Valencia: Paella Cooking Class & Sangria Workshop Evening

Cook Paella the Way Valencia's Families Have for Generations

You'll make sangria and learn paella from a Valencian chef, cooking with rice and ingredients from local markets. Tapas and wine come first, then you cook your own paella in a small group, and finish by eating it with salad, local wine, and dessert. The class runs in the evening, so you're not cooking in the heat of the day.

Step-by-step itinerary

• Meet in the kitchen
• Attend sangria workshop with tapas
• Divide into groups for paella cooking
• Learn ingredients and cooking secrets
• Cook authentic Valencian paella
• Discover Valencian customs and culture
• Enjoy paella with tomato salad and wine
• Taste dessert with sweet wine and coffee

The Experience

"So you're actually going to teach us the real thing, not the tourist version?" That's what someone always asks at the start, and yeah—that's exactly what happens here. This evening class in Valencia teaches you to make traditional Valencian paella the way local families cook it: with chicken and vegetables, Albufera rice from the region's own fields, and the technique to nail that socarrat—the crispy, prized rice crust on the bottom that separates a good paella from a forgettable one. No seafood shortcuts, no shortcuts at all.

You'll meet in the kitchen and start with a sangria workshop, tasting what you make alongside fresh tapas—patatas bravas, jamón serrano, Manchego cheese, steamed mussels, olives. Then you split into small groups and the paella cooking begins. The chef walks you through it step by step: how to balance the saffron, when to stop stirring, how to listen for the moment the rice hits the pan's bottom and starts to crisp. While everything simmers, you're learning about Valencian customs and culture in the way that only makes sense when your hands are in the work. The ingredients came from the Ruzafa market that morning—that detail matters more than it sounds.

Once your paella is done, you sit down to eat it. There's a Valencian tomato salad, local wines, seasonal fruit, the region's typical sponge cake, mistela (a sweet wine), and coffee. You're eating something you made an hour ago in a kitchen that smells like saffron and stock, and it tastes different because you know exactly what went into it and why.

What’s included

Your evening includes a sangria-making workshop with fresh tapas (patatas bravas, jamón serrano, Manchego cheese, steamed mussels, and olives), a hands-on paella cooking class in small groups where you prepare your own dish, local wine and soft drinks throughout, a Valencian tomato salad, seasonal fruit, traditional Valencian sponge cake, sweet wine, and coffee. Everything is prepared fresh in the kitchen, and you eat your finished paella as the main course.

Good to know

Wheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by My First Paella

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to learn paella from someone who grew up cooking it, not from a script—the small-group format and local chef mean you're getting technique that works, not a performance.

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Top questions

What kind of paella do you learn to make?

Traditional Valencian paella with chicken and vegetables. No seafood—it's the authentic recipe local families use.

Do you cook alone or in a group?

Small groups. You'll divide into teams once the sangria workshop and tapas are done.

What's included in the price?

Sangria workshop, tapas, all paella ingredients, local wine, salad, dessert, and coffee. You eat what you cook.

How long does the class take?

The itinerary doesn't specify an exact duration, but it runs in the evening and includes sangria, tapas, cooking, and a full meal.

Is it wheelchair accessible?

Yes. All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible, and transportation options nearby are also wheelchair accessible.

Can children come?

Yes, but they must be accompanied by an adult.

What's a socarrat?

The crispy rice crust that forms on the bottom of the paella pan. It's considered the best part and a sign of proper technique.

Where do the ingredients come from?

Fresh ingredients are bought from the Ruzafa market in Valencia, including the Albufera rice that grows in the region.