Giardini Naxos, Taormina: Food Class & Sicilian Tasting

Fresh macaroni made with a slender iron rod, ricotta for cannoli, and a table of Etna products to taste: this three-hour class gives you a hands-on look at Sicilian food traditions without leaving Giardini Naxos. You make the food yourself, then taste olive oils, wine or beer, sweet and savory creams, and a Sicilian liqueur.

I like two things in particular: you learn a specific pasta technique using a ferretto, and the class pairs cooking with a broad tasting of local products. The group is limited to six, which should leave room for questions and help keep the lesson relaxed.

One consideration is the price: at $130.28 per person, it is a substantial spend for a three-hour activity. It makes the most sense if you want both a cooking lesson and a guided tasting, rather than a pasta class alone.

• Make macaroni by hand: Roll and shape the dough with a traditional ferretto, then let the pasta dry before tasting it with Sicilian pestos.
• Prepare cannoli filling: Learn to make a ricotta cream and decorate it with pistachio grains and candied fruit.
• Taste five extra-virgin olive oils: The oil tasting gives you a chance to compare several varieties, not just sample one.
• Choose wine or beer: The tasting includes one glass of wine or artisanal beer.
• Sample nine sweet and savory creams: This is the widest-ranging tasting of the class, followed by a Sicilian liqueur.
• Meet on the Giardini Naxos waterfront: The class starts and ends inside Melanina Sicilian Experience Space.

A kitchen lesson with a tasting built in

This class is about more than following a recipe. You handle dough, learn how a traditional tool shapes pasta, and get an introduction to some of the small-batch products associated with the Etna area. The format suits you if you enjoy food as a way into local customs, but would rather spend a few hours cooking than book a full-day food tour.

The experience lasts three hours and takes place at Melanina Sicilian Experience Space, on Giardini Naxos’s waterfront. Your host meets you inside the shop, and the class finishes at the same place. English and Italian are the listed languages, so you can choose the session that works for you when checking availability.

With a maximum of six participants, this is a genuinely small group rather than a large demonstration where you mainly watch. You should have the chance to work at your own table and follow the guided lesson. Still, the exact pace can depend on the group, and no individual guide is named in the details available.

Making macaroni with a ferretto

The practical part begins with setting up your work table and combining flour into a soft, pale dough. You roll it out and shape the macaroni with a ferretto, a thin rod traditionally used to form this kind of pasta. The tool is a useful detail: it makes the lesson about a particular Sicilian technique, not just generic pasta-making.

You do not need to arrive knowing how to make fresh pasta. The class is guided, and the aim is to show you the steps from dough to finished macaroni. A relaxed, clearly explained approach matters here, because pasta can look fussier than it is until someone shows you how to handle it. The hands-on work also gives you a better sense of the texture and care involved than a demonstration alone.

After shaping, the macaroni is left to dry so it can be served with Sicilian pestos. That pause gives the class room to move on to the dessert preparation. The details do not specify which pestos you will taste, so do not expect a particular recipe or ingredient list.

This is a good activity for curious cooks, including beginners. One useful takeaway is that fresh pasta is not necessarily difficult to make. The main value is learning a technique you can remember and try again, rather than leaving with a complicated recipe that needs special equipment.

Ricotta cream and cannoli

Next, you learn to prepare the ricotta filling for Sicilian cannoli, one of the island’s best-known desserts. You decorate the filling with pistachio grains and candied fruit, adding the finishing touches that make the sweet feel distinctly Sicilian.

Cannoli are a familiar treat in Sicily, but making the filling yourself adds a practical layer to the tasting. You see how a few ingredients and careful preparation can turn into a dessert with its own local character. The class information highlights the ricotta cream and decoration, but does not promise that you will make the pastry shells from scratch. If that is the part you most want to learn, check with the host before booking.

The pasta and cannoli work well together because they cover two sides of the island’s food traditions: a fresh savory staple and a classic sweet. You get to take part in both, rather than spending the full session on one recipe. The finished macaroni and cannoli are described as ready to taste as part of the experience, though this is not presented as a full meal.

Three rounds of Etna product tastings

Once the practical lesson is finished, the focus shifts to products from the Etna area. The tastings are arranged in three parts: first extra-virgin olive oil, then wine and beer, and finally sweet and savory creams. A Sicilian liqueur rounds things off.

The olive oil tasting includes five types. That range makes comparison part of the activity: you can notice differences among oils instead of treating olive oil as a single, interchangeable ingredient. If you cook at home, this can be a useful way to think about how oil contributes its own flavor to a dish.

For the drink tasting, you choose one glass of wine or artisanal beer. You are not promised both, so decide which interests you more. The experience is framed around products from the region, with a host guiding you through what you sample. Specific producers, varieties, and serving sizes are not listed.

The final product tasting features nine sweet and savory creams. That is a substantial number to sample in one sitting, and it gives the class a broader focus than pasta and dessert alone. You also taste a Sicilian liqueur. The details do not name the creams or liqueur, so the exact selection may depend on what is being presented during your session.

Taken together, the tasting is a major part of the value. You are not paying only for a short cooking lesson: you also get a guided introduction to several local products. If food tasting is not your thing, the sequence may feel like too much sampling. But if you enjoy trying unfamiliar flavors and asking how products are made, it gives the class a satisfying second half.

What the $130.28 price buys you

At $130.28 per person, this is not a budget cooking class. Its value depends on whether you want the full combination: guided instruction, the chance to make pasta and cannoli filling, equipment for the activity, and several tastings. The experience includes five olive oils, one glass of wine or artisanal beer, nine creams, and a Sicilian liqueur, alongside the food you help prepare.

The price is easier to justify if you see this as a small-group food experience rather than a lesson in one recipe. You get to handle the dough, learn a traditional shaping method, prepare a well-known dessert filling, and taste products with a local guide. With only six participants, you are also less likely to feel lost in a crowd.

On the other hand, you may find better value elsewhere if your main goal is simply learning to make pasta. The tasting component is central here, not an optional add-on. And if you are expecting a full lunch, keep in mind that the class describes food to taste, not a complete meal.

Who will enjoy this class most

I would consider this class if you like cooking but do not need a formal culinary course. It offers enough hands-on work to make the session active, while keeping the recipes approachable. The pasta lesson is especially appealing if you want to learn a traditional Sicilian method you can remember after your holiday.

It also suits you if regional food products interest you. The guided tasting covers multiple oils and creams, plus a choice of wine or beer and a liqueur. You do not need to be an expert taster to get something from it; the point is to sample and learn, not to pass a test.

The small group can be a plus for couples, friends, or solo visitors who prefer a more personal class. But the maximum group size is six, not a guarantee that every session will have the same number of people. If you are booking with a larger party, check whether everyone can join the same session.

Practical details before you book

The meeting place is inside Melanina Sicilian Experience Space on the Giardini Naxos waterfront. The activity ends back at the meeting point, so you do not need to arrange a separate return transfer. The duration is three hours, and start times depend on availability.

English and Italian are listed for the host or greeter, and the guided lesson and equipment are included. The available details do not specify dietary accommodations, exact recipes, or the precise brands and varieties poured. If you have allergies, food restrictions, or a strong preference about what you will taste, ask before booking rather than assuming the menu can be adjusted.

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. A reserve-now, pay-later option is also available, so you can hold a place without paying at the time of booking.

Should you book it?

Book this class if you want a compact, hands-on introduction to Sicilian cooking with a serious tasting component. The standout combination is the ferretto-shaped macaroni, cannoli ricotta cream, and a guided sampling of Etna products in a group capped at six. The relaxed, clearly explained format is a strong fit if you are new to pasta-making.

Skip it if you only want a quick cooking lesson, need a full meal, or are focused on keeping activity costs low. At this price, the tasting and small-group instruction are essential to the value. If those are as appealing to you as making pasta, this is a good way to spend three hours in Giardini Naxos.

FAQ

How long does the experience last?

The class lasts three hours.

Where does the class meet?

Meet your host inside Melanina Sicilian Experience Space on the Giardini Naxos waterfront.

Where does the activity end?

It ends back at the meeting point.

What languages are available?

The host or greeter is listed as speaking English and Italian.

How many people can join?

The class is limited to six participants.

What pasta will I make?

You will prepare macaroni using dough and a traditional ferretto, a tool used to shape the pasta.

Will I make cannoli?

You will learn to make the ricotta filling for cannoli and decorate it with pistachio grains and candied fruit.

What products are included in the tastings?

The tastings include five types of extra-virgin olive oil, one glass of wine or artisanal beer, nine sweet and savory creams, and a Sicilian liqueur.

Is equipment included?

Yes. Equipment for the experience is included, along with a guided lesson.

Can I cancel for a refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.