Eating in a tourist hotspot can often mean a huge bill at the end, but one man was left shocked when he finished his meal from Italian street vendors. Fernando Massana managed to score a lot of food for less than £5.
Fernando (@rockinkitchensicily) recently visited Palermo in Sicily. There, he went to a local market to see how much he could eat for just €1 (86p). In an Instagram clip, which garnered 3.8m views and over 382,000 likes, he revealed the huge feast he chowed down for €5 (£4.30). The 51-year-old began with a ball of fresh mozzarella, before picking up a sfincione, a type of focaccia-like pizza. He also grabbed a homemade arancini, which he washed down with freshly squeezed lemon juice. But there was even more. For dessert, Fernando opted for a stuffed-to-the-brim cannoli.
In the comments, people were shocked at the amount of food you could get for such a small price.
“For €1 in Denmark, you get to stand 10 metres outside a bakery and take one deep sniff,” someone joked. Another added: “For €1 in Dublin, you can light a candle and pray for food.”
A TikTok user pointed out that in London, it would be “£5+ per item,” rather than less than a fiver for the whole feast Fernando enjoyed. “The rest of Europe could never,” somebody else pointed out, highlighting how expensive things have become lately.
Fernando, who is from Catania, Sicily, notes that the spots he went to are very specific, and finding food for these cheap prices is rather rare.
He said: “It’s not a general thing to eat for €1. It’s easy to go to a tourist trap, especially in Ballarò market and Catania. Go with the flow.
“If you see pictures of the food everywhere, [it’s] not good. If you see guys pulling you into eating at that specific spot, be mindful.
“It’s not always bad, but possibly more expensive, and also even a tourist trap. It may still be a great meal, simply because Italian food in England [isn’t] as good.”
He said that if you walk a few minutes away from the tourist locations, that’s where the hidden gems can be found, saying you shouldn’t be “shy to ask how much something is before you order”.
Fernando added: “Menus with prices aren’t a thing at the markets. And also ask for local wine to save [money]. It will come in a jug, not a glass bottle, but it will be very good.”