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Description
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A real family home. A medieval village in the Parma hills. Fresh pasta made by hand, a panoramic terrace, and an Italian lunch or dinner with local wine.
This is a morning or afternoon well spent — with me, Virginia, Mamma Nadia, and possibly two very curious cats.
- A real family home, not a cooking school — you'll cook in our kitchen, eat at our table, and share the afternoon with us like a guest, not a tourist
- Calestano, a medieval village in the Parma hills — not a city kitchen, but a panoramic terrace overlooking countryside that most visitors never see
- Ingredients from our own garden — seasonal, organic, and picked that morning
- Local black truffle, available as an add-on — harvested right here in these hills
- Maximum 8 guests — intimate by design, never a crowd
- Private transfer from Parma available — no car needed, no stress
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Bottled water
Alcoholic beverages
Alcoholic Beverages
Lunch
Dinner
Snacks
Fresh pasta class, aperitif with local products and wine, lunch or dinner with the pasta made together, homemade tiramisu. TRANSPORT NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE.
Tea and coffee
Coffee and/or Tea
Private transportation
Calestano is not on most maps. That's exactly the point.
Tucked in the Parma hills, my mother Nadia and I, Virginia, open our home and kitchen to small groups (max 8) for a hands-on pasta experience that feels nothing like a class.
Together, we make two traditional pastas from scratch: soft ricotta ravioli and silky tagliatelle, using seasonal ingredients, many picked straight from our garden.
Choose between 3 options:
- Classic is our smart choice for those looking for an authentic, hands-on experience with a lighter meal: local aperitivo, regional wine, fresh pasta and dessert.
- Truffle Experience celebrates fresh black truffle harvested in the woods around Calestano, also used in the ravioli filling, with a truffle-focused aperitivo and local wine.
-Premium is a journey through Italian excellence, with fresh truffle, olive oil from our family farm, homemade bread and premium-quality Italian wines.
After cooking, you'll sit on our panoramic terrace and enjoy the food we've made, surrounded by the hills and the warmth of our family home. And our cats Cesare & Cindy may join us too.
Come hungry. Leave feeling like family.
STARTER
Tasting
Tasting of typical Parma cured meats and two different vintages of Parmigiano Reggiano. All accompanied by a glass of local wine.
MAIN
Fresh pasta made by you
It will be seasoned with a homemade sauce (the ingredients vary according to their seasonality).
DESSERT
tiramisu
Tiramisu prepared by me
Meeting Point
V.le Mentana 140, Viale Mentana, Parma Provincia di Parma Emilia-Romagna, Italy, IT, 43121
No car? No problem. I can arrange a private transfer from central Parma — so you can relax and enjoy the day from start to finish. Just let me know at the time of booking.
Please arrive on time, as the class starts promptly for all guests.
End Point
This experience ends at the meeting point.
Free cancellation
Cancel up to 1 day before for a full refund.
No refund within 1 day of the experience or no-shows.
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Curiosity40564October 2026 • TripAdvisor
Yum what a fun time
Virginia was an absolute delight. The class was hands-on and we were amazed at how much we learned about pasta. She was patient and attentive when teaching us the finesse of making pasta. Her home was warm and inviting and the terrace was incredible with fantastic views. One of the best meals we have eaten so far and to think we helped make it!!
L
LISA_BSeptember 2026 • Viator
A wonderful experience making and enjoying pasta with a local!
This was an in home experience in a kitchen of a local mother and daughter. You began by making the homemade dough and then using the machine to make ravioli and tagliatelle.
Virginia did a great job explaining everything along the way and then we were then able to enjoy what we prepared on the beautiful patio overlooking the village where the mother and daughter reside.
They served the tagliatelle with sauce using tomatoes that they grew in their garden.
They provided us with espresso...read more
S
Sharon_BSeptember 2026 • Viator
A must experience in northern Italy
Figure out how you can do fit this experience into your travels. Making pasta with Virginia was amazing. She has a sweet sense of humor, patients galore, and really taught us how to make pasta.
Her home is lovely with a beautiful porch where we were able to sit and enjoy the views (which were very Italian/European), while eating the fruit of our labor… and some sparkling wine.
I can’t begin to say how much I would recommend this and do it again.
L
luannmarierSeptember 2026 • TripAdvisor
Fantastic!
Virginia was a fantastic teacher And very patient. Virginia’s mom Nadia is just adorable. My husband and I had an awesome time. And the hospitality was outstanding. Virginia’s home is just lovely. I can’t wait to go home and make homemade pasta and ravioli. I highly recommend taking her cooking class you’ll walk away with wonderful experience and memories.
F
FarAway38905634846August 2026 • TripAdvisor
Parma and Virginia are Amazing
Parma is an amazing food city, and Virginia is an amazing teacher. In a clear, supportive and fun fashion, she taught us the tricks for making great pasta and ravioli — which we then enjoyed for lunch. Wonderful experience.