Learn Pesto in Riomaggiore: Grandmother's Recipe Class

Make pesto the way it's been made in Liguria for generations, mortar and pestle in hand

Learn to make traditional Ligurian pesto from scratch in a private 16th-century home in Riomaggiore using a grandmother's original recipe, mortar and pestle, and the seven classic ingredients. The class runs about 90 minutes, includes a welcome glass of prosecco, local white wine, and a plate of fusilli dressed in the pesto you made. Minimum age is 14. The class is not suitable for vegans, celiacs, or people with severe food allergies.

The experience

How do you actually make pesto the way Ligurians have for centuries? Start with the history: the origins of basil, garlic, pine nuts, cheese and olive oil, and why each one matters in the dish. Then you move to the hands-on part: you'll grind the seven traditional ingredients using a mortar and pestle, following the method passed down through the host's family. The fragrance of fresh basil and garlic fills the work as you build the paste, step by step, the way it's meant to be made.

The class happens in a private home on the third floor of a 16th-century building in the heart of Riomaggiore. Before you start, the host and Ettore (the dog) welcome you with a glass of prosecco. Once you've finished making the pesto, you climb to the roof terrace, where the colorful tower-houses of the village drop down the hillside toward the sea, and you can see the whole landscape from above. That's where you sit down to eat: your handmade pesto tossed through warm fusilli, paired with a local white wine, in conversation with the other guests who made it alongside you.

The walk from Riomaggiore train station takes about 10 minutes. The harbor is 10 to 15 minutes on foot. Public transportation reaches the village easily. Bathroom facilities are not available at the home, so plan accordingly.

What’s included

• Welcome glass of prosecco and local white wine.
• the fusilli pasta dressed in the pesto you made.
• all fees and taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesSaturdayDeparts at 14:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (14 to 70 years) · Under 14: can't be booked

GroupUp to 6

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 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Cooking with Luca

Is this one for you?Book this class if you're traveling in a small group or with one or two others and want to learn a real skill you can take home, not just taste something, but make it yourself, the traditional way, in the place where it comes from.

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Top questions

What exactly do I learn to make in this class?

You learn to make authentic Ligurian pesto from scratch using the seven traditional ingredients (basil, garlic, pine nuts, cheese, olive oil, salt and water) ground together by hand with a mortar and pestle following the host's grandmother's original recipe and the classic Ligurian technique.

Do I get to eat what I make?

Yes. After you finish making the pesto, it's tossed through a warm plate of fusilli pasta, which you eat on the roof terrace with a glass of local white wine and in the company of the other guests in the class.

What's included in the price?

The class includes a welcome glass of prosecco, the local white wine served with your meal, the fusilli pasta with your homemade pesto, and all fees and taxes. You do not need to bring or pay for anything else related to the food or drink.

How long does the whole experience take?

The class runs about 90 minutes from start to finish, including the introduction to pesto history, the hands-on preparation, and the meal on the terrace.

Is there anything I need to know before booking?

The minimum age is 14. The class is not suitable for vegans, celiacs, or people with severe food allergies or intolerances. If you communicate allergies at the last minute, you're still welcome to attend but will not be provided food. Bathroom facilities are not available at the home.