Italy Travel Must-Do: Family Cooking Class in Tuscany

During a family vacation in Tuscany, Italy, we took a kid-friendly cooking class at our beloved agriturismo recommendation, Al Gelso Bianco. Amazingly, the class included kids from ages 2 to 13, as well as a set of adults seeking new skills. Everyone had fun! The secret to a wonderful family cooking class in Tuscany, Italy? Hands-on engagement, good conversation and a talented teacher. We had all three!

Any good family cooking class starts with the freshest possible ingredients. In our case that was easy as we were able to head straight to Al Gelso Bianco’s garden to pick our own vegetables.

Many kids’ cooking classes in Italy focus on pizza. I think it’s more interesting to make pasta from scratch. It takes real skill to keep the eggs in the flour doughnut and I’m always surprised by how basic the ingredients are for something that tastes so amazing. Kids love watching the initial steps and working hard to knead the dough.

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Every person in the class had the opportunity to use the pasta-cutting machine. It’s hard work but extremely fun and rewarding. Yes, you can make pasta in your home country too, but the experience of learning family traditions from a real Italian in Tuscany, Italy is what makes these family cooking classes so special.

If you have boys, don’t let that stop you from taking a class with them … ours were engaged and happy. It’s messy, which pleases them greatly.

After all the heavy lifting, the instructor prepared our creations for the final step: cooking.

The best part, of course, is eating all that you prepared. Fantastico!

Although there are a few kids’ cooking classes offered in Tuscany, this one is only available at Al Gelso Bianco. The good news, however, is that Al Gelso Bianco is in a great location for sightseeing in Tuscany, as you can easily hit Florence, Siena, San Gimignano, and even Lucca and the Tuscan coast from here in a day trip. It’s also one of our favorite farm stays in Tuscany.

Relevant Links:

Browse all family-friendly accommodations and activities in Tuscany

Ciao Bambino review of Al Gelso Bianco

Top things to do in Tuscany, Italy with Kids

52 things to know before traveling to Italy with kids

Photos by Amie O’Shaughnessy.

Editor’s note: This post was accurate when published. We advise checking independently for the latest information and updates. Ciao Bambino does not accept responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in, or for any actions taken based on, the information presented.