italy mafia tour

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4 Fascinating & Powerful Anti-Mafia Tours In Italy

The Italian mafia is a topic that many know exists, but actually know little about. Today the mafia still plays a huge role in shaping the culture of Italy — most notably Sicily — and not in a good way. The following tours allow you to see the negative impact of the mafia on the community while also providing a cultural view into several small Sicilian villages. They’re all highly recommended as unique things to do in Italy that also give your trip a responsible tourism twist.

Table of Contents

1. Learn About Anti-Mafia Activism

Price:  $49/per person for five hours

Addiopizzo Travel is a social enterprise that continues the legacy of Giuseppe “Peppino” Impastato, an anti-mafia activist and martyr that led the fight against Cosa Nostra and spoke out against the mafia until his death. Today, Addiopizzo Travel offers the opportunity to retrace Impastato’s steps through the towns of Cinisi and Terrasini and learn about the legacy he left behind, as well as today’s continuing battle to save Sicily from the mafia.

2.  Discover The Histories Of Falcone & Borsellino

Price:  $43 per person for five hours

Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, both Italian judges and prosecuting magistrates, were two anti-mafia activists that died fighting for their cause, killed by the Sicilian mafia. Today, visitors to Sicily can explore Palmero, a town where violence is steadily declining, as well as the locations that the mafia placed bombs to kill activists. Today these places exist as symbols to keep moving forward in the fight against the mafia.

3.  Explore Palmero

Price:  $36 per person for three hours

Spend the day exploring Palermo on foot with anti-mafia activists as they explain the history of the mafia in Sicily’s historic center. Sicily is home to a large mafia presence and it negatively affects the daily life of individuals; however, citizens have begun an anti-mafia movement. Some business owners are now refusing pizzo (“protection tax”) while consumers have started an ethical shopping campaign, “Pago chi non pizzo” (I shop where they don’t pay pizzo). On the tour you’ll also get the unique opportunity to speak with these anti-mafia business owners to learn more about their perspective on the situation.

4.  Understand The True Events That Inspired The Godfather

Price:  $43 per person for three hours

Spend the day exploring Corleone, a village in the Sicilian countryside, and learn about local efforts to stop the mafia. The tour starts with the 19th century history of Corleone and continues through the “Legal Laboratory” in the city center, before ending with a walk through the canyon of Corleone and the “Waterfall of Two Rocks,” a gorgeous natural attraction. For fans of The Godfather, it can be an eye-opening experience to visit the places in the movie while learning about the true events and history that inspired it.

If you’re interested in learning about the history and impact of the mafia, these tours provide some of the most unique things to do in Italy as well as local insight.

What are responsible tourism-related things to do in Italy do you recommend? Please share in the comments below! 

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Infamous New York

A Gangland Tour of New York City's Most Infamous Crime Scenes

Little italy mafia walking tour map.

May 2, 2016 by Infamous New York

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Little Italy Mafia Walking Tour Map

Little more than a 3-block tourist trap, New York’s Little Italy is on the verge of extinction. With Chinatown closing in from the east and SoHo gobbling up its southern real estate, only the section of Mulberry Street between Broom and Canal remain visibly Italian. Gone too is the dreaded presence of the Mafia which was once inextricably woven into the fabric of daily life. This Mafia walking tour will take you back to the days when mobsters, rather than hipsters, ruled the streets of Little Italy.

1 Giuseppe “The Clutch Hand” Morello’s Spaghetti Restaurant

Address: 8 Prince Street

Status: Standing

Giuseppe Morello’s spaghetti parlor was the scene of the brutal Barrel Murder

He was the patriarch of the first America Crime Family. A Sicilian bandit with a deformed right hand, Giuseppe Morello earned his nickname “the Clutch Hand” from his twisted talon. The undisputed boss of Manhattan’s uptown and downtown Italian districts, Morello led a vicious band of old world cutthroats from a spaghetti parlor at 8 Prince Street. Morello’s gang included his half brother Ciro Terranova, the self styled “Artichoke King”, his second in command and brother-in-law Ignazio “Lupo the Wolf” Saietta, his chief enforcer Tomaso Petto the Ox, and a multitude of kinfolk.

Murder, robbery and Black Hand extortion, the Mafiosi did it all, but counterfeiting was their art, a passion that would lead to a gristly murder at 8 Prince Street. On April 14, 1903, Benedetto Madonia, one of The Clutch Hand’s counterfeiters, was stabbed to death, stuffed into a barrel and unceremoniously dumped on East 11 th Street as a gangland message. However, the message proved to be too strong and both the Secret Service and Joseph Petrosino, a rising star in the NYPD, would be on Morello’s trail, ultimately bringing about his downfall.

2 Lupo The Wolf’s Import Market

Address: 9 Prince Street

As ferocious as his namesake, Lupo The Wolf was a terrorist long before the word became fashionable. Through violence, bombings, Black Hand letters and murder, he extorted everyone and everything in turn-of-the-century Little Italy. Related by marriage to Clutch Hand Morello, Lupo became head of Downtown Little Italy for the Italian Harlem based Morello. Lupo operated one of many grocery stores he owned from 9 Prince Street.

3 Barrel Murder Arrest

Address: Bowery and Delancy Street

Hoping to smash Morello’s counterfeiting ring and solve the Barrel Murder, the Secret Service and Joe Petrosino pounced on Petto the Ox and Giuseppe Morello on the corner of Bowery and Delancey Street. The Mafiosi were armed to the teeth with daggers and licensed revolvers. Unfortunately, the charges did not stick to Morello, but a pawn ticket for Benedetto Madonia’s watch linked Petto the Ox to the Barrel Murder. The mafia enforcer disappeared while on bail and was never imprisoned for the crime.

4 Joe Petrosino Square

Kenmare and Spring Street

Status: NYC Park

When it came to New York firsts, Lt. Joseph Petrosino could claim many. He was the NYPD’s first Italian speaking officer, the first Italian American on the Force to obtain the rank of lieutenant, and the first, and only, NYPD officer killed on foreign soil. The city built this park on Kenmare and Spring Street to honor him in 1987.

To combat the rise of Italian Black Hand crimes, the city formed the Italian squad with Petrosino at its helm. In 1909, Petrosino traveled to Sicily in search of a secret society of criminals infiltrating America and Vito Cascioferro, the powerbroker behind the Morello Crime Family. The trip would be Petrosino’s undoing. Mafia assassins put the Police Lieutenant on the spot, assassinating him on the streets of Palermo. (Click to read more about Joe Petrosino )

5 Salvatore Toto D’Aquila’s Home

Address: 91 Elizabeth Street

1920s New York Boss of Bosses, Toto D’Aquila’s home.

After Giuseppe Morello’s conviction for counterfeiting in 1909, the Clutch Hand’s remaining brothers retreated to 107 th Street in Italian Harlem, allowing Salvatore Toto D’Aquila to become the ruler of Downtown Little Italy, and the Italian Mafia’s boss of bosses in New York. By the time of Prohibition, D’Aquila became quite wealthy despite his lowly tenement home at 91 Elizabeth Street. His encroachments on Giuseppe “Joe” Masseria’s open-air liquor markets on Kenmare, Broom and Grand Streets would erupt into all out war in 1920.

6 Umberto’s Clam House, the Murder of Crazy Joe Gallo

Address: 129 Mulberry

Status: Moved

http://www.umbertosclamhouse.com/

As crazy as they came, Joe Gallo earned a reputation for shaking up the mob. With his Red Hook Brooklyn based brothers, Larry and Albert, Gallo and his gang took on a succession of bosses for control of the Profachi and later Colombo Crime Family.

On April 7, 1972, Gallo, his family and Mafia crew walked into Umberto’s Clam House, a well-known mafia restaurant owned by Matty the Horse Ianniello, to celebrate Gallo’s birthday, a completely insane move. The mob wanted Gallo dead for the slaying of Joseph Colombo at an Italian-American Civil Rights League rally at Columbus Circle.

At 4:30 a.m. four gunmen slipped into Umberto’s back door and violated a mafia ban on brazenly killing gangsters on the streets of little Italy. Bullets slammed into Gallo who limped out and collapsed on the street. Gallo’s gang opened fire on the escaping hitmen. Bullet pockmarks can still be found at Graziano’s funeral home across the street. Gallo’s murder remains unsolved.

7 Joe The Boss Masseria’s Bootleggers Curb

Address: Kenmare, Broom and Grand Street

By some quirk of geography, Giuseppe “Joe” Masseria, a small time hood and recent mafia import, struck prohibition gold. His small gang ran the streets of Kenmare, Broom and Grand in the shadow of NYPD Headquarters. For whatever the reason, these streets became know as the Whisky Curb or Bootleggers Curb, an open air booze market where speakeasies and saloons came to trade bottles of pre-prohibition hooch.

A quick hand with a gat and even quicker feet made the portly Masseria’s reputation as a supernatural Mafiosi. Masseria grew incredibly wealthy and Toto D’aquila wanted a cut. Bootleggers Curb soon became shootout central. Dodging bullets and leading shootouts, Masseria led a prohibition gang war against New York’s Boss of Bosses Toto D’Aquila for control of Little Italy .

After his release from prison in 1920, Giuseppe “the Clutch Hand” Morello joined forces with Joe Masseria against Toto Aquila. With the help a new recruit named Charley Lucky Luciano and his Jewish Mob friends, Toto Aquilia was bumped off in 1928.

8 NYPD Headquarters, The Central Office

Address: 240 Centre Street

Status: Landmark (Luxury Condos)

Most mobsters of any consequence have spent at least one overnight in the basement of 240 Centre Street. From 1909 to 1973 this beaux-arts masterpiece served as NYPD Headquarters, the nerve center of the New York Police Department. Click to learn more about Old NYPD Headquarters .

9 Lucky Luciano Rats

Address: 164 Mulberry

Salvatore Luciana kept his fingers in many pies. Gambling, bootlegging, prostitution and murder for hire all kept him wealthy, but Lucky wanted more. Under the direction of his mentor Arnold Rothstein, Charley Luciano turned to narcotics, and it proved to be a mistake. By 1923, the mobster was the darling of prohibition high society, and the Federal Bureau of Narcotics collared Lucky with a pocket full of dope. In exchange for his freedom, Luciano revealed the location of a trunk of Heroin stashed in the basement of 164 Mulberry Street. The arrest tarnished Lucky’s reputation among Manhattan’s socialites, inspiring him to throw the biggest party of the decade.

10 Café Roma

385 Broome Street

Status: Open for Business

The Westies kidnapped the owner of Cafe Roma, Eli “Joe the Baker” Ziccardi

Back in the 1970s, Eli “Joe the Baker” Ziccardi did more than make cannoli at the Café Roma. The Genovese capo ran the policy games for Fat Tony Salerno from this downtown café, making Zicardi a target for opportunistic gangsters like the Irish Westies. In the 1977 under the orders of Hells Kitchen’s gang lord Mickey Spillane, the Westies put the snatch on Zicardi. Salerno begrudgingly paid the $100,000 ransom to the Irish Mob, but Zicardi was never seen again. Because of the kidnapping and construction projects on the Westside, all out war broke out between the Irish and Italian mobs resulting in Spillane’s murder and the death of three of his lieutenants.

11 John DeSalvio Playground or Jimmy Kelly Park

Address: Spring and Mulberry Street

An original gangster who predated the coming of the Mafia, Jimmy Kelly knew all of the angles. His real name was Giovanni DeSalvio, but the middleweight boxer changed his name to Kelly to make inroads in the Irish controlled boxing world of turn-of-the-century New York. However, Kelly failed to make it as a pro-boxer and put his knuckles to work at Mike Salter’s Pelham café protecting the club’s singing waiter Irving Berlin (click to read the story). Under Salter’s wing, Kelly took up politics and full time gangsterism. When Salter fled the country for election fraud, Kelly took his place as a Tammany ward heeler running into innumerable gang wars with hunchback mobster Humpty Jackson. Click to read more about Humpty Jackson .

11 Johnny Dio and Al Marinelli’s Headquarters

Address: 225 Lafayette

Status: Luxury Condos

In the 1920s, 225 Lafayette was a hub of Mafia activity.

For much of the history of New York City, the criminals worked for Tammany hall, not the other way around, but with the coming of the Mafia and prohibition that was about to change. Nowhere else in the city was the intertwining of crime and politics more apparent than 225 Lafayette Street. Built in 1909 in the heart of Little Italy to house the East River Savings Bank, 225 quickly evolved into a mafia hub.

A close personal friend of Lucky Luciano, Albert Marinelli set up the political headquarters of his Al Marinelli Association at 225 Layafette. With the help of Luciano’s gunmen, Marinelli unseated Tammany’s Irish incumbent to become the first elected Italian-American Distract Leader in the city. Luciano and Marinelli were so chummy that they shared a room at the 1932 Democratic Convention. The politician made a fortune with Luciano, which attracted the attention of Special Prosecutor Thomas Dewey.

Dewey later accused Marinelli of voter fraud and corruption. Dewy explained:

“He has a luxurious estate surrounded by an iron fence on Lake Ronkonkoma, way out on long island. From his several motorcars he chooses to drive a Lincoln limousine. His Japanese butler, Togo, serves him well.” Thomas Dewey

With the spotlight on him, Marinelli stepped down, making way for John DeSalvio to become the 2 nd Assembly District Leader.

On another floor of 225 Layafette, Jimmy Doyle Pulmeri and his nephew Johnny Dio Dioguardi set up their Five Boroughs Trucking Service Association, a thinly veiled shakedown scheme. Their strong arm racketeering tactics eventually won control of all Garment Center trucking. Business was brisk. So brisk that Doyle and his partner Dominick Didato shot each other in their offices. Neither man could explain to police why their legally licensed revolvers simultaneously malfunctioned. Didato was found dead days later. After the Castellmarese Mafia war, Dio and Doyle joined the Gaetano Reina and later Lucchese Crime Family. (Click to read more about Jimmy Doyle ) Like everything else in NYC, the building has been converted to luxury condos.

13 Aniello Dellacroce’s Apartment

Address: 232 Mulberry Street

A stone cold killer and founding member of Murder Inc., Aniello Dellacroce served as Albert Anastasia’s murderous protégée and future Gambino Underboss. Dellacrose maintained a life long address at this tenement at 232 Mulberry Street across the street from his headquarters, The Ravenite.

14 John Gotti’s Bunker: The Ravenite Social Club:

Address: 247 Mulberry Street

Status: Shoe Store

John Gotti’s Ravenite Social Club is now a shoe store.

There is no better place to conclude a Mafia walking tour of Little Italy than the Ravenite Social Club at 247 Mulberry. Buried in the heart of historic little Italy, the once bricked up, fortified storefront encapsulated the entire history of the mafia in New York. The club started life as a mob joint in 1926 as the Knights of Alto Social Club. Regular patrons included Lucky Luciano and Albert Anastasia. After Carlo Gambino and Vito Genovese toppled Anastasia, Gambino purchased the building, renamed the club the Ravenite, and installed Dellacroce his underboss.

Housed within the wall’s of today’s CYDQOG Shoe Store (the Ravenite’s original floors remain in the store), Dellacroce would take an up-and-coming hoodlum named John Gotti under his wing. After years of underworld dealings, Dellacroce was terminally ill and on trial for being a member of the Mafia Commission.

After the death of Dellacroce, John Gotti rubbed out family boss Paul Castalano, took over the Ravenite and installed himself as boss of the Gambino Family. FBI electronics wizards eventually bugged the club and recorded hours of incriminating evidence. Gotti was convicted in 1992 of murder, illegal gambling, bribery, tax evasion and a host of other crimes. Federal Marshals later seized the building and auctioned it off to the highest bidder. Click to read a longer post on the Ravenite Social Club .

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Posted in Five Families , Gambino Crime Family , Genovese Crime Family , Irish Mob , Italian Squad , Joe The Boss Masseria , Joseph Petrosino , Little Italy , Lucchese Crime Family , Lucky Luciano , Mafia , NYPD , Prohibition , Tammany Hall , Uncategorized | Tagged Albert Marinelli , Ciro Terranova , Clutch Hand Morello , Gambino Crime Family , Genovese Crime Family , Giovanni DeSalvio , Giuseppe Morello , Irish Mob , James Pulmeri , Jimmy Doyle , Jimmy Kelly , John Gotti , Johnny Dio , Joseph Petrosino , Lieutenant Joe Petrosino Square , Lucchese Crime Family , Lucky Luciano , Lupo the Wolf , Mafia , Mafia Social Clubs , Mafia Tour , Salvatore “Toto” D’Aquila , Salvatore Luciana , The Barrel Murder | 4 Comments

4 Responses

Great stuff i read the valachi book in the 70’s and what i liked was it or he gave locations and circumstances of the killings power struggles of the organixations really good

Thanks, I used the Valachi book and testimony to find many of the buildings.

The Ravenite was never the Alto Knights Social Club as many report. The Alto Knights was a Genovese club located on the corner of Kenmare and Mulberry.

Ravenite was never named the Alto Knights. Those are two different clubs. Latter was two blocks south at Kenmare.

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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.

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NYC’s Little Italy, Gangs and Crime Private Walking Tour

Experience the suspense and thrill in Little Italy! Discover the dark secrets of New York’s mafia and gangs. See highlights such as Mare Chiaro, ‘Bootleggers Corner’, and old Police Headquarters. Immerse yourself in the history of American crime.

• Explore Little Italy with a 5-Stars Private Guide
• See sites connected to the most powerful gangs of New York City
• Familiarize yourself with the names of famous mafia members, gangsters and mob
• Learn about the Prohibition era and gang related crimes
• Get tips on the best local restaurants, clubs and bars

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• Private Tour Exclusive only for you
• Just buy and we instantly organize Your booking ensure the tour is already fully organized, just come and enjoy!
• Live Guide English, German, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish
• Walking tour

​​Join our exclusive Little Italy Tour to discover the dark secrets of New York City. Explore the neighborhood that was once the playground of all things gang and mob related. Learn about the origins, history and culture of NYC’s mafia!

The 2-hour tour covers the highlights of Little Italy, an ethnic neighborhood that attracted mass immigration from Italy during the 1880s. You will see the famous “Little Italy” sign and enter the area full of Italian restaurants, bars and takeaways. Your Private Guide will take you on a journey through the violent history of the Italian Mafia who operated here in the 20th century, inspiring many Hollywood movies. On the Mulberry Street you will see the site where ‘Crazy’ Joey Gallo was shot dead in plain sight, the former Andrea Doria Social Club with links to John Gotti, and the iconic Mare Chiaro bar, which was featured in the Sopranos TV series and movies such as Donny Brasco and The Godfather III.

There will be stops at the ‘Bootleggers Corner’, where original gangsters made their fortune selling alcohol illegally during the Prohibition, at the former Police Headquarters and at the Old Police Headquarters Precinct – the “America’s Scotland Yard”. You will also see the Ravenite Social Club, which was a popular mob hangout and acted as the HQ for the Gambino family, and the HQ for the Morello family at the Prince Street. At the site of the Rivington Street Shout-Out you will also learn about the infamous Five Points Gang and their gun battle with 500 police officers at the scenes. The walking tour will end at the attempted assassination site of Joe “The Boss” Masseria.

• Private Walking Tour of New York City’s Little Italy
• 5-Stars Guide with Official NYC License speaking fluently in your chosen language
• A special itinerary focused on the places and events related to crime, mafia and mob
• Lots of information about the neighborhood, its history and famous personalities
• Tips on the best local restaurants, clubs and bars

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• Please check your email the day before the tour to receive important information

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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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New York Mafia Tour

This New York mafia tour focuses on the 5 mafia crime families of New York City and takes you through the heart of Little Italy to the East Village and includes three stops in Midtown.

You will go to the former headquarters of the biggest crime families to the exact spot where men were shot down in cold blood.  

• Self-Guided Tour
• Guided Tours
• Free Tours by Foot
• Guide to Little Italy
• Other Things to Do in NYC

THE NEW YORK GANGSTER TOUR

Be sure to check out our full list of self-guided tours of NYC .

Groupon has many guided mafia tours at concessionary prices .

Fans of the Sopranos might want to check out the On Location Tours Sopranos sites  bus tour .

If you are considering purchasing a tourist concession pass while in NYC, then keep in mind that the Sopranos Tour is included for free with most.  

This is an interactive map. Simply move around with your mouse.

You can also click  here  for a printable PDF of this tour. 

(A) Hit on Joey Gallo

129 Mulberry St. 

It was here, on April 7, 1972, that ‘Crazy’ Joey Gallo was shot dead in plain sight.

At the time, the restaurant was Umberto’s Clam House, now located around the corner.

Gallo was out celebrating his 43rd birthday with his new bride, her daughter, and a small group of family and friends.

At 5:10 am, four members of the Columbo crime family came in the side door where Gallo’s group was seated.

One of the assassins shot Gallo three times at close range.

Somehow, Gallo managed to get up and stagger out the door onto Hester Street. He got as far as his Cadillac, where he collapsed and died in a pool of blood.

Why did “Crazy’ Joey Gallo have to go?

Earlier that week, Gallo had ‘sponsored’ a break-in at Ferrara’s Pastries nearby on Grand Street.

The robbers grabbed $55,000 and “Crazy” Joe had signaled to the Five Families that, after a 9-year prison stint, he was back in town and someone to be reckoned with.

But the Columbo family had an association with the Ferrara business and they didn’t take the Gallo robbery lightly.

They took revenge when they gunned Gallo down. Later that week, the two robbers were also assassinated.

(B) Former Andrea Doria Social Club

140 Mulberry St.  

On May 20th, 1985, John Gotti, the Don and (boss) of the Gambino crime family, stopped by this cigar shop for one last smoke before turning himself in to the Feds that afternoon.

Gotti is one of the most infamous mobsters, whose ability to dodge criminal charges, including three high-profile trials that ended with an acquittal, earned him the name of “The Teflon Don” – nothing would stick to him.

It wasn’t until 1992 that Gotti was convicted of five murders, conspiracy to commit murder, racketeering, obstruction of justice, illegal gambling, extortion, tax evasion, and loansharking.

He was sentenced to life in prison without parole. He served only 10 years of that sentence because he died in prison of throat cancer in 2002.  

Salvatore Briguglio, a New Jersey Teamsters official is gunned down at this social club in 1978.

(C) Mulberry Street Bar

176 Mulberry St.

Take a peek into the windows of the café style bar that opened in 1908 as Mare Chiaro .  

It may look familiar to you if you are a Sopranos TV series fan.

The red-and-white tiled back room was the scene of dozens of Soprano ‘family’ meetings.

It was also the setting for the scene where Johnny Depp meets Al Pacino in Donny Brasco and has been featured in The Pope of Greenwich Village , The Godfather III, and Law & Order .

(D) ‘Bootleggers Corner’

corner of Kenmare and Mulberry Street

From 1920 to 1933, America was in a period of alcohol lockdown called Prohibition.

The government had made it illegal to sell, produce, import, or transport alcohol, but plenty of people worked their way around it.

This corner was unofficially known as the "Curb Exchange," a market that sold alcohol illegally.

Some of the most famous original gangsters made their fortune and rose to power during Prohibition, guys like Joey "the Boss" Masseria, ‘Lucky’ Luciano, Frank Costello, Vito Genovese, and Thomas Lucchese, all of whom are depicted in the hit TV series Boardwalk Empire.

(F) Former Police Headquarters

240 Centre St.

From 1909 to 1973, this formidable building served as the New York City Police headquarters.

Built in what was then Little Italy, the size and design of the building were meant to intimidate the local criminals.

Ironically, according to popular folklore, during Prohibition, some police officers built a tunnel under Centre Street that led to nearby O’Neill’s tavern where they could grab an illegal drink!

In 1973, the New York Police Department relocated its headquarters to 1 Police Plaza in Lower Manhattan.

(E) Old Police Headquarters Precinct

300 Mulberry St.

From 1862-1909, before the massive HQ on Centre Street was built, this non-descript five-story apartment building was “America’s Scotland Yard” as the New York Times referred to it back then.

Criminal and gang activity was rampant during these years and the police force dedicated many resources to curbing the violence throughout the city.

One whole room in this building, called the “Rogue’s Gallery” was dedicated to a collection of 7,000 photographs of the city’s criminals to be used when hunting down suspects.

(G) The Ravenite Social Club

247 Mulberry St.

As far back as 1926, this club had been the site of mob meetings. In the 1970s and 1980s, the club was used as the HQ for the Gambino family.

John Gotti used an apartment on the 3rd floor to meet with members of the family.

Starting in 1990, the FBI was able to successfully install wiretaps inside the apartment and used the recordings to nab Gotti as well as Gambino family underboss Sammy ‘the Bull’ Gravano.

Gravano turned on Gotti before trial and become an informer in exchange for getting a “Don’t go to jail” card for the 19 murders he had committed.

Gravano’s testimony against his former friend was instrumental in Gotti’s conviction.

The judge sentenced Gotti to life without parole. This time Gotti’s Teflon coating didn’t work.

(H) Prince Street between the Bowery and Elizabeth Street

Mulberry Street didn’t see all the mobster action.

In the late 1890s, Prince Street had many Italian-American members-only ‘social clubs’, including 8 Prince Street, the HQ for the Morello family, considered to be the first Mafia family of New York.

Prince Street was just one location from which Giuseppe Morello and his partner in crime Ignazio Lupo discussed ‘business’ matters including their massive counterfeiting scheme and their later extortion racket.

Lupo opened large wholesale sale groceries including one on Prince Street.

He and the Morello crew forced smaller local shops to purchase their goods only from them. If they didn’t, they might find their small shop burnt to the ground.

The extortion became so threatening and widespread that the Morello/Lupo crew became known around town as “The Black Hand.”

This phrase was used throughout the U.S. for any extortion racket, whose main means of delivering their threats were through menacing notes with images relating to “the Black Hand”, a symbol of deadly practices carried on in the ‘old world’, Sicily and Italy.

After police crackdowns and rival gang warfare caused the original Morello family to all but disappear from the Mafia scene, Joe “the boss” Masseria took control until ‘Lucky’ Luciano made his power grab in 1931.

By 1957, the Morello family leadership was passed to Vito Genovese, and the family became known as the Genovese family, one of the Five Families.

(I) Rivington Street Shoot-Out

Pre-mafia days, New York City had plenty of other gangs to keep police busy.

In 1901, the Eastmans, led by Monk Eastman, and the Five Points Gang, led by Paul Kelly (born Paulo Vaccerelli) became embroiled in a territorial dispute.

In 1903, some Five Points Gang members held up one of Eastman’s gambling halls. Eastman’s men opened fire and killed one of the Five Pointers.

Word got out that a Five Pointer had been shot down, so Kelly and an army of gunmen rushed to the scene. Eastman reinforcements showed up and a gun battle broke out.

Police arrived on the scene by the hundreds and the mayhem lasted more than an hour. It ended when the gangsters ran out of ammunition and scattered.

It’s estimated that there were about 100 gangsters and 500 police officers at the scene. Amazingly only 3 people died and 7 were injured.

(J) Attempted assassination site of Joe Masseria

This is the site of a failed assassination attempt on Joe “The Boss” Masseria, who came to the States in 1907 and quickly fell in with the Morello crime family.

By 1916, with most of the Morello gang members dead or locked up, Masseria teamed up with Paul Morello to run what was one of the most powerful mafia families in the first quarter of the 20th century.  

Under Masseria’s command were such famous mob men as “Lucky” Luciano, Frank Costello, Albert Anastasia, Joe Adonis, Vito Genovese, Meyer Lansky, and Bugsy Siegel.

Masseria was not without enemies and more than one attempt was made on his life.

On August 8, 1922, he was walking out of his apartment at 82 2nd Avenue when two gunmen fired multiple rounds at him. Masseria ducked into a nearby store. When the gunmen ran out of ammunition, they took off in a speeding car.

The police found Masseria alive in his apartment holding his hat that had two bullet holes in it. From then on, Masseria was described as “the man who can dodge bullets.”

(N) Umberto Valenti hit at John’s Restaurant

302 E. 12th St.

This well-regarded restaurant opened in 1908. It’s where Umberto Rocco Valenti, believed to be behind the attempts on Masseria’s life, was murdered in on August 11, 1922.

Three days after the botched hit, Masseria called Valenti to a “peace meeting” at John’s Restaurant.

When Valenti arrived with his two gunmen, a handful of Masseria's gunmen opened fire on Valenti and his men. All three were killed and an 8-year-old girl and a street sweeper nearby were injured.

“Lucky” Luciano was among Masseria’s gunmen. Ironically, it would be Luciano who would turn his gun on his boss when he murdered Masseria in 1931.  

(K) Former Palm Casino

85 E.4th St.

This site, now the KGB Bar, was the home of the Palm Casino, a speakeasy owned by “Lucky Luciano” during the Prohibition era.

(L) Lucky Luciano’s Childhood Home

265 E. 10th  St.

A young Salvatore (“Charlie”) Luciano emigrated from Sicily in 1906.

He began his life of crime at an early age and grew up to be the first boss of what became the Genovese family.

Luciano was nicknamed “Lucky” after surviving a near-fatal stabbing.

Luciano was closely involved in creating the Five Families “commission”.

The Commission divided up New York City territories among the big five rival crime families so they would stop the bloody fighting amongst themselves and get on with the business of making money.

Charlie “Lucky” Luciano

(M) DeRoberti’s Pastries

176 1st Ave.

This Italian pastry shop, which opened in 1904, was considered a relatively safe hangout for the mafia throughout the decades.

Luciano often hung out there in the 1920′s, holding meetings in the back room with fellow mobster Meyer Lansky. Members of the Genovese and Gambino crews also met here.

DeRoberti’s maintains its traditional décor and a stop in here to snack on a delicious ricotta sweet cheese-filled cannoli takes you back to another time.

It’s no wonder that actor Vincent Piazza, who plays Luciano on Boardwalk Empire spent time in DeRoberti’s as research for his role.

(O) Former Triangle Social Club

208 Sullivan St.

Now a spice shop, this building formerly housed official “Triangle Civic Improvement Association.”  But really what was going on inside were meetings of the Genovese crime family.

For decades, the Genovese boss was Vincent ‘The Chin’ Gigante, who could be seen shuffling around the streets of the Village in his bathrobe and slippers.

His behavior earned him the nickname of the “Oddfather” by the media and press. By faking mental illness, the ‘Chin’ avoided prison for years.

Who would believe that someone so crazy could be running a multi-million dollar crime syndicate?

The Feds didn’t buy it and the “Chin” lost his fight to stay out of prison in July 1997 when the Feds succeeded in getting a conviction against him on a racketeering charge.

Years later, in 2003, Gigante pleaded guilty to an obstruction of justice charge, admitting that he had been faking his mental illness for nearly a quarter-century. He died in prison in 2005.

(P) Castellano Murder at Sparks Steakhouse

210 East 46th St.

This restaurant was the site of one of the most widely known New York mafia hits.

On December 16, 1985, Gambino crime family boss Paul Castellano, along with his aide Thomas Bilotti, was entering this popular Midtown steakhouse when they were shot down in broad daylight by four assassins dressed in white trench coats and Russian fur hats.

The murders received enormous press coverage with local papers publishing graphic photos of the victims taken by a news photographer that just happened to be near Sparks moments after the murders took place.

Also near Sparks, sitting calmly in a car with tinted windows, were Sammy “the Bull” Gravano and his boss John Gotti. Gotti had arranged the hit on Castellano who was then Gotti’s boss.

After years as an underboss in the Gambino family, Gotti took advantage of mounting ‘family problems’ to take out Castellano and take over the Gambino operation.

Chillingly, immediately after the two murders happened, Gotti and Gravano drove slowly by Sparks to make sure the victims were dead.

Double homicide at Sparks

(Q) Albert Anastasia Murder at the Park Central Hotel

56th St and 7th Ave.

Perhaps the most intriguing mafia hits New York City, is the 1957 murder of Albert Anastasia, head of Murder Inc.

Umberto Anastasia arrived in America in 1917 and changed his name to Albert.

Anastasia became known as a ruthless and brutal criminal when he and his brother took control of the Brooklyn waterfront. Anastasia was known to have a very short temper that could quickly become violent.

At the age of 20, he became angry with a fellow longshoreman and strangled and stabbed him to death. Anastasia was dubbed the “Mad Hatter”.

With such a glowing reputation, Lucky Luciano brought Anastasia into the Morello family and used Anastasia to wrest control of the family from his boss Joe Masseria.

Anastasia was among the shooters who murdered Masseria at Luciano’s order in 1931.  

Anastasia went on to become the boss of the Mangano family (later known as the Gambino family) from 1951 until 1957.

He was also one of the leaders of Murder Inc., created by the Commission to ensure that all Five Family members stayed in line.

If the Commission voted to take out a member of any of the Five Families, it was Anastasia who would ensure the hit was carried out.

Eventually, Anastasia wanted a more powerful role within the Five Families and a power struggle began between boss Vincent Mangano.

When Mangano disappeared without a trace, Anastasia was elevated to the head of the crime family and his underboss was a young Carlo Gambino.  

The head of the Genovese family, Vito, was outraged that Anastasia, and not himself, was put in charge of the Mangano family.

Genovese plotted to get rid of Anastasia and was able to convince the heads of the other families that Anastasia had to go.

Anastasia was aware that his power – and his life - were in danger.

Here’s a newsreel clip of Anastasia keeping a low profile , presumably hiding from his enemies from the other families.

When he did come out of hiding, he went back to his regular daily routine including a morning shave at the barbershop at the Park Sheraton (now Central) hotel.

On October 25, 1957, in the middle of his shave, two men wearing fedoras, sunglasses, and overcoats, walked into the barbershop and fired a barrage of bullets at Anastasia who died in the barber chair.  

Nobody was ever arrested for the murder of Albert Anastasia.

It was rumored for years that the “Crazy” Joey Gallo and his brother Larry since Joey Gallo referred to himself as a member of the “Barbershop Quintet."  

The barbershop is now a Starbucks. When ordering your cappuccino don’t ask for an extra shot – of espresso, that is.

Albert Anastasia, before and after

(R) Joe Colombo Assassination

59th St. and Broadway

On June 28, 1971, Colombo family boss Joe Colombo was gunned down during the Italian-American Unity Day rally at Columbus Circle.

At the time a violent struggle for control of the Profaci-Colombo crime family was in full swing.

Although hundreds of people witnessed the shooting, no one was ever caught. Some say that “Crazy” Joey Gallo was behind the shooting.

A year after Columbo’s murder, ‘Crazy’ Joey Gallo was shot dead by Columbo family members at Umberto’s Clam House, the first stop on this tour.

And this brings us back full circle to the story of the mobsters of New York City.

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Best Mafia Tours in Palermo

Palermo is the city in Sicily where the Cosa Nostra was born and its surroundings were chosen as locations to film some scenes of The Godfather. If you are a fan of gangster history, here I tell you which are the best mafia tours.

Matías Rodríguez

10 min read

Puerta verde y pared amarilla |©Dan Masa

Palermo is the capital of Sicily, has some of the most representative architectural works of southern Italy and is an example of coexistence of different Norman, Byzantine and Romanesque styles, but it is also the city where the Cosa Nostra emerged and where the mafia has moved at ease, especially during the first half of the twentieth century.

Among the best things to see and do in Palermo to follow the ways of the mafia you can take a guided walk through the city to discover the origins of gangsterism, you can visit the Mercado del Capo, where a medieval lodge founded the Cosa Nostra criminal organization, tour Corleone to find the locations of The Godfather and visit Portella della Ginestra to relive the famous massacre.

1. Take a guided walk along the paths of the Mafia in Palermo

A guided walk through the city to learn about the ways of the Mafia is the most comprehensive of excursions to learn about the Cosa Nostra in Palermo, which is the founding city of the criminal organization in Sicily. In these tours you can visit Piazza Giuseppe Verdi, which is the epicenter of the capital, the Mercado del Capo, where the Italian gangsterism was born and also Piazza della Memoria.

During these excursions you can also learn about the links between politics and the Mafia in Sicily and about the influence of the Cosa Nostra on the resistance and separatist movements during the Second World War and the post-war period. Usually during these excursions you will also visit the picturesque Cathedral and the Town Hall.

In addition, if you are a fan of The Godfather trilogy you will be able to tour the corners of the Sicilian capital that were used as filming locations, such as the Teatro Massimo, where the final scene of the third film was shot, and the Palermo Monastery, where Michael Corleone meets the Pope.

Note also that Mafia-themed excursions are also a fun alternative to get to know the main sites of Palermo's historic center in a guided and fun tour, especially if you are interested in the Mafia theme.

Interesting details

• Price of these tours ... They have a starting cost of approximately €32 per person. Children between 10 and 17 years old pay 16 euros.
• Duration of these excursions ... Approximately 3 hours.
• Advantages of these excursions ... It is an ideal excursion to get to know the main points of the city in an alternative way.
• Disadvantages of these excursions ... They are usually walking tours throughout the tour, so on hot days they can become very tiring.

Book a mafia tour of Palermo

2. Take a tour of Corleone and Portella della Ginestra

Corleone is not only the surname of the protagonist family of The Godfather trilogy, but also an ancient Sicilian village where there are plenty of real-life examples of Mafia bosses who were born there. On these half-day excursions you can walk the roads of Corleone, see some of the movie locations and visit the Mafia Museum, which is noted for containing Sicily's gangster archives.

In Corleone you will also have time to have lunch, enjoy the Sicilian gastronomy and also taste the wines of the town's wineries, in restaurants that have nothing to envy to those that are usually included in the best gastronomic tours of Palermo . After lunch, the tour will continue to Portella della Ginestra.

Portella della Ginestra is a small spot located between the villages of San Giuseppe Jato and Piana degli Albanesi and is a site made famous by the bandit Salvatore Giuliano, a post-war Sicilian gangster and trafficker who led the island's separatist movements for many years and who provoked the massacre that ended with 11 dead during the summer celebrations of May 1, 1947 . During the visit you will be able to visit the memorial that remembers the victims.

Details of interest

• Price of these tours ... They have an initial cost of approximately 75 euros per person. The final price is modified based on the number of visitors and includes round trip transfers and the assistance of an expert local guide.
• Duration of these excursions ... Approximately 5 to 6 hours.
• Advantages of these excursions ... You will be able to visit some of the most famous villages in Sicily.
• Disadvantages of these excursions ... The tour has a very hectic pace, not recommended for older adults and small children.

3. Take an anti-mafia tour to discover the culture that fights the Cosa Nostra in Palermo

Just as there are as many excursions that try to show the history of the Mafia and the relations of the Cosa Nostra with Palermo and the island of Sicily, there are also other anti-mafia tours, which want to promote the culture that fights gangsterism in the Sicilian capital and also to defend the memory of those who died fighting the Mafia bosses.

These excursions are included among the best tours of Palermo, as they not only review the main sites of the city that are related to the mafia but also the monuments of those who sacrificed their lives in the attempt to restore a culture of legality in Palermo, such as Judge Giovanni Falcone, who was killed by the Cosa Nostra in an assassination attempt.

These tours are usually led by a guide who belongs to an anti-mafia organization, so he or she will be able to give you first-hand information on the measures taken by these associations to help eradicate gangsterism in the Sicilian capital. On these tours, you can also stop for lunch in the Piazza della Memoria area, which is located between the old and the new Palermo Courthouse.

The anti-mafia tours have an approximate duration of 3 hours, so they are compatible with a short visit to the city. If that is your case, here is a list of activities you can do to discover Palermo in 3 days .

• Price of these excursions ... They have an approximate initial cost of 31 euros per person, including the assistance of an expert local guide.
• Advantages of these excursions ... You will be able to do an alternative excursion with a mafia theme.
• Disadvantages of these excursions... They usually do not visit the Mercado del Capo, which is one of the most important markets in Palermo.

4. Tour the mafia grounds in Bagli de Ciaculli on a bike tour.

If you want to combine a cycling activity with a mafia tour in Palermo then you can opt for these excursions, which consist of a ride from the historic center of the Sicilian capital to Bagli de Ciaculli, a peasant village where you can discover Norman and Islamic Arab buildings and also go over mafia stories, such as that of the Ciaculli Massacre.

This massacre consisted of a car bomb that in 1963 exploded in Ciaculli and killed 7 policemen and military, in an attack that was promoted by the mafia boss Pietro Torretta. This massacre did not go unnoticed by the national government, but was the beginning of the first war against the Mafia, making it a central destination in the history of the Cosa Nostra.

This excursion is one of the best activities to do from Palermo, the best activities to do from Palermo , as you can make a bike tour of more than 30 kilometers between the round trip and also visit one of the representative sites in the fight with the Sicilian gangsterism.

• Price of these excursions ... They have an approximate initial cost of 39 euros per person, including the assistance of an expert local guide.
• Duration of these excursions ... Approximately 4 hours.
• Advantages of these excursions ... It is the best activity to combine the sport activity by bike and a mafia tour in Palermo.
• Disadvantages of these excursions ... It is a physically demanding excursion, so it is not recommended for the summer, because of the heat.

Book a mafia tour in Palermo

5. Take an excursion to the Mercado del Capo to learn about the origins of the Cosa Nostra

If you plan to visit Palermo at Christmas you will see that the Christmas markets are big protagonists of the city, especially the one located in the Mercado del Capo and becomes thematic during December, but these markets are open all year round and some keep a very striking history in their past.

The Mercado del Capo, which is one of the four most important in the city, hides many of the secrets of the Sicilian Mafia, as it is believed that it was in its subway paths, which are now closed, where the Cosa Nostra originated through the criminal activities of a medieval sect that was known as the Beati Paoli . In these you can take a guided tour through the alleys of the market to discover its myths.

These tours, moreover, are usually short and last about 2 hours, so they are ideal if you plan to continue touring the city afterwards, because the Mercado del Capo is located in the central area of the city, very close to the Cathedral of Palermo, the Town Hall, Piazza della Memoria and Piazza Giuseppe Verdi, which is the epicenter of most of the city's activities.

• Price of these excursions ... They have an approximate initial cost of €18 per person, including the assistance of an expert local guide.
• Duration of these tours ... Approximately 2 hours.
• Advantages of these excursions ... You will get to know in a short visit one of the foundational sites of the Cosa Nostra in Palermo.
• Disadvantages of these excursions ... Although the Mercado del Capo is very important in the local history of the Mafia, it is not the central site of the Cosa Nostra in Palermo, so it may be incomplete.

6. Take a night tour of Palermo's mysteries and secrets

One of the best alternatives to be part of the atmosphere of the city on a mafia tour is to take a night tour of the places that hide the mysteries and secrets of Palermo. On these excursions you can visit the Mercado del Capo, which is considered the foundational space of the Cosa Nostra in the Middle Ages, Piazza della Memoria, the Town Hall, Piazza Giuseppe Verdi and the Cathedral, which witnessed the links between the Church and the Mafia bosses.

In addition, on these tours you can also visit the No Mafia Memorial, which is one of the best museums in Palermo and is dedicated to honoring the victims who died fighting the Cosa Nostra in Sicily. During the tour in the Mercado del Capo you can also make a stop to buy food and drinks during the tour.

These tours are on foot, last approximately 2 hours and are also useful to see the main sites by night and to enjoy the architecture and lighting of the Sicilian capital.

Please note that while these tours are available all year round, if you plan to visit Palermo in winter I recommend that you take even a light coat with you, as the temperature tends to drop substantially during the night.

• Price of these excursions ... They have an approximate initial cost of 24 euros per person, including the assistance of an expert local guide.
• Duration of these excursions ... Approximately 2 hours.
• Advantages of these excursions ... It is the best night alternative among the mafia tours.
• Disadvantages of these excursions ... The stop to buy food and drinks may be too short.

How to book a mafia tour in Palermo?

You can either buy the tours in advance online or book the tours once you are in the city, although if you plan to visit Palermo in August or during the summer months the best option is to buy before your visit, to secure your place on the tours and also to avoid last minute price increases .

In addition, some tourist service providers offer discounts for online bookings and having the tours programmed before your visit will allow you to organize an itinerary to get to know the city.

What will I see on this type of tour?

The answer will depend on the tour you choose, but if you are interested in the mafia theme you will be able to see the main sites in and around Palermo where the Cosa Nostra originated and developed and you will also learn about the protagonists of the fight against gangsterism, terrotism, trafficking and crime in the city.

It is also a good alternative to get to know the city from a different approach, although most of the excursions tour the main sites of the Sicilian capital.

Tips for a mafia tour in Palermo

If you are planning to visit Palermo in summer, which is the high season time of the city, I recommend you to book your tours in advance to avoid crowds, sold out spaces and tour price increases at the last minute.

Also, if you plan to visit Palermo with children , I advise you to opt for shorter excursions or those that require less physical exertion, to avoid the kids getting bored and not being able to enjoy the attractions.

Why is it advisable to take a mafia tour in Palermo?

If you are a fan of the mafia theme you can't miss these excursions, as Palermo is not only intimately related to the Cosa Nostra and is part of its history but also proposes very well accomplished tours to approach the theme .

Mafia tours are also excellent opportunities to get to know important and peripheral sites of Palermo such as Corleone and Portella della Ginestra, which would otherwise be difficult to see on your own.

The Best Travel Guide to Palermo

• Best Day Trips from Palermo
• Palermo in 1 Day: all you need to know
• 10 Things to Do in Palermo in Winter
• Palermo Hop on Hop off Bus Tours
• 10 Things to Do in Palermo in Summer
• Palermo in 3 Days: a guidebook for getting the most out of your visit
• 10 Things to Do in Palermo in February
• Best museums in Palermo
• Best Food Tours of Palermo
• 10 Things to do in Palermo with Kids
• Best Things to Do in Palermo
• Palermo in 4 Days: a guidebook for getting the most out of your visit

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Five amazing secrets of Little Italy, NYC

Put your knowledge of Little Italy to the test, and see if you know these neighborhood secrets

You can live in New York for years and still not know everything about its vibrant neighborhoods. Sure, we know the best  New York attractions , the  best parks  and our favorite restaurants, but the city is still full of surprises. That's why we love it.

The once-Italian enclave stretched from Canal to Houston Streets, between Lafayette Street and the Bowery, as immigrants from Naples and Sicily flooded the area in the 1880s. Now, it's mostly on the blocks surrounding Mulberry Street, where some of the trendiest  clothing stores  and the  best bars in NYC  are located, but what's left is still going strong. 

Below, we're spilling six Little Italy   secrets so you can examine some lesser-known aspects of this historic and thriving Brooklyn enclave.

RECOMMENDED: Little Italy, NYC neighborhood guide

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Secrets of Little Italy

It's home to Saint Patrick’s Old Cathedral

Built between 1809 and 1815, Saint Patrick’s Old Cathedral was the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York until the current Saint Patrick's Cathedral opened in 1879.

When it was built, it was the largest in the city and still has the original 1868 pipe organ that was originally operated without any electricity. In 2004,  the Organ Historical Society designated it as an instrument of "exceptional historical merit, worthy of preservation," which is the organ equivalent of national landmark status. It's still in use today.

The church has also appeared in multiple films, including  The Godfather and  The Godfather Part III as well as Mean Streets .

It was declared a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI on Saint Patrick's Day, March 17, 2010.

It's where the Old Police Headquarters were located

240 Centre Street, a huge Beaux Arts-style building that now houses condos, used to be the New York City Police headquarters from 1909 to 1973.

The building, when it was used as the NYPD's HQ,  included a gymnasium, a circular radio room, and two basement levels, one with more than 30 6-by-10-foot steel mesh cells with snap-up bunks attached to the walls, according to The New York Times.

There's also rumors of a secret tunnel that used to run underground to a tavern, which now Onieal's Grand Street Restaurant, but there's no physical evidence left.

Condos inside the building go for as much as $18 million nowadays.

Lombardi's was the first pizzeria

Lombardi's is said to be the very first pizzeria in the U.S. and still boasts one of the best pies in NYC. 

Gennario Lombardi opened his grocery shop in 1905 and used techniques from Naples to create tomato pies that he wrapped in paper and tied up with a string. Workers would eat them for lunch at their factories.

It still offers the same beautiful, smoky-crusted coal oven-baked pizza to this day.

It's dark mafia history can still be found

Organized crime in Little Italy was a reality in the 20th century with several big operators who used the neighborhood as their headquarters, including John Gotti, Ignazio "The Wolf" Lupo, Peter DeFeo and Matty the Horse Ianniello, among others.

A lot of the bars and restaurants where these crime bosses hung out are no longer around, but Umberto's Clam House is. Some dark tourists seek it out since it was the scene of one of the most infamous Mafia murders in NYC. Here, Joe Gallo was shot five times in the back of the restaurant and stumbled out to the street, where he died.

While there's nothing glamorous about its gritty history, Little Italy is the setting of the Corleone crime family The Godfather, the  1973 Martin Scorsese film Mean Streets , and the 1994 Luc Besson film Léon, The Professional.

Little Italy is full of street art

Little Italy Street Art Project brings  a diverse group of artists together to create incredibly vivid murals across the neighborhood (and the city). Spending some time around the neighborhood, especially on Mulberry Street, you'll spot a mosaic-like portrait of Audrey Hepburn among other eye-popping creations.

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The Feast of San Gennaro 2023 guide

Out-of-towners and locals get psyched for the annual Feast of San Gennaro, and for good reason: the event includes the best spots in Little Italy . Eat at some of the best Italian restaurants in the city, watch colorful parades, catch free concerts and of course, see the world-famous cannoli eating competition. 

RECOMMENDED:  Full guide to the best NYC events in September

What is the Feast of San Gennaro?

Although the Feast of San Gennaro is a celebration of faith (folks tip their hats to the Patron Saint of Naples, Italy) the festive atmosphere, delicious food and colorful processions are what it’s known for. For 11 days, Little Italy is transformed into a red, white and green bash with special guests, live music and a cannoli eating contest.

When is the Feast of San Gennaro?

The Feast of San Gennaro 2020 is canceled. The feast usually runs for 11 days in September.

But instead, while the official San Gennaro feast is canceled along with all festivals and fairs in New York,  Gelso & Grand is throwing a San Gennaro-inspired feast in Little Italy this year. The pop-up roster is stacked with some of NYC’s favorite Italian restaurants, including Don Angie’s lasagna, Di Fara’s pizza slices, Regina Grocery’s arancini, Belle’s Cafe’s rainbow cookies and Morgenstern's spumoni ice cream.

Where is the Feast of San Gennaro?

The Feast of San Gennaro is located along Mulberry Street between Canal and Houston Streets. The festival stage is located on the corner of Grand and Motts Sts and features live entertainment starting at 7:30pm each night.

What is the cannoli-eating contest?

Brave contestants square off with mountains of cannolis from Ferrara Bakery.

In depth on the Feast of San Gennaro:

Every September since 1926, in honor of the patron saint of Naples, the air in Little Italy becomes thick with the scents of smoky sausage-and-pepper sandos and fried dough. More than a million people come to stroll the strip of vendors, enjoying Italia in the form of crispy cannoli and zeppole. After almost a century of practice, the feast’s merrymakers know how to party with food in hand.

Baccalà dons the sash

You can’t have a festival without a parade—and the Grand Procession is one heck of a parade. Grand Marshal Steve Schirripa ( The Sopranos , Blue Bloods ) will lead the festivities, which feature marching bands, floats, revelers and, most significantly, the statue of San Gennaro.

Pilgrimage home

As Little Italy has grown littler and less Italy-er, many Italian-American families have moved away from the neighborhood, but they still consider this fest a homecoming: You can always expect a massive showing of dedicated Staten Islanders returning to Manhattan to enjoy the provisions and work the stands with élan.

The most important question is also tricky to answer: Which vendor deserves the first bite? Lucy’s Palace, one of the most popular stalls, crafts worth-the-wait sausage-and-pepper sandwiches. Serving cheesy and meat-filled Italian egg rolls, Roll Up is not afraid of deep-frying its delights until super crispy. Alleva Dairy, the oldest cheese shop in the U.S., will provide eggplant, chicken and meatball parms for you to get your teeth around. Plus, swing by the cannoli king Caffé Palermo, which dishes out fried pastries and a unique almond-spun cheesecake cone.

Eat, for sport

Once you’re stuffed, why not marvel at some real pros as they shovel mountains of food down their throats? Swing by the inaugural Zeppole Eating Competition, sponsored by Danny on the Corner, as well as the fifth annual Meatball Eating Competition and the 22nd annual Cannoli Eating Competition, which takes place at Ferrara Bakery. If you fancy yourself a cannoli aficionado and still have room for a lot of dessert, that contest is open to the public.

The best restaurants to celebrate The Feast of San Gennaro

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At Little Italy's annual Feast of San Gennaro, take a bite of the world's biggest cannoli and eat some really great pasta

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Capaci No Mafia Tour, Italy

Highlights:

Retrace the years prior to the Capaci massacre

Experience those moments through the memories of a witness

Admire one of the most beautiful panoramas in the province of Palermo

Solidarity fee in support of the activities of the Addiopizzo Committee

Not included:

Admissions to unspecified museums and monuments

Transport to/from Capaci

Drinks and other extras

After meeting your guide at the meeting point, your Capaci tour will start from the dutiful memory of the 1992 massacre: the first stop is at the Garden of Memory, built on the site where the highway was ripped apart by the TNT and where some locals rushed spontaneously as soon as they heard the explosion. Among them, Antonio, who as a young photographer witnessed an event that changed his life forever. His words let us immediately enter a hot period in the history of Italy, and tell us a story that is still "alive". You will then move on to the famous Casina NO MAFIA: the climb between villas and uncultivated land, takes us along the mountain towards one of the most evocative panoramas in the province of Palermo. Such beauty counterbalances the story of the dynamics of the attack on May 23, 1992, in which judge Giovanni Falcone, his wife and three of the escort agents lost their lives. The facts narrated are intertwined with the still unsolved mysteries of a massacre of enormous complexity, carried out in ways never seen before in the previous Cosa Nostra attacks. At the foot of the Casina, the mafia commando prepared the attack and triggered the explosion with a remote control. And right here, following the massacre, a group of citizens from Capaci felt the need to send out a clear message: armed with ladders and paint, they wrote NO MAFIA in large letters on the wall, so that it was clear to all those who they traveled the highway that not all Sicilians are mafiosi. The return to the starting point gives us the opportunity to take a short tour of Capaci, among small restaurants and typical delicatessens, small gardens redeveloped and equipped for games and sports by local associations, the delightful Mother Church and various murals.

Free cancellation

Meeting point.