Great cooking class in the countryside right outside of San Gimignano
Podere La Marronaia is located just a short trip from the historic San Gimignano town-center, with great views of the hilltop town and towers from their patio and from the second floor cooking class-room we were in (makes for great photos).
All individuals working there were polite and friendly, we had Leonardo as our private cooking class teacher and he was great, super friendly and efficient with time. We had the chance to make bruschetta, pici and ricotta gnocchi (as in photograph) and a mascarpone-based dessert. After completion of the ingredients and forming the pasta, it is cooked for you while you go to the patio and begin the wine and oil tasting, which was also great with a wide-selection of both and balsamic varieties to try. The patio is covered and offers views of the vineyards surrounding as well as San Gimignano. Total length of the class and eating was about 3 hours, not rushed and certainly enough time to enjoy everything. Great experience overall.
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wjf03
July 22, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Highly recommend!
This was our favorite day during our trip to Italy! So much fun, lovely hosts and we had so much fun cooking a meal together and then enjoying it with wonderful wines in a beautiful setting.
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B7657OKbethc
June 1, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Italian cooking class with wine tasting
Great class with knowledgeable chef. Food was delicious and wine tasting was so good. Highly recommend!
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J8681RLdaveh
February 23, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
If a sunbeam reached down from heaven, this is where you'd be
Like cooking in your Italian Nonna's kitchen and tasting Nonno's best wines. If at all possible, you MUST stop here! In the cooking class , you learn to make an authentic meal, dessert included, for your family and friends. Taste what GOOD olive oils are supposed to taste like . The wines were superb! -- to the palette and eye. Be prepared to be treated like family while relaxing in the peaceful Tuscan countryside --- treat yourself ; you owe it to yourself; you deserve it!
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christinalA4031DO
October 15, 2025 · via Tripadvisor
Private cooking class with a wine & olive oil tasting
My husband & I enjoyed the experience we had from start to finish with Chef Leonardo leading us in making an appetizer, pasta dishes and a truffle tiramisu dessert. We enjoyed the courses with a wine & olive oil tasting. This was a true highlight of our trip to Italy.
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Jodi L
June 6, 2025 · via Tripadvisor
This was the best experience of our trip!! Warm and welcoming staff with a stunning view! Delicious wines!!
Absolutely a must! The staff was warm and welcoming. The views are breathtaking. The wine was so good we ordered 3 cases!! Highly recommend!
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D5776GWtheresam
May 28, 2025 · via Tripadvisor
Like stepping into a fairytale for an unforgettable cooking class and wine tasting!
Hands down my favorite experience on our trip to Italy! My husband and I spent two weeks in Italy, with 4 days in Tuscany and I decided to book this cooking class and wine tasting. The first thing you notice when you enter Podere la Marronaia is the extremely friendly staff. They showed us to the kitchen we'd be using and introduced us to Leonardo, our chef instructor for the class. Leonardo was absolutely wonderful! He was so kind and patient. He explained all of the dishes we would be preparing, showed us all the ingredients, answered questions about different cooking methods, quality of ingredients, etc. You can see the view outside the entire time and it is absolutely magical! The winery is just outside of San Gimignano and it absolutely stunning everywhere you look. We prepared 4 different types of bruschetta, pici pasta with a fresh cherry tomato sauce, gnocchi with a zucchini sauce, and the most perfect tiramisu truffles! We were able to eat at a table outside and take in the gorgeous view. Our lunch included a sampling of wine, olive oil, and the best balsamic vinegar I have ever tasted in my life! This cooking class fell on Mother's Day, we were the only two participants that day, and it was completely magical! We were able to order wine and balsamic and have it shipped back to the U.S. and it arrived so quickly. Being at Podere la Marronaia feels like stepping into a fairytale. It's a place to just be present in the moment, transform simple ingredients into something truly special, breathe it all in, and just enjoy life!
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S6968ADdonnao
November 19, 2024 · via Tripadvisor
Shared Family Tour!
We absolutely had the best time! The wine, oils, food and knowledge shared was amazing- if you visit this winery you won't be disappointed! We placed an order to be shipped home and it arrived safely- And reordered! Everything was perfect. Thank you so much!
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Tony_H
October 29, 2024 · via Viator
Great food; Great wine
Great experience!! It was so much fun. Such a great feeling to enjoy the cooking with some amazing wine.
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Teresa_M
October 21, 2024 · via Viator
Best cooking class in Tuscany
My husband and I have been in Italy for 2 weeks, we’re spending 5 days in Tuscany and this was the best excursion I planned. Our chef Leonardo was wonderful. What we learned was great and we can’t wait to go home and try to make it for our family. All the recipes were simple but when the food was cooked and we ate it was delicious! Then we had our wine tasting which was heavenly in the vineyard and our olive oil tasting was even better. Then we ate our dinner we prepared under the Tuscan sun just like in a movie. Overall my favorite part of the trip. We even keep recommending the winery to everyone we meet here in Italy.