Bologna Cooking Class in a 1920s Villa: Learn Pasta & Tiramisu

You'll hand-roll four kinds of pasta in someone's home kitchen, not a cooking school.

A hands-on cooking class in Bologna held in Paola's 1920s villa, where you learn to make fresh pasta by hand and prepare tiramisu or cannelloni using family recipes, then eat what you've cooked. The optional market tour takes you through Mercato di Mezzo and Mercato delle Erbe before you head to her home for the class. Wine and recipes to take home are included.

The experience

The class happens in Paola's home kitchen, a 20-minute walk from Piazza Maggiore, and runs about two and a half hours. You'll learn to roll pasta dough for lasagna, tortelloni, tortellini, tagliatelle, or garganelli, whichever you choose, then move on to either tiramisu or cannelloni made from a rare family recipe Paola has passed down. The whole thing is hands-on: you're doing the work, not watching a demonstration. After cooking, you sit down and eat the meal you've made, with your choice of red or white wine.

If you add the market tour, you start earlier at a restaurant near Piazza Re Enzo and walk through Mercato di Mezzo in the historic center, where locals buy fresh produce, regional cheeses, and cured meats, then through Mercato delle Erbe, an indoor market known for fruit stands and handmade pastas. After browsing both, you walk to Paola's home just outside the city walls to begin cooking. The markets give you a sense of where the ingredients come from and how Bolognese cooks actually shop.

Paola accommodates dietary needs (lactose intolerance, gluten-free, mild celiac, vegetarian, vegan) if you let her know when you book. She sends you all the recipes afterward so you can make the dishes again at home. Public transportation is nearby if you need it. Strollers and prams are welcome for infants and small children.

What’s included

• Hands-on cooking instruction in Paola's home kitchen.
• fresh pasta rolled by hand and a second course from her family recipes.
• a homemade appetizer.
• the meal you've cooked, with your choice of red or white wine.
• all recipes sent to you after the class.
• optional guided tour of Mercato di Mezzo and Mercato delle Erbe before cooking begins.

Options for this experience

4 options

Cooking class and lunch with PaolaGuide in English, French or Italian · 11:00Market tour not included

Cooking class and dinner with PaolaGuide in English, French or Italian · Available from 21 Nov · 17:00Market tour not included

Market+ cooking +lunchGuide in English, French or Italian · 09:30

Market visit, cooking class and dinnerGuide in English, French or Italian · Available from 21 Nov · 16:00

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Lasts 2h 30m, runs every day, 4 start times, from € 95 per person, with a live guide in English, French and Italian, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day except Wednesday and Sunday: 09:30, 11:00, 16:00 and 17:00Wednesday: 16:00 and 17:00Sunday: 17:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, French 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 yesterday

Good to know

Stroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Traveling Spoon

Is this one for you?Choose the market tour if you want to see where Bolognese cooks shop before you start cooking. Book the class alone if you'd rather spend the full time learning in the kitchen and eating together. Paola speaks English, Italian, and French, and adjusts recipes for dietary needs if you mention them when booking.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, French and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (under 5): free.

Can I do just the cooking class without the market tour?

Yes. You can book the cooking class with lunch or dinner at Paola's home on its own, or add the market tour as an option at checkout. Both versions include the hands-on cooking, the meal, wine, and recipes to take home.

What exactly will I cook in the class?

You'll hand-roll fresh pasta (choosing from lasagna, tortelloni, tortellini, tagliatelle, or garganelli), and then make either tiramisu or cannelloni using Paola's family recipe. You'll also prepare a homemade appetizer before the meal.

What happens at Mercato di Mezzo and Mercato delle Erbe?

Mercato di Mezzo sits in Bologna's historic center and sells fresh produce, regional cheeses, and cured meats that locals buy daily. Mercato delle Erbe is an indoor market where you'll find fruit stands, handmade pastas, and gourmet specialties. Paola guides you through both so you see where the ingredients for your class come from.

Is hotel pickup included?

No, hotel pickup is not included. The class is held in Paola's home, a 20-minute walk from Piazza Maggiore. Public transportation is available nearby if you need it.

Can I choose what pasta shape to make?

Yes. You pick from lasagna, tortelloni, tortellini, tagliatelle, or garganelli when you book. For the second course, you choose between tiramisu or cannelloni.