Top Italy Dining Experiences

Learn how to make two types of homemade Italian pasta—topped off by a tasty tiramisu dessert—during this small-group cooking workshop in Montepulciano. Head to the home of a local Tuscan cook and enjoy an intimate class in a group capped at 12 people. A tasting of your creations is included, paired with wine and prosecco.

Skip the crowded restaurants and immerse yourself in Italy’s delicious culinary traditions during this hands-on cooking class. Make your own way to the kitchen in central Florence, grab an apron, and learn how to make classic pasta dishes from scratch. Choose the pasta and gelato option and learn to make fresh pasta, seasonal sauces, and enjoy a tasting of gelato and sorbet. Or, opt for the longer lasagna and tiramisu class to shop for ingredients at a local market and learn to prepare the classic dishes, just like nonna.

Roll up your sleeves for this hands-on small-group cooking class in a local’s home in Polignano a Mare. Learn how to make regional staples such as Bari-style focaccia and orecchiette pasta, before you sit down to enjoy your creations alongside your classmates, with local wine and traditional snacks included.

Master the time-honored art of making fresh Italian pasta from scratch during this small-group cooking workshop in a historic palace in Florence. Visit the Pasta Museum to learn about the history of this iconic food. Then, don your apron and learn how to prepare fresh, handmade pasta such as ravioli, tagliatelle, and tortellini, prepared with different sauces. Afterwards, enjoy a sit-down meal with your creations, paired with organic Tuscan wines.

Step into a local's home in Como to learn how to make fresh pasta and a classic tiramisu. In an intimately sized small group of just 12 people, you'll hear the tricks to roll fresh pasta by hand, and create two dishes as you learn about Lombardy food from your English-speaking Cesarina host — part of a network of home cooks who preserve regional culinary traditions.

Sip Tuscan wine in a medieval castle during a tasting session in Montalcino. Hosted by a professional sommelier, the experience ensures you get the lowdown on the wine as you taste it. Enjoy three varietals including a glass of the prestigious Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, along with local bread or breadsticks and olive oil.

Learn to create classic dishes of the Lombardy region with a small-group cooking class in Lake Como. A member of the acclaimed Cesarine network of chefs will welcome you into their home for a lesson in Milanese-style cuisine as you help prepare a 3-course menu featuring northern Italian favorites such as a seasonal starter, various kinds of fresh pasta, and a local dessert such as a *torta miascia*, *cutizza* pancake, or tiramisu. When the cooking’s done, sit down with your host and small group to enjoy the homemade meal with wine.

Come spend a morning and an afternoon in the Villa del Barone. You will be able to enjoy the natural beauty that has made the Villa famous all over the world, fully enjoying the wonders it offers: panoramas that take your breath away, a walk in the vegetable garden, the rich history of a Baronial house, cultural traditions and gastronomy of our family. The Sorrento and Neapolitan cuisine of "Chez Barone" is passion, attention to detail, imagination, good taste and genuine ingredients of first quality also coming from our Limoneto and from our garden. With the cooking classes you will have a lot of fun and you will discover all the useful secrets to prepare unique dishes, which we pass on as a true "Family Treasure"!

Dive deep into the world of Italian cuisine as you embark on a food tour that focuses on Parma's classics: Parma ham and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. With your guide, you'll visit a traditional Parmigiano factory to see how this famous cheese is made, and then you'll move on to a Parma ham factory to learn why it's so special—of course, with tastings included.

Discover the dazzling beauty and captivating culture of Capri and Sorrento on a small-group or private boat tour. Whichever option you choose, you’re treated to an intimate and truly personalized Italian experience. Have your camera ready for the Natural Arch, Villa Malaparte, Cala di Mitigliano Waterfall, and of course, the Blue Grotto (admission tickets additional expense). Later, enjoy free time to explore the island at your own pace.

Bologna is famous for its fresh pasta and with this private lesson you'll learn the tricks to turning out flawless tortellini, tagliatelle, and other handmade pastas like a local with a Bolognese home cook. Roll up your sleeves and prepare three traditional types of pasta under the guidance of your host in her home kitchen, then sample your creations at a family-style meal complete with wine.

Experience the magic of Venice with a private gondola ride along the Grand Canal. Glide past iconic landmarks and romantic side canals as your gondolier navigates through the heart of the “Floating City.” Afterward, explore Venice’s hidden gems with a digital map on your mobile, featuring more than 200 points of interest, while wandering its charming alleys.

During this experience you can discover all the secrets of truffle hunting, from dog training to the recognition of plants and where this precious fruit of the earth can grow. You will experience the thrill of an authentic truffle hunt and after that you will be able to taste numerous dishes filled with fresh truffles. All accompanied by an excellent wine.

San Gimignano is surrounded by quiet countryside dotted with small wine estates. Visit one of these traditional farms and connect with local hosts on this tour and wine tasting experience. Take in the organic farm's garden, orchard, vineyard, olive grove, "vinsantaia" aging room, and cellar. Then enjoy a tasting of eight organic wines of your choice paired with the farm's own olive oil plus local cheeses and cold cuts and other culinary combinations.

Engage in a hands-on Italian cooking class in Rome and learn to craft fresh pasta and traditional tiramisù from scratch! Guided by a professional chef, you’ll create delicious stuffed ravioli, fettuccine, and tiramisù while mastering authentic techniques in a fun, interactive setting. After cooking, relax in a cozy restaurant to savor your homemade meal, complete with wine and a refreshing taste of limoncello.

Learn how to order and drink wine like a pro during this small-group tasting experience in the heart of Rome. Head to trendy Trastevere, where five hand-picked Italian wines await, including prosecco and Barolo. Each glass is paired with local delicacies such as fried codfish, truffles, and Pecorino cheese. Train your nose and learn how to savor wine like a Roman, listening to stories about local winemaking traditions along the way.

Sample fifteen varieties of artisinal extra virgin olive oils during this exclusive small-group tasting in Sorrento. Learn the ins and outs of local olive oil production as you visit centuries-old olive groves. Get a taste of blends infused with truffle, lemon, and even cinnamon before topping off your tasting with a complimentary glass of homemade liqueurs.

Skip the hassle of arranging transportation and meals with this all-inclusive Taormina and Castelmola day trip. Enjoy pickup at your hotel or port and private transport to Taormina, where you’ll stop for a guided walking tour through the old town to take in its most famous sights. Then continue on to the scenic village of Castelmola perched on the slopes above to sample Sicilian cannoli and arancini.

Uncover the secrets of Florence's Palazzo Vecchio when you book this small-group tour. Enjoy the opportunity to visit areas of the museum that have historically not been open to the general public, such as medieval stairways and narrow passageways behind hidden doors. Hear about the history of the building and its contents from your local guide. At the conclusion of the tour, head to local restaurant to enjoy a typical Tuscan lunch or enjoy a gelato tasting at one of the city's most famous shops.

After sampling delicious pizza and pasta in Rome, make sure you know how to recreate the culinary magic at home. Learn to cook these favorite Italian dishes during a half-day small-group cooking workshop in the Italian capital. Get hands-on instruction from a chef as you prepare the dough and sauces from scratch. Then, sit down to enjoy the fruits of your labor, paired tiramisu, wine, and limoncello.

See the best of Milan with a hop-on hop-off bus ticket valid for 24, 48, or 72 hours. Enjoy views from the top level of an open-air double-decker bus, including the Milan Duomo and La Scala opera house. Choose from four routes covering all main attractions, with unlimited hop-on hop-off access. The 72-hour weekend ticket from June to September also includes a Milan night tour.

Naples can throw the most careful plans out of whack with anarchic traffic, heat, and crowds. With this skip-the-line guided tour, bypass the often-long ticket lines and break from the drama by going underground, some 130 feet (40 meters) below the city’s historic center. Tour subterranean air-raid shelters, Greek-Roman aqueducts, caves, a garden, and a Roman theater—it’s all part of Naples’ unconventional history.

Learn to prepare Southern Italian cuisine like a local with this private cooking class. Meet at the home of your instructor and learn the secrets of famous Neapolitan dishes such as spaghetti with fresh clams or paccheri pasta with potatoes. After watching a cooking demonstration, try your hand at cooking from your workstation with all the needed tools and ingredients. Then, enjoy the fruit of your labors with local wines.

Make two fresh pasta dishes by hand during a small-group cooking class in Varenna, Lake Como. You’ll skip the impersonal feel of a larger cooking class, and rustle up creations in the home of a local, who is part of the Cesarine network of Italian home cooks. Prepare and eat pasta and a tiramisu as you learn about the wider Lombardy region in the best place — an Italian home kitchen.