Live Music · COOKING CLASSES
The 10 best cooking classes you can book tonight, with what a seat costs, how long it runs and who it suits. Number one is top for a reason; start there.
Meet Lulu and her team in a 16th-century Chianti villa, pick seasonal garden ingredients, make a traditional pasta meal, and dine with house wine and live opera. The 3.5-hour experience welcomes up to 10 people and offers pickup from Florence for an added fee.
“Cooking was fun. Food was great. Opera singer was excellent!! We enjoyed meeting other travelers too!”
Spend three hours in Venice with Francesco Colabella, a chef from Puglia, cooking traditional dishes in his home kitchen. Make recipes such as fresh pasta, lasagna, or orecchiette, enjoy local bites and wine, then listen to a live guitar performance in a private small-group setting.
“I can not recommend Francesco enough. I made a booking for 2 adults and 1 child for pasta and simple tomato sauce cooking and it was amazing. Francesco catered the class to suit my son which really got him involved. We arrived to beautiful Italian nibbles and he instantly made you feel like you had come to see a Friend in an intimate experience. The food was the best spaghetti i have ever eaten. The guitar playing was exceptional and he helped my son learn a few chords too. Its a must if visting venice and Francesco helps with water taxi info so its very easy to find him. One…”
Spend four hours with Katerina and her family at Estia Kouros Empeiria near Melanes. Pick garden produce, cook over a wood stove and open fire, visit the Kouros statue, then eat with local wine, violin, lute, and Greek dancing. Transfers are not included.
“We had a truly wonderful experience. From picking fresh vegetables at the host’s farm to cooking together in a warm family atmosphere, everything felt authentic and welcoming. Sharing the meal we prepared was a real highlight, and we loved learning a traditional Greek dance to live music played by our hosts. The hospitality was exceptional and made us feel at home. We highly recommend this experience to anyone who wants to discover Greek culture in a genuine and heartfelt way !”
At Estia Kouros Empeiria near Melanes, Katerina and her family guide you through garden-to-table Naxian cooking beside an ancient spring. Prepare local dishes in a wood oven, visit the Kouros statue, eat with wine, then enjoy violin, lute, and traditional dancing.
“This was the most memorable highlight of trip - one that we will remember forever! Our hosts were warm and welcoming. They shared their beautiful farm, family history and traditions with us. Their sincere care for the land, food, and their guests was truly inspiring. This was one of the most authentic and meaningful experiences we had - an absolute must!”
Spend the morning visiting Sound of Music filming sites with guides such as Connor, David, or Ferdinand, then walk 10 minutes to a 1.5-hour Edelweiss cooking class. Make apple strudel, taste goulash soup, and prepare Salzburger Nockerl or winter Vanillekipferl.
“Amazing!! A definite for any Sound of Music fans, the sites are beautiful, and the cooking class afterwards was delicious (and so easy!) 🤩 Only downside was going during winter when the Mirabell gardens aren’t all accessible (where ‘Do Re Mi was filmed).”
Follow Salzburg’s Sound of Music filming sites with a live guide, sing along on the bus, visit Mondsee Basilica, then make apple strudel and enjoy goulash at the Edelweiss Cooking Class. Guides such as Jose, Kylie, Simon, and Johann have been praised for adding warmth and humor.
“Wonderful tour . Our tour guide was terrific . We enjoyed the stories, anecdotes and sites visited. We also loved the edelweiss cooking school. Johann was wonderful and we had fun, learned to cook two familiar desserts and enjoyed a nice sit down meal. Very well organized. Highly recommended”
Spend 3.5 hours at Opera in the Kitchen near Florence, cooking four traditional courses with chef Irene, gathering seasonal herbs, tasting family olive oil and wine, and eating dinner during a professional live opera performance. The small group is limited to 10.
“Beautiful surroundings, wonderful music and the cooking activity was fun and easy”
Join Chef Francesco Colabella in his Venetian home on Giudecca for a private, hands-on Italian cooking class in English. Prepare family recipes with fresh ingredients, share the meal, and finish with his live acoustic guitar performance.
“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.”
Spend about four hours with Iris and Nonni, an Icelandic couple who welcome you into their Reykjavik home kitchen. Help shop for local ingredients, prepare two seasonal dishes, and sit down with drinks. Vegetarian and gluten-free meals are available with advance notice.
“My adult sons and I participated in this cooking experience. We had a wonderful time - shopping locally, helping with the food prep, and then enjoying a great and diverse meal. Iris was a perfect hostess. She even purchased fermented shark for us to try. That was an experience. Iris provided a very relaxed as well as educational experience for us. I would definitely recommend!”
Meet at Bollitori near Alicante’s Central Market for a hands-on Spanish cooking class led in English or Spanish. Prepare tortilla, gazpacho, chorizo, bacon-wrapped dates, pork tosta, and torrija, then eat your meal with a drink and live guitar. Recipes go home with you.
“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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