Genoa Food Tour and Pesto Class - private tour

Start with a pickup from your Genoa hotel, or meet your private guide at the Piazza Principe train station. 

With your group, you’ll walk around the city’s medieval center. One of the largest such quarters in Europe, Genoa Old Town is made up of a tangle of narrow lanes that open onto historic piazzas. Lined by boutiques and painted houses, the streets are also home to eateries that serve up some of the city’s most interesting bites.

Call in at a friggitoria, an old chip shop, to see local specialities such as herb-stuffed croquettes, farinata (unleavened pancakes), and fresh seafood, which can be eaten at the counter. 

See typical bakeries that make the Genovese focaccia bread, and a historic spice shop. Visit a centuries-old candy shop, loved by opera composer Giuseppe Verdi, and discover more off-the-beaten-track sites that many visitors miss. 

After exploring the food shops, you’ll head to a market to learn about Genoa and its pesto. The dressing — traditionally made with basil, pine nuts, and olive oil — originated in the city, and your guide will share a local recipe. Learn how to select the freshest basil, and to prepare the pesto using a pestle and mortar. The best is saved ‘till the end: Enjoy a dish of trofie pasta, served up in the mortar with pesto, and a glass of Ligurian wine, too.