7 Best Cooking Classes in Positano (selected by an Italian)

A cooking class is one of my favorite suggestions for a slower day in Positano. You learn a few Italian recipes, spend time with local hosts, and sit down to a meal you helped make. It’s an easy choice for my list of the best things to do in Positano.

I’m Italian, born and raised in Bologna, and grew up around proper home cooking, so I’m picky about classes. When choosing these, I looked at what you’ll actually make, how much you’ll take part, and the setting. A family kitchen, a rooftop restaurant, and a private lesson offer quite different experiences, even when they all promise pasta and tiramisù.

Check the location before you book. Some classes take place in Positano itself, while others are in Montepertuso above town, in Praiano with a boat transfer, or farther inland around Agerola. A class that sounds perfect might be less appealing once you work out the journey.

Spots go quickly, especially in high season, so I recommend booking well in advance. Many classes offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start time, which gives you some flexibility if plans change. Just check the cancellation terms for your chosen option before booking.

Below, I’ve compared the best cooking classes in Positano, with the menus, settings, and transport details to help you choose. My top pick is a gnocchi and tiramisù class in a local home, but there are also options for pizza lovers, sea views, and a session just for your group.

Best Cooking Classes in Positano at a Glance

This gnocchi and tiramisù class is my top pick for cooking in a local family’s home and sharing a proper meal afterward. It takes place in Montepertuso, the village above Positano, with a maximum of 10 guests. For me, spending time around a family’s kitchen table is a big part of the appeal of taking a cooking class in Italy.

You start with an aperitivo before joining your host to make gnocchi from scratch and prepare a classic tiramisù, using fresh ingredients that include produce from the family’s garden. The recipes carry on the host’s grandmother’s cooking traditions.

Then everyone sits down for lunch or dinner featuring what you’ve prepared. The sample menu also includes bruschetta, caprese, cheeses, grilled vegetables, and meatballs, so come hungry. Wine or prosecco, water, and soft drinks are included, and you receive a digital recipe booklet to use at home.

You’ll need to arrange your own transport to Montepertuso, where the hosts meet you in the main square and walk you to the house. It’s easy to get there from Positano by public transport, but I’d allow extra time for the journey and make this the main event of a relaxed afternoon or evening.

2. Best for Fresh Pasta: Ravioli & Tagliatelle Class

This ravioli and tagliatelle class offers a friendly, home setting with balcony views where you make two fresh pastas (ravioli and tagliatelle) from scratch, practice filling and sealing ravioli so they do not open in the pot, and learn simple sauce pairings for tagliatelle.

You’ll also learn how to make tiramisù (my favorite dessert) or a chocolate cake with pears (an ancient family recipe).

This class takes place in a local home in Montepertuso above Positano, which keeps the atmosphere personal. It includes a relaxed aperitivo, a sit down meal of what you cooked, plus wine and limoncello. Max group size is 14, so you get real time with the host.

3. Best for Pizza: Pizza Making Class in Positano

If pizza is more your thing, this pizza-making class in Positano gives you a break from the pasta-heavy options. With a local chef guiding you, you learn to make Neapolitan pizza from scratch, from kneading the dough to baking it in a traditional wood-fired oven.

There’s more on the menu than pizza, too. The advertised dishes include stuffed zucchini flowers, arancini (fried rice balls), and tiramisù. You’ll work on starters and dessert as part of the class, so you get a few different recipes to try back home.

The group is limited to 10 people, which leaves room to ask questions as you cook.

The setting comes with views of Positano and the sea. Once the cooking is done, you eat what you’ve made, with local wine and soft drinks included. You also leave with the recipes, so your homemade pizza doesn’t have to be a one-time achievement.

4. Best for Sea Views: Rooftop Cooking Class in Positano

This hands-on rooftop cooking class takes place at Rada Restaurant above Spiaggia Grande, with wide sea views over Positano. You cook in an outdoor kitchen, with the chefs guiding you through each recipe from scratch and sharing tips along the way.

The sample menu includes pizza, gnocchi, tomato sauce, pesto, and Caprese cake. The exact menu can change, but I like that it covers both savory dishes and dessert.

After cooking, you sit down on the terrace to eat what you’ve made, with water and local wine included, plus limoncello with dessert. You also receive a recipe book, an embroidered apron, and a tote bag to take home. The recipes are the useful part, though the apron might help you look more convincing when you try them again!

5. Best Private: Private Cooking Class in Positano

For a class just for your group, this private cooking class at Villa Magia takes place in Positano itself. I like having a private option for couples or friends who want their own session.

The sample menu includes fresh pasta (tagliatelle, ravioli, or gnocchi), dishes from the Neapolitan tradition such as eggplant parmigiana or meatballs, and tiramisù. Water, soft drinks and wine are included with the meal.

You’ll have your own instructor to guide your group through the recipes, with time to ask questions as you cook. Tell the host about allergies or intolerances when arranging the class.

6. Best with Boat Transfer: Praiano Cooking Class & Boat Transfer

This cooking class in Praiano with boat transfer combines a coastal boat ride, cooking, and dinner overlooking the sea. Round-trip boat transportation from Positano or Marina di Praia is included, so choose your departure point when booking. You’ll travel by wooden boat to the restaurant in Praiano, where a welcome drink and appetizers get things started.

Apron on, you’ll join the chefs to prepare bruschetta, eggplant parmigiana, pasta with meatballs in tomato sauce, and tiramisù. They guide you through the recipes step by step.

Then you sit down to enjoy your dishes with views toward Positano and the Li Galli islands. Water, soft drinks, wine tasting, and limoncello are included. I like this option for an evening when you want dinner to be part of the experience.

You’ll receive recipes, photos of the experience, and a participation certificate before the skipper takes you back to your starting pier. The boat transfer depends on sea conditions, so check the alternative arrangements if rough weather is forecast.

7. Best for a Farmhouse Setting: Pasta, Mozzarella & Tiramisù Class

This shared pasta, mozzarella and tiramisù class runs at a panoramic farmhouse in Pianillo, in the hills above the Amalfi Coast. You begin by assembling a classic tiramisù so it can chill, then see how mozzarella is made and shape small bocconcini from fresh curd.

Next, you make fresh pasta by hand, typically tagliatelle, and cook it with a seasonal sauce with organic ingredients from the farm.

Finally, sit down for a full meal that includes the mozzarella course, your pasta, and dessert, served with local wine and usually a limoncello toast to finish.

How to Choose the Right Cooking Class in Positano

Start with what you want to cook and how you will get there. A class in central Positano is a different outing from one in Montepertuso, Praiano or Agerola.

FAQ About Cooking Classes in Positano

Are cooking classes in Positano worth it?

Yes, especially if you want a slower, more local experience than another beach club or boat day. A good cooking class lets you learn classic Amalfi Coast recipes, meet local hosts, and sit down to eat everything you made.

Do you need a car for These Cooking Classes?

Not always. Some classes are in Montepertuso, the village above Positano, and you can usually reach it by local bus, taxi, or car. Others are farther inland, so always check the meeting point before booking.

What do you usually cook in a cooking class?

Most classes focus on fresh pasta, gnocchi, ravioli, tagliatelle, tiramisu, and sometimes mozzarella or pizza. Many also include an aperitivo, local wine, limoncello, and a full lunch or dinner after the class.

When should you book a cooking class in your Positano itinerary?

I’d book a cooking class on a slower day, not on the same day as Capri or a full boat tour. It works really well on your final day in town, when you want something special without adding more transport stress. You can see where I’d fit it in my Positano itinerary for 1, 2, or 3 days.

Are there cooking classes outside Positano too?

Yes. If you are open to classes in Amalfi, Praiano, or the hills above the coast, I also have a full guide to the best cooking classes on the Amalfi Coast.

Can you book a private cooking class in Positano?

Yes. This private cooking class at Villa Magia is reserved for your group. It is in Positano itself, with a meal included. The listing has a limited review history.

Can cooking classes accommodate dietary requirements?

Ask before booking. Menus and kitchens differ, and an alternative dish does not automatically mean a class can safely accommodate an allergy. Share your requirements with the host and get confirmation before paying.