Pesto Mortar Lesson, Local Wine

Overview

This is a pesto class with a difference: real technique, taught by hand. You work fresh basil in a traditional mortar, learning the method and the reasoning behind each step, in a shop on Via di Ravecca that specialises in Ligurian products. The session runs two hours and thirty minutes and caps attendance at six travellers, so there is room to ask questions and get real guidance.

The class is led by the team behind the shop, and reviewers regularly describe the host as warm, patient and generous with stories about Genoa, Liguria and how the recipe developed. The food is not just a demonstration. When the pesto is done, it becomes lunch: fresh pasta dressed with what the group has made, plus local white wine.

It suits cooks and non-cooks alike, according to reviews from travellers of varied experience. Anyone who wants a hands-on food experience in central Genoa, near Columbus' House and a short walk from Piazza De Ferrari, will find the logistics easy.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at the shopArrive at the BioTigullio5Terre shop on Via di Ravecca in central Genoa, about 100 metres from Columbus' House and a short walk from Piazza De Ferrari, which is served by metro and buses. Look for the handmade coloured wooden sign outside.
2. Pesto demonstration and talkThe host explains the history of pesto genovese and Ligurian cuisine, and sets out the equipment and basil bunches for the group.
3. Hands-on mortar workEach participant grinds and mixes their own pesto in a traditional mortar and pestle, guided step by step through the ingredients and techniques.
4. Pasta tasting with wineThe freshly made pesto is served with fresh pasta, accompanied by tastings of local white wine.
5. Return to the meeting pointThe experience ends back at the shop, where local food and wine can optionally be purchased.

What To Expect From The Tour

The class is small, hands-on and based inside a working shop, so expect to do real physical work with the mortar and finish with a shared meal.

• Effort involved. Working the mortar and pestle is harder than it looks, as one of the most detailed reviews points out. The payoff, according to the same traveller, is the aroma and taste of the finished sauce.
• Food and drink. Brunch and alcoholic beverages are included in the price, and reviewers describe tastings of local white wines alongside fresh pasta and the group's own pesto. Optional purchases of local food and wine in the shop are extra.
• Getting there. The meeting point is the BioTigullio5Terre shop on Via di Ravecca, reachable on foot from Piazza De Ferrari in about five minutes, and Piazza De Ferrari is served by metro and buses. The host can be reached by call or WhatsApp if needed.
• Group feel. The maximum group size is six travellers, and reviewers describe the class as personal and welcoming. One traveller reported being hosted alone on a busy day rather than cancelled.
• Bring home. One reviewer described leaving with a shelf-stable sealed jar of pesto as well as leftovers to eat the next day. Local products can be bought in the shop afterwards if you want to keep making it at home.
• Salt with care. One reviewer's practical tip: use less salt than you think you need, after a first attempt came out too salty.

Common issues. The venue is not wheelchair accessible, though pushchairs are, and infants must sit on laps. Private transportation and gratuities are not included, and any food or wine bought in the shop is an optional extra cost. The class lasts two hours and thirty minutes, and the mortar work takes genuine physical effort. Cancellation is free only up to twenty-four hours before the start time, after which no refund or change is possible.

Common Questions