Siena Market & Cooking Class at a Local's Home

You make the pasta, not just taste it.

A half-day cooking class in Siena where you shop the local market with a Cesarina, then cook three authentic Sienese recipes in her home kitchen and eat them with wine. The class runs either in the morning with the market tour or in the afternoon without it, and stays small enough that each cook gets their own workstation and hands-on instruction from the host.

The experience

The morning option starts at the market: you walk through the stalls with your Cesarina, picking out seasonal produce and learning which vendors she trusts and why. The afternoon class skips the market and goes straight to her kitchen. Either way, you arrive at a home kitchen where you have your own workspace, your own set of tools, and the ingredients already laid out. The Cesarina teaches three dishes: fresh pasta (pappardelle, pici or gnudi), a seasonal starter, and a dessert like cantucci or tiramisu, and you make each one yourself, not watch a demonstration. She shows you the tricks, corrects your technique, and lets you work.

After cooking, you sit down to eat everything you made, course by course, with a selection of local red and white wines. Water and coffee come with the meal. The whole experience runs about four and a half hours, and the group stays small enough that the Cesarina can give real attention to each cook. Your guide speaks English or Italian, and public transportation stops are nearby if you need them.

What’s included

• Guided market tour (morning option only).
• small group cooking instruction.
• three-course meal of what you cook.
• local red and white wines.
• water and coffee.
• all utensils and ingredients.
• local taxes.

Options for this experience

2 options

Afternoon class without marketGuide in English or Italian · 5 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 18:00Duration: 3 hours. Pasta and tiramisu class: together with your Cesarina, you'll make two fresh pasta recipes from scratch and a classic tiramisù

Cooking class featuring a visit to the market in the morningGuide in English or Italian · Available from 16 May 2027Lasts 4.5 hours: a morning visit to the local market, then a cooking class and a 3-course meal at a local's home

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 day5 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 18:00

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (9 and older) · Child (4 to 8 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish 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 yesterday

Good to know

Public transport nearby

Operated by Cesarine: Cooking Class

Is this one for you?Pick the morning class if you want to see where Sienese cooks shop and understand the ingredients before you cook with them. Choose the afternoon option if you have a free afternoon and want to jump straight into the kitchen without the market walk.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 8 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What's the difference between the morning and afternoon class options?

The morning class includes a guided tour of the local market where you shop with the Cesarina before heading to her kitchen. The afternoon class goes straight to cooking without the market stop. Both teach the same three Sienese recipes and include the full meal and wine.

Do I need cooking experience to join this class?

No. The Cesarina teaches the techniques for each dish from the start, and you work at your own pace at your own station. The class is built for people who want to learn, not for experienced cooks.

What dishes will I actually cook?

You make three courses: a seasonal starter, fresh pasta (your choice of pappardelle, pici or gnudi), and a Sienese dessert such as rice pudding, castagnaccio, cantucci or tiramisu. The exact menu depends on what's in season and what the Cesarina decides to teach that day.

Is the wine included, or do I pay extra?

Wine is included. You taste a selection of local red and white wines with the meal you cook, along with water and coffee.

How many people cook in one class?

The class is small group size, so each participant gets their own workstation and direct instruction from the Cesarina. Exact numbers vary, but the group stays small enough for hands-on teaching.