The Best Cooking Classes in Italy: Pasta, Pizza & Regional Classics
The best cooking classes in Italy, region by region: pasta in Bologna and Rome, pizza in Naples, Florence, Milan risotto, Turin agnolotti, the Amalfi Coast, Puglia and Sicily, and how to book.
The short version: the best cooking classes in Italy teach each region’s own dish: fresh egg pasta and ragù in Bologna, carbonara in Rome, pizza in Naples, pasta and gelato in Florence, risotto in Milan, agnolotti in Turin, orecchiette in Puglia and lemon-scented pasta on the Amalfi Coast. Most last three to four hours, many start with a market visit, and all end with lunch or dinner of what you made, with wine. Here is where to go.
Italy’s best cooking classes at a glance
| Where | What you cook | Read the guide |
|---|---|---|
| Bologna | Tagliatelle al ragù, tortellini | Bologna pasta classes |
| Rome | Carbonara, cacio e pepe, fettuccine, tiramisu | Rome cooking classes |
| Naples | Neapolitan pizza | Naples pizza classes |
| Florence | Fresh pasta, gelato, Tuscan classics | Florence cooking classes |
| Amalfi Coast | Pasta, mozzarella, lemon dishes | Amalfi Coast cooking classes |
| Milan | Risotto alla milanese, fresh pasta | Milan cooking classes |
| Turin | Agnolotti del plin, tajarin | Turin cooking classes |
| Sicily | Arancine, caponata, cannoli | Sicily cooking classes |
| Lake Como | Fresh pasta with a lake view | Lake Como cooking classes |
The cities
For pasta, Bologna is the benchmark: rolling sfoglia by hand is the city’s art. Rome classes teach the four Roman pastas (see the four Roman pastas explained), and Florence often adds gelato or tiramisu. Naples is the only place to learn pizza (read Neapolitan vs Roman pizza first). In the north, learn risotto in Milan and agnolotti in Turin; in Venice, try a Venice cooking class with a Rialto market visit.
The countryside and the coast
Some of the most memorable classes are outside the cities: in a Tuscan farmhouse (Tuscany cooking classes), in a Puglian masseria making orecchiette (Puglia cooking classes, or Lecce), with pesto in the Cinque Terre, or on a lemon terrace in Positano and Sorrento. In Sicily, try Palermo or Taormina.
On the lakes: compare cooking classes in Varenna and on Lake Como.
How to choose
Pick hands-on over demonstration, check the group size, and look for a market visit if you love shopping for ingredients. Morning classes usually end with lunch; evening classes feel like a dinner party. Most include wine and the recipes to take home.
Our pick: start in the pasta capital with the Bologna Pasta, Tagliatelle and Ragù Cooking Class with Wine, which teaches hand-rolled egg pasta and slow-cooked ragù, then sits you down for lunch.
Compare every city: the best food tours in Italy.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best place in Italy to take a cooking class?
Bologna for fresh pasta, Rome for the Roman pastas, Naples for pizza and Florence for a mix of pasta and gelato; the Tuscan and Puglian countryside for farmhouse classes.
How much does a cooking class in Italy cost?
Group classes typically cost 60 to 120 euros per person including the meal and wine; private and farmhouse classes cost more.
Do Italian cooking classes include wine?
Most do: you eat what you cook with a glass or two of local wine.
Book a cooking class in Italy
Compare cooking classes in Italy and the rest of Europe, or see our best cooking classes in Europe.
Recommended experiences to book
More guides
- Bologna Cooking Classes: Pasta Making with a Sfoglina
- Val d’Orcia Wine Tasting: Brunello, Vino Nobile & Pienza
- Prosecco vs Franciacorta vs Champagne: How They Differ and Which to Visit
- Orecchiette in Puglia: The Pasta, the Street in Bari, the Scandal and Where to Make Your Own
- What to Eat in Milan: Local Dishes, Where Locals Eat, Aperitivo & the Best Food Tours
