Cortona & Arezzo Cooking Classes & Wine Tours
Cortona and Arezzo are eastern Tuscany’s quiet answer to Chianti: Chianina beef country, hand-rolled pici, and a wine you won’t find in Florence’s enotecas, Cortona DOC Syrah. Both towns are about an hour from Florence by train, and most experiences here happen in farmhouse kitchens and small family estates with pick-up from the station. Below we compare the top-rated cooking classes and wine tours around Cortona and Arezzo on GetYourGuide and Viator, then explain what you’ll cook, what you’ll taste and how to get there without a car.
Cooking classes around Cortona
Cook the Valdichiana: hand-rolled pici with ragù, Chianina beef from the valley below Cortona, and cantucci dunked in Vin Santo, taught in farmhouse kitchens, often after a walk through the vegetable garden and olive grove.
Taste a wine Florence doesn’t pour: Cortona DOC is Tuscany’s Syrah country. Small family estates around the town run cellar tours and tastings that rarely appear on Chianti-focused itineraries.
Easy without a car: most classes and tours collect you from Camucia-Cortona or Arezzo station, both on the Florence to Rome line, so a Cortona or Arezzo food day works from Florence without driving.
Best Cooking Classes and Wine Tours in Cortona and Arezzo
Cortona sits on a ridge above the Valdichiana, the flat valley that gives Tuscany its Chianina cattle and, since 1999, its own Syrah appellation. Arezzo, half an hour north, is a working city with a Saturday market, Piero della Francesca’s frescoes and one of Italy’s biggest monthly antiques fairs. Neither town has the tour volume of Florence, which is exactly the point: experiences here are run by families, groups stay small, and you eat what the valley produces.
Farmhouse cooking classes around Cortona
The classic format is a half-day in an agriturismo kitchen: a walk through the kitchen garden, then three or four courses made by hand. Expect pici, the thick hand-rolled pasta of southern Tuscany, with a slow ragù, a seasonal antipasto, and cantucci to dunk in Vin Santo. Most classes run three to four hours and finish with lunch and the estate’s own wine and olive oil. Look for classes that say “hands-on” rather than demonstration, and check whether pick-up from Camucia-Cortona station is included; many hosts offer it.
Cooking classes in Arezzo
Arezzo classes tend to be in town rather than on a farm, often starting with a market visit on Saturday. The signature ingredient is Chianina beef, the breed behind bistecca alla fiorentina, raised in this valley, alongside pici and the flat, salted schiacciata. It’s a good choice if you’re travelling by train and want a class that ends within walking distance of the station.
Wine tours: Cortona DOC Syrah and the Valdichiana
Cortona DOC is unusual in Tuscany: the flagship grape is Syrah, not Sangiovese, planted on the slopes between the town and Lake Trasimeno. Estate visits typically include a cellar tour and a three- to five-wine flight, usually a Cortona Syrah, a Sangiovese-based blend and a Vin Santo to finish, served with local pecorino and cured meats. Because Montepulciano is only 30 minutes away, several tours pair a Cortona estate with a Vino Nobile cellar in the same day; if Brunello is on your list, Montalcino is about an hour further.
Getting there without a car
Both towns are on the Florence to Rome railway. Arezzo is 35 to 60 minutes from Florence depending on the train; Camucia-Cortona is around 1 hour 20 minutes, with the old town a short bus or taxi ride uphill from the station. Most cooking classes and wine tours offer station pick-up, so check the listing. That makes Cortona and Arezzo two of the easiest Tuscan food days to do from Florence without driving.
When to go
April to June and September to October are best for both kitchens and cellars: gardens are producing, the grape harvest is in late September, and the olive harvest follows in late October. Arezzo’s Fiera Antiquaria fills the centre on the first Sunday of every month and the Saturday before; Cortona’s Sagra della Bistecca, a two-day celebration of Chianina steak, is held in mid-August.
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 Cortona & Arezzo Cooking Classes & Wine Tours
Frequently asked questions
Why book a cooking class or wine tour in Cortona and Arezzo?
Because this is the part of Tuscany where the food is still farm-first and the groups are small.
What food is Cortona and Arezzo known for?
Chianina beef (the breed behind bistecca alla fiorentina), hand-rolled pici pasta, pecorino, extra-virgin olive oil and, in Cortona, Syrah-based reds under the Cortona DOC and Vin Santo dessert wine.
Can I do a cooking class in Cortona without a car?
Yes. Take the train to Camucia-Cortona (about 1 hour 20 minutes from Florence) and choose a class that includes station pick-up; many farmhouse hosts offer it. In Arezzo, most classes are within walking distance of the station.
Cortona or Arezzo: which should I choose?
Cortona for the farmhouse setting, Syrah wine tours and a hill-town atmosphere; Arezzo for a market-to-table class in a real working city and easier train access. They are 30 minutes apart, so a full day can include both.
Can I combine a Cortona wine tour with Montepulciano or Montalcino?
Montepulciano (Vino Nobile) is about 30 minutes from Cortona and is often paired with a Cortona estate in one day. Montalcino (Brunello) is roughly an hour further, so it usually needs its own day; see our Montalcino wine tours page.
How much do cooking classes and wine tours cost here?
Small-group farmhouse classes and half-day wine tours generally run 80 to 150 euros per person including food and wine; private tours and full-day itineraries that add Montepulciano cost more. Live prices and availability are in the listings above.