Sightseeing in Palermo: Sweet insider tip

Anyone strolling through baroque Palermo should definitely take a look behind the inconspicuous walls of the Convento di Santa Caterina in Piazza Bellini. From 1311 to 2014, nuns of the Dominican order lived here. The convent and church have been a museum since 2017.

The beautiful cloister of the monastery is an oasis of peace. In the middle of the arabesque, yellow-blue paneled courtyard, a fountain surrounded by roses babbles.

Magical place with a sweet secret “I segreti del Chiostro”

The real insider tip, however, is the project bakery located here. “I segreti del Chiostro” is its name. “The secrets of the convent,” explains a sign, “are the desserts made according to the old recipes of the nuns.”

Sicilian bakery may have its roots in antiquity, in the cultures of Greek and Arab conquerors. However, it was elevated to an art in the Middle Ages, in the monasteries. The sale of cookies, cakes and jams was an important source of income for the survival of the nuns.

The heritage of the monastery bakeries is therefore just as rich and magnificent as the island’s architecture. And yet it is in danger of being forgotten…

The project bakery is committed to fighting oblivion and offers sweets that are so perfect they would make any patissier go pale. There are sighs of nuns (Sospiri di monaca), virgin breasts (Minne delle Vergini) and deceptively real marzipan fruits (Frutta Martorana).

Cannoli: culinary sights in Palermo

But the highlight is the cannoli. These are rolls of dough filled with fresh sheep’s milk ricotta, artfully sprinkled with chopped chocolate, pistachios or candied fruit. The dough for the cannoli is a monastery secret. Like puff pastry, it is spread out several times and rolled again and again. Crispy and crispy, it is a delicacy. Be sure to try it!

Address:

I segreti del Chiostro – Convento di Santa Caterina

Palermo Piazza Bellini No. 33