Pasta, Pesto & Tiramisù Cooking Class with Market Tour Option Florence
- Duration6 hours
- Daily (the market walk does not run on Sundays and public holidays)
- Group
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Overview
This cooking class from Florence starts with a guided walk through the Mercato Centrale, the city's great covered food market, where you meet bakers, butchers and farmers and learn how to choose seasonal ingredients. A short drive in an air-conditioned vehicle then takes you to a Tuscan farmhouse in the countryside, with views over the hills, for a hands-on class with an English-speaking chef. You prepare bruschetta, fresh egg pasta by hand, basil pesto, a Tuscan ragù and a classic tiramisù, then sit down to a three-course lunch of your own dishes and receive the recipes and a diploma. It is a shared small-group experience; a second option skips the market and goes straight to the farmhouse.
Highlights
- Guided walk through Florence's Mercato Centrale (market option)
- Return transport to a countryside farmhouse with Tuscan views
- Hands-on class with an English-speaking chef
- Fresh egg pasta rolled and cut by hand
- Basil pesto, Tuscan ragù and bruschetta with farm olive oil
- Classic tiramisù made from scratch
- Three-course lunch of the dishes you cook
- Recipes and an Italian cooking diploma to take away
Full Description
Mercato Centrale: Florence's historic food market
The Mercato Centrale stands in the San Lorenzo district, a short walk from Santa Maria Novella station, in a great hall of iron and glass opened in 1874. On the ground floor, traditional stalls sell fruit and vegetables, cheeses, cured meats, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, fresh pasta and bread, while Florentines do their daily shopping around you.
On the market option your guide leads you from stall to stall, introduces the vendors and explains how to recognise the best seasonal produce, which you then use in the class. The walk does not run on Sundays and public holidays, when the market is closed. It is the perfect first taste of Florence's food culture before you leave the city.
The drive into the Tuscan countryside
From the city you travel by air-conditioned vehicle into the hills that surround Florence, where olive groves, cypress trees and old stone farmhouses replace the busy streets. The drive is short and scenic, and it is part of what makes this class different from cooking in a city-centre kitchen.
The farmhouse sits in a quiet spot with views over the countryside, and the class takes place in its kitchen with produce from the farm, including its own extra virgin olive oil. The setting is rustic and relaxed, and some surfaces are uneven or steep, so comfortable shoes are best. Many travellers say this change of scenery, from the busy city to the calm of the hills, is one of the nicest parts of the day.
The cooking class: pasta, pesto, ragù and tiramisù
Your chef shows you how to make fresh pasta by hand with eggs and flour, kneading, rolling and cutting it into shape. You prepare a classic bruschetta with fresh bread, ripe tomatoes and the farm's olive oil, then a basil pesto and a traditional Tuscan ragù made with pork sausage.
The last lesson is tiramisù, the Italian dessert of coffee-soaked biscuits and mascarpone cream, with tips you can easily repeat in your own kitchen. A vegetarian menu is available on request, but gluten-free and other special diets cannot be catered for, and the class is not suitable for people with food allergies. Everyone works at their own station, so you really get your hands in the dough.
Lunch with a view, recipes and diploma
When the cooking is done, everyone sits down together for a three-course lunch of the dishes you have made, with views over the Tuscan hills. It is a relaxed, convivial meal and a highlight of the day.
At the end you receive a copy of the recipes and an Italian cooking diploma, and the driver takes you back to Florence. The full experience lasts about six hours with the market walk, or about five hours for the class-only option, starting at 09:00. Because you cooked every course yourself, the recipes will be easy to follow when you try them again, and the chef is happy to answer questions about ingredients and techniques during the meal. It is a relaxed day that suits couples, friends and families with young people from eight years old.
Itinerary
- Meeting at Santa Maria Novella stationMeet your guide at the taxi stand outside the station at 09:00.
- Mercato Centrale market walk (market option)Stroll the historic market, meet the vendors and choose ingredients; not on Sundays or public holidays.
- Drive to the Tuscan farmhouseA short drive in an air-conditioned vehicle into the countryside around Florence.
- Hands-on cooking classPrepare bruschetta, fresh pasta, pesto, Tuscan ragù and tiramisù with your chef.
- Three-course lunchEnjoy the dishes you have cooked together at the farmhouse, with views over the hills.
- Recipes, diploma and returnReceive your recipes and diploma, then ride back to Florence; about 6 hours in total with the market.
What's included
- Guided walk through the Mercato Centrale (not on Sundays or public holidays)
- English-speaking guide and chef instructor
- Return transport from Florence to the farmhouse in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Hands-on class: bruschetta, fresh egg pasta, pesto, Tuscan ragù and tiramisù
- Three-course lunch of the dishes you prepare
- Recipes and an Italian cooking diploma
Not included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Tips
Is this right for you?
Great for
- Families with children — a child price for ages 8–17
- Food lovers
- Travellers who want a proven choice — rated 4.9/5 by past travellers
Think twice if
- You want a private tour — this one is shared with other travellers
Not suitable for
- Children under 8 years
- People with mobility impairments
- Wheelchair users
- People with food allergies
Meeting point
Meet your guide at 09:00 at the taxi stand outside Santa Maria Novella train station in Florence. Look for the guide holding a sign with the group's name, which we send with your confirmation. Return transport from Florence to the farmhouse is included, and the tour ends back in Florence; there is no hotel pickup.
Important information
- The market walk is not available on Sundays and public holidays, when the market is closed
- A vegetarian option is available if requested when booking
- Gluten-free and other special diets cannot be accommodated
- Not suitable for people with food allergies
- The ragù is made with pork sausage; tell us your dietary needs when booking
- Uneven and steep surfaces at the farmhouse; wear comfortable shoes
- Minimum age is 8 years
- Arrive at the meeting point 10 minutes early
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to what travellers ask us most, before they book.
Is this a shared or a private experience?
It is a shared small-group cooking class with other travellers.
How long does it take?
About 6 hours with the market walk, or about 5 hours for the class-only option.
Is hotel pickup included?
No, you meet at Santa Maria Novella station. Transport from Florence to the farmhouse and back is included.
What is included?
Guide and chef, transport to the farmhouse, the hands-on class, a three-course lunch, recipes and a diploma, plus the market walk on the market option.
Is the price per person or per group?
The price is per person, with a youth rate for ages 8 to 17. The booking panel on this page shows the current price of each option.
Is it suitable for children?
Young people from 8 years old are welcome. It is not suitable for younger children, wheelchair users or people with mobility impairments.
What dishes will I cook?
Bruschetta, fresh egg pasta, basil pesto, a Tuscan ragù and tiramisù.
Can vegetarians join?
Yes, a vegetarian menu is available on request. Gluten-free and other special diets cannot be accommodated.
Does the market walk run every day?
No, the Mercato Centrale is closed on Sundays and public holidays, so the walk does not take place on those days.
Where is the farmhouse?
In the countryside outside Florence, a short drive from the city, with views over the Tuscan hills.
What should I wear?
Comfortable clothes and shoes; the farmhouse has some uneven and steep surfaces.
How do I book and confirm?
Choose your option and date on this page and send your booking. Our team confirms it on WhatsApp within minutes.
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