Vernazza: Pesto Class & Cinque Terre Wine Tasting Cellar

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/26

Duration1h 30m

GroupUp to 20

LanguagesEN · IT +1

Mobile ticketAccepted

Learn pesto by hand in vernazza cellar with wine snacks laughter

You’ll crush basil by hand in a Vernazza cellar, taste three Cinque Terre wines with focaccia and cheese, then eat your own pesto gnocchi right from the mortar. Friendly local guides share stories as you snack and sip — finishing off with limoncino and chocolate that lingers long after you leave.

1h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Pesto making and wine tasting

Start wine tasting with focaccia and cheese
Prepare pesto using mortar and pestle
Taste second wine with pesto preparation
Eat gnocchi with pesto and third wine
Finish with limoncino and chocolate

The Experience

“You’re holding it too tight,” Paolo said, grinning as he nudged my elbow. I was halfway through crushing basil in this old stone cellar in Vernazza — cool air, stone walls, a faint lemony scent from somewhere. There were only six of us around the table, all a bit nervous about embarrassing ourselves with the mortar and pestle. Paolo just laughed and showed me again, slower this time. I’d never realized how much work went into real Ligurian pesto — my arm still aches thinking about it.

The wine tasting part came sooner than I expected (thankfully). First glass was crisp and salty, almost like the sea outside. We dipped focaccia into olive oil — honestly, I could’ve eaten just that for lunch. The cheeses were soft and a little tangy; someone asked if they were made nearby and Paolo nodded, “Everything here is local.” He poured another wine while telling us about his grandmother’s recipe — he kept switching between English and Italian without missing a beat. It felt like being at someone’s family table more than a class.

When we finally ate our own pesto on gnocchi (served right in the mortar), there was this quiet moment where everyone just… stopped talking for a second. Maybe it was hunger or maybe we were all kind of proud? I don’t know. The limoncino at the end burned a little but tasted like summer. Someone tried to say “grazie” with their mouth full of chocolate — we all cracked up. Still think about that last bite sometimes when I’m back home making pasta from a jar.

What’s included

Your day includes hands-on pesto making using mortar and pestle inside a typical Vernazza cellar, guided tasting of three Cinque Terre wines paired with Ligurian focaccia, cheeses and olive oils, freshly made gnocchi dressed with your own pesto (or bread snacks during afternoon sessions), plus limoncino and chocolate to finish — all led by an English-Italian speaking guide.

Good to know

Stroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Vernazza Cinque Sensi