Cesarine: Small group Pasta and Tiramisu class in Varenna

We made pasta and Tiramisu with Patrizia and her husband. The class was fun, the food was delicious, and the location was beautiful. They bring you into their home and make you feel like you’re a part of their family

Patrizia is the most gracious, lovely, kind hostess. Her home is so beautiful and the garden has the most spectacular view of Lake Como. Words can’t describe how much we enjoyed this one of a kind experience. We felt so welcomed, learned so much, and felt so lucky - it was a dream come true. Our 13 year old daughter (who loves to cook) said this was her favorite thing we did on our trip. Highly recommend! The class also included homemade focaccia with local salami, cheese, and honey and wine. We made 2 types of pasta (one filled tortellini and one spaghetti) which Patrizia paired with delicious homemade sauces and tiramisu from scratch. FYI our class was in Bellano and Patrizia helped us with the names of several taxi cab drivers.

It was excellent. We love to make pasta ourselves but learning it a slightly different way was rewarding. Plus, we had never made Tiramisu before and didn’t realize how easy it was.

We had a wonderful experience with Patrizia. She helped me coordinate a taxi prior to the class which was very helpful. Highly recommend you book with her. It was a highlight of the trip!!

Our class with Particia was great. Food was great, experience was great; however, there are many things I wish I'd known before booking. First, travel logistics around Lake Como are challenging so when Viator said (post-booking) the class "could be in Veranna or up to an 8 mile cab ride away" I did not realize that cab ride would cost $35-$55 euro each way. I also didn't realize how terribly difficult it would be to get a cab once we arrived by ferry in Veranna. Cabs aren't just hanging out. They are private. We tried Uber, we tried texting 4-5 private cabs (provided by the host once we told her we were stranded). We tried everything. We ultimately spent more than $100 to get to the class and were over an hour late and missed 1/3 of the experience (not to mention we were soaked from the rain and incredibly stressed form the experience). Patricia and her husband were kind enough to help us arrange our travel back down the mountain after the class and we caught the ferry back to Mennagio. Had I understood the logistics of Lake Como or the fact that the class would be rural, I would not have booked as ultimately (once adding ferry rides to taxi trips) we spent more than $150 on transportation alone. I would highly recommend this class for someone STAYING in Varenna or a nearby village that has their own vehicle.

Patrizia and Luca were wonderful hosts for our Italian cooking experience . Warm and welcoming . Their home was beautiful and elevated up on the hill overlooking lake Como . The pasta making was so much fun . Learnt how to make gorgeous tiramisu as well . All with a few glasses of Prosecco ! We then got to eat the food we had made , it was such a wholesome experience . Highly recommend !

My husband and I took this class during our honeymoon in Italy and it was one of the highlights of our trip! Patrizia was incredibly sweet, welcoming, and gave such great instruction while teaching us how to make fresh pasta and tiramisu. We loved getting to enjoy everything we made afterward while taking in the most beautiful view from her backyard. We also met the sweetest couple during the class, which made the experience even more special. Highly recommend this experience to anyone visiting Lake Como — such a fun, authentic, and memorable experience!

This pasta and tiramisu making class was truly the highlight of our trip to Italy. Our host was so kind, friendly, and welcoming, and she made the whole experience feel incredibly personal and special. She also went out of her way to accommodate my sister’s gluten and dairy restrictions, which was extremely gracious and genuinely difficult to do for both pasta and tiramisu. The gluten-free and dairy-free versions tasted amazing and were so much fun to make. The pasta we made ended up being the best pasta we had during our entire Italy trip, which says a lot. We could not recommend this experience more!

This was honestly one of the highlights of our honeymoon. Patrizia and Luka were absolutely amazing hosts — so warm, welcoming, and genuinely kind. They welcomed us into their home and immediately made us feel comfortable, and we loved getting to know them throughout the evening. The setting was unbelievable — Luka set up a beautiful dinner table in his garden overlooking Lake Como, and it was one of the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen. The food was incredible too. We made homemade focaccia, pasta and tiramisu. We also ate local cheese. Everything felt authentic and personal, not touristy at all. Patrizia even sent us the recipes afterward so we can recreate everything at home. Cannot recommend this experience enough.

If we could give this experience 10/10 stars, we absolutely would. From start to finish, this was one of the highlights of our entire trip to Italy. We took a quick 5-minute train from Varenna to Bellano for the class, and Patrizia made everything seamless by providing multiple taxi recommendations that were easy to contact and book. Our driver, Luca, was incredibly kind and accommodating, making getting to and from the class stress-free. The moment we arrived, Patrizia and her husband welcomed us into their beautiful home like family. It was such a cold and rainy day, but they made everything feel so warm and cozy with a fire going and even slippers for us to wear. Within minutes, we felt completely at home. We were joined by another small group, and the five of us quickly became friends while cooking together. Patrizia and her husband were so patient, fun, and passionate while teaching us their family recipes and cooking techniques. Beyond the cooking itself, they shared so much about their backgrounds, the local culture, and life in Italy, which made the experience feel even more special and personal. And the food… absolutely unforgettable. Everything we made was beyond delicious, and there was something so special about preparing it all together from scratch. We were already talking about recreating the recipes back home in the States for our family and friends. They made sure we had everything we needed the entire time, drinks, ingredients, guidance, and such genuine hospitality. By the end of the night, we were sad for it to be over (and sad there wasn’t more food left because it was THAT good). This experience was worth every single penny, and we would do it again in a heartbeat. HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend this cooking class to anyone visiting the Lake Como area. Thank you for such an unforgettable experience!