Sicilian Cooking Class in Catania: Learn from Mariella

Cook family recipes in a Catanian home and eat what you make

A private Sicilian cooking class in Catania with local host Mariella, held in her home overlooking the sea. Choose pizza, pasta or a market tour followed by cooking, then learn family recipes using seasonal ingredients and enjoy your meal with two glasses of Sicilian wine. An English-speaking assistant accompanies the experience.

The experience

Mariella's home sits on the seventh floor of a building in central Catania, reached by elevator. You arrive and work in her kitchen, learning the recipes her family has cooked for generations. The class is private (just you and whoever you bring), and Mariella has spent over 35 years in the food industry. She cooks alongside you, not as a demonstration: you handle the ingredients, shape the dough, stir the pan. The menu changes with the season and what's fresh that day, but it follows a pattern: an appetizer (eggplant caponata or parmigiana), a main (Sicilian pizza, pasta all Norma, linguine with clams, or pizza topped with pistachios or vegetables), and dessert (cannoli with ricotta or biancomangiare, a Sicilian milk pudding).

If you pick the market tour option, you meet Mariella at Piazza Duomo and walk through Catania's fish market together, choosing the day's ingredients before heading back to cook. The pasta class uses high-quality store-bought pasta made from ancient Sicilian grains, so the focus stays on technique and authentic flavors rather than handmade dough. All three class types (pizza, pasta, or market plus cooking) end the same way: you sit down to eat what you made, paired with two glasses of local Sicilian wine. Mariella speaks limited English, but an English-speaking assistant is there throughout to translate and help.

The class runs about three hours. Vegetarian options are available, and dietary restrictions or allergies can be accommodated if you mention them when booking. The building has stairs leading to the elevator entrance, so access may be limited for wheelchair users or guests with significant mobility challenges.

What’s included

• Private Sicilian cooking class with Mariella in her home.
• choice of pizza, pasta, or market tour plus cooking.
• homecooked Sicilian meal you prepare.
• two glasses of local Sicilian wine.
• English-speaking assistant throughout.
• vegetarian options available.

Options for this experience

6 options

Pizza cooking class in the morningGuide in English or Italian · 11:30

Pizza cooking class in the eveningGuide in English or Italian · 17:00

Sicilian cooking class in the morningGuide in 4 languages · 11:30

See 3 more options

Sicilian cooking class in the eveningGuide in 4 languages · 17:00

Market visit, pizza class and lunchGuide in 4 languages · 09:30

Market visit, cooking class and lunchGuide in 4 languages · 09:30

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 dayDepartures at 09:30, 11:30 and 17:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, 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 today

Good to know

Stroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Traveling Spoon

Is this one for you?Book a morning or evening class if you want to focus on cooking technique in Mariella's kitchen. Choose the market tour option if you'd rather start by shopping for fresh ingredients at Catania's fish market and then cook with what you find.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (under 5): free.

Can I choose what I cook in Mariella's class?

You pick one of three class types at checkout: a pizza cooking class, a pasta cooking class, or a market tour followed by a cooking class. Within each, the menu depends on what's in season and fresh that day. Vegetarian versions are available for all three options.

What is Catania's fish market like, and do I visit it on every class?

Catania's market at Piazza Duomo is a working fish and produce market where vendors sell fresh catch and seasonal vegetables. You visit it only if you book the market tour option. The pizza and pasta classes go straight to Mariella's home.

Does Mariella teach handmade pasta in the pasta class?

No. The pasta class uses high-quality store-bought pasta made from ancient Sicilian grains. This lets the class focus on authentic Sicilian recipes, cooking techniques and flavors rather than pasta-making itself.

What does the meal include, and is wine really part of it?

Your meal includes an appetizer, a main dish (pizza or pasta depending on your class choice), and dessert, paired with two glasses of Sicilian wine. You eat together in Mariella's home after cooking.

Is Mariella's home accessible if I have mobility concerns?

The apartment is on the seventh floor and reached by elevator, but there is a short flight of stairs leading to the elevator entrance. This may make the experience difficult for wheelchair users or guests with significant mobility limitations.