Pesto and Pasta Class in Vernazzo, Cinque Terre

You make the pasta, you make the pesto, you eat it all in ninety minutes.

A hands-on pesto and pasta class in the village of Vernazzo teaches you to roll and cut fresh egg pasta called mandilli, pound authentic pesto in a marble mortar, and pair them together with local white wine. The class runs ninety minutes and includes all ingredients, the finished meal, and a glass of wine or soft drink. Guides speak English, Italian, or French.

The experience

How do you learn to cook like someone from Cinque Terre without spending a week there? You show up in Vernazzo and make it yourself. The class starts with flour, eggs, water and your hands: you mix the dough for mandilli, the delicate fresh pasta cut into small squares that is typical to this coast. While the dough rests, you move to the marble mortar and pound basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt, cheese and olive oil into pesto the way it's been done here for centuries, not blended smooth, but textured and alive. Then you boil the pasta you made, toss it into that same mortar with the pesto you just finished, and eat it.

The meal comes with a glass of local white wine to drink alongside. Kids get a soft drink instead. Limoncino on the rocks closes it out. Water is provided throughout. The whole thing takes ninety minutes, which means you can fit it into a morning or afternoon without losing the rest of your day in the village. Guides conduct the class in English, Italian, or French, so you get instruction in the language you need.

What’s included

• All ingredients for fresh pasta and pesto.
• the finished meal of handmade pasta with handmade pesto sauce.
• a glass of local white wine or soft beverage.
• Limoncino on the rocks.
• water throughout the class.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guide in English, French or Italian10:30

Guide in French10:25 and 10:35

You pick the guide language when booking.

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

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to ThursdayDepartures at 10:25, 10:30 and 10:35

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (under 18)

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish, French 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 7 days ago

Good to know

Stroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Vernazza Cinque Sensi

Is this one for you?Book this class if you want to learn a skill you can actually use at home, not just watch a demonstration. The ninety-minute format fits into a half-day in Vernazzo without eating up the whole village visit.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

In English and Italian, at 10:30. In French, at 10:25, 10:30 and 10:35.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 18).

Can I make the pasta without egg?

Yes. The class offers sugeli, a simple rounded pasta made with no egg, if you prefer it to the traditional mandilli.

What do I actually eat at the end?

The fresh pasta you made, tossed with the pesto you pounded in the mortar, served right inside the marble mortar itself. A glass of local white wine or soft drink comes with it, plus Limoncino to finish.

How long does the class take?

Ninety minutes from start to finish, including the time the dough rests and the time you spend eating what you've made.