Top Lake Como Classes & Workshops

Learn to create classic dishes of the Lombardy region with a private cooking class in Lake Como. A member of the acclaimed Cesarine network of chefs will welcome you into their home for a lesson in Milanese-style cuisine as you help prepare a 3-course menu featuring northern Italian favorites like polenta, risotto, meatballs, osso bucco, and tiramisu. When the cooking’s done, sit down with your host to enjoy the homemade meal with wine pairings.

Step into a local's home in Como to learn how to make fresh pasta and a classic tiramisu. In an intimately sized small group of just 12 people, you'll hear the tricks to roll fresh pasta by hand, and create two dishes as you learn about Lombardy food from your Cesarine host — part of a network of home cooks who preserve regional culinary traditions.

Make Memories to last a Lifetime on our “Cook with a view” experience in one of the most enchanting village on Lake Como: Bellagio. Learn to make ravioli, tagliatelle and a delicious dessert at an enchanting location with magnificent views over the lake and mountains. Break the ice and sit together around a large table and practice some Italian with your local chef that will guide you through every step and teach you new cooking techniques. Inhibitions fall away when engaged in chopping or rolling pasta dough – a great way to get conversation flowing. Enjoy your delicious lunch and mingle with your new travel companions over a glass of red wine. We’ll share our secret Pasta dough recipe, plus tons of tricks. Bring your friends and try your hand at creating your own culinary masterpiece. Our cooking classes are designed to be social events that do not require any previous experience. The package includes complimentary tickets to the magnificent Villa Melzi’s gardens.

Join an Italian artist to create your own watercolor painting of Lake Como, in a setting that’s inspired painters for centuries. Amid the historical gardens of Villa Melzi in Bellagio, you’ll create your own work using little-known techniques under the supervision of Abele Vadacca, a prestigious sculptor and painter. No experience is necessary, and all equipment for the private experience is provided.

If there’s one dish everyone wishes they could bring home from Italy, it’s fresh egg pasta, a northern Italian signature. Learn how to mix, roll, cut, and cook your own fresh pasta alongside a local chef in their home around Bellagio—then eat it for lunch or dinner along with wine and coffee or tea. With numbers capped at just 10 travelers, you’re sure to master the tricks of the trade.

Get away from the crowds on land and discover the quieter side of Lake Como on this private sailing adventure. Set sail from Bellagio on an elegant 8.5m-long boat to admire the attractions along the shoreline, including Villa del Balbianello, Villa Melzi, and Villa Carlotta. Sail alongside Comacina Island and drop anchor to dive into the crystal clear waters of the lake or relax on board with music, drinks and snacks.

Book in advance and capture the spirit of Lake Como on a walking tour of Bellagio and Varenna, two of the mid-lake region's most enchanting towns. Stop at a historic olive oil mill to taste one of the region's local specialties, accompanied by cured meats and wine. Then, enjoy a private cruise in a Venetian water taxi to visit the opulent gardens of Villa del Balbianello and Villa Melzi.

Italy’s most iconic dish by far is pasta, and with this hands-on cooking class, you can discover the secrets to turning out fresh pasta dishes like an authentic Italian “nonna” with a local chef. Learn how to prepare and roll out the “sfoglia”, or sheet of pasta, and then cut or shape it to suit your sauce. Once both pasta and sauce are ready, relax over lunch to enjoy what you’ve prepared.

Enjoy a mouthwatering introduction to local flavors on this food walking tour of Como. Get the inside scoop on the town’s foodie scene from a licensed tour guide; sample regional delicacies such as olive oils, local wines, focaccia, meats and cheeses, and finish with a gelato. Your guide also provides information on the local history, culture, and architecture while you walk around.

Lake Como is home to dazzling villas and postcard-perfect villages, but getting around on your own can be confusing. With this private tour, save hours by navigating between highlights with a guide. Reach Villa Balbianello via hydrofoil for a guided tour of the lavish villa and gardens.

Pasta lovers—prepare to be amazed! This pasta-making class at a Cesarina’s home is the perfect way to learn new skills and taste incredible food too. As it’s a private class, you’ll have direct access to your teacher for questions along the way. Learn the secrets of the region’s most loved pasta dishes, and make three recipes. The best thing about the experience is that you get to eat the food at the end with wine included.

Italy has a vast and varied culinary heritage, and our local hosts are proud to share its hidden secrets. Share your passion for Italian gastronomy with other lovely guests, immerse yourself in the vibrant local market and enjoy an authentic hands-on cooking class. You'll visit the local market with your Cesarina host, who will teach you all about how to select the best ingredients with the seasons. Then, you'll return to their home, warm up with an Italian Aperitivo and enjoy the class. You'll learn how to make one iconic Pasta type, typical of the city you are visiting, and the famous Tiramisu. After the class, you will enjoy everything you've prepared with local wines. This experience is the perfect choice if you want to encounter the real Italian regional gastronomy through genuine connections, food, and friendship.

Indulge yourself in northern Italian deliciousness with this cooking class. Meet your professional chef in a charming, family-run restaurant near Varenna and learn how to make specialty dishes, sip wine, and then enjoy the tasty food you've just helped to prepare. All food and beverages are included.

Engage your senses and discover one of Italy's most sought-after specialty products on a  private truffle hunt in Bellagio. Hike through family land on the Lake Como shores with local chef Luigi Gandola and his trained truffle-sniffing dog on a search for the rare, fragrant tubers and wild mushrooms. Take the harvest back to a Bellagio restaurant, where the chef will whip up a gourmet meal featuring truffle and mushroom dishes with wine, prepared just for your party.

Immerse yourself in Como’s rich culinary heritage with this hands-on cooking class in Bellagio, with round-trip transfers included for hassle-free access to the family-run restaurant. Learn how to prepare a traditional pasta dish from scratch under the tuition of a professional chef, then savor your homemade meal along with drinks on the terrace, before receiving your participation gift set which includes a certificate, recipe book, and homemade olive oil.

Utilizing farm-fresh ingredients, this pizza-making class teaches participants how to prepare an artisan dish, the Italian way. A professional baker instructs up to six participants during a private training session near downtown Como. The workshop is taught in an informal and friendly way, and includes a glass of wine paired with pizza and salad.

1-hour yoga lesson with a Yoga Alliance-qualified teacher. The yoga mat will be provided if necessary, herbal tea at the end of the lesson and, if you come a little early, you can also enjoy a nice dip in the lake before the lesson. We advise you not to book on the last day of your holiday, in case of bad weather you can easily move the date.

Italy offers you an incredibly wide range of vines. Some of them are famous all over the world, some others are known only by local people. You will taste three different kind of local wines paired to some food to enjoy an Italian aperitivo. A professional and passionate sommelier will guide you through this fascinating world.

An unforgettable memories of the beautiful hamlet of Loppia in Bellagio; imagine a romantic walk along the shore of Lake: how cool is that? The opportunity to visit the enchanting nineteenth-century historical gardens of Villa Melzi in Bellagio, overlooking the lake; all the necessary equipment and tools to make your clay artwork in a real and rare Italian “Bottega d’arte”(atelier) under the guidance of a great Master of Arts; the feeling of jumping into the past learning the “Colombino” and “Cotto Lombardo” techniques, typical of this Italian region; improve your personal experience on the Lake in Bellagio relaxing and expressing yourself while experiencing the special sculpture techniques that your Master Abele will teach you; the pride of being a real sculptor even if this is your first modelling experience;

Return from Lake Como with new skills in the kitchen, and impress your friends and family as you recreate dishes learnt on this pasta cooking class. Taking place in the home of a local chef, the experience teaches you how to create fresh pasta from scratch, and prepare a sauce or dressing that’s typical in the north of Italy. All equipment is provided; you just need to roll your sleeves up and get involved.

"Cooking" is relax and fun for me, it is the pleasure of being in company and spending carefree moments together while sharing experiences and why not, also culinary secrets listening to good music and drinking good wine. My husband and I are Neapolitans, so for us the password is "hospitality": my home is your home. We are about 45 years old, I am an inlingua Italian teacher since 2006, we both speak fluently English and Spanish and we love cooking together (we have been doing it for 20 years now) but we like even more to share these experiences with other people , being in good company and meeting people from all over the world. What to expect from this experience? We will certainly teach you new things in the kitchen with some of our little secrets, all while having fun in a peaceful and relaxed environment at the same time.

With Damiano, your local host, you will discover the best technique to make Italian pasta from scratch. You will also be able to enjoy your creation in a fantastic garden.

Learn to make a traditional Italian aperitivo during this private drinks workshop in Como. Immerse yourself in the Italian practice of sundowner drinks and learn the art of making the perfect one yourself. You’ll also learn to prepare some appetizers to go along with your drinks, sipping a selection of red and white Italian wines throughout the session.

Your day at Lake Como is just winding down, the sun's about to set... It's time for an Aperitivo. This glamorous Italian tradition is loved all over the world, and this is your chance to learn how to prepare it for yourself, the perfect souvenir.  Preparing the perfect aperitivo is an art; you will learn how to prepare a selection of five elegant nibbles to pair with with a refreshing glass of fizz, ideal for sharing with friends in the early evening. Your aperitivo will be a bite-size representation of its local culture, using typical regional ingredients and local wines, such as a sparkling prosecco or a light red. This experience is held by Cesarine: Italy’s oldest network of 1000+ home cooks all over the country in more than 500 cities. They are passionate and welcoming hosts that open the doors of their own homes to curious travellers for immersive culinary experiences.