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3 Best Cooking Classes in Taormina: Which One to Choose

3 Best Cooking Classes in Taormina: Which One to Choose

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Looking for the best cooking classes in Taormina?

I’m not surprised! Taking an authentic Sicilian cooking class is an absolute must-do when visiting this dreamy hilltop town. It was one of the things that we were most excited about when we visited!

We tried out the top-rated ones and now, we’re here to share our honest reviews to help you pick the best class. If you want to learn how to make the best pizza ever or just try your hand at a true Italian meal, these classes won’t disappoint!

Quick Pick: Our Favorite Tour

Bailey makes noodles during a cooking class in Taormina Italy

Don’t have time to read the full article?

Our FAVORITE experience is this cooking class with Chef Mimmo! We shopped at the market for the freshest ingredients and then had a blast making delicious Sicilian dishes at his seaside restaurant. It was one of the best cooking classes I’ve ever done!

Check out the 450+ reviews and book it here!

Tip: This class is VERY popular and often sells out, so reserve your spot now!

Best Cooking Classes in Taormina 

1. Cooking Class and Market Visit with Chef Mimmo 

People at a market during a cooking class in Taormina Italy
Chef Mimmo helping us buy fresh ingredients at the local market
A chef speaks during a cooking class in Taormina Italy
Chef Mimmo was the best!
  • Price: €95 
  • Duration: 4 hours
  • Time: 10 am 
  • Highlights: Local market visit, seafront restaurant, amazing hosts, cooking a wide range of Sicilian dishes, lots of wine, snack and coffee break
  • Inclusions: Transport, ingredients, equipment, antipasti, big family-style lunch, coffee, wine
  • Rating: 5 stars (check 450+ reviews here)
  • Free cancellation: Yes 

If you only do one thing in Taormina, make it Chef Mimmo’s cooking class! It was hands down the best thing we did here, and we would book it again in a heartbeat. 

The experience was fantastic from start to finish. In the morning, Chef Mimmo met us in town and took us to a local market, where we got to choose our own produce and ingredients. Lots of cooking classes actually skip this step, which is such a shame because it gave us real insight into the local culture, so this is just another great reason to book Mimmo’s class! 

Then, Chef Mimmo whisked us off to his seafront restaurant where we met his mother, Francesca. She’s an amazing, kind lady who showed us true Sicilian hospitality! Together, the two of them taught us how to make all kinds of Sicilian dishes, like swordfish rolls, eggplant caponata, and five different types of pasta, with accompanying sauces. It was a hands-on experience and we got to eat it all, family-style, at the end which made it even better! 

As well as the amazing meal, we also got local cheese and salami to snack on while we cooked, a coffee break and lots of wine to sip on! We felt like it was incredible value for money given the price, as we would have paid at least as much – if not more – to dine like this at a local restaurant. 

We’ve done cooking classes all over the world but Chef Mimmo’s tour will always stand out as one of the best. It’s no wonder that it has hundreds of positive reviews! Honestly, if you don’t book this tour while you’re in Taormina, you will well and truly be missing out.

2. Half-Day Pizza Making Class in Taormina

Pizza made during a cooking class in Taormina Italy
The pizza was delicious!
Someone rolling dough during a cooking class in Taormina Italy
It’s a very hands-on class, literally!
  • Price: €65
  • Duration: 2.5 hours 
  • Time: 10:30 am or 6:30 pm 
  • Highlights: Learn the secrets of Sicilian pizza and pasta, lots of wine and bruschetta throughout, fun and friendly teachers, cannoli for dessert
  • Inclusions: All ingredients and equipment, souvenir apron to keep, pizza, bruschetta, wine, soft drinks
  • Rating: 5 stars (check 160+ reviews here)
  • Free cancellation: Yes 

Eating as much pizza as you can is a must while in Taormina, and we had an absolute blast at this awesome pizza making class. After all, Sicilian pizza is some of the best you’ll ever eat, so why not learn how to make it for yourself?

We were taught by a lovely local chef, Francesca, who was warm, energetic, and made the class so much fun! She had us all laughing as we got hands-on making our pizzas, and taught us how to make perfectly fluffy Sicilian dough.

We got to make pasta by hand too, and the wine was also flowing throughout the class, which of course made it even more fun! And as if all of that weren’t enough, we got some delicious bruschetta to snack on while we cooked, so we really couldn’t have asked for more. 

Once the cooking was all done, our group sat down together and enjoyed a delicious, family-style carb fest, with yet more wine! There was really no rush and we all stayed for ages chatting and getting to know one another. Oh, and we got cannoli for dessert, which was such a treat! 

This pizza class was such a wholesome experience, and I would truly recommend it to anyone. It would be a great way for solo travelers to meet new people, a fun activity for couples, or the perfect way to keep the whole family entertained. And at €65, it’s such a steal, too, so what are you waiting for? Book this tour now, while it’s still available! 

Related Read: Fancy eating your way through another famous spot in Europe? Check out the food tours we recommend in Barcelona!

3. Small-Group Cooking Class with Chef Massimo 

Daniel with fresh produce during a cooking class in Taormina Italy
We used the freshest produce
A plate of food made during a cooking class in Taormina Italy
It was fantastic!
  • Price: €143 
  • Duration: 5.5 hours 
  • Time: 9:30 am 
  • Highlights: Local market visit, making a variety of Sicilian dishes, lots of wine, small group class, lunch with beautiful balcony views 
  • Inclusions: Ingredients, equipment, lunch, wine, bottled water, souvenir apron, recipe book
  • Rating: 5 stars (check 360+ reviews here)
  • Free cancellation: Yes 

If you’re a true foodie, then you cannot miss Chef Massimo’s authentic cooking class

It’s one of the longest classes out there, and the group sizes are small, which means that you really get to do a deep dive into Sicilian cuisine. The class kicked off with a visit to a local seafood market, where Chef Massimo showed us how to select the freshest fish and seafood to cook with, and then we went to his beautiful home to begin cooking. 

We couldn’t believe how much we learned over the course of this class! It was super hands-on and we made everything from meatballs wrapped in lemon leaves to fresh tomato salad, fish soup, and caponata. Oh, and of course, we got to make plenty of hearty pasta dishes from scratch, too. If you want to learn as much as possible about Sicilian food, then make sure that you book this class!

Chef Massimo was very generous with the wine, too, and taught us how to pair different wines with the dishes we made. We enjoyed a few glasses as we cooked, and even more when our group sat down together to eat our meal out on Chef Massimo’s balcony, with stunning ocean views. 

We were also delighted to be able to take home a recipe book so that we’ll be able to recreate everything we made and show off to our family and friends! We got cute souvenir aprons, too, not to mention tons of great memories. This class really couldn’t have been any better, so if you love food as much as we do, do not miss out on the chance to cook with Chef Massimo while you’re in Taormina!

Where to Stay in Taormina

UNAHOTELS Capotaormina in Taormina Italy
Photo credit: UNAHOTELS Capotaormina

Now that you have a taste for what Taormina has to offer, it’s time to find a great place to stay! With so many choices it can be hard to know where to start, so we’ve narrowed it down to the best option for each budget.

UNAHOTELS Capotaormina – $$$

Staying at UNAHOTELS Capotaormina is a bucket list experience from start to finish. This hotel is literally built on a cliff, so the views are out of this world.

Every room has a balcony and you’ll want one with a sea view! There’s a private beach to relax on that you access with a special elevator built right into the cliffside. If you’d rather swim in a pool, it’s stunning and overlooks the sea. If you want to head into town, they have a free shuttle for that!

Rooms are typically around €250 and should be booked online well in advance as this place is popular!

Hotel Bel Soggiorno – $$

Set in a garden of citrus trees, Hotel Bel Soggiorno is an elegant hotel with panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea and Mount Etna.

It’s in a quiet, residential area only a 10-minute walk into the center of Taormina. Breakfast is included and it’s worth staying here for. Picture freshly baked bread, Italian cured ham, and fruit all served on an outdoor terrace overlooking the sea. It’s dreamy!

Rooms have AC and are cozy and comfortable starting around €130. Book in advance here to secure a room!

Hotel Pensione Cundari – $

Located away from the crowds of Taormina, Hotel Pensione Cundari is a classic Italian B&B-style accommodation. It’s right on the seafront, close to beaches, and offers an amazing daily breakfast.

Guests rave about the location as it doesn’t feel crowded like in the city center and is only a 5-minute walk to lovely beaches. It’s also only a 5-minute walk to the train station and there’s a nearby bus stop to get you into Taormina easily.

Rooms are basic, but clean, have AC and private bathrooms. They are a steal at only €65/night! Book your stay online here.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance!

If you’re looking to save money on travel insurance, we currently use and recommend SafetyWing. We’ve been using their coverage since 2018 and they’ve had our backs when we needed emergency flights and got sick overseas.

SafetyWing is one of the cheapest providers out there and covers everything from medical costs to lost luggage, travel delays, and emergency flights. A huge difference we’ve found between them and other companies is that they let you take out a policy AFTER leaving your home country. We’ve also found it handy that it’s a monthly payment rather than a lump sum, and you can get a refund for unused time.

SafetyWing has helped us out in some scary situations before and their affordable coverage has given us peace of mind. You can read our honest review of SafetyWing for all the pros and cons.

Book your travel insurance with SafetyWing here!

Thanks for reading!

Daniel and Bailey take a selfie in Taormina Italy
Thanks for reading!

I hope you’re all set to take an amazing cooking class in Taormina! Italian food is already SO good and Sicily is the perfect place to learn how to make it. All of the classes on our list will have you cooking (and eating!) amazing food in no time.

No matter where your travels are taking you, have a look through all our blogs here. We’ve traveled around the world and have lots of inspiration and helpful tips for your next trip. Here are a few blogs I think you might find helpful:

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