Italian Cooking Private Class on Lake Maggiore: Learn 3 Dishes

Make three Italian dishes and eat them the same afternoon

A private cooking class on Lake Maggiore where you learn to prepare pizzoccheri (a buckwheat pasta from Valtellina), Ligurian pesto and tiramisu, then taste all three with wine and coffee. The class runs three hours in the province of Varese with a live guide in English, Spanish, Italian or German.

The experience

Lake Maggiore's shores are where you'll spend a morning or afternoon making three dishes that define Italian cooking. Pizzoccheri starts with buckwheat flour and builds into a full pasta layered with potatoes, cheese and cabbage. The kind of thing you'd eat in the Valtellina valleys just north of here. Then comes Ligurian pesto, the basil sauce that needs pine nuts or walnuts, garlic and Parmesan to work at all. Tiramisu closes it out, one of the few Italian desserts that travels the world and still tastes like itself.

You're not watching a demonstration. You're the one handling the flour, the knife, the heat. The guide works in English, Spanish, Italian or German, so the instruction lands in your language. Once everything is cooked, you sit down and taste it all (the pasta, the sauce, the dessert), with wine and coffee included, which is how Italians actually eat.

Three hours is the full time from start to table. The class takes place in Varese province on the lake itself, and public transport runs nearby if you're not driving.

What’s included

• Instruction in making pizzoccheri, Ligurian pesto and tiramisu.
• wine and coffee with the tasting.
• a live guide in your choice of English, Spanish, Italian or German.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 11:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (18 to 75 years) · Senior (76 and older) · Youth (11 to 17 years) · Child (4 to 10 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, German 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 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Experience Lago Maggiore

Is this one for you?You're hands-on for the full three hours, so come ready to cook, not to watch. The class suits anyone who wants to learn by doing, and the guide paces it so all fitness levels keep up.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, German and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (11 to 17 years); Child (4 to 10 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What exactly is pizzoccheri?

Pizzoccheri is a pasta made from buckwheat flour, a specialty of the Valtellina region. You'll make it from scratch and top it with potatoes, cheese and cabbage. It's hearty and nothing like the wheat pastas most people know.

Do I need cooking experience to join this class?

The class is suitable for all physical fitness levels and no prior cooking knowledge is required. The guide walks you through each dish step by step.

Are drinks and coffee really included?

Yes. Wine and coffee come with the tasting at the end, along with the three dishes you've made. If you're under 18, you'll have coffee and soft alternatives instead of wine.

Where on Lake Maggiore does the class happen?

The class takes place in the province of Varese on the shores of Lake Maggiore. Public transportation options are available nearby, and the location is accessible for all fitness levels.