In a nutshell

Activate your taste buds: You're about to learn the traditional recipe for ‘Pesto alla Genovese’ from the chef of the historic Zeffirino restaurant – the regular haunt of all international stars who love this iconic sauce. Together with your guide, find the perfect ingredients at the Mercato Orientale, then grab mortar and pestle for your cooking class and tasting, followed by a lunch fit for the stars.

Main stops

Walk from Piazza De Ferrari to Genoa's Mercato Orientale
Mercato Orientale
Pesto alla Genovese cooking class and local lunch in the historic Zeffirino restaurant

The programme

If you'd like to learn how to prepare traditional Pesto alla Genovese, you can do so at Zeffirino, the restaurant that after almost 150 years and five generations continues to remain a true Genovese institution.
Take a few steps in the center and you end up at the Mercato Orientale, an indoor marketplace from 1899 with stalls offering ultra-fresh produce.
Here, together with your guide, you'll wander amid Zeffirino's trusted suppliers, and will learn how to select high-quality cheeses, pine nuts and basil. Among the eight varieties existing in nature, only Genovese basil has the right aroma. And to remember this, a surprise that... will take roots awaits you.
Now, roll up your sleeves. At the Zeffirino restaurant, surrounded by original vintage furnishings, you'll follow the chef's instructions to recreate the recipe of this sauce symbol of Genoa just as it was made in the past, using a marble pestle and mortar.
Amid stories about the city and anecdotes featuring the restaurant's famous guests – popes, politicians, music and movie stars – it'll soon be time to taste your pesto on focaccia croutons.
This is just the beginning: Everyone will take a seat to enjoy the house specialties, where basil steals the scene in dishes fit for the stars.

Good to know

Before booking the excursion or once on board, contact the excursion office to check the availability of vegetarian or gluten-free dishes and to report any food intolerances.
On holidays the Mrcato Orientale is closed so the cheese tasting will be done by Zeffirino.