Best of · ITALY MARKET TOURS

15 Market Tours in Italy Worth the Early Start

146 tours  ·  from $24 a head

Italian markets close at one and do not care about your plans. The 15 below walk the mercati of Rome, Florence, Venice and Bologna, with prices and the cooking sessions that follow the shopping.

Cooking Class and Lunch at a Tuscan Farmhouse with Local Market Tour from Florence - Cooking four Tuscan courses by hand
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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

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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Rome: Colosseum, Roman Forum & Trajan's Market Exterior Tour - The Roman Forum and Via dei Fori Imperiali
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Rome: Colosseum, Roman Forum & Trajan’s Market Exterior Tour

2.Colosseum, Roman Forum & Trajan’s Market Exterior Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 2,038 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $29Best value

Walk around Rome’s ancient center with an English-speaking guide, learning how the Colosseum worked, how Roman engineers built it, and how the Forum, Palatine Hill, Julius Caesar’s Forum, Trajan’s Column, and Markets fit together. This 1.5-hour tour stays outside the monuments, so entry tickets are not included.

“I enjoyed the trip with our guide Aleksandra. She is welcoming and knowledgeable of the history of places. She is very helpful and give tips about getting into places, restaurants and must go places according to personal interest. Very thoughtful! I would recommend this tour as an introduction prior to dive deep into individual attraction.”

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Taste of Testaccio: Special 15 Year Anniversary Edition - Starting with cheese, cured meats, and a Prosecco toast
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Taste of Testaccio: Special 15 Year Anniversary Edition

3.Taste of Testaccio: Special 15 Year Anniversary Edition

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,658 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $131

Spend about three and a half hours eating through Testaccio with an English-speaking guide such as Luca, Katherine, or Francesca. Taste charcuterie, buffalo mozzarella, bruschetta, supplì, trapizzino, three Roman pastas, wine, beer, pastry, espresso, and gelato while seeing the Pyramid of Cestius and Monte Testaccio.

“This is a fun tour away from the bustle of the centre of Rome. Luca the guide is very knowledgeable about the food of the Testaccio area. He has a great personality and I never felt rushed. I discovered a lot of places I had missed while actually staying in Testaccio. PS save room for the gelato at the last stop! It was divine!!”

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Small Group Cooking Class & Market Food Tour in Florence - Making pasta from scratch
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Small Group Cooking Class & Market Food Tour in Florence

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

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

Spend about five hours with a local chef and up to 19 classmates, starting at Florence’s Mercato Centrale. Shop for ingredients, taste olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and other local foods, then make bruschetta, fresh pasta, two sauces, and tiramisu. Federico, Tommaso, Alice, and other chefs lead hands-on classes in English.

“We are so glad that we booked this small group class (9 people) . We had Chef Tommaso, he was excellent!! He kept the group involved and kept us entertained. His assistant was also excellent, ensuring all the needed supplies were available and our work area clean. I would highly recommend this class, it started at 9am and ended at 2pm and we all walked out with a full belly, from our day of cooking.”

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Bologna Food & Market Tour with 6 Tastings, Pasta, Wines & More - Starting at Palazzo della Mercanzia
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Bologna Food & Market Tour with 6 Tastings, Pasta, Wines & More

5.Bologna Food & Market Tour with 6 Tastings, Pasta, Wines & More

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,328 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $118

Spend 3.5 hours tasting Bologna with a guide such as Claire, Federica, Caterina, Mattia, or Gabriela. Visit the Quadrilatero market, watch pasta made by hand, compare aged Parmigiano and Modena balsamic, sample local meats, wines, gelato, and a secret dish. The group is capped at 12 people.

“Come really hungry. The food is delicious and plentiful. Caterina is a great tour guide, friendly, engaging, and knowledgeable. We learned so many things about Bologna's contribution to the culinary world.”

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Venice Street Food Tour with Local Guide with Local Food Market Visit - Starting at Campo San Bortolomio
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Venice Street Food Tour with Local Guide with Local Food Market Visit

6.Venice Street Food Tour with Local Guide with Local Food Market Visit

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 822 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $53

Meet near Rialto Bridge for a 2.5-hour walk through Venice, with stops for cicchetti, regional cheese, cakes, buranelli biscuits, and other local bites. Your guide leads you from Campo San Bortolomio to Campo Santa Margherita, passing Rialto Market, Campo San Polo, and the Frari area. Food is included, but drinks cost extra.

“Very knowledgeable guide. Authentic Venetian foods. Experiencing after dark made for a nice atmosphere.”

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Palermo: Street Food and Local Market Tasting Tour - Meeting at Teatro Massimo
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Palermo: Street Food and Local Market Tasting Tour

7.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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Pasta and Tiramisu Cooking Class with optional Local Market Tour - Starting at Sant’Ambrogio Market
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Pasta and Tiramisu Cooking Class with optional Local Market Tour

8.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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Palermo: Walking Tour of Historic Markets and Monuments - Teatro Massimo and Palermo’s theatrical side
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Palermo: Walking Tour of Historic Markets and Monuments

9.Walking Tour of Historic Markets and Monuments

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 478 reviews · 3 hours · from $35

Join guides such as Claudio or Fabrizio for a three-hour Italian walk through Palermo’s historic center. Enter the Cathedral, see Teatro Massimo, Quattro Canti, and Fontana Pretoria, then finish at Capo Market with a chance to sample Sicilian street food and pastries. Modest clothing and comfortable shoes are essential.

“Esperienza interessante e piena di fascino!!La nostra guida Claudio davvero professionale , piena di entusiasmo , ironica e divertente . Tre ore sono volate tra le strade e i monumenti principali di Palermo!! CONSIGLIATISSIMO!!”

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Roman Food Tour with Visit to the Trionfale Food Market - Bonci Pizzarium and Roman pizza by the piece
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Roman Food Tour with Visit to the Trionfale Food Market

10.Roman Food Tour with Visit to the Trionfale Food Market

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 471 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $107

Start with coffee at La Nicchia, taste Bonci’s famous pizza, sample oils, cheeses, truffles, meats, and balsamic vinegar, then visit Mercato Trionfale before a Roman pasta lunch at Il Segreto. Guides such as Irene, Stefania, Martina, and Giada bring food stories and local tips to a small group of up to 15.

“It was great! One of the most memorable parts of our trip. Irene was so nice and fun and explained everything so well. All the spots were authentic and the food was delicious. I definitely recommend. Muy delicioso.”

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Florence: Cooking Class with Local Food Market Tour - What the cooking class feels like in practice
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Florence: Cooking Class with Local Food Market Tour

11.Cooking Class with Local Food Market Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 407 reviews · 3 - 5 hours · from $63

Start at Florence’s Central Market with a local chef, tasting olive oil, cheeses, cured meats, balsamic vinegar, and truffle products. Then make fresh pasta, Nonna’s lasagna, sauces, and tiramisù in a fully hands-on class before sitting down to eat with Tuscan wine. Vegetarian options require advance notice.

“Thomas’s was great. Entertaining a d engaging for the entire time. Market tour was a cool experience. Tastings for balsamic vinegar, truffle oil, olive oil was informational and great knowledge. Our class got involved and we watched. Shared wine at tables and ate our food we prepared. Great way to spend time with couples or families. Prego!”

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Venice: Rialto Market Food and Wine Lunchtime Tour - Starting at San Giacomo di Rialto
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Venice: Rialto Market Food and Wine Lunchtime Tour

12.Rialto Market Food and Wine Lunchtime Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 383 reviews

Spend four hours walking from Rialto Market through Venice’s food lanes, stopping for cicchetti, regional wine, pastries, coffee, and tiramisu. An English-speaking guide such as Denis, Julia, or Anna leads the route, adding stories about Marco Polo, Casanova, churches, and Venetian coffee culture. Vegetarian options are available.

“Our guide was fantastic and it was only myself and my husband on the tour that day. We went to some fantastic spots in Venice and the food was outstanding. Finished with an amazing gelato! Highly recommend. Might want to ensure you don’t take this tour on a Sunday if you want to see the Rialto Market as it’s closed on Sundays. That was a bit of a disappointment for us. The description should have mentioned that so we knew prior to booking.”

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Authentic Roman Cooking Class & Market Experience - What you actually cook in the private kitchen
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Authentic Roman Cooking Class & Market Experience

13.Authentic Roman Cooking Class & Market Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 363 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $225

Start near Largo di Torre Argentina at 9:30 am, then visit Campo de’ Fiori and nearby food shops with a chef. In a private kitchen, you’ll make several pastas and a main course before sitting down for lunch with wine. Classes are offered in English or Spanish, with groups capped at eight, though you should confirm the current group size when booking.

“Had an amazing time shopping in the market, learning cooking techniques, making homemade pasta, and enjoying all 4 dishes we created in the beautiful garden. Thank you Marco and Nicoleta for a great experience!”

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Florence: Cooking Class at a Tuscan Farm & Local Market Tour - The short ride from Florence to a Tuscan farmhouse
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Florence: Cooking Class at a Tuscan Farm & Local Market Tour

14.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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Discover Palermo in 3 hours. Art, history, markets and street food - Palermo Cathedral and the Norman-Arab story
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Discover Palermo in 3 hours. Art, history, markets and street food

15.Discover Palermo in 3 hours. Art, history, markets and street food

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 352 reviews · from $34

Walk central Palermo with a local Italian-speaking guide, possibly Maurizio or Fabrizio, from Capo Market to Piazza Bellini. You’ll see the Cathedral, Teatro Massimo, Quattro Canti, Pretoria Fountain, and Arab-Norman churches, with food tastings and colorful stories about Santuzza, the Beati Paoli, and the Baroness of Carini.

“Maurizio, la ns guida, preparatissimo e molto simpatico. Le 3 ore sono volate girando trai i meravigliosi monumenti sentendo storie e racconti curiosi.”

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New in Italy Market Tours

★ 4.0Cesarine: Market Tour & Home Cooking Class in CataniaFrom $2186 reviews
★ 4.5Small Group Market tour and Cooking class in BrindisiFrom $1568 reviews
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★ 4.5One day tour Christmas markets Innsbruck – Bressanone – VipitenoFrom $30111 reviews
★ 4.5Food markets tour with a local!From $5039 reviews
★ 5.0Private Market Tour and Cooking Class in Bologna with Giovanna CFrom $13920 reviews
★ 5.0Cesarine: Market Tour & Cooking Class at Local’s Home in BolognaFrom $22619 reviews
★ 3.0Cesarine: Small Group Market tour and Dining in AltamuraFrom $1312 reviews
★ 5.0Cesarine: Market Tour & Home Cooking Class in BariFrom $2235 reviews
★ 5.0Cesarine: Market Tour & Cooking Class at Local’s Home in AstiFrom $2274 reviews
★ 5.0Cesarine: Small Group Market Tour & Cooking Class in AlberobelloFrom $1722 reviews
★ 5.0Testaccio Experience: Street Food, Market and TraditionsFrom $1004 reviews
★ 5.0Markets and Food Tasting TourFrom $812 reviews
★ 4.9Taormina: Sicilian Cooking Class w/ a Visit to Local MarketFrom $10776 reviews
★ 4.9Syracuse: Traditional Cooking Class & Ancient Market VisitFrom $13472 reviews

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