Pesto cooking class in Portofino: Boat, walk & lunch

Cook pesto the way locals do, then taste it while the harbor spreads in front of you

A pesto cooking class in Portofino combines a morning boat ride along the Italian Riviera coast from Santa Margherita Ligure, a hands-on lesson in making traditional pesto, and a light lunch at a waterfront restaurant. The class includes round-trip ferry tickets, a professional English-speaking guide, focaccia tasting, and a meal of Trofie al Pesto with wine and coffee. The tour runs three hours and suits all fitness levels. Children must be accompanied by an adult, and a minimum of two people per booking applies.

Step-by-step itinerary

Boat tour and Portofino visit

• Meet tour leader in Santa Margherita Ligure
• Enjoy boat ride along Italian Riviera coast
• Arrive at Portofino and explore Piazzetta
• Discover painted houses and waterfront area

The experience

You meet your guide in the morning near the ferry pier in Santa Margherita Ligure and board a boat for Portofino. The ride takes you past the painted facades and steep green hillsides that make this stretch of coast recognizable: the water stays visible the whole way, and the route ends at Portofino's Piazzetta, the small square where the town curves around the harbor. This is not a long journey, but it is the approach that matters: arriving by water shows you why the place draws people.

Once in Portofino, you move into the pesto class itself. You learn how to make it the traditional way (the technique, the proportions, the tools), and then you cook it. The light lunch that follows includes Trofie al Pesto (the local pasta shape dressed in what you just made), a glass of wine, water and coffee. The meal happens at a restaurant on the harbor, so you eat while looking out at the boats and the water. Lunch is suitable for vegetarians.

The round-trip ferry tickets are collected at the meeting point on the morning of the tour, so there is no separate booking step for the boat. You return to Santa Margherita Ligure on your own schedule the same day. The ticket is valid whenever you are ready to leave. Comfortable shoes, a hat, sunglasses and water are recommended. The tour operates subject to favorable weather and sea conditions. If poor weather forces a cancellation, you can choose an alternative date or receive a full refund.

What’s included

• Round-trip ferry tickets from Santa Margherita Ligure to Portofino.
• a professional English-speaking guide.
• focaccia tasting.
• hands-on pesto cooking instruction.
• light lunch at a waterfront restaurant with Trofie al Pesto, wine, water and coffee.

Before you book

Days and timesFriday and SaturdayDeparts at 10:00Last departure this season: 31 Oct

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 6

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Experience My Portofino

Is this one for you?Book this if you want hands-on cooking instruction combined with sightseeing: the pesto class and harbour lunch happen in Portofino itself, so you're not splitting your morning between separate locations.

Traveler reviews

4.86★★★★★★★★★★

134 verified traveler reviews

5 ★124

4 ★4

3 ★4

2 ★1

1 ★1

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly do I learn to make in the pesto cooking class?

You learn to make traditional pesto the way it is prepared in Liguria, working through the technique and proportions with hands-on instruction. The pesto you make becomes part of your lunch. It coats the Trofie pasta served at the waterfront restaurant in Portofino.

Is the ferry ticket included, or do I buy it separately?

Round-trip ferry boat tickets from Santa Margherita Ligure to Portofino are included in the class. Your guide collects them at the meeting point on the morning of the tour, so there is no separate purchase needed.

What does the light lunch include?

Lunch consists of Trofie al Pesto (the local pasta with the pesto you made), a glass of wine, water and coffee. The meal is suitable for vegetarians and is served at a waterfront restaurant in Portofino.

What happens if the weather is bad on the day of my tour?

The tour is subject to favorable weather and sea conditions for the ferry crossing. If poor weather forces a cancellation, you can choose an alternative date or receive a full refund.