Cinque Terre Cooking Classes
The class to take in the Cinque Terre is pesto: basil, pine nuts and Ligurian olive oil ground by hand in a marble mortar, tossed through trofie, often with a terrace over the sea in front of you. Classes also teach focaccia, trofie and the anchovy dishes of the coast. Compare the top-rated cooking classes below, then read our notes.
Top-rated cooking classes in the Cinque Terre
The best cooking classes to book in the Cinque Terre
Cooking classes in the Cinque Terre, compared. Liguria is the home of pesto, made in a marble mortar with basil, pine nuts and Pecorino; most classes are short pesto lessons with wine, and a few make fresh pasta or gnocchi.
| Experience | Length | Rating (reviews) | Best for | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pesto Making Class with Wine and Food Tasting in Vernazza | 1.5 hours | 4.8 (243) | The most booked | Check availability |
| Pesto Making Class with a Traditional Mortar in Levanto | 1.5 hours | 4.7 (223) | Quick and cheap | Check availability |
| Hands-On Fresh Pasta and Pesto Class in Levanto | 3 hours | 5.0 (162) | Pasta and pesto | Check availability |
| Pasta and Tiramisù Class at a Local's Home in Riomaggiore | 2 to 3 hours | 4.9 (43) | A home kitchen | Check availability |
| Gnocchi and Pesto Cooking Class with Sea View | 3 hours | 5.0 (25) | The view | Check availability |
Our pick: the Pesto Making Class with Wine and Food Tasting in Vernazza, rated 4.8 from 243 reviews on GetYourGuide.
Ratings and review counts as shown on GetYourGuide in October 2026. Check the listing for live prices and availability.
How to choose
The pesto making class with wine and food tasting in Vernazza is the most reviewed. In Levanto, the pesto class with a traditional mortar is cheap and quick, and the hands-on fresh pasta and pesto class has a perfect score. For a full meal with a view, take the gnocchi and pesto class with sea view in Riomaggiore.
Formats: two- to three-hour pesto and pasta classes with a sea view; focaccia and focaccia di Recco workshops; half-day classes with a market visit and a full Ligurian lunch; classes in Monterosso, Manarola, Riomaggiore and around La Spezia.
What you will cook: pesto alla genovese in the mortar, trofie or trenette, focaccia, sometimes anchovies or a seafood dish, finished with local white wine.
Price and time: roughly 55 to 90 dollars for a two- to three-hour class; more for a full-day class with market and lunch.
Pesto in the mortar
Real pesto is never blended – it is ground, slowly, in a marble mortar with a wooden pestle, so the basil bruises rather than heats. A Cinque Terre class teaches the order and the rhythm of it (garlic and salt, pine nuts, basil, the two cheeses, then the oil) and sends you home able to do it properly. Many run on a terrace above the sea in Manarola or Riomaggiore, which is half the reason to book one here rather than anywhere else.
Beyond the pesto
Fuller classes add the Ligurian repertoire: hand-shaped trofie or trenette pasta, focaccia proved and dimpled and salted, and the coastal anchovy and seafood dishes. Some begin at a village market or a garden to pick the basil, and end with the meal eaten together over a glass of Cinque Terre white. It is the most hands-on way into a cuisine that looks simple and depends entirely on technique and good oil.
How to choose
For the classic experience, book a pesto-and-pasta class with a view; for a deeper dive, a half-day class with market and lunch. All suit beginners and run in English. Pair it with a coastal boat trip and tasting, or a Genoa food tour for the city side of Ligurian food.
How we choose
We list only experiences with a strong rating over a meaningful number of reviews and free cancellation where available, and we favour small-group and family-run hosts. FindEatLocal earns a commission when you book through GetYourGuide or Viator links on this page; it doesn’t change the price you pay. More about how we choose.
FAQ about Cinque Terre Cooking Classes
Frequently asked questions
Why make pesto in a mortar and not a blender?
Grinding bruises the basil and emulsifies the oil without heating it, which keeps the colour and the aroma; the texture is the point, and the class teaches the method.
Do the classes have a sea view?
Many in the Cinque Terre villages do, on terraces over the water - worth choosing for, and a reason to take the class here.
Are the classes good for beginners?
Yes; they are built for visitors, taught in English, with everything provided, and pesto and focaccia are forgiving to learn.
Which cooking class is best in the Cinque Terre?
On GetYourGuide the most booked is the Pesto Making Class with Wine and Food Tasting in Vernazza, rated 4.8 from 243 reviews. Also highly rated: the Pesto Making Class with a Traditional Mortar in Levanto and the Hands-On Fresh Pasta and Pesto Class in Levanto. The table above compares them by length, rating and who they suit.
What does a cooking class cost in the Cinque Terre?
In October 2026 prices on GetYourGuide started from about €44 per person, and most of the top-rated options cost between €44 and €189. Longer experiences with a meal, private options and day trips cost more. Check the listing for the live price.