$50 - $70 Book

Bologna Market Tour & Cooking Class in a Garden Home

All amenities

Family Friendly
Vegetarian friendly
French, Italian, English
House
Cooking demonstration
home cook
Market Tour
5+ hours
Min 2, max 10 guests
Start times: 9:30am, 4:00pm
Meet Paola at a restaurant near Piazza Re Enzo and begin your guided tour through two of Bologna's most beloved markets: Mercato di Mezzo, located in the heart of the historic center, where you’ll browse fresh produce, regional cheeses, cured meats, and artisanal products; and Mercato delle Erbe, a lively indoor market frequented by locals for its colorful fruit stands, handmade pastas, and gourmet specialties. After exploring the markets, walk to Paola’s home just outside the city walls, for your cooking experience and meal.

This Bologna market tour and cooking class is perfect for travelers who want to explore Bologna like a local, connect with Italian culture, and enjoy a home-cooked meal.
Cooking Experience
3 - 4 hours
Min 2, max 10 guests
Start times: 11:00am, 5:00pm
Join Paola in her charming 1920s villa, just a 20-minute walk from Piazza Maggiore, for an authentic Bologna cooking class in an Italian home. In this 2-hour hands-on cooking experience, you’ll learn to prepare traditional Italian dishes that have been passed down through generations. In Paola’s home kitchen, learn to cook fresh pasta from scratch, choose from Bolognese lasagna, tortelloni, tortellini, tagliatelle, or garganelli. Then, learn to make a classic tiramisu or cannelloni using a rare family recipe not typically found in restaurants. After cooking, enjoy the meal you helped prepare. In the summer months, it will be served in Paola’s lovely outdoor dining area in the garden. After the experience, Paola will send you all the recipes so you can recreate the flavors of Bologna in your own home.
Notes

1. 1-2 glasses of wine per person is included in the price of the experience.
2. Paola is happy to accommodate guests with dietary needs, including lactose intolerance, gluten-free diets, mild celiac disease, vegetarians, and vegans - please let her know in advance, when booking the experience online.

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.

  • Homemade appetizer
  • Bolognese lasagna, tortelloni, tortellini, tagliatelle, garganelli or cannelloni
  • Tiramisu
  • 1-2 glasses of wine (you can choose between red or white)

More about Paola

Paola is a lawyer by profession, but her true passion is in cooking and meeting people from around the world. Since 2017, she has been warmly welcoming guests into her charming 1920s villa in Bologna, sharing authentic Italian cuisine and heartfelt hospitality. Paola learned to cook from her grandmother, an exceptional home chef who passed down cherished family recipes from both Mantova, where she was born, and Bologna, where she now lives. Today, Paola lovingly recreates these traditional dishes, keeping the flavors of her family recipes alive. In addition to regional Italian classics, Paola enjoys experimenting with recipes from across Italy and beyond, offering a delicious variety of dishes in her cooking classes and home-cooked meals. This in-home dining experience is set just five minutes from Bologna’s city walls, and is the perfect place to experience real Italian hospitality and cuisine.

What others are saying

Dec 03, 2025
"We had the best experience cooking with Paola in her home! It exceeded our expectations in every way. Her home was beautiful, inviting, and so comfortable to cook in. Paola herself was warm, patient, and incredibly welcoming—she made us feel right at home from the moment we walked in. She worked wonderfully with our kids, keeping them engaged and excited throughout the class. The recipes were delicious and easy to follow, and we’re already enjoying making them at home. We highly recommend Paola’s class to anyone looking for a fun, memorable, and truly enjoyable cooking experience. We can’t wait to go back!"
Vanessa
Oct 17, 2025
"October garden luncheon! Paola is a charming woman and very knowledgeable about all things Bologna, having lived there her whole life! She is a great teacher and speaks excellent English. We enjoyed our cooking lesson in her beautiful home and she taught us all kinds of tips to make pasta! Our meal was delicious, with traditional appetizers, sparking wine and her homemade ragu on our freshly made pasta. It was a delightful al fresco lunch in her garden. A very memorable experience! I highly recommend it."
Ruth Anne Baron
Oct 16, 2025
"Paola is a charming woman and very knowledgeable about all things Bologna, having lived there her whole life! She is a great teacher and speaks excellent English. We enjoyed our cooking lesson in her beautiful home and she taught us all kinds of tips to make pasta! Our meal was delicious, with traditional appetizers, sparking wine and her homemade ragu on our freshly made pasta. It was a delightful al fresco lunch in her garden. A very memorable experience! I highly recommend it. Ruth Anne Baron, Toronto"
Ruth Anne
Oct 16, 2025
"Wonderful authentic garden meal! We had a wonderful time with Paola on the market tour and cooking class. She clearly loves sharing her passion for Bolognese cuisine, and her insights, tips and tricks were much appreciated! We enjoyed a delicious meal that we prepared together in her lovely garden! I am excited to make the recipes that she shared when I return home with the confidence that she gave us that authentic homeade bolognese pasta can be made flawlessly after her class. Bravo, Paola!"
889mar
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Cancellation

  • No worries booking: free cancellation within 24 hours of booking.
  • Cancel anytime up to 48 hours before your experience for a full refund minus service fees.
  • If your experience is cancelled within 48 hours of your experience, no refund is provided.

Location

Frequently asked questions

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