Our Top 7 Cooking Classes, Worldwide

1.Cooking, Dinner & Live Opera in the countryside

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 42 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $216Our pick

Spend about three and a half hours at a 16th-century Chianti villa with host Lulu, picking seasonal garden produce, making fresh pasta and traditional dishes, then eating with family-produced wine and live opera. The small group is limited to 10. Florence transfers are available for an added fee with 48 hours’ notice.

“This was a great experience in the Tuscan countryside. Made authentic Italian food and the company was fantastic. Lulu is a fantastic host, so knowledgeable and passionate. Would highly recommend booking this experience.”

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2.Cooking Class + Guitar Concert at Chef’s Francesco

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 30 reviews · from $169

Join Francesco Colabella in his Venice home for a private three-hour cooking class with wine, local appetizers, fresh pasta, and traditional Italian recipes. Choose dishes such as lasagna, orecchiette, carbonara, or Bolognese tagliatelle, then listen to Francesco play guitar. The class is offered in Italian, French, English, Spanish, and Chinese.

“This was the best tour/cooking class we did on our trip if 2 weeks! Highly recommend it!”

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3.Naxos: Family Farm-table Cooking, Kouros Tour & Live Music

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 26 reviews · 4 hours · from $117

Meet Katerina and her family at Estia Kouros Empeiria in Flerio, near Melanes. Pick produce from a spring-fed garden, cook Greek dishes over wood fire, visit the Kouros statue, then eat with local wine, violin, lute, and dancing. The four-hour experience costs $117 and does not include transfers.

“The experience was truly heart warming from picking our vegetables from the farm to hearing stories about the family to learning and cooking from the family. The good and experience were amazingp!”

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4.Cooking Experience Live Music and Traditional Dance in Naxos

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 17 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $120

Meet Katerina and her family at Estia Kouros Empeiria in Flerio. Pick garden produce, prepare Greek recipes over an open fire and wood oven, then eat with local wine, homemade sweets, violin, lute, and traditional dancing. The four-hour outing includes a short downhill walk and suits groups of up to 14.

“Wow! If I could rate this experience more than 5 stars I would!!! This was my favorite and most memorable excursion of our trip to Greece. The food was soo amazing, I am still dreaming about all the food we made to this day! The family is so welcoming, and lovely! They invite into their home as if you are their family members. I loved that you got a tour of their farm and pick out the produce for the class. The whole experience was wonderful and one we will never forget. Whether you have cooking skills or not, this class is doable for anyone. I wish I wrote down…”

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5.Tuscany: Cooking, Dinner & Live Opera in the countryside

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 13 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $188

Spend 3.5 hours at Opera in the Kitchen near Barberino Tavarnelle, where chef Irene leads a hands-on class in a 1600s villa’s old barn kitchen. Pick seasonal herbs, make four traditional courses from Lulu’s grandmother’s recipes, taste family olive oil and wine, then eat to live Italian opera. Transfers from Florence cost €40 to €60 per person.

“La cocinada muy practica para cualquier público El show de ópera increíble Una velada inolvidable Me hubiera gustado poder recorrer algo del viñedo”

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6.Cooking Class with Chef Francesco and Live Music in Venice

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $168

Meet Chef Francesco Colabella at Chiesa del Santissimo Redentore on Giudecca for a three-hour private cooking class in his home. Prepare traditional Italian dishes with fresh ingredients, share the meal you make, and finish with Francesco’s acoustic guitar performance. The class runs in English and begins at 2 pm.

“If you are looking for a cooking experience where you feel relaxed, at home and with friends, this is for you. Francesco welcomed us into his exquisite home with one of the best views in Venice! We made truly delicious food an d my daughter is now insisting I buy all the necessary tools and ingredients for when we arrive back home. And to settle our full stomachs, we were treated to glorious live music. An experience we will never forget.”

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7.Evening Spanish Tapas Cooking Class with Live Music

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 3 reviews · 2 hours · from $42Best value

At Bollitori near Alicante’s Central Market, a local chef and host guide you through tortilla, gazpacho, bacon-wrapped dates, chorizo, pork tosta, and torrija. You eat the full meal, take home the recipes, and finish with live Spanish guitar. Fred may lead the class, with English and Spanish support.

“Lovely activity. It was rather chilly though as the shutters were kept open so if the evening is cool take a jacket. The group was on the large size around 14 people so at times you were stood watching others cook rather than doing it all yourself. Food at the end was tasty, staff were friendly, knowledgeable and helpful.”

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