Gjirokaster Albanian Cooking Class: Qifqi & Wine

You bake bread, fry Qifqi and grill cheese on the same terrace where you'll eat it all together.

A three-hour hands-on cooking class on a private terrace in Gjirokastër where you learn to make Qifqi rice balls, traditional bread and Hasude pudding from local cook Evisa, then sit down to a family-style meal you've prepared, paired with local wine and raki. The class is beginner-friendly, hosted in English or Italian, and includes all ingredients, equipment and a digital recipe collection to take home.

The experience

The class runs three hours on a panoramic terrace overlooking Gjirokastër's stone rooftops and mountains. Evisa, a local cook fluent in English and Italian, walks you through the generational recipes of Southern Albania step by step: no prior experience needed. You'll work with traditional molded pans to shape Qifqi (the crispy rice balls Gjirokastër is known for), knead and bake rustic bread from scratch, prepare herb-infused chicken, and whip up Hasude, a classic sweet pudding. Each dish is designed to be simple enough to recreate at home once you leave.

After the cooking wraps up, you move to the same terrace's dining table and eat the full meal you've just made together. Local Albanian wine and traditional raki flow throughout. The recipes you've learned come home with you as easy-to-follow digital files, so the techniques stay fresh long after the class ends. All ingredients, aprons, utensils and specialized pans are provided. You bring only your appetite and willingness to get your hands in the dough.

What’s included

• All ingredients and equipment including aprons, utensils and specialized pans.
• expert hands-on instruction from Evisa in English or Italian.
• the full multi-course meal you cook, served family-style on the terrace.
• local Albanian wine and traditional raki.
• take-home digital recipes for easy recreation at home.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 18:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (6 and older) · Infant (under 6)

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Wheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by CURIOSEETY

Is this one for you?The class runs in English or Italian, so you follow Evisa's instruction comfortably in whichever language you speak: no translation lag or guessing at technique.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 6).

What exactly do I learn to cook in this class?

You make Qifqi (crispy rice balls fried in a traditional cast-iron pan), homemade bread paired with herb-infused chicken, and Hasude, a sweet pudding. All three dishes are beginner-friendly and designed so you can recreate them at home using the digital recipes you take with you.

Is the class suitable if I have no cooking experience?

Yes. Evisa teaches the recipes step by step and the menu is explicitly beginner-friendly. You learn by doing, with hands-on guidance throughout the three hours.

Do I eat what I cook, or is it just a demonstration?

You eat everything you prepare. After the cooking finishes, you sit together on the terrace for a family-style meal with the full menu you've made, paired with local Albanian wine and raki.

Is the terrace accessible if I use a wheelchair?

Yes. The terrace and all areas are wheelchair accessible, and transportation options to the location are also wheelchair accessible.