sicily?

Hi Vincent, you can visit Sicily anytime. My island has several points of interests in every season.

Thank you for this article, I’ve been wondering about this information for many years. I found this page while researching a long awaited trip to Sicily. It will unfortunately only be one day so I really want to make the most of it! Your site is helping me to do that so thank you for that too! And BTW, the only other really good information I’ve ever gotten on this topic was at The Mob Museum in Las Vegas Nevada. If you’re ever going, let me know….I’m there a lot!

Hi Jeannie, I am really honoured to hear this from you. Also glad that my article about the Sicilian Mafia has been helpful for you in order to better understand the history of Sicily before your one day trip to my beloved island. I didn’t know that in your Country, you got information only at the Mob Museum in Las Vegas. I would like international newspapers to further deepen this important history. Anyway, I am happy to help my readers with this information. Sure, if I ever go to The US, I’ll let you know.

Thanks for your article! I am right now visiting Siracusa and startet wondering about the mafia. You gave me a lot of great information

Is the mafia still a thing that common people do not want to talk about?

Best regards Christina / Denmark

Thank you Christina for appreciating this article and for letting me know about your travel to Siracusa. About your very interesting question, you must also know that there are two kinds of people in Sicily: the corageous Sicilians and the coward Sicilians. If you meet the corageous ones, they will speak up about the mafia and especially about the fight against the mafia! They represent the majority of Sicilians, fortunately.

This is a good read. Having no interest in visiting Italy I’d always wondered about business dealings would get caught up in the Mafia and that stopped me or better yet scared me away. Lived in a black community that is both rich with culture and great entrepreneurs the stereotype kept people from our communities until 5 years ago when people from high end communities had there homes foreclosed and no jobs they relocated to our community due to obvious reasons but quickly realized the diamond and gold that was right before there eyes, they purchased homes and businesses and now the stereotypes are very bleak. There are hooligans and crime but not the way it was perceived. You are very passionate about your Italy and that is so wonderful.

I agree with you: my island is full of resources that have always been exploited and robbed by the mafia. The Sicilian prosecutors killed by the mobsters once said that if you want to find the mafia you must follow money. Many Sicilian like me always fought against this sick economical system, but other people don’t. They live in a sort of numbness and indifference. That is why the appreciation of readers like you encourages me to keep fighting and writing my blog about my beloved island. Thank you so much!

I stumbled upon this completely by accident and I’m so glad I did, i’ve always been fascinated by Italian history but never delved into Sicilian history or anything Mafia related, I feel foolish it’s taken me this long to read into it!

I’ve been planning on numerous trips to Italy to really cover as much of the country as possible and this has given me a real clear starting point for what I want to explore when I eventually visit Sicily, thank you for this!

Hi Tom, Thank you so much for sharing your kind opinion about this article. I am very happy to hear that it has been helpful to you in order to better know an important piece of the Italian history and not only Sicilian. Yes, you can explore my Sicily, first. The island is an important point of starting to discover the entire Italy.

I am much like you Tom, have always been interested in the history of Italy and the Mediterranean in general but never focused in on Sicily until lo and behold I found out through genetic testing that a grandparent and two great grand parents hailed from Palermo! I thought I was mostly French, French Canadian, Iberian and Native American but it turns out I have Italian heritage as well as Cypriot/Greek and Scottish heritage that I never knew about. I am about 25 percent Italian with connections in Southern Italy mostly so I am now thinking of a trip to see some of the places associated with my heritage. This article was most helpful to help us understand how the mafia changed and adapted over the years.Why it was formed to begin with and how of course, humans made it a criminal enterprize with such sad and violent actions. I have been reading about the S Italian and Greek connection as well which is really interesting. Public school just did not teach the depth of history, the peoples, the stories, how and why things occurred as they did and I am so interested in history, world history ancient history, medieval times….I just want to go and walk those ancient roads and take it all in!

I agree with you, MT. If public school had the courage to teach the true history and the true values, we would not be in the current moral abyss.

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Hi, I have just returned from my first trip to Sicily, what a beautiful island it is. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I have also enjoyed this article, a fabulous factual insight to the history of the Sicilian mafia, well written. I went to the Gambino winery and now hope that they are not connected with the Gambino mafia bosses of history.

Hi Louise, thanks for sharing your travel experience with me and appreciating the beauty of my island. Hearing that my article about the Sicilian mafia is factual and well written is very encouraging for me. As regards the winery you visited: don’t worry. There are many families with the same surname in Sicily, but this does not mean that they are all connected to the Mafia.

I must say, as a single woman, I am wary about visiting Sicilia. But it is my heritage and I want to go.

Hi Susan, sure, you must absolutely visit our beloved island.The Mafia belongs to the Italian history, but all this does not prevent you from visiting Sicily.

Go to Sciacca AG. most beautiful town in Sicily.

Hi Joseph, you are right: Sciacca is a wonderful Sicilian town. As soon as this tragic pandemic age has ended, I’ll return writing travel posts about the beautiful Sicilian villages. Each of them deserves to be described and showed to the world!

Hello Rosalba. I found your article while researching the “Castellammarese Sicilian criminal organization” and its ties to Salvatore Sabella. The families from Philadelphia, NY, and South Jersey exercised their influence a great deal on the eastern coast of the US during my youth in the 60s and 70s. At that time, everything was low key under the rule of Angelo Bruno, but their presence was palpable. Since then, it seems to have degenerated into ruthless killing even amongst themselves.

Here in America a man named Rudy Giuliani fought an ongoing battle to unseat the authority of what has been labeled here as the mob. The incarceration of the old timers, as important as it has been to fighting crime in the americas, triggered years of ruthless killing by men who no longer had ties to Sicily.

I found your historical links to the need for someone to “police” the property of wealthy rural landowners incredibly interesting. The misuse of power by those who then take advantage of it is so much a part of human history that it can be found dating back to the earliest records of cultures all over the world. It seems that the annexation of Sicily without a strong and localized government of their own, left a power vacuum that was filled by corruption. That too, is commonplace throughout the history of mankind.

The choice of a young man in any culture is to work hard and make a life for himself, or as many have done, join a criminal element that provides instant wealth. Wealth that demands a price of death or prison in the end.

I intend to read the book written by the Sicilian prosecutors Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino. Two brave men who loved their homeland and were willing to pay the ultimate price to free their country from the domination of those who misuse power and murder those who oppose them.

My father served with Patton to free your island in WWII. I visited when I served with the Navy 30 years later. Italy is indeed a beautiful country with wonderful caring people.

You are a brave lady. I applaud your willingness to open the eyes of those who do not understand the history of your homeland. There is indeed a powerful key to the knowledge of the past, because as has been said so well, “Those who do not understand their History are doomed to repeat it.”

Please accept my prayers.

Hi Glenn, thank you so much for your detailed comment. It added a lot to the history of my beloved island. I remained extremely touched by your heatfelt words, and very happy you understood the historical sides and meaning of this post about the Sicilian mafia. Yes, I advise that you read the book written by Giovanni Falcone. He paid a heavy price to free Sicily from the mobsters. We can never thank him enough for his bravery.

Very nice article Rosalba.

I visit Sicily at least once yearly and really like it there.

How does one become a member of the mafia?

Thank you Jeff, for appreciating this post along with my beloved island. As regards your question, when one becomes a member of the mafia, he signs a sort of pact with the devil. Mafia men perform a kind of sacred (for them) rite, where a person, who cuts the skin of the hand with a knife, swears eternal loyalty to the mafia, as the blood drops on burning images of Christ or the Virgin Mary. This rite is like sacrilege and means that a mobster must never betray the sacred family of the mafia, otherwise he’ll be killed! This criminal career is a pathway to hell. Indeed, mafia men always end up jailed, sentenced to life or killed by their former mafia colleagues. Only the heirs of mobsters or those who committed previous crimes are admitted to the rite to become mafia members. I hope this information satisfied your curiosity and allowed you to understand that the mafia is the absolute evil for Sicily and the world. As honest men and women, this evil must always be fought!

Nice place to look at. Can’t afford to visit ..lol .. ahhh.. sigh.

Why are all the nice places on the planet so expensive and violent ..lol …

History says some of the “sea peoples” can be connected to the area ….that seems Fitting.

Sicily… willing to collapse one thing or the other… ones wallet , Face bones or entire cilvilizations …lol … ahhh…sigh… 🙂

Corruption loves company …the Olympics gave Italy the 2026 winter games…LOL…..the mob and the oly’s…Justice for capitalism ensues :)))……

Honestly…If someone dropped a nuke on Sicily…the sun would rise the next day …LOL ..

No need to toss gasoline on anyone visiting … then start them on fire in a local alley and walk away 🙂

Take care…LOL

Unfortunately, the power of the mafia in Sicily is also for the fault of many Sicilians who preferred the shortcut of entrusting their needs to mobsters, instead of moving on with their own feet. Conversely, honest Sicilians relocated abroad, looking for a better future. Other honest Sicilians remained in Sicily, struggling to find a decent job, confined within their own invisible dignity, the only good you have when the mafia system took everything away from you. It is sad to tell, but it is the truth.

“ However, I am forced to admit that the Sicilian mafia has been the only criminal organization in the world to weave close and perverse links with Politics, State and public officers”

The Russian state is the mafia unfortunately. Not only is the Russian mafia boss Semion Moglevich being sheltered by Putin in Moscow, the government is so corrupt it may as well be it’s own big mafia family.

Also, thank you for writing this insightful article. I never thought about the cultural factors of organized crime before.

Very glad, Bella, to hear about your appreciation for this article.

Hi Bella, I am utterly aware about the Russian mafia and its high connections, but Sicilian mafia and Russian mafia are different. Putin is free to decide if protecting mobsters or not. In Italy, it is the mafia that decides to help politicians…

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Die besten Mafia-Touren in Palermo

Palermo ist die Stadt in Sizilien, in der die Cosa Nostra geboren wurde, und ihre Umgebung wurde als Drehort für einige Szenen von Der Pate gewählt. Wenn Sie ein Fan der Gangstergeschichte sind, finden Sie hier die besten Mafia-Touren.

Matías Rodríguez

9 Minuten lesen

Puerta verde y pared amarilla |©Dan Masa

Palermo ist die Hauptstadt Siziliens, hat einige der repräsentativsten architektonischen Werke Süditaliens und ist ein Beispiel für die Koexistenz verschiedener normannischer, byzantinischer und romanischer Stile, aber es ist auch die Stadt, in der die Cosa Nostra entstanden ist und in der sich die Mafia vor allem in der ersten Hälfte des zwanzigsten Jahrhunderts frei bewegen konnte.

Zu den besten Sehenswürdigkeiten und Aktivitäten in Palermo auf den Spuren der Mafia gehören ein geführter Spaziergang durch die Stadt, um die Ursprünge des Gangstertums zu entdecken, ein Besuch des Mercado del Capo, wo eine mittelalterliche Loge die kriminelle Organisation Cosa Nostra gründete, eine Tour durch Corleone, um die Drehorte von Der Pate zu finden , und ein Besuch der Portella della Ginestra, um das berühmte Massaker zu erleben.

1. Machen Sie einen geführten Spaziergang auf den Spuren der Mafia in Palermo

Ein geführter Spaziergang durch die Stadt, um die Wege der Mafia kennen zu lernen , ist die umfassendste Exkursion, um die Cosa Nostra in Palermo, der Gründungsstadt der kriminellen Organisation auf Sizilien, kennen zu lernen . Auf diesen Touren können Sie die Piazza Giuseppe Verdi, das Epizentrum der Hauptstadt, den Mercado del Capo, den Geburtsort des italienischen Gangstertums, und die Piazza della Memoria besuchen.

Während dieser Exkursionen können Sie auch etwas über die Verbindungen zwischen Politik und Mafia in Sizilien und den Einfluss der Cosa Nostra auf die Widerstands- und Separatistenbewegungen während des Zweiten Weltkriegs und der Nachkriegszeit erfahren. Normalerweise besuchen Sie bei diesen Ausflügen auch die malerische Kathedrale und das Rathaus.

Wenn Sie ein Fan der Trilogie Der Pate sind, können Sie außerdem die Ecken der sizilianischen Hauptstadt besichtigen, die als Drehorte dienten, wie das Teatro Massimo, wo die Schlussszene des dritten Films gedreht wurde, und das Kloster von Palermo, wo Michael Corleone den Papst trifft.

Beachten Sie auch, dass Ausflüge zum Thema Mafia eine unterhaltsame Alternative sind, um die wichtigsten Sehenswürdigkeiten des historischen Zentrums von Palermo im Rahmen einer unterhaltsamen Führung zu besichtigen, vor allem, wenn Sie sich für das Thema Mafia interessieren.

Interessante Details

• Preis dieser Touren ... Sie kosten etwa 32 Euro pro Person. Kinder zwischen 10 und 17 Jahren zahlen 16 Euro.
• Dauer dieser Ausflüge ... Ungefähr 3 Stunden.
• Vorteile dieser Ausflüge ... Es handelt sich um einen idealen Ausflug, um die wichtigsten Punkte der Stadt auf eine andere Art und Weise kennen zu lernen.
• Nachteile dieser Ausflüge ... Es handelt sich in der Regel um Wanderungen, die an heißen Tagen sehr anstrengend werden können.

Buchen Sie eine Mafia-Tour durch Palermo

2. Besichtigen Sie Corleone und die Portella della Ginestra

Corleone ist nicht nur der Nachname der Protagonistenfamilie in der Trilogie Der Pate, sondern auch ein altes sizilianisches Dorf, in dem zahlreiche Mafiabosse geboren wurden, die es im wahren Leben gibt. Auf diesen Halbtagesausflügen können Sie durch die Straßen von Corleone spazieren, einige der Drehorte besichtigen und das Mafia-Museum besuchen, das für seine Archive des sizilianischen Gangstertums bekannt ist.

In Corleone werden Sie auch Zeit haben, zu Mittag zu essen, die sizilianische Gastronomie zu genießen und die Weine der Weinkellereien der Stadt zu probieren, in Restaurants, die denjenigen, die normalerweise zu den besten gastronomischen Touren in Palermo gehören, in nichts nachstehen. Nach dem Mittagessen geht die Tour weiter zur Portella della Ginestra.

Portella della Ginestra ist ein kleiner Ort, der zwischen den Dörfern San Giuseppe Jato und Piana degli Albanesi liegt und durch den Banditen Salvatore Giuliano berühmt geworden ist . Salvatore Giuliano war in der Nachkriegszeit ein sizilianischer Gangster und Händler, der viele Jahre lang die Separatistenbewegungen auf der Insel anführte und das Massaker verursachte, das während der Sommerfeierlichkeiten am 1. Mai 1947 mit 11 Toten endete . Während des Besuchs können Sie die Gedenkstätte für die Opfer besichtigen.

• Preis dieser Besichtigungen ... Die anfänglichen Kosten belaufen sich auf etwa 75 Euro pro Person. Der Endpreis hängt von der Anzahl der Besucher ab und beinhaltet den Hin- und Rücktransfer sowie die Begleitung durch einen fachkundigen örtlichen Führer.
• Dauer dieser Ausflüge ... Ungefähr 5 bis 6 Stunden.
• Vorteile dieser Ausflüge ... Sie werden einige der berühmtesten Dörfer Siziliens kennen lernen.
• Nachteile dieser Ausflüge... Die Tour ist sehr hektisch und nicht für ältere Erwachsene und kleine Kinder geeignet.

3. Nehmen Sie an einer Anti-Mafia-Tour teil und entdecken Sie die Kultur, die die Cosa Nostra in Palermo bekämpft

So wie es viele Ausflüge gibt, die die Geschichte der Mafia und die Beziehungen der Cosa Nostra zu Palermo und der Insel Sizilien aufzeigen, gibt es auch Anti-Mafia-Touren, die die Kultur des Kampfes gegen das Gangstertum in der sizilianischen Hauptstadt fördern und das Andenken an diejenigen verteidigen wollen , die im Kampf gegen die Mafiabosse gestorben sind.

Diese Ausflüge gehören zu den besten Touren in Palermo, da sie nicht nur die wichtigsten mit der Mafia in Verbindung stehenden Stätten der Stadt besichtigen, sondern auch die Gedenkstätten derjenigen, die bei dem Versuch, eine Kultur der Legalität in Palermo wiederherzustellen, ihr Leben geopfert haben, wie z. B. der Richter Giovanni Falcone, der von der Cosa Nostra bei einem Attentat ermordet wurde.

Diese Führungen werden in der Regel von einem Fremdenführer geleitet, der einer Anti-Mafia-Organisation angehört und Ihnen aus erster Hand Informationen über die Maßnahmen dieser Organisationen zur Bekämpfung des Gangstertums in der sizilianischen Hauptstadt geben kann. Bei diesen Führungen können Sie auch eine Mittagspause auf der Piazza della Memoria einlegen, die sich zwischen dem alten und dem neuen Gerichtsgebäude von Palermo befindet.

Die Anti-Mafia-Führungen dauern etwa 3 Stunden und sind daher mit einem kurzen Besuch der Stadt vereinbar. Wenn dies der Fall ist, finden Sie hier eine Liste von Aktivitäten, die Sie unternehmen können, um Palermo in 3 Tagen zu entdecken .

• Preis dieser Ausflüge ... Sie kosten ca. 31 Euro pro Person, einschließlich der Begleitung durch einen erfahrenen örtlichen Führer.
• Vorteile dieser Ausflüge ... Sie haben die Möglichkeit, einen alternativen Ausflug zum Thema Mafia zu unternehmen.
• Nachteile dieser Touren... Normalerweise besuchen Sie nicht den Mercado del Capo, einen der wichtigsten Märkte Palermos.

4. Besichtigen Sie das Mafia-Gelände in Bagli de Ciaculli auf einer Fahrradtour...

Wenn Sie eine Radtour mit einer Mafia-Tour in Palermo verbinden möchten, dann können Sie sich für diese Ausflüge entscheiden, die aus einer Fahrt vom historischen Zentrum der sizilianischen Hauptstadt nach Bagli de Ciaculli bestehen, einem Bauerndorf, in dem Sie normannische und islamisch-arabische Gebäude entdecken und auch Mafia-Geschichten wie das Massaker von Ciaculli nacherleben können.

Dieses Massaker bestand aus einer Autobombe, die 1963 in Ciaculli explodierte und 7 Polizisten und Soldaten tötete, ein Anschlag, der von dem Mafiaboss Pietro Torretta gefördert wurde. Dieses Massaker blieb von der nationalen Regierung nicht unbemerkt, sondern war der Beginn des ersten Krieges gegen die Mafia, was es zu einem zentralen Ziel in der Geschichte der Cosa Nostra machte.

Dieser Ausflug ist eine der besten Aktivitäten, die man von Palermo aus unternehmen kann, denn man kann mehr als 30 Kilometer hin und zurück radeln und dabei einen der repräsentativen Orte im Kampf gegen das sizilianische Gangstertum besuchen.

• Preis dieser Ausflüge ... Sie kosten ca. 39 Euro pro Person, einschließlich der Begleitung durch einen erfahrenen örtlichen Führer.
• Dauer dieser Ausflüge ... Ungefähr 4 Stunden.
• Vorteile dieser Ausflüge ... Es ist die beste Aktivität, um sportliches Radfahren und eine Mafia-Tour in Palermo zu kombinieren.
• Nachteile dieser Ausflüge ... Es handelt sich um einen körperlich anspruchsvollen Ausflug, der wegen der Hitze nicht für den Sommer empfohlen wird.

Buchen Sie eine Mafia-Tour in Palermo

5. Machen Sie einen Ausflug zum Mercado del Capo, um etwas über die Ursprünge der Cosa Nostra zu erfahren

Wenn Sie Palermo in der Weihnachtszeit besuchen , werden Sie feststellen, dass die Weihnachtsmärkte ein wichtiger Bestandteil der Stadt sind, vor allem der im Mercado del Capo, der im Dezember thematisch gestaltet wird, aber diese Märkte sind das ganze Jahr über geöffnet und einige haben eine beeindruckende Geschichte.

Der Mercato del Capo, einer der vier wichtigsten Märkte der Stadt, birgt viele Geheimnisse der sizilianischen Mafia, denn es wird angenommen, dass in seinen unterirdischen Gängen, die heute geschlossen sind, die Cosa Nostra durch die kriminellen Aktivitäten einer mittelalterlichen Sekte, den Beati Paoli, entstanden ist . Hier können Sie an einer Führung durch die Gassen des Marktes teilnehmen, um dessen Mythen zu entdecken.

Diese Führungen sind in der Regel kurz und dauern ca. 2 Stunden . Sie sind also ideal, wenn Sie anschließend die Stadt weiter besichtigen möchten, denn der Mercado del Capo liegt im Stadtzentrum, ganz in der Nähe der Kathedrale von Palermo, des Rathauses, der Piazza della Memoria und der Piazza Giuseppe Verdi, die das Zentrum der meisten Aktivitäten in der Stadt darstellt.

• Preis dieser Ausflüge ... Die Kosten betragen ca. 18 Euro pro Person, einschließlich der Begleitung durch einen erfahrenen lokalen Führer.
• Dauer der Besichtigungen ... Ungefähr 2 Stunden.
• Vorteile dieser Exkursionen... Sie lernen bei einem kurzen Besuch einen der Gründungsorte der Cosa Nostra in Palermo kennen.
• Nachteile dieser Ex kursionen... Obwohl der Mercado del Capo sehr wichtig für die lokale Geschichte der Mafia ist, ist er nicht der zentrale Ort der Cosa Nostra in Palermo, so dass er unvollständig sein kann.

6. Machen Sie eine nächtliche Tour durch Palermos Mysterien und Geheimnisse

Eine der besten Alternativen, um die Atmosphäre der Stadt auf einer Mafia-Tour zu erleben, ist eine nächtliche Tour zu den Orten, die die Geheimnisse und Mysterien Palermos verbergen. Bei diesen Ausflügen kann man den Mercado del Capo besuchen, der als Gründungsort der Cosa Nostra im Mittelalter gilt, die Piazza della Memoria, das Rathaus, die Piazza Giuseppe Verdi und die Kathedrale, die Zeuge der Verbindungen zwischen der Kirche und den Mafiabossen war.

Auf diesen Touren können Sie auch das No Mafia Memorial besuchen, eines der besten Museen Palermos , das den Opfern gewidmet ist, die im Kampf gegen die Cosa Nostra auf Sizilien ums Leben kamen. Während des Rundgangs durch den Mercado del Capo können Sie auch anhalten, um unterwegs Speisen und Getränke zu kaufen.

Diese Rundgänge dauern etwa 2 Stunden und eignen sich auch, um die wichtigsten Sehenswürdigkeiten bei Nacht zu besichtigen und die Architektur und Beleuchtung der sizilianischen Hauptstadt zu genießen.

Bitte beachten Sie, dass diese Führungen zwar das ganze Jahr über angeboten werden, aber wenn Sie Palermo im Winter besuchen möchten, empfehle ich Ihnen, einen leichten Mantel mitzunehmen, da die Temperaturen nachts deutlich sinken.

Nützliche Details

• Preis der Besichtigungen ... Die Kosten belaufen sich auf etwa 24 Euro pro Person, einschließlich der Begleitung durch einen ortskundigen Führer.
• Dauer dieser Ausflüge ... Ungefähr 2 Stunden.
• Vorteile dieser Touren ... Dies ist die beste nächtliche Alternative unter den Mafia-Touren.
• Nachteile dieser Touren... Die Pausen für Essen und Trinken können zu kurz sein.

Wie buche ich eine Mafia-Tour in Palermo?

Sie können die Touren entweder im Voraus online kaufen oder buchen, sobald Sie in der Stadt sind. Wenn Sie Palermo im August oder in den Sommermonaten besuchen möchten, ist es jedoch am besten, die Touren im Voraus zu buchen, um sich einen Platz zu sichern und Preiserhöhungen in letzter Minute zu vermeiden .

Darüber hinaus bieten einige Anbieter von touristischen Dienstleistungen Rabatte für Online-Buchungen an, und wenn Sie die Touren bereits vor Ihrem Besuch programmiert haben, können Sie eine Reiseroute organisieren, um die Stadt kennenzulernen.

Was werde ich auf dieser Art von Tour sehen?

Die Antwort hängt von der gewählten Tour ab, aber wenn Sie sich für das Thema Mafia interessieren, werden Sie die wichtigsten Orte in und um Palermo sehen, an denen die Cosa Nostra entstanden ist und sich entwickelt hat, und Sie werden auch etwas über die Protagonisten des Kampfes gegen das Gangstertum, das Terrotum, den Menschenhandel und das Verbrechen in der Stadt erfahren .

Es ist auch eine gute Alternative, um die Stadt aus einem anderen Blickwinkel kennenzulernen, obwohl die meisten Touren die wichtigsten Sehenswürdigkeiten der sizilianischen Hauptstadt abdecken.

Tipps für eine Mafia-Tour in Palermo

Wenn Sie Palermo im Sommer, der Hochsaison der Stadt, besuchen möchten, empfehle ich Ihnen, Ihre Touren im Voraus zu buchen, um Menschenmassen, ausverkaufte Plätze und Preiserhöhungen in letzter Minute zu vermeiden.

Wenn Sie Palermo mit Kindern besuchen möchten, empfehle ich Ihnen, kürzere Touren zu wählen oder solche, die weniger körperliche Anstrengung erfordern, damit sich die Kinder nicht langweilen und die Attraktionen nicht genießen können.

Warum ist es ratsam, eine Mafia-Tour in Palermo zu buchen?

Wenn Sie ein Fan des Mafia-Themas sind, sollten Sie sich diese Touren nicht entgehen lassen, denn Palermo ist nicht nur eng mit der Cosa Nostra verbunden und Teil ihrer Geschichte, sondern bietet auch sehr gelungene Touren zur Aufarbeitung des Themas .

Mafia-Touren sind auch eine hervorragende Gelegenheit, wichtige und periphere Orte in Palermo wie Corleone und Portella della Ginestra kennen zu lernen, die man sonst auf eigene Faust nur schwer erkunden könnte.

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