Wanna Be Italiano - The original Cooking Class & Market Tour in Florence
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Wanna Be Italiano - The original Cooking Class & Market Tour in Florence
By Towns of Italy
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About
Learn to shop and cook like a local during this half-day Tuscan cooking class in Florence. Walk through the Central Market with a local chef-guide, who will teach you how to select the best produce, and then how to make classic Italian dishes such as homemade pasta and bruschetta. Dine on the fruits of your labor, accompanied by unlimited Chianti wine, making this an educational and delicious experience.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-99, max of 20 per group
Duration: 5h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
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Highlights
- Get to know Italian food with a hands-on cooking class in Florence
- Guided market tour teaches you how to select the best produce
- Enjoy eating the meal you made, accompanied by Chianti wine
- Recipe booklet included, so you can re-make the dishes at home
- Central food market guided visit
- Food tastings at school
- Unlimited glasses of Chianti wine with lunch
- Recipe booklet in digital format so you can recreate them once you're home
- Graduation diploma
- Suitable for vegetarians! (No meat or fish; some dishes contain eggs (please notify us in advance)
- Cooking lesson with local chef
What's not included- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Meet your chef guide and fellow foodies in central Florence for your market tour. Stroll through the Central Market to see the array of fresh produce and Florentine delicacies. Allow your chef guide to introduce you to some specialty purveyors and collect the ingredients for your meal. Know exactly what to look for at your local market when you prepare this meal back at home. At the cooking school, tie on your apron and get to work. With expert guidance, prepare a typical Italian lunch of dishes such as fresh pasta, bruschetta, sauce, and tiramisu. While you cook, sample fresh tastes of produce from the market. Sit down with your fellow travelers to feast on the meal you have prepared, accompanied by Chianti wine. Take the opportunity to ask any questions and chat with your co-chefs. Leave the experience with a diploma and digital recipe book to help you recreate your experience at home.
- Start:
- Towns of Italy - Cooking School - Florence, Via Panicale, 43/r, 50123 Firenze FI, ItalyTowns of Italy cooking class is located in Via Panicale 43 red(close to Central Market) Please be at the meeting point 15 minutes before the tour starting time.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5049COOKING- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Vegetarian cooking classes can also be catered for, please specify when booking
- Please note that when Florence Central Market is closed (on Sundays and bank holidays), the market visit will be replaced by a special introduction and extra tastings at the cooking class school
- We are sorry to inform you that pets are not permitted on our tours
- Children/teens under 18 y.o. must always be accompanied by at least one adult. If this requirement is not met, we reserve the right to exclude the under age participant and no refund will be due
- Not suitable for Celiacs
- Eggs cannot be excluded from the meal since having some dishes containing them.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5049COOKING
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$95.23
per adult
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- debbiepY6882HI0 contributionsGreat experienceMy husband and I had a great experience. The chef/ teacher was very helpful and made us feel very comfortable. There was a family there and he included the children and made them feel special which I really appreciated. And being able to learn around a table with people from 3 different countries was especially nice.Written January 10, 2025
- tomkG2715KZ0 contributionsPerfect Pizzas and Glorious GelatoPizza class was a great experience to learn and spend time with family. Our instructor Tommaso was excellent he made this a personal experience for everyone. He was very respectful of everyone in the class from many cultures and parts of the world.Written January 4, 2025
- Venture487994500260 contributionsWill be making pizza at home.. thank you for the great lessonGreat setting Very good instructor and the group size was very manageable (13) Pizza was excellent and I learned a lot. I will definitely be making pizza when I get back home Thank you Roberta (our amazing instructor)Written January 3, 2025
- Suwei L0 contributionsWonderful tour with professional guid.We are very satisfied with this tour. Our tour guide, Laura (hopefully I remembered her name correctly), was very nice and professional. In addition to the express entrance, we also had our own space to enjoy the masterpiece of the dome. Stopping by the terrace made the climb to the dome much easier.Written December 24, 2024
- BeckyTatro0 contributionsThe chefs make the class!My husband and I took our adult nieces to do this for their first night in Florence. It was a fun way to have dinner as a family! We each made our own pizza picking our own toppings. Then we made chocolate gelato as a group! It was delicious!! I have Celiac and knew the class wouldn’t be safe for me to eat but the chef made the gelato with cornstarch so it was GF!!! Also, the chef had time to make me some GF pesto so I could eat with my family. This was very kind and unexpected! Way above and beyond!! Water and wine were provided. Other groups had children and they were offered different drinks. Also the children were encouraged to be involved in making the gelato and answering questions. They each made their own pizza. Both chefs, Jon and Federico, were great with all ages! At the end you get a certificate for completing the class and they will send you a recipe booklet.Written December 21, 2024
- Sal29040 contributionsGood funExcellent fun night with our chef Jon. Pizza was delicious and gelato even more so. If you want a fun evening this is a must do in FlorenceWritten December 20, 2024
- hayagreeva0 contributionsTo the top of the dome, gentlyViews from top of the dome are spectacular but the ones from the terrace are not to be looked down upon. More important, this tour breaks down the journey into 2-3 manageable segments. First to the terrace, inner gallery and then to the top. Skipping the lines and full Gheberti pass are all additional benefitsWritten December 19, 2024
- Lyn4820 contributionsHighlight of our trip!Had such an amazing time! One of the highlights of our entire trip! Highly recommend. Learned my husband is very good at making ravioli! LOL It was fun chatting and having fun with the rest of the class and learning where everyone was from. The instructor we had was excellent and I loved getting the downloadable recipe booklet afterwards and he also wrote down some great restaurant and gelateria recommendations afterwards for us all as well.Written December 6, 2024
- zacharyl3780 contributions😍when jon said to knead the dough, i realised i needed him. i couldn’t focus on how to make the pasta because i was just focused on smelling jon the whole time. he’s just so hot. jon is lucky i didn’t just start touching him there and then.Written November 29, 2024
- Tour181390820850 contributionsTasty food and tastier chef (Jon)This tour was so educational and fun! Our instructors jon and alice were so informative and friendly, and they taught us not only how to make pasta and gelato but also the history behind the foods! Jon was such a handsome boy. With how good he smelled, i wanted a bite of him too!Written November 29, 2024
- Mobile3058040 contributionsExceptional guideOur guide Khalifa was wonderful. He made our trip the most memorable. If anyone goes to visit Oman they should really look into getting him as a guide. He is very patient and knowledgeable. We were a group of 9 and he accommodated all of us. We truly appreciated all that he did for us.Written November 20, 2024
- 594jennir0 contributionsA wonderful experience!We had the most wonderful time on our Vespa tour with Tanya and Gabriele. They were kind and patient while making sure everyone was comfortable with their Vespas. The wine and Olive oil tasting as well as the lunch served at the hotel and farm where the wine and olive oils are pressed was a wonderful experience. We came away with our hearts content and loved meeting other people in the group that joined us. Thank you so much!Written November 19, 2024
- L8257GPmargareta0 contributionsWonderful experience, we’re still smilingWe had a great time in this class, smiling and laughing the whole time. Our pizzaiola Jon was very knoledgeable and shared history and useful tips about Florence as well as the cooking skills. He was well able to manage our diverse group of learners which ranged from young children to older folks, with all different native languages and cooking skill levels. The pizzas we made were crispy and delicious, served with good wine and the gelato we made, which was some of the best i’ve ever tasted. I would thoroughly recommend this experience to anyone who has an interest in cooking!Written November 17, 2024
- H8089TCannav0 contributionsMaria was a great guide!We had Maria for our Florence Classic Bike tour and she was an excellent guide! We learned so much from her and she was extremely friendly and easy to talk to. She gave us some extra recommendations too. It is great to be able to see a lot of the city in only 2.5 hours, although it is a bit tricky to navigate with all of the cars. Great experience but would not recommend for people who are not confident bikers.Written November 16, 2024
- Melbald1240 contributionsGood fun and great pizzaWe had so much fun. Chef Jon was awesome and funny. We made friends with everyone there and our pizza and gelato were delicious. We would highly recommend this couples, families and solos. So much fun!Written November 15, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
427 reviews
Excellent
400
Very good
20
Average
2
Poor
2
Terrible
3
Louis
Mount Barker, Australia3 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
We had a great time at the cooking class. The chef Niccolò was fantastic and despite not being able to do the central market tour on the day due to being a holiday in Italy, instead he made an extra dish and showed us how to make Fiordilatte (Gelato) instead. Definitely recommend to anyone travelling to Florence!
Written January 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Radana L
4 contributions
Jun 2023 • Solo
This was so much fun!
We started off going to a market and we got to see how the pasta is made, we got to taste some cheeses and our guide was amazing! I’m so sorry but I did forget his name- he was originally from Perth and his Italian was perfect! And his cooking skills even better- he made us feel welcomed and taught us how to make fresh pasta and tiramisu!
Thank you I will remember this experience forever.
I would recommend this cooking class to anyone that is ready to gain some skill and have fun in the same time.
Grazie mille!
We started off going to a market and we got to see how the pasta is made, we got to taste some cheeses and our guide was amazing! I’m so sorry but I did forget his name- he was originally from Perth and his Italian was perfect! And his cooking skills even better- he made us feel welcomed and taught us how to make fresh pasta and tiramisu!
Thank you I will remember this experience forever.
I would recommend this cooking class to anyone that is ready to gain some skill and have fun in the same time.
Grazie mille!
Written August 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Luis M
1 contribution
Not enough words to describe our amazing cooking experience today with Niccolò! He was patient, thorough, and had great personality. From olive oil tasting, to picking out our fresh ingredients at the local market, it was absolutely fantastic. Us and another couple got exclusive access to an entire restaurant that they collaborate with for our cooking class. Not only did we learn from the best, but we got to indulge in a four (4) course lunch, that was spectacular. Worth every penny spent, and highly recommend it if you are a foodie and have a passion for cooking. Grazie Mille Niccolò !
Written September 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jim L
Centennial, CO67 contributions
Chef Catarina was personable, entertaining, professional and very passionate with explaining to us the nuances of Italian cooking and how to cook the Italian way. Our cooking session was Wednesday Oct 20, 2021 and started with a visit to the food market where we learned about pasta, meat, fish, cheese, vegetables and the vendors were very helpful explaining to us the differences in the food. They were so helpful,we returned today and made some purchases that we are bringing back to the USA.
The cooking class started with us making bolognese sauce which simmered for hours, and a tomato sauce. As those cooked,we made and later ate the best tiramisu we have ever tried. Topping the cooking class was making the pasta from scratch, ravioli and Tellagalie pasta. We cooked the pasta and then prepared lunch. Lunch was magnificent with red wine and natural authentic flavors of Italian cuisine. The recipes we received will be reused at home attempting to repeat an unforgettable cooking class.
Chef Cataranj explanation of the way to cook “Italian” and our tasty lunch made this a 5 out of 5. This cooking class is a must for anyone who wants to see how to prepare and cook a meal starting with the Florence food market.
The cooking class started with us making bolognese sauce which simmered for hours, and a tomato sauce. As those cooked,we made and later ate the best tiramisu we have ever tried. Topping the cooking class was making the pasta from scratch, ravioli and Tellagalie pasta. We cooked the pasta and then prepared lunch. Lunch was magnificent with red wine and natural authentic flavors of Italian cuisine. The recipes we received will be reused at home attempting to repeat an unforgettable cooking class.
Chef Cataranj explanation of the way to cook “Italian” and our tasty lunch made this a 5 out of 5. This cooking class is a must for anyone who wants to see how to prepare and cook a meal starting with the Florence food market.
Written October 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bill E
Cumberland, Canada13 contributions
What a great way to learn to make some Italian dishes! Our Instructor was David, he was competent and was able to describe and demonstrate the proper technique in preparing the dishes. David was very engaging and answered everyone’s questions while making them feel right at home. Now that we’re back home we’ve tried the recipes and amazed her friends! We absolutely booked the right program. It was also nice that the majority of the people got along very well together, again by the interactions with the instructor everybody was collegial, had an awful lot of fun and learned a lot. Thanks! Ciao, Bill and Judy from Cumberland, Ontario. Canada
Written August 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kay M
Long Beach, CA16 contributions
Apr 2024 • Family
Our market tour was a delightful journey through the Florence Central market. The guide's extensive knowledge of the ingredients, their origins, and their significance in Italian cuisine added a fascinating layer of depth to the experience. We enjoyed exploring the colorful stalls, interacting with local vendors, and learning about the freshest produce, spices, and specialties that make Florentine cuisine so unique.
The cooking class that followed was an absolute joy and the highlight of our whole trip. The skilled chef's expertise and passion for Italian gastronomy were evident in every step of the culinary journey. The hands-on experience of crafting the tiramisu and hand-making our pastas, we were fully immersed in the art of cooking. We sincerely appreciated the interactive nature of the class, which allowed us to ask questions and learn new skills.
The highlight, of course, was savoring the fruits of our labor as we sat down to enjoy the delicious meal we had prepared together. The flavors, aromas, and the shared camaraderie made the dining experience truly special and unforgettable.
Overall, our Florence market tour and cooking class surpassed all expectations. It was a perfect blend of cultural exploration, culinary education, and immersive enjoyment. I would highly recommend your tour to anyone seeking an authentic and memorable culinary experience in Florence.
The cooking class that followed was an absolute joy and the highlight of our whole trip. The skilled chef's expertise and passion for Italian gastronomy were evident in every step of the culinary journey. The hands-on experience of crafting the tiramisu and hand-making our pastas, we were fully immersed in the art of cooking. We sincerely appreciated the interactive nature of the class, which allowed us to ask questions and learn new skills.
The highlight, of course, was savoring the fruits of our labor as we sat down to enjoy the delicious meal we had prepared together. The flavors, aromas, and the shared camaraderie made the dining experience truly special and unforgettable.
Overall, our Florence market tour and cooking class surpassed all expectations. It was a perfect blend of cultural exploration, culinary education, and immersive enjoyment. I would highly recommend your tour to anyone seeking an authentic and memorable culinary experience in Florence.
Written May 3, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paul
1 contribution
Aug 2022
Upon arrival we gathered in a room, not a kitchen, but a large room with two convection hotplates and two frying pans. We were met by a chef who did not introduce himself nor share any of his background. We left shortly there after for the market to buy the produce for the cooking class. The market experience was educational as we learned about different cheeses, olive oils and herbs. We then bought a handful of figs and walked back to the cooking facility.
Back at the cooking class we sat- 6 people around a square marble countertop approx. 15-20 feet away from the chef's hotplates. As a result we could not see into the pans without getting up walking forward to see. A tilted mirror above the chef would have been helpful. Although the room had air conditioning, it was barley on. A cool space would have been nice given the 34 degree day.
Our most disappointing aspect of the class was our chef. It appeared he did not want to be there, as he lacked the enthusiasm one would expect when presenting in front of a dozen people. His effort was so low we had to ask him to speak up so we could hear him. That said his knowledge of Italian food was good.
The cooking class had its moments, but overall I would suggest you choose a different class.
Paul
Back at the cooking class we sat- 6 people around a square marble countertop approx. 15-20 feet away from the chef's hotplates. As a result we could not see into the pans without getting up walking forward to see. A tilted mirror above the chef would have been helpful. Although the room had air conditioning, it was barley on. A cool space would have been nice given the 34 degree day.
Our most disappointing aspect of the class was our chef. It appeared he did not want to be there, as he lacked the enthusiasm one would expect when presenting in front of a dozen people. His effort was so low we had to ask him to speak up so we could hear him. That said his knowledge of Italian food was good.
The cooking class had its moments, but overall I would suggest you choose a different class.
Paul
Written August 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Guest,
Thank you for your precious feedback, which we value very much. I am truly sorry to hear that the experience didn't fully meet your expectations. Since we value our guests and their opinion very much, we will take good note of your opinion about this experience and positively apply it, in order to improve our services.
Hope we'll have the chance, in the future, to have you again on one of our experiences, and change your mind about the quality of our services.
In the meantime we remain at your disposal.
Kindest regards,
Laura Cimino
Booking Office Manager
Written October 27, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
globaltrek2065
La Verne, CA2 contributions
Mar 2023
We had a great time with Caterina during this cooking class. She took us through the market and made us feel like a true local showing us major stops for cheeses, spices, meats and veggies before taking us back to the kitchen to start our kitchen. Caterina was hilarious and friendly and made everyone very comfortable cooking even though we had quite a few people of different skill levels. In the end, the fresh pasta, ravioli, and tiramisu was some of the best food we ate on our trip (the wine was some of the best as well!). Would highly recommend.
Written April 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alex Anderson
Horndean, UK13 contributions
Give yourself plenty of time to find the street and the building where this is taking place. There are house numbers on the buildings and there is a sign for the cooking school on the gate.
The kitchen and cooking area is very clean, bright and well laid out to give everyone space to prepare their dishes and see John demonstrate everything easily. John is a good host, he is very knowledgeable and patient, taking time to show each stage and guide you through it.
There were single people, couples and families there doing this experience together. It is fun to do and walking around the market was very informative. John took us to taste truffle products and also cheeses, explaining how he would use them and in what dishes. We went back to the market later and bought some of the items we tasted.
The preparation of the dishes is easy to follow, everyone gets their own utensils and ingredients to help construct each dish. John runs it a nice easy pace and never gets ahead of himself and waits for everyone to be at the same point before he moves on.
The food you prepare is really tasty and you sit down at the end and eat it along with a few glasses of wine. This is definitely something I’d do again, it is great for a group of friends or a family to do. He ran an afternoon class for gelato and pizza which we would do if we visit Florence again.
The kitchen and cooking area is very clean, bright and well laid out to give everyone space to prepare their dishes and see John demonstrate everything easily. John is a good host, he is very knowledgeable and patient, taking time to show each stage and guide you through it.
There were single people, couples and families there doing this experience together. It is fun to do and walking around the market was very informative. John took us to taste truffle products and also cheeses, explaining how he would use them and in what dishes. We went back to the market later and bought some of the items we tasted.
The preparation of the dishes is easy to follow, everyone gets their own utensils and ingredients to help construct each dish. John runs it a nice easy pace and never gets ahead of himself and waits for everyone to be at the same point before he moves on.
The food you prepare is really tasty and you sit down at the end and eat it along with a few glasses of wine. This is definitely something I’d do again, it is great for a group of friends or a family to do. He ran an afternoon class for gelato and pizza which we would do if we visit Florence again.
Written August 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Companion154753
1 contribution
Oct 2024 • Couples
Though the class was large, we thoroughly enjoyed the cooking class and would recommend it to others. The market visit was actually better than expected and the class itself was solid. David did a great job of mixing humor and education and encouraging camaderie amongst the group. The food was delicious and can be replicated in our own kitchens back home. Was my wife favorite experience from our European vacation
Written October 18, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Could someone please share with us what types of pasta and sauce they make in class? We cook quite extensively at home and would love it if the opportunity offers something we don't know how to make. Thank you!
Written April 7, 2024
Can you shop the market for produce to bring back to your accommodations?
Written July 24, 2023
You can shop the market and bring stuff back to your accommodations to eat later. The market is close by and you could easily re-visit after the class, too. The upper floor is full of restaurants, like a food court, too, if you want to return later for a full meal.
Written July 27, 2023
We reserved two places for Wednesday May 11 but I haven't received a confirmation for the class. How do I get the confirmation with instructions? Thanks, Jeff
Written April 27, 2022
I’d send a message or call them. It was a fantastic class
Written April 28, 2022
What time does the class start? In the morning?
Written September 13, 2021
Hello, we are celebrating my husbands 60th birthday in Florence with full day availability on
August 13, 14 and 15, 2020. We are bringing our 4 adult children and want to enjoy a cooking experience.
We have nut and seafood allergies for 2 in our party, looking to see if you have experiences available for our group. Thank you Mary C
Written January 26, 2020
No nuts or seafood was involved in the cooking class. Basic flour, eggs, beef, cheese... things like that... A lot of fun... You won't regret it. As a matter of fact... in our class there was a Muslim couple and a vegetarian girl and they worked things out for them. They do ask at the beginning if any allergies or restrictions. it was awesome.
Written August 22, 2020
Do you offer a dairy and gluten free option?
Written October 26, 2019
I was a student but I am pretty sure the chef/teacher did ask if anyone had a gluten issue. Definitely not dairy free with the tiramisu. Really fun class though!
Written November 3, 2019
What time does this class end? The description only tells us it begins at 9 am.
Written September 30, 2019
I believe it's about 5 1/2 hours long.
Written October 6, 2019
I am not sure about that... I am sorry... but I think you can contact viator and they will be able to get in touch with the company, who hosts this tour and get that information for you.
Written October 6, 2019
I am not sure about that... I am sorry... but I think you can contact viator and they will be able to get in touch with the company, who hosts this tour and get that information for you.
Written October 6, 2019
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