This experience could not have been more perfect for us. From the first text message from Francesca on the morning of our pizza-making class to the moment we were dropped back off at our lodging, everything was perfect! After several hours exploring the Pompeii ruins, we realized that Scafati was much closer to Pompei than our AirBnB in Salerno. We realized that we did not know how to get to Scafati or how we could return to our lodging after the pizza-making class since we would miss the last train back to Salerno. A quick text with Francesca resulted in plans to pick us up at the Pompei train station and drop us at our AirBnB after for just 5 euros per person. It was quite a relief! Her husband, Carmine, and the daughter of close family friends, Chiara, picked us up in a small van. The drive from Pompei was 10-15 minutes. Fortunately for us, my husband, 21-year-old daughter, her 21-year-old schoolmate, and I were the only participants on Friday night, October 11, 2024. Francesco and Carmine's home is beautiful, and when we arrived, everything for our pizza-making was set up and ready to go. With Chiara translating from Italian to English, we learned the step-by-step process for making pizza dough, crust-making, sauce-making, and baking Napoletana-style pizzas. Francesca was very knowledgeable and did a great job answering our questions as we created our pizzas. As they baked, we enjoyed homemade salad of crusty bread, home-grown tomatoes and salad greens—delicious! The dining table was already set for dinner, so as our pizzas came out of the oven, we indulged in a delectable meal accompanied by homemade wine created by Francesca's father. Two of Francesca's children, daughters—Luigi Lorena and Sabrina—joined us at the table, adding to the true Italian family-style dinner experience. We discussed and compared Italian and American cultures and facts about ourselves. Luigi Lorena and Chiarra even helped us translate a 50-year-old family letter from my husband's relatives in Salerno which was incredible! Throughout our 7-day Italian adventure, we experienced many things. However, the personalized nature of our Pizza Napoletana Cooking Class was the highlight of our trip due to the relationships made with Chiarra, Francesca, and her lovely family. DO NOT MISS!





















