A Florence cooking class is the most booked food experience in the city, and two classes lead Viator by a wide margin. A fresh pasta class in the Oltrarno, with lunch and unlimited Tuscan wine, is rated 4.9 across 9,544 reviews, from about $29. A pizza and gelato class near San Lorenzo is also rated 4.9, across 2,703 reviews, from about $54.
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The verdict
The pasta class is our pick: 9,222 of 9,544 reviews are five stars, and at about $29 it is one of the cheapest guided experiences in Florence. You make fresh pasta by hand with a professional chef, then eat it for lunch with Tuscan wine and unlimited soft drinks. Reviewers mention a busy, cheerful room that runs several classes at once.
The pizza and gelato class costs more but is the better choice with children: you shape and top your own pizza, watch artisan gelato being made, and adults get unlimited wine while children get soft drinks. A digital recipe booklet is included.
Both last about three hours and offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
The pasta class is popular for a reason, and it shows: reviewers describe a line outside and several groups cooking at the same time. If you want a quiet, intimate lesson, this is not it; a few low reviews complain about the pace. Arrive on time, and tell the staff about allergies when you book.
Which one is for you?
Take the pasta class if
- You want the most reviewed class in Florence: 4.9 from 9,544 travelers.
- You want the lowest price, from about $29.
- Fresh pasta is what you want to learn.
- You like a lively room with wine on the table.
Take the pizza and gelato class if
- You are traveling with children.
- You would rather make pizza than pasta.
- You want to see gelato being made.
- You want a recipe booklet to take home.
What each price covers
The pasta class, from about $29
Included: a professional chef, all ingredients and equipment for the fresh pasta course, lunch, Tuscan wine and unlimited soft drinks.
Not included: private transportation.
The pizza and gelato class, from about $54
Included: a hands-on pizza class with a local chef, a live gelato-making demonstration, snacks and your meal, unlimited wine for adults and soft drinks for children, and a digital recipe booklet.
Not included: gratuities and hotel pickup.
Where each one starts
- Pasta class: Restaurant De Bardi, Via de’ Bardi 23r, in the Oltrarno, a short walk from the Ponte Vecchio.
- Pizza and gelato class: Via Panicale 43r, near the San Lorenzo market.
Side by side
| Pasta class | Pizza and gelato class | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.9 from 9,544 | 4.9 from 2,703 |
| Five-star reviews | 9,222 (97%) | 2,469 (91%) |
| Price | from about $29 | from about $54 |
| Length | 2 h 30 min | 3 hours |
| What you make | Fresh pasta | Pizza (gelato demonstration) |
| Wine | Tuscan wine, unlimited soft drinks | Unlimited wine for adults |
| Cancellation | Free up to 24 hours before | Free up to 24 hours before |
What travelers say
On the pasta class
We were a little worried as we watched the line for this cooking class grow and grow.
Kelly_G, September 2026, via Viator
Lorenzo and Lorenzo were amazing teachers and chefs!
Gabriela_M, September 2026, via Viator
On the pizza and gelato class
We had the BEST time at our pizza and gelato cooking class with Chef Victoria!
Sarah_B, September 2026, via Viator
Great class and Andrea was super!
Diana_P, September 2026, via Viator
Both are reviewed mostly with five stars: 96% of the pasta class ratings and 91% of the pizza and gelato class ratings. Three stars or lower make up about 1% of the reviews on the first and about 3% on the second.
How a cooking class fits a trip to Florence
A class is a good way to spend a hot afternoon or a rainy one. Pair it with a Florence food tour to taste what you learned to cook, or with a day in the country on a Chianti wine tour.
For the city’s museums, see our best tours in Florence and the Uffizi tickets guide; for classes in other cities, our page on cooking classes in Italy.
Questions travelers ask
Which Florence cooking class should I book?
For the best reviews and the lowest price, the fresh pasta class, rated 4.9 from 9,544 reviews on Viator, from about $29 (checked September 2026). With children, the pizza and gelato class, from about $54.
Is wine included in Florence cooking classes?
Yes, on both. The pasta class includes Tuscan wine and unlimited soft drinks; the pizza class includes unlimited wine for adults and soft drinks for children.
How long is a cooking class in Florence?
About 2 hours 30 minutes for the pasta class and about 3 hours for the pizza and gelato class.
Are Florence cooking classes good for kids?
The pizza and gelato class is the better choice for children: soft drinks are included for them, and making pizza is easier than rolling pasta.
Can I cancel a Florence cooking class?
Both offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.
Book the pasta class for the price and the reviews; book the pizza and gelato class if children are coming.
Editorial assessment by Italy2Love, September 2026. Inclusions and exclusions, meeting points, prices, ratings, review counts and cancellation terms read on both Viator product pages (product codes 212483P5 and 5049ITALY_PIZZA), September 2026. Reviews quoted with attribution to their authors and to Viator. Next review March 2027, or sooner on any change to either option.