Venice is known by many names—La Serenissima, Queen of the Adriatic, The Floating City, among others—and Venetian cuisine is just as varied. Here you’ll find dishes with a centuries-long history and flavours that rich and aromatic. Learning to cook them will allow you to experience and take home a little piece of Venice—in a way that is completely sustainable.
Venice Canals (Photo: MasterchefVenice via Facebook)
If you want to soak up history and culture, food is an excellent point of entry. In Venice, seafood is king, but you’ll learn to cook a variety of dishes in a local cooking class. With that in mind, we compiled a list of the best cooking classes and culinary vacations in Venice so you can enjoy your Venetian holiday at any meal.
RELAIS Alberti
From €1,190/ per person
RELAIS Alberti offers a variety of culinary vacations that will allow you to taste, touch, and smell Venice in a unique way: through food. Their four-day bespoke cooking vacation in Venice, you will learn traditional Venetian recipes with the secrets to preparing them just like a Venetian. You will be accommodated in a superior room in the elegant 16th-century villa of Ca’Alberti in Venice with the option of a double room. The package includes homemade buffet breakfast, two lunches and dinners with wine pairing, and three nights’ accommodation.
MasterchefVenice
From €750/per person
Enjoy an authentic culinary experience in the Veneto region through MasterchefVenice’s carefully designed tours. You will work with Italian master chefs, accompanied by a sommelier to discover the secrets of typical Venetian cuisine. It will start with a trip to the local Rialto market for fresh seasonal products, followed by intensive cooking lessons. Highlights to the vacation include a private visit to a family-run glass factory in Murano, an aperitif at a typical Venetian wine bar, and more. You will stay at a private villa set in a historical garden in Lido with the option of a double room. The package includes cooking lessons, accommodations, daily breakfast, and transportation in accordance with the itinerary.
Maria’s Cookery Course
From €200/ per person
Enjoy a relaxing cooking experience with Maria’s Cookery Course, where you will learn to prepare and cook dishes with instruction from local women. You will have the opportunity to enjoy the traditional dishes you cook during the hands-lessons. During the vacation, you will stay at Villa Castel Venezza, a medieval property in the Venetian countryside, with the option of a double room for 2 or 4 people. Breakfast, dinner, lessons, and accommodation are included in the package, with the options to participate in suggested tours of the region.