12 Genoa Cooking Classes to Book First

1.Genoese cooking lesson in the with lunch in the terrace

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 189 reviews · 3 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $83Our pick

Meet Alessandro or a member of his team in Genoa for a hands-on lesson in fresh pasta and traditional mortar-made pesto. Cook inside a historic palace, then eat on a garden terrace overlooking the harbor. Allow extra time for the steep uphill walk and a leisurely meal.

“Had a great group of young people - from Canada, Australia, UK & USA. Lovely setting in chef’s home garden. Toddler & turtle antics too. Pesto & pasta making. Local wine was lovely.”

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2.Genoa: Hands-On Home cooking Class Pasta Pesto and more with wine

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 34 reviews · from $113

Join a small group in a Genoese home for a three-hour cooking class at 10:00 am. Make colorful and pesto-filled gnocchi, prepare pesto with a mortar and pestle, and share lunch with wine and coffee. Hosts may include Alberto, Cristina, Silvia, or Alessandra.

“We really enjoyed the course. Alberto is an excellent host and the location on the rooftop is just stunning. The pasta and pesto that we cooked was very delicious!”

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3.Genoa: Pasta & Tiramisu Cooking Class at a Local’s Home

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 21 reviews · from $112

Join a Cesarina host in a private Genoa home for a three-hour cooking class. You’ll roll sfoglia by hand, make two pasta dishes and tiramisu, then sit down with wine, coffee, and an Italian aperitivo. Hosts may include Tiziana, Roberto, Daniela, Tomaso, or Agata.

“Amazing cooking session with Tiziana. I went in with my group of friends to this session during our visit to Genoa. We made Tiramisu first and then Ravioli during the pasta making session. We were also served amazing food and drinks and Roberto was the perfect host welcoming to his amazing house. Highly recommended.”

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4.With Tiziana Cooking Class for Pesto , Gnocchi and Tiramisù

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 21 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $162

Join Tiziana and Roberto in their Genoa home for a two-hour, English-language class on Pesto alla Genovese, homemade gnocchi, and tiramisù. You’ll cook, eat, sip prosecco, and learn about Genoese food and culture in a small group of up to 12.

“It was an authentic and amazing experience with Tiziana & Roberto ! The explainations were so clear, I spend a very good time with them and learned a lot. It’s not necessary to say that it was delicious, I had a take away tiramisu in addition ! All was perfect, I recomand if you want to learn genovese culture and cooking ! Thanks for everything”

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5.Cooking Class & Meal with a Local in Genoa

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $174

Spend about three hours in a private Genoa home learning Ligurian dishes with a local host. You may make trofie, ravioli, or fresh pasta, then sit down for dessert and local wine. Hosts such as Tiziana and Roberto add personal stories and warm conversation.

“The cooking class was a favorite experience! We did have a bit trouble finding the location because the address given was not clear, then we found a different address on Viator so arrived a little late. Tiziana, the chef, and her husband Roberto were so welcoming having us in their home. Tiziana won an award in Italy in 2023 for the best pesto! We made Tagliatelle, homemade pasta, which we topped with her amazing pesto, and tiramisu. It was all so delicious. Tiziana used Google Translate to explain things to us, and Roberto spoke more English and shared much about his hometown of Genoa. We all “broke bread” together in…”

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6.Dining experience with cooking demo and wines in Rapallo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $102

Meet a local family in Rapallo for a private home meal with a cooking demonstration. You may help prepare fresh pasta, pesto, or gnocchi, then enjoy several courses, wine, and dessert. Hosts have included Elisa, Fabio, Cesariana, Ivan, Patricia, and Ricardo.

“Ivan and family were amazing! We learned how to make gnocchi and homemade pesto. The 4 courses were all very delicious. A great and unique experience in Italy. Would highly recommend!”

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7.Dining Experience at a local’s Home in Santa Margherita Ligure with Show Cooking

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 8 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $126

Meet your local host in Santa Margherita Ligure for a private home dining experience with show cooking. Expect four courses built around seasonal ingredients, fresh pasta, a second course with side dish, dessert, wine, and coffee. Hosts may include Elisa, Marcello, or Erica.

“Our family had an incredible experience with Cesarine. The hospitality was great, the food was delicious, and the house was great. Everything was perfect. I highly recommend”

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8.Genoa: Market and Cooking Class at a Local’s home

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $214

Meet a Cesarina in Genoa for a market visit and private cooking class at home. Shop for ingredients, prepare three family recipes, then sit down with local wines, water, and coffee. Agatha’s historic home has been part of her family’s pasta tradition for generations.

“Excellent day Great family who picked me up and then took me to the market to go shopping for ingredients Lovely experience and cooked some yummy food”

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9.Genova: Cook and Enjoy a full Ligurian menu with local chef

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 4 reviews · from $158

Join local chef Fabrizio in central Genoa for a 4.5-hour hands-on cooking class. You’ll prepare Panissa, three focacce, gnocchi with fresh Genoese pesto, focaccia di Recco, and Panera, then share the meal with wine in a relaxed kitchen.

“I had the pleasure of spending a truly special day with Fabrizio, an extraordinary chef who welcomed me into his kitchen with warmth and availability. He taught me how to prepare typical dishes such as focaccia genovese, gnocchi, chestnut jam and, of course, pesto, making me experience every step with enthusiasm and great skill. After cooking, I was lucky enough to taste the dishes accompanied by an excellent wine, making the experience even more enjoyable. Surprisingly, I discovered that Fabrizio is also a talented singer! If you like singing, I recommend you propose a duet between one dish and another or, why not, accompany him to do the shopping at…”

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10.Genova Cooking Class with Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews

Meet near Christopher Columbus’ House for a 3.5-hour Genoa cooking class with local chefs including Veronica, Bernardo, and Marco. Prepare four Ligurian recipes, including pesto, cheese-filled focaccia, and Canestrelli, then taste your work in a small group of up to 10.

“Wir hatten einen wirklich unterhaltsamen, spannenden und leckeren Vormittag. Veronica, Bernardo und Marco haben uns erklärt, wie wichtig die Kleinigkeiten bei einem tollen Pesto Genovese sind und es hat riesig Spaß gemacht selbst den Focaccia-Teig zu bearbeiten. Danke für alles, es war eine tolle Erfahrung 🫶”

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11.Cooking Class of Ligurian cuisine between Portofino and the Cinque Terre

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $120

Meet foodteller Fabio Bongiorni in Chiavari for a hands-on Ligurian cooking class. You’ll taste focaccia, pesto, anchovies, and olives, make fresh pasta with an old guitar tool, pair it with local DOP white wine, then finish with coffee and a Genoese digestivo.

“Fabio shows a lot of passion for the regional food cultures of Italy and especially Liguria. He can tell many interesting details. The preparation and enjoyment of the food was fun. Fabio guided us expertly and with patience and was an excellent host. We can recommend this course in the great premises to all who enjoy cooking and socializing.Auto-translated”

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12.Gourmet Cooking Lesson

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $243

Meet at 10:00 a.m. in Rapallo’s historic center for a small-group class led by chef Cristiano. Make pesto with a mortar and pestle, prepare Ligurian classics, then sit down to eat your work with local wine. The class lasts about three hours and accepts up to six people.

“My husband and I had a fabulous time! Cristiano was very knowledgeable and made our experience very fun and educational. The food was delicious and the recipes provided will allow us to recreate the dishes at home.”

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