15 Farmers Market Tours in Italy Worth the Early Start

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 in central Florence for a market visit, tastings, and a 20-minute minibus ride to a Tuscan farmhouse. With chefs such as Erika, you’ll make pasta, bruschetta, roast pork, potatoes, and tiramisu, then eat your four-course meal with wine.

“Luca and Erika were both amazing and funny. We had a lot of fun and would boom this tour again for a different dish”

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2.Street Food and Local Market Tasting Tour

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

Spend three hours walking Palermo’s markets and side streets with an English-speaking Streaty guide such as Angelo, Simona, or Vinz. Taste arancini, panelle, sfincione, pani ca’meusa, local drinks, and a seasonal dessert. The small group visits Capo and Vucciria, with history, local customs, and plenty of food along the way.

“very enjoyable tour with great guide & plenty of food variety”

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

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

Cook three Tuscan staples in a central Florence trattoria with chefs such as Giulia, Gui, David, or Alain. Morning bookings add Sant’Ambrogio Market and tastings, while afternoon classes skip the market. Groups max out at 12, and your meal comes with wine.

“Highly recommend even if you are an avid cook! David, our chef, provided tips that made pasta sauce(s) tastier and less time consuming to prepare! Impressed with the basic ingredients that make the pasta meal restaurant quality!”

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4.Cooking Class at a Tuscan Farm & Local Market Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 354 reviews · 6 hours · from $94

Spend six hours with Walkabout Tours exploring Mercato Centrale, then ride into the Tuscan countryside for a hands-on class led by guides such as Luca and Erika. Make bruschetta, fresh pasta, ragù, roast pork, potatoes, and tiramisù, then eat your three-course meal with regional wine. Recipes and a cooking diploma are included.

“What a wonderful day! My husband and I loved the whole experience. The tour moved at the perfect pace. We learned many helpful things about Italian cooking and dined on the food we cooked in a peaceful setting with an amazing view.”

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5.Florence Central Market Food Tour with Eating Europe

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

Spend about three hours around Florence’s San Lorenzo Market, tasting pecorino, cured meats, Vin Santo, lampredotto, Sangiovese, gelato, and other Tuscan specialties. Guides such as Tina, Alice, Kiara, Anto, Francesco, Ely, and Gaia have led the experience. Groups are capped at 10, with tastings and practical food tips included.

“We ended up being the only ones on the tour so we got a private tour with Kiara! The first part was taken by her trying to figure out what had become of the other couple, but once she figured out they weren’t coming she gave us her full attention. We did the Mercato Centrale tour because we are staying at a Airbnb and wanted to supply it with some food from the market. Kiara has great relationships with the vendors and we got to try a variety of Tuscan foods and drinks. It was a generous amount of food and we took notes as to what to come back…”

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6.Florence Cooking Course with Historic Local Market Visit

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 151 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $95

Meet at Piazza San Lorenzo at 9:50 a.m. for a guided walk through Mercato Centrale, tastings, and ingredient shopping. Then cook a Tuscan starter, two main courses, and dessert with a professional chef such as Francesco, Caterina, Noemi, or Greta. The five-hour class ends with lunch, wine, and recipes to take home.

“fun day w catrina at market and back at cooking school to prepare and eat delisih meal she was very fun and informative. attentive to dietary needs and easy to understand”

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7.Farmers’ Market Shopping with Cooking Class and Pasta Making

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 91 reviews · 4 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $217

Meet an English-speaking chef in Rome for a market visit at Campo de' Fiori, then cook pasta and a seasonal Italian meal in a historic palazzo on Corso del Rinascimento. Menus can be shaped around your interests, with wine, antipasti, lunch and recipes included. Groups are capped at 12.

“The market tour and tastings included outstanding local produce, cheeses, and meats. Max was flexible about adding in Agretti or Monk's Beard to our menu. It is a wildly delicious and nutritious veggie that was new to us for a side dish. When we took the ingredients to his cooking school, it was also helpful to have him demonstrate how to prepare freshly harvested spring artichokes to add to our homemade ricotta ravioli. Max’s pasta making tips were excellent and our pasta was tender but held its structure. Tiramisu is a staple dessert in many Italian restaurants but I believe Max’s version is far superior. Every dish was very delicious!…”

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8.Taormina: Sicilian Cooking Class w/ a Visit to Local Market

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 76 reviews · from $107

Meet Paolo, Luca, Giovanni, or another local chef at Porta Messina, then visit Taormina’s regional market and cook Sicilian dishes such as handmade pasta, swordfish, sardines, and eggplant parmigiana. The three-hour class includes your meal, wine, soft drinks, an apron, and a certificate. Evening sessions may skip the market.

“Paolo and Giovanni were excellent hosts. We went to the market and learned about tomatoes and fish. Then we handmade pasta, made eggplant parmigiana and swordfish skewers. The food was delicious and the company was great.”

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9.The Spanish Quarters, Street Art and Local Market

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 59 reviews · 2 hours · from $35

Meet your guide outside Gran Caffè Gambrinus for a two-hour walk through monumental Naples, the Spanish Quarters, Pignasecca market, and Spaccanapoli. Guides such as Gianluca, Giorgia, Rosa, and Sara bring local stories, history, and practical tips. You will taste one sweet or savory Neapolitan street-food sample along the way.

“il tour semplice ma nello stesso tempo pieno di punti caratteristici e aneddoti raccontati con molta professionalità da Rosa la nostra guida.”

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10.Street Food, Local Market and Hidden Gems Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 57 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $119

Spend 3.5 hours with a local guide, beginning near Trastevere and moving through Testaccio. Taste maritozzo, supplì, cheese, wine, seasonal food, and pasta at a century-old trattoria. The group is capped at 10, and guide Giulia brings personal knowledge of the neighborhood where she grew up.

“Really enjoyed the farmers market portion, although all of it was great! Our guide Julia couldn’t have been more informative or pleasant!”

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11.Florence Street Food Tour: Central Market & Duomo Area

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 45 reviews · from $26Best value

Walk Florence with an English-speaking local guide such as Tom, Serena, Gabriel, Anna, Vera, or Christiana. Sample traditional food, browse San Lorenzo Market, learn city stories, admire the Duomo and Battistero, then finish with schiacciata and gelato near Ponte Vecchio. Food and drinks are included.

“Our guide was Vera and she was amazing. she gave us a lot of interesting information about Italian food and wine, as well as history and architecture. The tour was about 2.5 hours and each food we tried was delicious. It was enough food for us so we skip supper. thank you, Vera, for great tour”

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12.Tasty Trionfale Farmers Market Food Tour and Local Wines Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 43 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $82

Start at Mercato Trionfale with guide Christiano, tasting Italian specialties and local wines among more than 200 stalls. Then walk through Prati, Borgo, Vatican Walls, and Passetto di Borgo before ending in St. Peter’s Square. Vegetarian options need advance notice, but vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free diets cannot be accommodated.

“Great knowledge of history of Rome. Willingness to assist us in finding what we liked to eat. We would not have found the market without Christian and he was personable and gracious.”

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13.Vatican Street Food and Wine Tour with Farmers Market

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 37 reviews · 2 hours · from $79

Spend two hours walking through Rome’s Prati and Trionfale districts, tasting pizza, cheeses, fried rice balls, cured meats, pastries, and regional wine at the Trionfale farmers market. Guides such as Bruno, Barbara, Martina, Matteo, and Gabriel add local history and practical food tips. The tour begins near Santa Maria delle Grazie al Trionfale and ends at Piazza del Risorgimento.

“Our guide Bruno was fantastic, keen to teach us a little of the history of the market area and to introduce us to the producers and sellers in the market and surrounding area who shared tasting plates of their produce. Delicious wine, cheeses, cured meats, wine, truffles and mushrooms, fruits, coffee, and wine again! The prices are low and the quality high. Do buy the produce. Perfect for picnics and quick meals. Thank you Bruno!”

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14.The Spanish Quarters, Street Art and Local Market Tour in Naples

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 23 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $36

Meet your English-speaking guide at Gran Caffè Gambrinus for a two-hour walk from Piazza del Plebiscito through the Spanish Quarter and to Pignasecca Market. Expect narrow lanes, hanging laundry, Maradona murals, local stories, and a sweet or salty food tasting. Guides may include Georgia or Gianluca.

“Georgia was absolutely amazing. Her love for Naples was infectious. She gave a fascinating and lively presentation of this wonderful city.”

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15.Farmers Market Shopping and Roman Full Course Class – SHARED

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · from $186

Meet your English-speaking chef at Campo de’ Fiori, choose fresh ingredients at the market, then cook pasta, a main dish, side, and dessert near Piazza Navona or the Pantheon. Alessandro and Simone have led the class, which includes prosecco, snacks, equipment, and the meal you prepare.

“Learned so much ! The chef was really kind I recommend the class”

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