Cooking class in Parma
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Parma's signature pastas are filled: anolini in broth and tortelli d'erbetta in butter. Of the classes bookable online on September 29, 2026, only one teaches a Parma-specific shape: a 3-hour class in the old town that makes tortelli d'erbetta, for €89 per person.
The better-reviewed alternative is in the hills at Calestano, 40 minutes from the center, also €89: ravioli and tagliatelle in a family home, with an optional fresh black truffle. We found no class that teaches anolini.
At a glance
- In town
- The Host Parma: 'fresh pasta experience in the old town with wine and Parmesan', €89, 3 hours, max 8, teaches tortelli d'erbetta; 8 reviews.
- In the hills
- Pasta Special Cooking Class, Calestano: ravioli and tagliatelle, €89, 3 hours, max 8, optional fresh black truffle; transfer from Hotel Maria Luigia; 57 reviews.
- What you eat
- What you make, plus Parmigiano and wine (in town) or antipasti, tiramisu and wine (Calestano).
- Anolini?
- We found no bookable class in Parma that teaches anolini specifically.
- Not suitable for
- Gluten-free or vegan diets (both classes say so); Calestano excludes children under 7.
In this guide
In town: tortelli d'erbetta with The Host Parma
- Price: €89 per person on GetYourGuide, September 29, 2026.
- Length and size: 3 hours; at most 8 people; English or Italian.
- What you make: fresh egg pasta and tortelli d'erbetta, the chard-and-ricotta tortelli of Parma.
- What you eat and drink: a welcome with Parmigiano Reggiano and regional wine, the tortelli you made, and a Parma dessert. Aprons, boards and tools provided.
- Where: at The Host, a boutique hostel at Vicolo delle Asse 1 in the historic center; ring the bell on arrival.
- Not for: vegans or anyone gluten-intolerant.
It had only 8 reviews (4.9 out of 5) when we checked, so it is new. Start times appear only when you choose a date.
In the hills: ravioli and truffle at Calestano
- Price: €89 per person; fresh black truffle from the Calestano woods is an optional upgrade.
- Length and size: 3 hours; at most 8; English or Italian.
- What you make: ravioli and tagliatelle with a homemade sauce.
- What you eat: local antipasti and Parmigiano, your pasta, a family tiramisu, regional wine, water and coffee.
- Getting there: a transfer runs from Hotel Maria Luigia in central Parma (40 minutes each way), or drive to the address you receive when booking. Calestano is about 33 km (20 miles) from Piazza Garibaldi.
- Not for: gluten-free diets; children under 7.
57 reviews averaging 4.9 out of 5. Calestano is the town of the Fragno black truffle, so this class pairs with a truffle weekend in October.
Which one to choose
| Old town (The Host Parma) | Calestano (Pasta Special) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | €89 | €89 (+ truffle option) |
| Parma dish? | Yes: tortelli d'erbetta | No: ravioli, tagliatelle |
| Travel | Walk | 40-minute transfer each way |
| Reviews | 8 | 57 |
For a Parma recipe and no travel, book the old town. For a longer, rural afternoon and a proven host, book Calestano. Both are poor value if you only want to eat: Trattoria del Tribunale serves tortelli d'erbetta for €11.
What about anolini?
We looked for an anolini class and found none bookable online in Parma on September 29, 2026. Anolini need a filling of beef braised for hours, which does not fit a 3-hour class. If you want them, eat them: €13 at Tribunale, €14 at Ai Due Platani. The Pasta Museum at Collecchio covers the history of Parma's pasta at weekends.
Taking the class home
Tortelli d'erbetta need three things you can find anywhere (flour, eggs, chard) and two you should buy in Parma. The first is Parmigiano Reggiano, for the filling and the dressing: a working dairy inside the city limits, Caseificio Ugolotti, sold 24-month cheese at €22.90 for a 1 kg piece on September 29, 2026, and its shop also stocks dried pasta, preserves and balsamic. The second is the habit of grating it fresh, generously, at the table.
Check the customs rule before you pack: US travelers may bring solid cheese home, but Great Britain bans EU cheese in personal luggage. The Pasta Museum at Collecchio (€5, weekends and holidays from March to early December) covers the history of pasta making if the class leaves you curious.
Booking tips
- Tell the host about allergies at booking; neither class adapts for gluten.
- Book lunch-time classes on a day without a restaurant reservation: you eat a full meal.
- Pair the Calestano class with a morning dairy visit in Parma: cheese at 9 a.m., pasta after.
Tickets and tours you can book
Pasta, Truffle & Wine in a Medieval Village Near Parma
Transport is not in the price; a transfer from central Parma can be arranged when booking. The listing puts Calestano about 40 minutes away.
Rating as shown on Viator
Cesarine: Small group Pasta and Tiramisu class in Parma
The host's address is only sent after booking. Lunch or dinner sessions. Max 12. Not wheelchair accessible.
Rating as shown on Viator
Booking through these links supports this site at no cost to you. Prices move by date, so we do not print them here; the official prices we checked are in the page above.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a cooking class in Parma?
The two pasta classes we found on GetYourGuide cost €89 per person for 3 hours (September 29, 2026).
Is there an anolini cooking class in Parma?
We found none bookable online. The in-town class teaches tortelli d'erbetta; the Calestano class teaches ravioli and tagliatelle.
Do Parma cooking classes include a meal?
Yes. You eat the pasta you make, with wine; the Calestano class adds antipasti and tiramisu, the in-town class Parmigiano and a dessert.
Can I get to the Calestano class without a car?
Yes: a transfer runs from Hotel Maria Luigia in central Parma, about 40 minutes each way.
Further reading
Official sources
- GetYourGuide - Parma fresh pasta experience in the old town (The Host Parma) – €89; 3 hours; max 8; tortelli d'erbetta; inclusions; not for vegans or gluten intolerance; 4.9 from 8 reviews; checked September 29, 2026
- The Host Parma - boutique hostel (official site) – Address Vicolo delle Asse 1, Parma
- GetYourGuide - Pasta, truffle and wine in a medieval village near Parma – €89; 3 hours; max 8; Calestano; ravioli and tagliatelle; truffle upgrade; transfer from Hotel Maria Luigia, 40 minutes; under-7 exclusion; 4.9 from 57 reviews
- GetYourGuide - Parma activities (German locale) – No anolini-specific class in the Parma listing
- Trattoria del Tribunale - live menu, primi (leggimenu) – Tortelli d'erbetta €11; anolini €13
- Caseificio Ugolotti - shop (dairy's own site) – 24-month Parmigiano €22.90 per 1 kg; shop categories include pasta, balsamic and preserves
- USDA APHIS - Cheese for travelers (official) – Solid cheese without meat allowed
- GOV.UK - Bringing food into Great Britain (official) – Cheese from the EU not allowed
- Musei del Cibo - Museo della Pasta (official) – Collecchio; €5; weekends and holidays Mar 1-Dec 8
- OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data – Piazza Garibaldi to Calestano 32.7 km
