Mercato di Mezzo Market Tour and Cooking Class in Bologna
5.024 Google reviewssee them all on Google
What a fantastic experience to learn how to make homemade pasta and tortelonni from scratch. Paola has a lovely home and a huge amount of knowledge. We went with a kids 8, 12 and 14... A fantastic experience for all ages.. definitely recommend!
What a wonderful experience with Paola! Warm, patient and welcoming, a terrific teacher and hospitable. Wonderful advice and company; a great experience, food and skills to take home! Thank you, I would highly recommend.
We went to Paola’s pasta class. It was fun and informative. Paola is very professional and nice. We had a great time!
An absolutely amazing experience! Highly recommend booking
Fabulous culinary experience, immersed in this hands on pasta making tagliatelle a specialty , simple , tasty , well taught and easy ,,, 5 stars to Paola for her kindness, exchange of stories , and great kitchen !
Paola è super accogliente, gentilissima e l'esperienza è stata coinvolgente e divertente. Alla prossima :)
Esperienza di team building di lavoro piacevolissima, con Paola che ci ha accolti e insegnato con naturalezza e spontaneità, come se ci conoscessimo da una vita! Mi sono sentito a mio agio come in poche altre occasioni, e ne esco con una gran voglia di preparare tortellini nel weekend!
Paola è semplicemente eccezionale.
Brava, professionale, accogliente, empatica.
È stata un'esperienza meravigliosa. Con il team abbiamo fatto tortellini e tenerina super!!!
Recently we chose to do a cooking class in Paola’s Kitchen. We were so pleased that we did! Paola is a generous and charming host who taught us some delicious traditional dishes, which we greatly enjoyed afterwards. Highly recommend this unique experience.
It was a wonderful experience in Bologna! My wife and I wanted to learn how to cook authentic Bolognese dishes, and this class was a perfect fit for us. We had such a great time and learned a lot. A big thank you to Paola for the wonderful class! I would definitely take her class again if I visit Bologna in the future.
Highlight of our trip! Was so fun learning how to make a traditional pasta dish. Paola was a great teacher and was very helpful. Highly recommend booking!
A beautiful and amazing experience with the lovely Paola. Highly recommend the wonderful experience.
The cooking class was one of the highlights of my trip. Paola is an excellent teacher even for beginners and extremely gracious host. Was so fun to eat the pasta we made during the class. Highly recommend booking with Paola!
It was such a meaningful and joyful experience. Paola is a wonderful teacher. I can’t wait to try it out when I get home. Thank you!
Un corso fantastico! Paola è l'insegnante paziente e accurata. La sua casa, elegante ed accogliente, è il posto perfetto per imparare la vera cucina bolognese. Avevo portato una coppia di amiche di Dubai e Paola ha spiegato tutto in un inglese perfetto. Siamo uscite tutte con la voglia di tornare non appena ci saranno altri corsi. Grazie grazie grazie
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Market first, then the kitchen. With Paola, a Bolognese sfoglina, you walk through the Mercato di Mezzo in the heart of Bologna, buy a few ingredients with her, then go back to her home to roll tagliatelle by hand and make tiramisu. At the end everyone sits down together to eat what you made.
Since 2018, over 500 guests from more than 30 countries have cooked in her kitchen.
Only 10 seats per session. Pick your date above 👆
How the morning goes
We meet at 9:30 AM in Piazza Re Enzo. From there we walk into the Mercato di Mezzo, right in the Quadrilatero: Paola takes you around the stalls and we buy a few ingredients for lunch together.
Then we go to Paola's home, on foot or by bus: we decide on the day, depending on the group.
In the kitchen you actually cook: you roll the sfoglia with the pin, cut the tagliatelle, make the tiramisu. No watching, doing.
And at the end everyone sits down together to eat what you made. The recipe goes home with you.
Paola is a Bolognese sfoglina. Since 2018 she has opened her own home kitchen, welcoming more than 500 guests from over 30 countries. She teaches in Italian, English and French, the same way she learned: hands in the dough, rolling pin and patience. When you book, you are not walking into a school, you are walking into her home.
When is it?
Every Friday morning. We meet at 9:30 AM and finish around 1:00 PM, after lunch. Pick your Friday in the calendar above.
Where do we meet?
In Piazza Re Enzo, Bologna, at 9:30 AM. From there we walk to the Mercato di Mezzo on Via Clavature, in the Quadrilatero. You do not need Paola's home address: we go there together.
How much walking is there?
The market tour is on foot. From there to Paola's home it is about a 20 minute walk; if anyone prefers not to walk, we take the bus.
What will we cook?
A pasta course and a dessert chosen by Paola: hand-rolled tagliatelle and tiramisu.
How is this different from the afternoon pasta class?
The class is 2 hours, all in the kitchen. The market tour is about 3.5 hours and starts at the market, where we buy a few ingredients.
I have never cooked, can I join?
Yes. Small groups, max 10 people, and Paola follows each of you step by step.
What is included in the 159€?
The market tour with Paola, the ingredients, lunch with what you made and the recipe to take home.
Every Friday morning Paola, a Bolognese sfoglina since 2018, takes a small group to market before cooking. You meet at 9:30 in Piazza Re Enzo, next to Piazza Maggiore, and walk through the Mercato di Mezzo on Via Clavature, in the Quadrilatero, buying a few ingredients together. Then you go to her home, about 20 minutes on foot or by bus, roll tagliatelle by hand, make tiramisù and sit down to eat what you made. It lasts about three and a half hours, costs €159 per person with the ingredients included and never has more than 10 people. In English, Italian or French, in a certified HACCP domestic kitchen. You book directly on paolakitchen.com, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Prefer the afternoon? The two-hour pasta class costs €129.
Upcoming Fridays, 9:30–13:00 Bologna time:
Fri 30 Oct 2026
· Fri 06 Nov 2026
· Fri 13 Nov 2026
· Fri 27 Nov 2026
· Fri 04 Dec 2026
· Fri 11 Dec 2026
· Fri 18 Dec 2026
Every Friday through 18 December 2026.
