La Spezia Pasta & Tiramisu Class: Learn Italian Cooking

Roll pasta by hand and master tiramisu in a Cesarina's kitchen

A hands-on cooking class in La Spezia where you learn to roll fresh pasta by hand and make two iconic pasta shapes and tiramisu from scratch in a local home, led by a Cesarina: Italy's network of home cooks who open their kitchens to travelers. The class runs 3 hours, stays under 12 people, and includes an Italian aperitivo, beverages, and the chance to taste everything you make. The guide speaks English or Italian.

The experience

You arrive at a Cesarina's home in La Spezia and start with an Italian aperitivo: prosecco and nibbles to settle in. Then the cooking begins. You'll learn to roll 'sfoglia' (fresh pasta) by hand, the foundation for two different pasta shapes, each with its own technique and story. The Cesarina walks you through family recipes and authentic methods, so you're not following a card. You're learning how it's actually done in an Italian kitchen. By the time you finish the pasta, you've moved through the motions enough times that your hands start to remember.

After the pasta comes tiramisu, the iconic dessert that closes nearly every Italian meal. You layer it yourself, learning why the proportions matter and what makes it different from the versions you've had elsewhere. Throughout the class, water, wine and coffee keep you going, and everything you make gets tasted, not plated for show, but eaten together. The group stays small, capped at 12 people, so there's room to ask questions and watch the Cesarina's hands work without craning your neck.

The Cesarina network is Italy's oldest collection of home cooks, each one opening their own kitchen rather than running a commercial space. That changes the feel of the class. It's not a cooking school with stations and timers, but someone's home where the recipes have been made for years. You leave with techniques you can actually use, not just notes from a class.

What’s included

• Hands-on instruction in rolling fresh pasta and making two pasta shapes.
• tiramisu preparation.
• Italian aperitivo with prosecco and nibbles.
• water, wine and coffee throughout the class.
• tasting of everything you make.
• small group capped at 12 people.
• guide in English or Italian.

Options for this experience

2 options

Pesto Making Class, ExpressGuide in English or Italian · 10:00 and 17:00A 2-hour hands-on cooking class where you'll discover the secrets of authentic Ligurian pesto, then savor trofie al pesto and a traditional dessert

Two pasta recipes and tiramisuGuide in English or Italian · 6 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 19:00A hands-on cooking class lasting 3 hours, where you'll make two kinds of fresh pasta from scratch and a classic tiramisù alongside your Cesarina

You pick the guide language when booking.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day6 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 19:00

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (9 and older) · Child (4 to 8 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish 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.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Pets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Cesarine: Cooking Class

Is this one for you?Book this class if you're spending an afternoon in La Spezia and want to step inside an Italian home kitchen instead of a restaurant or a cooking school: the Cesarina teaches the way she actually cooks, and you leave knowing techniques you can use at home, not just recipes you watched.

Traveler reviews

4.80★★★★★★★★★★

90 verified traveler reviews

5 ★84

4 ★1

3 ★1

2 ★1

1 ★3

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 8 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What exactly do I make in the La Spezia cooking class?

You make two iconic pasta shapes from scratch by rolling fresh pasta by hand, then prepare tiramisu. Everything you prepare gets tasted during the class, and you'll also enjoy an Italian aperitivo at the start with prosecco and nibbles.

How long does the pasta and tiramisu class take?

The class runs 3 hours. That time covers the aperitivo, learning to roll and shape the pasta, making the tiramisu, and tasting everything together.

How many people are in the cooking class?

The class is small, a maximum of 12 people, so you get real attention from the Cesarina and room to move around the kitchen without crowding.

What's included in the class besides the cooking and food?

The class includes water, wine and coffee throughout; an Italian aperitivo with prosecco and nibbles at the start; and everything you make to taste. You're cooking in the Cesarina's own home, not a commercial kitchen.

Can I choose between the pesto class and the pasta and tiramisu class?

Yes, you pick one option at checkout. The pesto class runs 2 hours and focuses on authentic Ligurian pesto making. The pasta and tiramisu class runs 3 hours and covers two pasta recipes plus tiramisu. Both are hands-on in the same local home setting.