Excursion Rapallo & culinary experience tour at Genoa

Meet your guide at the pier and board your AC deluxe coach to Rapallo.

Liguria is home to some of Italy's most iconic foods and no one is more passionate about pasta, pesto, focaccia and other local products than your local host Guido and his staff.

Join them on today's tour behind the gastronomic scenes of lovely Rapallo.

Rapallo Village

WB Yeats, Max Beerbohm and Ezra Pound all garnered inspiration in Rapallo and it's not difficult to see why. With its bright-blue changing cabins, palm-fringed beach and diminutive 16th century castle perched above the sea, the town has a poetic and nostalgic air. It's at its busiest on Thursdays, when market stalls fill central Piazza Cile.

The city prides itself in showcasing the best of Ligurian cuisine, a tradition that capitalizes on the treasures of the mountains and the sea, and there's no one better to show you around than keen connoisseur, master chef and all-around charmer Guido or any of his staff!

Culinary Experience

Meet your host at one of the city's most unique monuments, the Musical Kiosk with its fanciful fresco, before continuing on to Rapallo's vibrant food market to explore the produce and herbs that feature in Ligurian recipes.

The tour continues to a nearby artisanal pasta factory, where you will see, among the other creations, a traditional stuffed pasta called pansoto made with market-fresh herbs, a few ingredients and their trusty rolling pin.

Next, it's time for some street food - Guido introduces you to his favorite focaccia baker serving this cheesy, decadent treat hot from the iron with a glass of local Vermentino wine.

For the final stop, follow Guido to his own bottega, a veritable emporium filled to the rafters with delicacies like cured meats, oils and vinegars, and handmade pasta.

Here, you'll have the chance to make pesto alla Genovese to adjust with Here, you’ll have the chance to see  how they make the Pesto alla Genovese - 'pounding' (pestare, like the name says) the aromatic basil leaves into a fine paste with garlic, cheese, pine nuts and Ligurian extra virgin olive oil using a marble mortar and a pear-wood pestle.

Pandolce is also on the menu; enjoy this traditional cake, beloved especially for Christmas, containing raisins, nuts and sundried raisins with a sweet Moscato from nearby Portofino and toast to the stellar recipes and lifelong memories you'll be taking home.

Points of interests

Points of interest seen on this excursion may include: Rapallo Village, Culinary Experience

Note

Please note: This tour requires a moderate amount of walking of approximately 0.65 miles (1.0 Km) over cobblestone and steep surfaces. This tour is not recommended for guests with limited mobility or guests who utilise a wheelchair. We recommend guests wear comfortable clothing and walking shoes as well as bring sun protection. Guests are advised to inform of any dietary restrictions ahead of time, as accommodating restrictions may be limited by the nature of the experience. If Chef Guido Porrati is not available on that day, he will be replaced by one of his pupils.