Top 12 Shopping Tours in Italy

1.Cooking Class and Lunch at a Tuscan Farmhouse with Local Market Tour from Florence

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4,831 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $145Our pick

Meet Luca or another Walkabout Florence Tours guide at 9 a.m., visit Florence’s market, then ride about 20 minutes to a Tuscan farmhouse. With chefs such as Erika, you’ll make pasta, bruschetta, roast pork, potatoes, and tiramisu, then eat your four-course lunch with wine. Recipes and a cooking diploma follow.

“Our guide LUCA and chef ERCA were amazing!!!! Fresh m the first minute we were engaged and laughing! The instruction was clear and the food fantastic. Best tour if our vacation!!!”

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2.Colosseum, Roman Forum & Trajan’s Market Exterior Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 2,038 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $29Best value

Walk around Rome’s ancient center with an English-speaking guide who explains the Colosseum, Via dei Fori Imperiali, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, Julius Caesar’s Forum, Trajan’s Column, and Markets from outside. You will use headphones, hear stories and building details, and finish with a clearer sense of how ancient Rome worked. Entry tickets are not included.

“Our guide Tania was amazing! Super nice and funny! By bringing some pictures, the experience was wonderful!”

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3.Small Group Cooking Class & Market Food Tour in Florence

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,574 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $62

Meet your chef near Florence’s Mercato Centrale, taste local products, then make bruschetta, fresh tagliatelle, ravioli, sauces, and tiramisu. Chefs such as Federico, Tommaso, Alice, and Jon lead hands-on classes for up to 20 people. You finish by eating your meal with Chianti and take home digital recipes and a diploma.

“Frederico was a great host!! The class was so much fun, he was very knowledgeable about Italian cuisine but made it fun for all skill levels! Delicious food and a wonderful time at the market too”

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4.Bologna Food & Market Tour with 6 Tastings, Pasta, Wines & More

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,328 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $118

Spend about 3.5 hours tasting Bologna with a guide such as Claire, Federica, Caterina, or Mattia. Visit the Quadrilatero market, watch fresh pasta being made, compare aged Parmigiano and Modena balsamic vinegar, sample cold cuts, wine, gelato, coffee, and a secret dish. The group is capped at 12.

“Come really hungry. The food is delicious and plentiful. Caterina is a great tour guide, friendly, engaging, and knowledgeable. We learned so many things about Bologna's contribution to the culinary world.”

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5.Street Food and Local Market Tasting Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 540 reviews · 3 hours · from $81

Spend three hours walking Palermo’s Capo and Vucciria markets with a local English-speaking guide. Taste arancina, panelle, cazzilli, sfincione, pani ca’ meusa, seasonal sweets, and three drinks. Guides such as Angelo, Simona, Salvo, and Vinz add local stories, history, and practical tips. The generous tastings replace a full meal.

“Liked the emphasis on street food and the local culture, not touristy.”

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6.Pasta and Tiramisu Cooking Class with optional Local Market Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 515 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $83

Spend about four hours making tagliatelle, ricotta ravioli, ragù, tomato sauce, and tiramisu with a local chef at Cucineria La Mattonaia. Morning sessions add Sant’Ambrogio Market and cheese tastings. Classes are hands-on, limited to 12 people, and finish with your meal and unlimited wine.

“Giulia was fantastic! We had so much fun and would highly recommend the pasta and tiramisu class. The food and wine was amazing too!”

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7.Cooking Class with Local Food Market Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 407 reviews · 3 - 5 hours · from $63

Meet an English-speaking chef such as Alice, Roberta, Victoria, or Federico for a market walk and hands-on Florence cooking class. Taste olive oils, cheeses, cured meats, balsamic vinegar, and truffle products, then make fresh pasta, lasagna, sauces, and tiramisù before eating with wine.

“My daughter and I had a great time with Victoria and Allasandro yesterday on this tour and cooking class. Our guides were friendly, fun and very knowledgeable. The market tour and tastings were fun and the food which we cooked was delicious. We met some lovely people and overall had a great day.”

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8.The Original Catania Street Food and Market Tour by Streaty

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 345 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $71

Spend about three hours walking central Catania with a local guide such as Gisella, Allegra, Barbara, or Davide. Visit A’ Piscaria fish market, taste arancini and other Sicilian street foods, enjoy two alcoholic drinks and fruit juice, then finish with seasonal fruit and dessert. Groups are capped at 12.

“Amazing food and our guide Davide was outstanding. Super knowledgeable and gave us all the history along the way”

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9.Pasta Cooking Class with Market Visit and Wine

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 274 reviews · from $141

Spend about six hours with Italian chef Marco, beginning at Nomentano Market before heading to the Kitchen of Mamma. You will make several pasta shapes, including ravioli and tortellini, learn sauces and fillings, then sit down to lunch with wine, coffee, and limoncello. English and Italian instruction is available.

“Marco was fantastic! So chilled out and absolutely hilarious! Very insightful to how to make some delicious food from scratch with a lovely buzz! Would 100% recommend to do this!”

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10.Florence Central Market Food Tour with Eating Europe

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 224 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $113

Spend about three hours with an English-speaking guide through Florence’s San Lorenzo district and Central Market. Taste cantucci with Vin Santo, Tuscan cheeses, cured meats, olive oils, lampredotto, wine, coffee, and gelato. Guides such as Tina, Alice, Kiara, Anto, Francesco, Ely, and Gaia have led this small-group experience.

“A great way to start a visit to Florence. A quick and enjoyable intro to the local food culture. Kiara is a wonderful guide and a wealth of info on everything Florence. Highly recommend.”

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11.Sicilian Cooking Class & Market Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 212 reviews · from $107

Meet Paolo, Mary, Luca, or Francesca near Taormina’s Porta Messina Arch for a market walk and hands-on Sicilian cooking class. You’ll choose ingredients, make fresh pasta, prepare dishes such as eggplant parmigiana and swordfish rolls, then eat with wine. An apron and certificate are included.

“Great fun, good group of people on the tour. Chefs were excellent, very knowledgeable & accommodating.”

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12.Food Tour with Market Visit

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 200 reviews

Spend four generous hours eating across Rome with guides such as Stefania, Celeste, Irene, and Vincenzo. Visit Mercato Trionfale, taste Bonci pizza, sample truffles and aged balsamic, enjoy Roman pasta with wine, and finish with natural gelato. The portions are substantial, so arrive hungry and mention dietary needs when booking.

“The tour was wonderful. Our guide Ottavia was a sweetheart, knowledgeable and fun. There was so much food, wine and information offered. We basically had breakfast, lunch and dinner with dessert, so worth the money”

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