Taormina: Pizza Cooking Class & Lunch with Wine

Summary

Hands-on pizza making in Taormina’s city center with local chefs and Sicilian wine

You’ll roll up your sleeves in Taormina’s city center, learning pizza secrets from local chefs who make you laugh as much as they teach. Taste cheeses, sip Sicilian wine, and share lunch around big tables with new friends. You’ll leave with a certificate—and maybe some flour still on your hands.

What’s the experience like?

“You’re doing it like a true Sicilian!” That’s what Chef Salvo said when I finally managed to spin the dough without dropping it (well, almost). We’d just met him at Porta Messina restaurant in Taormina’s old town—he greeted us with that warm, slightly mischievous grin you get used to in Sicily. The kitchen smelled of yeast and wood smoke, and someone behind me was already laughing about their sticky fingers. It felt like being invited into someone’s home more than a class.

I didn’t expect to care so much about flour texture, but Salvo made us touch three types—one was so soft it almost disappeared between my fingers. He showed us how to press out the dough, “not too hard,” he kept saying, “like you’re waking up a cat.” Li laughed when I tried to say ‘mozzarella’ in proper Italian—probably butchered it. But nobody minded. There was this easy rhythm: kneading, tasting little cubes of cheese (the sharp one stung my tongue), sneaking sips of local wine while we waited for our pizzas to bake. The oven hissed and crackled; outside you could hear mopeds and church bells echoing off the stone walls.

Lunch was just us sitting together at long tables, tearing into our own pizzas (mine looked lopsided but tasted perfect). There was more wine—fruity and dry—and a dessert that I still think about sometimes, though I never did catch the name. At the end they handed out aprons and certificates; it felt a bit silly but also kind of proud. I left with flour on my shirt and the smell of baked dough stuck in my hair. If you’re looking for a day trip in Taormina that’s not just sightseeing, this pizza cooking class is probably it.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Pizza cooking class in Taormina

• Meet at Restaurant Porta Messina
• Start pizza cooking class
• Learn pizza preparation secrets
• Cook your own pizza
• Taste your pizza with wine
• Receive certificate and apron

Top questions

How long does the pizza cooking class in Taormina last?

The class lasts around 2-3 hours.

Where does the pizza cooking class start?

The meeting point is Restaurant Porta Messina in Taormina city center.

Is lunch included during the pizza cooking class?

Yes, lunch is included—you eat the pizza you make along with wine and dessert.

Are vegetarian options available for this Taormina cooking class?

Yes, vegetarian options are available if requested at booking.

Is wine included in the pizza cooking class?

Yes, a selection of local wine is included during lunch.

Do I get anything to take home after the class?

You receive an apron and a certificate at the end of the class.

Can infants or small children join this activity?

Yes, infants and small children can join—the venue allows strollers and has specialized infant seats available.

Are service animals allowed at the cooking class venue?

Yes, service animals are allowed during the activity.

What’s included

Your day includes meeting at Restaurant Porta Messina in central Taormina for a hands-on pizza cooking class led by a local chef. You’ll enjoy cheese tasting, make your own pizza (and eat it for lunch), sample Sicilian wines throughout the meal, finish with dessert, and take home both an apron and a certificate as souvenirs before heading back out into town.