Cortona Cooking Class: Make Fresh Pasta or Pizza with Giada

1.5 hours in a Tuscan farmhouse kitchen, making two dishes from scratch

A hands-on cooking class in Cortona where you make fresh pasta or pizza from scratch in a local chef's farmhouse kitchen, then sit down to eat it with wine. The class runs 1.5 hours and includes a welcome aperitif and a walk around the property. Giada teaches family recipes passed down through generations and can accommodate vegetarian and lactose-free diets with advance notice.

The experience

You arrive at Giada's farmhouse in the Cortona hills for a welcome aperitif and a short walk around the property before heading into her home kitchen. The class itself is 1.5 hours of hands-on work: you choose either the pasta menu (fresh handmade pasta, ravioli, tiramisu and wine) or the pizza menu (pizza, focaccia, fried calzoni and wine) when you book, and Giada walks you through each step. She shares the techniques her grandmothers taught her: how to roll pasta by hand, how to build flavor into a sauce, the small tricks that turn a dish from ordinary to the kind of food you remember. If you pick the pasta class, you can also learn to make fresh tomato or pesto sauce. Ragu requires advance notice since it's typically pre-cooked.

Giada speaks English and teaches in her own kitchen, so the pace is unhurried and the space is intimate. The farmhouse has no air conditioning, which is typical of many Italian homes. She can adapt the menu for vegetarian diets and lactose-free needs if you let her know at least a week ahead. Gluten-free options are not available. At the end of the class, you eat what you've made together with wine, so the cooking is not a performance. It's the beginning of a meal.

What’s included

• Welcome aperitif and a walk around the farmhouse property.
• hands-on instruction in Giada's home kitchen for 1.5 hours.
• two traditional dishes made from scratch (your choice of pasta with ravioli and tiramisu, or pizza with focaccia and fried calzoni).
• wine.
• the meal you've cooked, eaten together at the end of class.

Options for this experience

4 options

Pasta class in the morningGuide in English · 10:30

Pasta class in the afternoonGuide in English · 15:30

Pizza class in the afternoonGuide in English · 15:30

Pizza class in the morningGuide in English · 10:30

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:30 and 15:30

Book up to1d before

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

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

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 nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Traveling Spoon

Is this one for you?Book the morning or afternoon pasta class if you want to master handmade pasta and learn the sauces that go with it. Choose the pizza class if you'd rather work with dough and focaccia. Giada teaches in English in her own kitchen, so the class stays small and unhurried: suited to anyone who wants to learn real techniques, not just watch a demonstration.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

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

Can I choose between pasta and pizza, or is the menu set?

You choose one menu when you book: either the pasta class with ravioli and tiramisu, or the pizza class with focaccia and fried calzoni. Both include wine. If you have a strong preference but haven't decided yet, let Giada know at least a week before your class and she'll confirm what works best.

What time does the class start, and how long does it actually take?

The class itself runs 1.5 hours in the kitchen. You arrive a bit earlier for the welcome aperitif and the walk around the property, so plan for roughly two hours total from arrival to when you sit down to eat.

Does Giada offer any dietary options if I'm vegetarian or have a lactose allergy?

Giada can accommodate vegetarian diets and lactose-free needs if you inform her at least a week in advance. Gluten-free options are not available. Let her know your needs when you book so she can adjust the recipes.

What's included in the price, and what do I need to arrange separately?

The class includes the welcome aperitif, the 1.5-hour cooking instruction, the ingredients, wine, and the meal you eat at the end. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included. You'll need to arrange your own transport to and from Giada's farmhouse in Cortona.

Is there a particular time of year when certain dishes are on the menu?

The menu can change depending on the season and what ingredients are available. When you book, you'll choose between the pasta or pizza option, and Giada will confirm the exact dishes closer to your class date if anything shifts.