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Venetian Cooking Class: Seafood & Local Delights
5.0
61 Ratings
Venezia
Join a Venetian sailor for a market tour and cooking class. Discover rare dishes, local wines, and the flavors of Veneto. Book now!
Join a Venetian sailor for a market tour and cooking class. Discover rare dishes, local wines, and the flavors of Veneto. Book now!
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Campo S. Giacomo di Rialto, 255a - Explore the vibrant market and indulge in delectable seafood, along with a variety of other ingredients from the Veneto region, known for its culinary diversity. Upon returning home, enjoy preparing traditional family recipes and embark on a flavorful journey from the sea to the mountains, uncovering a multitude…
- Campo S. Giacomo di Rialto, 255a - Explore the vibrant market and indulge in delectable seafood, along with a variety of other ingredients from the Veneto region, known for its culinary diversity. Upon returning home, enjoy preparing traditional family recipes and embark on a flavorful journey from the sea to the mountains, uncovering a multitude of dishes. The operator is a storyteller, sharing tales from the sea, ancient Venice, and a genuine Italian family. Welcome to this home: it offers a unique chance to experience Venice and local cuisine from within a historic Venetian house. Let’s cook, enjoy each other’s company, and savor delicious meals!
What's Included
- Alcoholic beverages
- Food purchased in Rialto Market
- All fees and taxes
- Cooking class
- Alcoholic beverages
- Food purchased in Rialto Market
- All fees and taxes
- Cooking class
What's Not Included
- Hotel pick-up and drop off
- Hotel pick-up and drop off
Meal Options
- fresh pasta with sea food - i m specialized in sea food…but we can choose different sauces; the freshness of the market flavors will meet the unique flavor of homemade pasta.
- focaccia, an excuse to taste the flavors of the Venetian cusine - Focaccia is something between a pizza and bread.Amazing. We can eat it with ham, cheese, salad,it will be our…
- fresh pasta with sea food - i m specialized in sea food…but we can choose different sauces; the freshness of the market flavors will meet the unique flavor of homemade pasta.
- focaccia, an excuse to taste the flavors of the Venetian cusine - Focaccia is something between a pizza and bread.Amazing. We can eat it with ham, cheese, salad,it will be our vehicle among the flavors of the region.
- Flavours of Veneto region - A warm focaccia, the parfume of the warm bread: lets test this speciality with high quality cheese and ham from small producer,salad from the lagoon.
Additional Information
I’m a sailor, but I learned to cook from my mother and grandmother. We own a traditional, old restaurant, and my father is a winemaker. I travel extensively with merchant ships around the globe, but I never tire of meeting new people! I love sharing my passion for food and my city. Many old dishes that you can’t find in restaurants anymore are available…
I’m a sailor, but I learned to cook from my mother and grandmother. We own a traditional, old restaurant, and my father is a winemaker. I travel extensively with merchant ships around the globe, but I never tire of meeting new people! I love sharing my passion for food and my city. Many old dishes that you can’t find in restaurants anymore are available at my home, with a wide selection! I’m open to your requests (allergies or specific foods you’d like to try). I specialize in seafood, so let’s explore the beautiful Rialto market. But if you don’t like fish, we’ll take a culinary journey through the foods of the Veneto region, from the high mountains to the sea. Welcome to my home; we will become friends!
- On certain dates, most travelers staying outside of Venice who are planning to visit for the day will be required to pay a €5 access fee. For further details (including exemptions) and to learn what days this fee is applicable, please visit: https://cda.ve.it
Location
Campo S. Giacomo di Rialto, 255a
Campo San Giacomo di Rialto
i will wait for you in campo S. Giacomo di Rialto ( a small square by Rialto bridge ) close to the Cafe : ¨ Caffe Vergnano 1882¨, after the market visit ,we proceed to my home, a trip inside an a venetian house with a local.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(61 Ratings)
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Miriam_r
Apr 22, 2026
Amazing...Massimo!! - Massimo is the true Italian...kind, loving snd caring!! He was so eager to make sure we loved what we cooked and joined us!! It was a private dining experience in his beautiful Italian home!! I would highly recommend!! We came as strangers and left as friends! Thank you Massimo for a wonderful dinner and evening!
Review provided by Viator
Cmzboston
Apr 20, 2026
Highlight of our family trip - A delightful afternoon. Massismo and Dahlia were warm, welcoming, and gracious. This was the highlight of our vacation week in Venice. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jon_k
Apr 17, 2026
Exceptional and unique- do it!!! - Dinner with Massimo was the highlight of our Venice trip! I had some hesitation- dining in a stranger’s home gave me pause. But in a time of impersonal, churned-out tours, this was authentic, genuinely interesting, and SO FUN! My kids, 7 and 10, and my husband and I all loved it. On top of it- it was also the best meal we ate in all of Italy! Do not hesitate- book it!!!
Review provided by Viator
Daytrip34131451256
Apr 1, 2026
A Perfect Family-Friendly Venetian Cooking Experience - This cooking class in Venice with my group was truly something special and deeply authentic.
Massimo, a Venetian sailor, welcomed us into his world with incredible stories about the Republic of Venice and his life at sea.
His passion and warmth made us feel immediately at home, like guests rather than tourists.
Cooking together was the highlight, especially preparing fresh pasta and seafood with such simple yet powerful flavors.
The mussels were outstanding, fresh from the sea, lightly cooked with tomato and perfectly balanced in taste.
Every dish reflected quality, tradition, and a deep respect for ingredients.
The dessert was another surprise, made with an exceptional goat cheese of the highest quality.
But more than the food, it was the connection with Massimo that made everything unforgettable.
We laughed, shared stories, and felt part of a real Venice, far from mass tourism.
It was genuine, beautiful, and like meeting a true friend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rachelsa5889qb
Mar 22, 2026
More Than a Cooking Class: Stories, Sea, and Authentic Venice - This private cooking class in Venice was truly unforgettable. It was just for us, which made it feel incredibly authentic and personal—something very rare in such a touristic city.
We started the morning at the Rialto market, choosing fresh fish alongside a real Venetian mariner who knew all the fishermen. Then we went to his beautiful 600-year-old home, complete with a charming garden and an ancient well, where we even used fresh rosemary he picked himself.
We cooked an amazing meal: fresh sea bass, spicy sautéed mussels, and homemade focaccia with excellent Italian olive oil. While cooking and eating, Massimo shared fascinating stories about Venice and the sea, making the experience feel like time spentwith a friend.
We also enjoyed wine made by his father and a unique dessert with fresh goat cheese, honey, ginger, andhomemade grappa infused with sage.
Highly recommended for anyone looking for a genuine and intimate Venetian experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
555lucieg
Mar 15, 2026
A Magical, Private Culinary Journey in the Heart of Venice! - An intense, true, and beautiful experience. The atmosphere was electric and the company was joyful. I made the best pasta of my life! If you want a real taste of Venice, this is it.
​If you are looking for an authentic Venetian experience that goes beyond the typical tourist paths, this private cooking class is a must-do.
​We spent an unforgettable day at the home of a local Venetian sailor. His house is an ancient, magical oasis right in Venice that felt like stepping back in time. It wasn’t just a lesson; it was a private party just for us.
​The day was filled with laughter and stories. Our host is incredibly charismatic—we spent the entire time joking and having fun. It felt less like a formal class and more like hanging out with an old friend.
​The Secrets of the Kitchen
​He shared incredible "trade secrets" and professional tricks that he learned from his grandmother, who used to run a historic restaurant near Venice. You can tell these recipes have been perfected over generations.
​Without exaggeration, this was the best fish I have ever eaten in my life. Fresh, perfectly prepared, and full of flavor( orata ).
​ We did a deep dive into some exquisite local cheeses that were absolutely delicious.
​Everything was simply stunning. We didn't just learn how to cook; we gained a new friend and a favorite spot in Venice. If you want to see the "real" Venice through the eyes of a sailor in his beautiful home, do not miss this.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
418villem
Mar 13, 2026
Magical Venetian Cooking Class for Families & Friends - A true gem of a day in Venice! Massimo, a real Venetian sailor, welcomed us into his stunning 16th-century home for a cooking class like no other. We shopped at the Rialto Market for the freshest fish, then cooked together while laughing from start to finish. Massimo shared beautiful stories, making us feel like old friends, and we listened to the best vinyl records I hadn’t heard in years. His home was magical, a true treasure, and every dish — sautéed mussels, warm focaccia, fresh wine from his father — was sublime. We felt incredibly lucky to experience Venice this way. A real touch of class and unforgettable fun. Thank you, Massimo!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
467marielaq
Mar 7, 2026
Sea, stories and Venetian kitchen - We had a wonderful and surprising cooking experience in Venice with Massimo, a Venetian sailor with more than 25 years at sea. What began as a simple cooking class quickly turned into an evening full of friendship, flavors, and incredible sea stories.
Massimo took us through the hidden corners of the Rialto Market to buy the freshest seafood, and then welcomed us into his beautiful old Venetian home.What make this cooking class special was all the stories from the 7 seas...an we drank delicious wine made by his father, laughed together, and listened to stories about distant places and Venice itself.
The food was unforgettable: a fantastic spicy mussel stew with warm focaccia and the best seafood we have ever tasted. We finished with a fresh chocolate mousse with frozen raspberries, a recipe Massimo discovered during a voyage to Russia.
It didn’t feel like being guests, but like being friends in the home of a sailor. A truly special experience—we will definitely come back.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
X1710yif_timas
Feb 28, 2026
Cooking in a Real Venetian Sailor’s Home - This was not a formal cooking class, but a true immersion into authentic Venice.
We were incredibly lucky to enjoy a completely private experience inside the cozy home of one of the last real Venetian sailors. No chef uniforms, no staged atmosphere — just laughter, good wine, friendly pats on the back, and real lagoon stories.
The fish was bought that very morning at the Rialto Market from his fisherman friends, who brought it in incredibly fresh. For the first time, I tasted canoce (Venetian mantis shrimp), an ultra-local delicacy I had never even heard of — fresh, delicate, unforgettable. We also prepared homemade gnocchi with shrimp, zucchini, chanterelles, and sweet datterini tomatoes, all made by hand.
It felt like stepping back in time — a rare and genuine experience in a city where true locals are becoming fewer and fewer. A real journey into the heart of Venice, thanks Max !
Review provided by Tripadvisor
251ajh
Feb 22, 2026
From Strangers to Friends in the Heart of Venice - I had an unforgettable cooking class at the home of Massimo, a true Venetian sailor.
It’s an absolute must-do experience—there are so few real sailors left in Venice!
We chose the fish together at the local market, where he seemed to know every fisherman.
The seafood was incredibly fresh, and seeing Venice through a true local’s eyes was priceless.
We laughed a lot, enjoyed wonderful wine, and cooked amazing homemade pasta and his delicious focaccia.
I learned new cooking techniques in a warm, authentic atmosphere.
Cooking in his home—like an old galleon in the heart of Venice—was magical.
It felt exclusive to enter a Venetian palace, and now Massimo feels like a dear friend.
I’m ecstatic about this experience and can’t wait to return.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
