15 Dining Experiences in Italy to Build a Day Around

1.Sorrento Farm and Food Experience including Olive Oil, Limoncello, Wine tasting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,524 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $114Our pick

Meet in central Sorrento and ride into the hills to La Masseria Farm, a fourth-generation family property. With family guides such as Eugenio and Raffaele, you’ll walk among lemon and olive trees, learn how the farm makes its products, taste honey, cheese, marmalade, olive oils, and limoncello, then enjoy a generous farm-to-table lunch with wine.

“We loved meeting the family of the farm and the tour! Lots of interesting information about how the lemon trees are grown and the olive oil is made! We learned a lot more than we expected to, and this is coming from a lemon LOVER!! We loved feeding the animals and laughing with the family and others with our tour. Definitely recommend this experience!! The food was also delicious! Thank you guys so much for a great tour on our honeymoon!”

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2.Venetian Lagoon Tour and Galleon Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,758 reviews · from $124

Board a candlelit Venetian Galleon near the Museo Navale for a three-hour dinner cruise through the lagoon. Enjoy Prosecco, several courses, wine, coffee, and views of San Marco, Murano, Burano, Sant’Erasmo, and San Giorgio. Choose panoramic Central Deck seating or a more enclosed prow or stern table.

“Amazing trip! Food was incredible, staff were fantastic and atmosphere/decor on boat was beautiful. Thoroughly recommend this trip, it was memorable”

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3.Pasta Making & Wine Tasting with Dinner in Frascati from Rome

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,326 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $45

Meet hosts such as Rosie, Nico, or Federica outside Frascati station, then walk through the old town to a family wine cellar. Taste Frascati Superiore DOCG and Vagnolo wines, make cacio e pepe, carbonara, or amatriciana with a chef, and eat your pasta with dinner before visiting the cellar caves.

“The host was very informative. I would recommend to anyone. It was great to see a perspective outside of Rome. Their family white wine was exceptional. She was very patient with the novice pasta makers. We Would give it 10 stars if we could”

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4.Bologna Food Experience: Factory tours & Family-Style Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,201 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $216

Leave Bologna at 7:00am with an English-speaking guide such as Elena, Alessandro, or Federico, and visit working producers of Parmigiano Reggiano, traditional balsamic vinegar, and prosciutto. Breakfast, tastings, wine, and a long family-style lunch are included. Expect a social day, generous portions, and a festive finish with music.

“While in Italy me and my sister took part in many tours. We're both lovers of culture and food and love to learn everything we can. I can say by far this was the best tour we experienced! The price is higher than other options but it is worth every penny. Elena, Roberta and the whole team put their absolute heart and soul I to this. You can see their knowledge and passion behind every detail. The tours have a great pace, lots of details and so much to learn! You get to take a close look at every part of the process. Then you enjoy tastings! To top it…”

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5.Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,102 reviews · 1 day · from $36

Enjoy a two or three-course meal at Hard Rock Cafe Venice, just off St. Mark’s Square beside a major gondola station. Choose a burger, salmon, BBQ combo, salad, or vegetarian Moving Mountains burger. Priority seating helps at busy times, and the new Rock Shop is on Rialto Bridge. Alcohol and merchandise cost extra.

“Great location. We had a fantastic meal. The staff were friendly and very accommodating. Wonderful experience. Enjoyed it very very much. Returned again for Prossecco. A great experience.”

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6.Pasta Making with Wine Tasting and Dinner in Frascati

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 979 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $35

Take a 30-minute train from Roma Termini to Frascati, where your host meets you for a short town walk, two family wines with local meats and cheese, and a hands-on pasta class. You will visit an old wine cave, hear family stories, and choose a Roman sauce such as Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe, or Amatriciana for your handmade pasta.

“We had the best time! The guides were so lovely and helpful throughout the whole process. The vibe was fun and light hearted. Thoroughly recommend for anyone coming to Italy!”

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7.Pizza and Gelato Cooking Class with Dinner and Wine

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 951 reviews · 3 hours · from $71

At Towns of Italy’s Palermo cooking school, chefs such as Lidia and Marcello guide you through dough, toppings, baking, and a demonstration of chocolate gelato and cones. You eat your pizza and dessert with wine or soft drinks, then take home recipes and a graduation certificate. The class lasts three hours and suits families, couples, and first-time cooks.

“It was a great class! our instructor was amazing and fun! We met awesome couples taking the class and the good and wine were so good!”

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8.Tuscan Cooking Class and Dinner in Florence

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 732 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $83

Meet in central Florence at 4:45 pm, cross the Arno with your chef, and prepare a four-course Italian meal in a professional cooking school. Guides such as Naomi, Caterina, Greta, Stefano, and Francisco have led sessions. Expect hands-on pasta work, shared stations, dinner with wine, and a recipe booklet to take home.

“Francisco was wonderful! He was welcoming, very informative and has an infectious laugh. We made a meal that was fantastic! He showed us every step, allowed us to ask questions and taught us ALL a thing or two about cooking we’d never known! Did you know to peel your mushrooms? If you have a chance to take one of these classes, you absolutely should. There was fun, fellowship and learning all wrapped into one experience!”

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9.Small Group Trastevere Food Tour with Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 719 reviews · from $132

Spend three hours walking Trastevere with an English-speaking local guide, stopping for cured meats, cheese, supplì, Roman pizza, pasta, wine, a main course, and gelato. Guides such as Anna, Sunny, Karina, and Adib lead the experience, which suits food lovers who want a social introduction to Rome’s eating traditions.

“The group was so fun! The food was amazing. Great way to begin my trip!”

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10.Italian Opera Concert and Traditional Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 453 reviews · 2 hours · from $94

Spend an evening with Opera da Camera di Roma at the Waldensian Church, hearing Verdi, Puccini, Vivaldi, Neapolitan songs, and more. The 70-minute concert begins at 7:30 pm, followed by dinner at Enoteca Corsi, about 500 meters away. It is a friendly introduction to opera, with excellent acoustics and a traditional Roman menu.

“If you don't love Opera, you have no soul. hearing timeless music in the eternal city was one of the highlights of my life. It chokes me up still. Molto bella. BRAVO! 🌹”

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11.Heart of Florence: Dinner and Three Tenors Concert Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 400 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $88

Begin with a fixed three-course Tuscan dinner and mineral water at a traditional restaurant near Piazza della Signoria. Then walk to Cattedrale dell’Immagine for an intimate concert of opera arias and Neapolitan songs, with three tenors, musicians, and occasional ballet dancers. Choose VIP, central, or back seating.

“It would be easier and better value to have your own dinner and buy ticket separately. Service at restaurant was very slow and poor. Left sitting there for half an hour and had to ask for a drink. Nobody to meet you or guide you to the Cathedral as advised in the activity notes. Had to get directions from the waiter. lucky it’s close by. The tenors were amazing and the highlight. 5 stars for them and the dancers. Only bought backseat tickets area and you can see wherever you sit. Don’t waste your money on front section.”

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12.Street Food Experience With 6 Stops

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 392 reviews · 2 hours · from $33

Walk through Naples’ Pignasecca Market with a local guide and six food stops. Try mozzarella, cold cuts, tarallo, frittatina, ragù meatball, fried seafood, and a Neapolitan sweet, then finish with limoncello or espresso. Guides including Miri, Barbara, Serena, Roberta, and Stefano lead tours in four languages.

“An excellent way to discover the local flavors and hidden corners of Naples. The pace was relaxed, the food was amazing, and the atmosphere was authentic and welcoming!”

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13.Alfredo alla Scrofa Restaurant in Rome: Eat Like a Star

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 357 reviews · from $135

At Alfredo alla Scrofa, five minutes from Piazza Navona, choose a seasonal tasting menu or a pasta-making class followed by lunch or dinner. Learn to prepare fresh noodles and Fettuccine Alfredo, then sit down for generous Roman courses, wine pairings, and the restaurant’s famous butter-and-Parmesan pasta.

“All the staff our really accomodating and professional! They will really look after you from the time you start your appetizer up to your dessert. It was an amazing experience to dine in this amazing restaurant.”

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14.Cooking class, dinner and wine tasting near Lecce

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 350 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $95

Join Enza and Antonio in Corigliano d’Otranto, about 15 minutes from Lecce, for a hands-on class making orecchiette and maccheroncini. Start with an aperitif, enjoy a family-style dinner with Salento wine, and finish with homemade limoncello. Vegetarian, vegan, and lactose-free options are available.

“My partner and I had an absolutely fantastic time at the pasta cooking class during our trip to Italy. From the moment we arrived, our hosts made us feel incredibly welcome, their warmth and passion for Italian cuisine were contagious. The class was not only informative but also so much fun, filled with laughter, delicious aromas, and hands-on learning. We loved how interactive it was, and the relaxed atmosphere made it easy to connect with the rest of the group. It felt less like a class and more like a joyful gathering of friends sharing a love for food and culture.”

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15.Chianti Delights: A Tale Of Two Wineries With A Vineyard Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 324 reviews · 7 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $106

Leave Florence at 2:45 pm for Siena and the Chianti hills. You’ll have free time in Siena, visit two rustic wine estates, taste local wines and olive oil, and enjoy a Tuscan dinner. English and Spanish are guaranteed, with groups capped at 30, though some departures may be larger.

“Great information on the grapes in the vineyard and an excellent meal was served with the wine tasting offering a different taste for each course.”

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