Florence: Tuscan Cooking Class & Historic Market with Wine

Cook Tuscan Food the Way Locals Do, Starting at the Market

You pick the ingredients at Florence's historic market, cook a four-course Tuscan meal under a professional chef's guidance, then eat what you made with wine included. Small groups mean real instruction, and you leave with the recipes. The class runs in English from November through March.

Step-by-step itinerary

Florence market visit and cooking class

• Visit Florence historic market
• Select organic seasonal ingredients
• Prepare four-course Tuscan meal
• Enjoy lunch with prepared dishes
• Drink Tuscan wine during lunch

The experience

The morning starts at Florence's historic market, where a multilingual chef walks you through the stalls to pick seasonal organic ingredients: the actual vegetables, pasta, meat and herbs you'll cook with in a few hours. It's not a tour of the market. It's a working stop where you learn what's in season and why it matters, then carry your basket to the cookery school. The chef guides the selection, but you're the one choosing, which changes how you think about the ingredients once you're at the counter.

In the kitchen, you prepare a four-course meal from scratch: croutons with black cabbage and beans to start, then handmade pappardelle with truffle, a slow-cooked peposo beef stew, and cantucci biscuits with Vin Santo to finish. The class stays small, up to 15 people, so there's room to ask questions and actually learn the technique, not just follow along. A professional chef is there the whole time, and if the group gets larger, it splits so each chef handles no more than 15 participants. You're not standing around watching. You're doing the work, and the rhythm of the morning teaches you more than any recipe card could.

Lunch is what you made, plated and served with good Tuscan wine in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. You eat the food while it's still warm, tasting what you built with your own hands an hour earlier. Before you leave, you get the recipes to take home, so the meal doesn't stay in Florence. It travels with you. Vegetarian options are available if you ask in advance, and the team handles food allergies and intolerances if you mention them when you book.

What’s included

Your experience includes a guided walk through Florence's historic food market to select seasonal organic ingredients, instruction from a professional multilingual chef, preparation of a four-course meal (starter, first course, second course, and dessert) in a top-class cookery school, lunch with the dishes you prepared, Tuscan wine with the meal, take-home recipes, and a small-group atmosphere with up to 15 participants. Vegetarian options are available on request.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday, Wednesday and FridayDeparts at 09:50

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Under 10: can't be booked

GroupUp to 15 · max 8 per booking

Live guideEnglish, Spanish 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 CAF Tour and Travel - Gray Line Florence

Is this one for you?Right for travelers who want to learn Tuscan cooking hands-on, not just taste it: the market stop and small-group instruction mean you understand the ingredients and technique, not just follow steps. Kids under 10 aren't admitted, so plan accordingly if you're traveling with young children.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Italian.

Can children join?

Children under 10 are not admitted. Infants and small children can come in a pram or stroller if accompanying an adult participant.

What if I have a food allergy?

Inform the organizer in advance. Vegetarian options are available on request. Note: severe and contact celiacs may not attend due to possible contamination in the kitchen.

Is transportation included?

No. Public transportation options are available near the meeting point. You'll need to arrange your own way to the market and cookery school.

How many people are in a typical class?

Groups are kept to a maximum of 15 guests per chef. Larger bookings may be split into smaller groups.

Do I get to take the recipes home?

Yes. You receive take-home recipes so you can recreate the menu after the class.

What if I'm late to the meeting point?

It is mandatory to arrive on time. Late arrivals cannot join the group, and no refund or reschedule is offered.