Manarola pesto lesson: Marble mortar technique

Make pesto the way locals do, with a marble mortar and ingredients that matter

An interactive pesto-making class in Manarola where you learn traditional Ligurian technique using a marble mortar, the ingredients that define the dish, and instruction from a live guide in English. You'll taste the pesto you've just made on focaccia with a glass of Cinque Terre white wine, and leave knowing how to make it again at home.

The experience

The marble mortar is where the lesson begins. Instead of a food processor or blender, you'll work by hand the way Ligurian cooks do, learning how the tool itself changes what pesto becomes. Your guide walks you through the history and origins of the dish, then shows you how to use the mortar with the best ingredients: the ones that actually make pesto taste like pesto. It's a hands-on hour, not a demonstration you watch from a stool.

At the end you taste what you've made, served on Ligurian focaccia with a glass of Cinque Terre white wine. The point isn't just to eat it. It's to understand what you built, so you can rebuild it in your own kitchen when you're home. The class is in English and runs about an hour.

What’s included

• Instruction from a live guide in English.
• use of a marble mortar and all ingredients needed to make pesto.
• focaccia and a glass of Cinque Terre white wine to taste your finished pesto.

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 1 Apr 2027

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (18 to 70 years) · Senior (71 to 90 years) · Youth (11 to 17 years) · Child (4 to 10 years) · Infant (under 4)

GroupUp to 16

Live guideEnglish

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

Wheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by A Piè de Campu Experience

Is this one for you?Book this class if you want to learn a technique you can actually use at home, not just taste pesto someone else made. The marble mortar is the core of it. That's what separates this from a quick tasting or a food processor shortcut.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

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

What exactly will I learn to make in this pesto class?

You'll learn to make authentic traditional Ligurian pesto using a marble mortar and the best ingredients, working through the technique step by step with your guide so you can recreate it at home.

Is the pesto lesson hands-on, or do I watch a demonstration?

The class is interactive and hands-on. You'll use the marble mortar yourself and work through the process with your guide, not watch from the side.

What's included to eat and drink after I make the pesto?

You'll taste the pesto you've just made on Ligurian focaccia with a glass of Cinque Terre white wine included in the class.

How long does the pesto lesson take?

The class runs for about an hour, from learning the history and technique through tasting what you've made.

Is this class accessible if I use a wheelchair?

Yes, all areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible, and the venue can accommodate wheelchairs throughout the class.