La Spezia: Home cooking demo & meal with local host

Summary

Cook, eat, and laugh with a local family in La Spezia

You’ll join a local cook in their La Spezia home for hands-on pasta making, stories around the kitchen table, and a three-course meal with Ligurian wine. Watch family recipes come alive during the cooking demo and finish with real Italian espresso — an experience you’ll remember long after you leave.

What’s the experience like?

She was already rolling out dough when we walked in — apron tied, hands dusted with flour. The kitchen smelled like basil and something sweet I couldn’t quite place. Our host (her name was Lucia — she told us to call her “Lulu”) waved us over with a wooden spoon and said, “Come, you help?” I wasn’t sure if she meant it or was just being polite, but next thing I knew I was pinching ravioli edges while Lulu’s husband poured us a glass of white from somewhere nearby. He said the vineyard was “just up the hill,” which made me smile because everything here seems to be just up or down some hill.

The cooking demo part wasn’t stiff at all — more like watching your aunt show you how not to ruin dinner. Lulu laughed when my dough stuck to the counter (“More flour! Always more flour!”) and told stories about her mother making trofie pasta on rainy days. There were little pauses where everyone just listened to the sauce bubbling or watched steam curl up from the pot. I liked that nobody rushed; even when we sat down for lunch, it felt like time slowed down. The starter was simple but perfect — I think it was marinated anchovies? Anyway, salty and bright, and then came the pasta we’d helped make (sort of). Dessert was these crumbly canestrelli biscuits that left sugar on my fingers.

I didn’t expect to feel so at home in someone else’s house. After coffee (real Italian espresso — tiny cup, big flavor), we talked about Liguria wines and Lulu tried teaching me how to say “spongata” without mangling it. She laughed every time I got it wrong. There’s something about sharing food you helped make that makes everything taste better, you know? Walking back out into the La Spezia sun later, I kept thinking about that kitchen table and how easy it felt to belong there for an afternoon.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Cooking Demo and Dining Experience

• Meet local host at home
• Attend show cooking
• Taste 3-course La Spezia menu with drinks
• Enjoy selection of Liguria wines
• Drink authentic Italian espresso

Top questions

Is this dining experience in a private home?

Yes, you'll be welcomed into a local's home in La Spezia for the meal and cooking demonstration.

What is included in the La Spezia cooking class?

The experience includes a cooking demonstration, a three-course lunch or dinner (starter, pasta, dessert), drinks (water, Ligurian red and white wines), and coffee.

Do I get to participate in making the food?

You’ll assist your host during the preparation of one recipe as part of the show cooking before sitting down to eat.

Are drinks included with the meal?

Yes, water and a selection of red and white wines from Liguria are included, along with coffee.

How long does this experience last?

The cooking demonstration lasts about 1 hour followed by 2 hours enjoying your meal—so around 3 hours total.

Is this suitable for all fitness levels?

Yes, it's suitable for all physical fitness levels as most of the experience is seated or light participation in cooking.

Are public transportation options available nearby?

Yes, public transportation options are available close to your host's home in La Spezia.

Will sanitary measures be followed during the visit?

Yes, hosts provide hand sanitizing gel and paper towels; guests are asked to maintain distance or wear masks if needed.

What’s included

Your day includes joining a local host in their La Spezia home for a hands-on cooking demonstration of one recipe, followed by a three-course lunch or dinner featuring seasonal starters, fresh pasta dishes like trofie or ravioli alla spezzina, typical desserts such as canestrelli biscuits or tiramisu, plus water, Ligurian red and white wines from nearby cellars, and real Italian espresso before heading out again.