The 15 Best Hands-On Food Experiences Around the World

Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes with a Market Tour, Cooking Classes with a Market Tour in Florence, Cooking Classes with a Market Tour in Italy, Farm & Countryside Cooking Classes, Farm Cooking Classes in Italy, Florence Cooking Classes, Italian Cooking Classes, Italy Cooking Classes, Lunch Experiences, Tour Reviews, Tours

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

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

Cook pasta, bruschetta, roast pork, and tiramisu at a Tuscan farmhouse after a Florence market tour with wine and local guides.

“Without a doubt, book the tour! We did the Tuscan lunch + market tour with pasta making class. You begin by visiting the Centro Mercado which is a large market selling all fresh ingredients, meats, cheeses, etc. The guide; Lucca, is such an incredibly unique and fun persona! He thoroughly explained ingredients, showcased food options, and we were even able to taste multiple food products in the market. There is a bus that takes you on a 15 minute ride to the Tuscan farmhouse which is gorgeous!! The cooking class is interactive; everyone participates in something! There are so many photos opportunities. You get to prepare: bruschetta, drink endless wine,…”

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Chiang Mai Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes with a Market Tour, Cooking Classes with a Market Tour in Chiang Mai, Cooking Classes with a Market Tour in Thailand, Thai Cooking Classes, Thailand Cooking Classes, Tour Reviews, Tours

Chiang Mai: Cooking Class, Market & Thai Herbs Garden Tour

2.Cooking Class, Market & Thai Herbs Garden Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 4,824 reviews · 3h 30m · from $31

Cook Thai dishes from scratch, visit a local market, and explore an herb garden during this friendly, $31 Chiang Mai half-day class.

“Wave was a fantastic host, it was the perfect end to our trip to Chiang Mai”

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Barcelona Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes with a Market Tour, Cooking Classes with a Market Tour in Barcelona, Cooking Classes with a Market Tour in Spain, Spain Cooking Classes, Spanish & Paella Cooking Classes, Tour Reviews, Tours

Barcelona: Paella Cooking Experience & Boqueria Market Tour

3.Paella Cooking Experience & Boqueria Market Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 3,661 reviews · 3 hours · from $85

Cook seafood paella, tapas, and sangria after shopping Barcelona’s Boqueria Market with a chef in this lively three-hour class.

“We had a great time with our chefs and the other guests. The market was colorful and engaging. I was grateful the market vendor prepared the squid for us. I did that once 40 years ago and I had hoped it would be a last time, thankfully it was. When we got to the kitchen we all got busy chopping, stirring, drinking sangria and eating. We love to cook so this was incredibly fun for us.”

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Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes with a Market Tour, Cooking Classes with a Market Tour in Phuket, Cooking Classes with a Market Tour in Thailand, Phuket Cooking Classes, Thai Cooking Classes, Thailand Cooking Classes, Tour Reviews, Tours

Phuket Thai Cooking Class with Market Tour Option

4.Phuket Thai Cooking Class with Market Tour Option

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,665 reviews · from $65

Learn to cook Thai classics in Phuket with Chef VJ, a market tour option, hotel transfers, fresh ingredients, recipes, and hands-on fun.

“The market tour was very informative and the fruit we tried was all so good. Even got to sample some durian which I had been wanting to do. All the food we cooked tasted amazing and it really wasn’t complicated. The staff are all helpful and helped make the experience amazing.”

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Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes with a Market Tour, Cooking Classes with a Market Tour in Hoi An, Cooking Classes with a Market Tour in Vietnam, Cruises & Boat Tours, Hoi An Cooking Classes, Tour Reviews, Tours, Vietnam Cooking Classes, Vietnamese Cooking Classes

From Hoi An: Market Tour, Basket Boat Ride and Cooking Class

5.Market Tour, Basket Boat Ride and Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 2,208 reviews · from $17Best value

Review of Hoi An’s market, coconut basket boat, and cooking tour, with practical advice on food, guides, value, timing, and what to expect.

“Excellent. Cooked 4 different dishes & very glad I skipped lunch tasting it all. Tried different things”

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Cooking Classes, Cycling Tours, Ho Chi Minh City Cooking Classes, Tour Reviews, Tours, Vietnam Cooking Classes

Cai Be Mekong Delta Tour: Cooking Class, Cycling & Craft Villages

6.Cai Be Mekong Delta Tour: Cooking Class, Cycling & Craft Villages

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,881 reviews · from $39

Review of the Cai Be Mekong Delta tour from Ho Chi Minh City, with cooking, cycling, craft villages, boat rides, and practical booking tips.

“I had Mark as my tour guide and he was incredible. He had a great attitude towards his work and came off as genuinely interested in what he was showing and ensuring his guests had the best time. The tour itinerary itself was also great, and gave great insight into Vietnam. Definitely recommend anyone to book this tour if they’re down south.”

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Bangkok Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes with a Market Tour, Cooking Classes with a Market Tour in Bangkok, Cooking Classes with a Market Tour in Thailand, Thai Cooking Classes, Thailand Cooking Classes, Tour Reviews, Tours

Bangkok: Hands-on Thai Cooking Class and Market Tour

7.Hands-on Thai Cooking Class and Market Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,614 reviews · 3h 30m · from $45

Learn to cook four Thai classics, shop for ingredients, and eat your creations at this practical Bangkok cooking class.

“Loved this experience! We managed to cook three dishes and made mango sticky rice for dessert in the allotted time. The instructions were clear, the staff was well organized, and it was an engaging immersive experience overall. It was also nice getting the recipes afterwards.”

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Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes with a Market Tour, Cooking Classes with a Market Tour in Florence, Cooking Classes with a Market Tour in Italy, Florence Cooking Classes, Food, Food & Drink, Italy Cooking Classes, Tour Reviews, Tours

Small Group Cooking Class & Market Food Tour in Florence

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

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

Cook pasta, shop Florence’s Central Market, taste local specialties, and enjoy Chianti in this hands-on five-hour class.

“This is a very informative cooking class. I try to do a cooking class on all my vacations and this one was fabulous. You will learn from an accomplished chef specific techniques for making pasta and Italian sauces. The trip around the market is also fun. Alyce was our chef/host and I cannot say enough positive things about how she conducted to activity.”

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Cooking Classes, Cruises & Boat Tours, Hoi An Cooking Classes, Tour Reviews, Tours, Vietnam Cooking Classes, Vietnamese Cooking Classes

Hoi An: Basket Boat with Lantern-Making & Cooking Class Tour

9.Basket Boat with Lantern-Making & Cooking Class Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,444 reviews · 4h 30m · from $30

Review of Hoi An’s basket boat, lantern-making, market visit, and cooking tour, with practical advice on value, group size, food, and timing.

“We had the best time!!! Such a fantastic cooking class! Lily, Henry and Nhung really looked after us. Nhung took us around the local markets, showing us ingredients used in Vietnam dishes. We then headed to the activity location and Lily showed us how to make beautiful lanterns, and we can’t wait to take these home as souvenirs of our time! We had so much fun on the basket boat trip and then finished the day with the wonderful cooking class! Lily and Henry were great help teaching us Vietnamese dishes and telling us about how to prepare and create a range of food. I would recommend this activity to…”

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Bangkok: Maliwan Thai Cooking Class with Market Tour

10.Maliwan Thai Cooking Class with Market Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,133 reviews · from $40

Cook four Thai dishes, ride a tuk tuk to a local market, and learn practical kitchen skills in a small Bangkok class.

“Best mango sticky rice ever!! Honestly, the food was very good and very easy to make thanks to our guide. She’s wonderful and everything is very cleaned and organized!”

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Amalfi Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes, Farm & Countryside Cooking Classes, Farm Cooking Classes in Italy, Italy Cooking Classes, Tour Reviews, Tours

Hands-On Cooking Class & Farmhouse Tour on the Amalfi Coast

11.Hands-On Cooking Class & Farmhouse Tour on the Amalfi Coast

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 956 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $156

Review of Amalfi Heaven Gardens cooking class, with terraced gardens, fresh pasta, coastal views, local wine, recipes, and practical tips.

“This class was the highlight of our trip to Italy! From picking fresh ingredients in the beautiful gardens to enjoying the meal we prepared, the whole experience was delightful! The staff was incredible and the food was delicious. We will definitely be making these dishes again and again at home. The views, instruction, staff, dishes, every piece of it was fun, organized and educational. I will be recommending this class to anyone I know who is venturing to the Amalfi coast.”

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Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes with Wine Tasting, Food, Food & Drink, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, USA Cooking Classes

Undiscovered Charleston: Half Day Food, Wine & History Tour with Cooking Class

12.Undiscovered Charleston: Half Day Food, Wine & History Tour with Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 948 reviews · 4 hours (approx.)

Explore Charleston through Lowcountry food, history, wine, and a chef-led cooking class with Forrest Parker in this intimate half-day tour.

“Enjoyed walking through Charleston off the beaten path! We learned some interesting tidbits of history from Chef Forrest, but our favorite part of the experience was going back to his private kitchen and watching him prepare an amazing meal for us while listening to him tell more stories and explain the food he was preparing! Definitely will recommend to friends and family!”

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Cooking Classes, Lunch Experiences, Phuket Cooking Classes, Thailand Cooking Classes, Tour Reviews, Tours

Phuket: Elephant Sanctuary Tour, Cooking Class & Lunch

13.Elephant Sanctuary Tour, Cooking Class & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 856 reviews · 7 hours · from $102

Ethical elephant care, Thai cooking, lunch and a waterfall visit make this a thoughtful seven-hour Khao Lak day trip from Phuket.

“This was an amazing day - the transfer from our hotel in patong was a long journey but totally worth it and a much better experience than going to other sanctuaries which would have been closer to us. Everything was completely ethical, they are rescue elephants and you get to see them just being themselves and doing the things they enjoy. Our guide (unfortunately I can’t remember his name) was amazing. He had only worked at this particular sanctuary for 7 days but had worked with elephants for over 10 years, he spoke great English and was happy to answer any questions we had about the animals and took good…”

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Hands-on Thai Cooking Class Phuket with Market Tour Option!

14.Hands-on Thai Cooking Class Phuket with Market Tour Option!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 808 reviews · from $75

Learn to cook Thai dishes from scratch in Phuket with a market tour option, hotel pickup, personal station, recipes, and a fun local chef.

“A great experience. Jim was excellent and made it very fun. Would recommend for everyone to do this when in Phuket.”

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Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes with a Market Tour, Cooking Classes with a Market Tour in Spain, Seville Cooking Classes, Spain Cooking Classes, Spanish & Paella Cooking Classes, Tour Reviews, Tours

Spanish Cooking Class & Triana Market Tour in Sevilla

15.Spanish Cooking Class & Triana Market Tour in Sevilla

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 760 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $90

Review of Seville’s Triana Market cooking class, with paella, salmorejo, local drinks, recipes, practical tips, and value advice.

“My husband and I did the cooking class and it was one of the highlights of our trip to Seville. The marketplace setting and cooking were the perfect ambiance and we enjoyed everything about the class. Our instructors were wonderful and guided us in every step. The meal at the end was divine and extra special knowing we had prepared it with our own hands with the freshest ingredients. I would highly recommend this class if you are looking for a way to spend a good 3 hours one day.”

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