Description
This pesto class and wine tasting in La Spezia takes place at Villa Lucia, a restored villa that once belonged to the noble Genoese Doria family, a short way from the Cinque Terre. It opens with a drink on the villa's panoramic terrace, where you hear stories about the family and the villa's link with Liguria.
Then you sit in the courtyard for the main event. An expert local chef shows you how to make pesto in the traditional way, and you work at your own station with a marble mortar, a wooden pestle and the ingredients: Genovese basil, pine nuts, garlic and Riviera olive oil. You taste the pesto you made, served with typical Ligurian pasta.
The tasting that follows is guided by a sommelier:
- white wines of the area, Vermentino from the Colli di Luni and Cinque Terre DOC
- local cheeses and cured meats
- Ligurian focaccia
The experience lasts two to three hours. Getting to the villa is up to you, by car, public transport or taxi. It suits food lovers, but it is not suitable for wheelchair users or for people with food allergies.