Ligurian cuisine has a long standing tradition and yet, apart from pesto, it is not widely known. Our Cinque Terre culinary experiences will introduce you to the various flavours and local recipes, making your holiday even more memorable.

Pesto sauce originated in Genoa, around the 16th century, and traditionally consists of crushed garlic, basil and pine nuts blended with Parmesan cheese and olive oil.
Your Cinque Terre Pesto making course will take place in Manarola, in a brand new location with a breath-taking view and in the company of two young Italian cooks. You will begin with picking the ingredients, including basil, from a private vegetable garden. The cooks will show you how to make the traditional pesto sauce with the use of the mortar, explaining the ingredients and history.

At the end of your Cinque Terre cooking class you will taste your own creation on a bruschetta (toasted bread) together with a glass of Cinque Terre wine and a platter of cured meats and cheese. The best “pesto maker” will be rewarded with a special surprise gift!

Our Cinque Terre food and wine tours can be customized to suit your requirements. We can arrange a variety of culinary experiences ranging from focaccia and fresh pasta making, fishing, to wine tours with full tasting. With all our custom experiences we can organize additional transfers between Florence or Milan (other destinations on request) and Cinque Terre. These culinary experiences can also be combined with visiting some of the Cinque Terre villages.

Contact our Sales Team via the "Enquire Now" form to create your perfect Cinque Terre vacation!

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This culinary experience can be arranged as a private tour - price will depend on the number of people in your party, or you can join a small group class on a specific day and time. The "starting from" per person rate you see on the website is based on you joining a small group class.

Upon request the class can also be arranged in other languages.

IMPORTANT: Beginning Friday 6 August 2021 and until further notice, access to the archaeological sites, museums and similar tourist venues, bars, restaurants etc will be permitted only to those in possession of a Green COVID-19 Certification (Green Pass or equivalent certificate like the CDC vaccine card). Please remember to also bring your ID or passport to confirm your identity.