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Host: Maria

Florence, Italy

USD
$98-$178 per person

Italian cooking in Florence using traditional Tuscan recipes

Host offerings
  • Rural farmhouse
  • Home cook
  • Pets
  • Vegetarian
  • Alcohol
  • Transportation
  • Cooking class
  • Market visit
  • Food tour

Meet Maria

Maria is an architect who has specialized in bio-architecture and restoration. She is now retired and has dedicated her time to enjoying her passion for painting and cooking. She learned to cook at a young age when living in Sardinia, where it is tradition to hand-down family recipes from one generation to the next. Maria’s mother was an exceptional cook, and it is from her that she learned to cook traditional Italian food. She is not only passionate about cooking, but also enjoys hosting as well. Maria looks forward to meeting people from all over the world, hosting them in her country house and cooking her favorite recipes together. When asked why she would like to be a Traveling Spoon host, this is what Maria had to say, “I love to cook and I love people. I would really like to share my recipes and spend time together with the guest in my country house – cooking and sharing good food”.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal: (2-4 guests) Join Maria and her husband in their beautiful Tuscan countryside farmhouse to share stories and enjoy a traditional meal cooked using family recipes. You can expect to share a home-cooked Italian meal using Maria's grandmother’s recipes. A few traditional Tuscan dishes that you might be served are bruschetta with tomatoes and basil or black cabbage and ravioli with ricotta and spinach or tagliatelle with ragu or broccoli pesto or arrabbiata. End your meal with a dessert such as tiramisu or ice cream with cake. Two glasses of local wine will be served with your traditional Tuscan meal.

Cooking experience: (2-4 guests) Maria meets you in a central Florence location and drives you to her beautiful countryside home for your Tuscan cooking class. During your hands-on Florence cooking class, learn to make authentic Italian classics from scratch such as handmade pasta, bruschetta or tiramisu. All the recipes you will learn are Maria's grandmother's recipes - Maria also shares tips and tricks that she learned from her. You can choose to make ravioli or tagliatelle with a sauce of your choice, so please let Maria know your preference in advance. After your Italian cooking class, join Maria at the dining table to enjoy the dishes you helped prepare over wine.

Market visit: (2-4 guests) After you've been picked up from a central Florence location, visit the San Lorenzo market with your host. When in Florence a visit to San Lorenzo market is unmissable. Enjoy a guided tour of this central market while you learn about local fruits, vegetables, meat and cheese. Here you will find butchers, fishmongers, fruit and vegetable vendors and small specialty shops selling local olive oils, meats, cheeses and much more. During your walking market tour, Maria introduces you to her favorite vendors and shows you how to pick fresh produce while explaining how these ingredients are used in Italian cooking.

Notes: Maria can accommodate lactose free, gluten free, vegetarian and vegan diets on request. Please let her know in advance if you have any dietary restrictions or allergies, while booking your Florence cooking class online.

Return transportation from Florence city center (Forno Sale Grosso) and two glasses of wine per person, are included in the cost of the experience. Please include your WhatsApp number or local contact number in your booking so that it is easy to communicate, in case of traffic or other delays.

Languages spoken: English

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Appetizer: Tuscan salami, ham and cheese or Bruschetta with tomatoes and basil or Bruschetta with black cabbage
  • Main: Ravioli with ricotta and spinach or Tagliatelle with ragu, broccoli pesto, arrabbiata or butter and sage with parmesan cream
  • Dessert: Tiramisu, Biscuits with jam or Ice cream with cake
  • Local wine

Traveler reviews

5.0 (1)
We had an amazing evening with Maria Cristina. Maria picked us up at the Sant’Ambrogio market in Florence and whisked us away to her beautiful Tuscan villa which is rich with history. We opted for the cooking experience with Maria Cristina through Traveling Spoon. Maria has renovated the entire home, sticking to the historic design throughout. We enjoyed every moment with Maria, who is a true renaissance woman with numerous varied talents. The delicious meal we prepared was made with the freshest ingredients. I need to be gluten free so Maria took every precaution to make sure everything was gluten free or avoided cross contamination. The best part was how much fun we had getting to know Maria. We all had many laughs and stories to share. Maria even packed up leftovers for us to enjoy at our Airbnb. We are still talking about how amazing this experience was. I highly recommend Maria Cristina for a true local culinary experience in Tuscany.
- 560mariannap April 17, 2024
4aa5f5c5 68bb 4223 9949 43b41eadb257

Maria

$98-$178 USD

per person
100% VETTED
Learn more
  • No waiting! Booking confirmed instantly
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back
  • Private experience
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
In-Home Meal
Not offered $98 Not offered
Cooking Experience + Meal
Not offered $154 Not offered
Market Tour
Not offered $114 Not offered
Market Tour + Meal
Not offered $146 Not offered
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
Not offered $178 Not offered
Alcohol
$0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
In-Home Meal
Not offered $98 Not offered
Cooking Experience + Meal
Not offered $154 Not offered
Market Tour
Not offered $114 Not offered
Market Tour + Meal
Not offered $146 Not offered
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
Not offered $178 Not offered
Alcohol
$0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
12:00pm-3:00pm 6:00pm-9:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
10:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-9:00pm
Market Tour
9:00am-12:00pm
Market Tour+ Meal
9:00am-1:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
9:00am-2:00pm

Meet Maria

Maria is an architect who has specialized in bio-architecture and restoration. She is now retired and has dedicated her time to enjoying her passion for painting and cooking. She learned to cook at a young age when living in Sardinia, where it is tradition to hand-down family recipes from one generation to the next. Maria’s mother was an exceptional cook, and it is from her that she learned to cook traditional Italian food. She is not only passionate about cooking, but also enjoys hosting as well. Maria looks forward to meeting people from all over the world, hosting them in her country house and cooking her favorite recipes together. When asked why she would like to be a Traveling Spoon host, this is what Maria had to say, “I love to cook and I love people. I would really like to share my recipes and spend time together with the guest in my country house – cooking and sharing good food”.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal: (2-4 guests) Join Maria and her husband in their beautiful Tuscan countryside farmhouse to share stories and enjoy a traditional meal cooked using family recipes. You can expect to share a home-cooked Italian meal using Maria's grandmother’s recipes. A few traditional Tuscan dishes that you might be served are bruschetta with tomatoes and basil or black cabbage and ravioli with ricotta and spinach or tagliatelle with ragu or broccoli pesto or arrabbiata. End your meal with a dessert such as tiramisu or ice cream with cake. Two glasses of local wine will be served with your traditional Tuscan meal.

Cooking experience: (2-4 guests) Maria meets you in a central Florence location and drives you to her beautiful countryside home for your Tuscan cooking class. During your hands-on Florence cooking class, learn to make authentic Italian classics from scratch such as handmade pasta, bruschetta or tiramisu. All the recipes you will learn are Maria's grandmother's recipes - Maria also shares tips and tricks that she learned from her. You can choose to make ravioli or tagliatelle with a sauce of your choice, so please let Maria know your preference in advance. After your Italian cooking class, join Maria at the dining table to enjoy the dishes you helped prepare over wine.

Market visit: (2-4 guests) After you've been picked up from a central Florence location, visit the San Lorenzo market with your host. When in Florence a visit to San Lorenzo market is unmissable. Enjoy a guided tour of this central market while you learn about local fruits, vegetables, meat and cheese. Here you will find butchers, fishmongers, fruit and vegetable vendors and small specialty shops selling local olive oils, meats, cheeses and much more. During your walking market tour, Maria introduces you to her favorite vendors and shows you how to pick fresh produce while explaining how these ingredients are used in Italian cooking.

Notes: Maria can accommodate lactose free, gluten free, vegetarian and vegan diets on request. Please let her know in advance if you have any dietary restrictions or allergies, while booking your Florence cooking class online.

Return transportation from Florence city center (Forno Sale Grosso) and two glasses of wine per person, are included in the cost of the experience. Please include your WhatsApp number or local contact number in your booking so that it is easy to communicate, in case of traffic or other delays.

Languages spoken: English

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Appetizer: Tuscan salami, ham and cheese or Bruschetta with tomatoes and basil or Bruschetta with black cabbage
  • Main: Ravioli with ricotta and spinach or Tagliatelle with ragu, broccoli pesto, arrabbiata or butter and sage with parmesan cream
  • Dessert: Tiramisu, Biscuits with jam or Ice cream with cake
  • Local wine

Traveler reviews

5.0 (1)
We had an amazing evening with Maria Cristina. Maria picked us up at the Sant’Ambrogio market in Florence and whisked us away to her beautiful Tuscan villa which is rich with history. We opted for the cooking experience with Maria Cristina through Traveling Spoon. Maria has renovated the entire home, sticking to the historic design throughout. We enjoyed every moment with Maria, who is a true renaissance woman with numerous varied talents. The delicious meal we prepared was made with the freshest ingredients. I need to be gluten free so Maria took every precaution to make sure everything was gluten free or avoided cross contamination. The best part was how much fun we had getting to know Maria. We all had many laughs and stories to share. Maria even packed up leftovers for us to enjoy at our Airbnb. We are still talking about how amazing this experience was. I highly recommend Maria Cristina for a true local culinary experience in Tuscany.
- 560mariannap April 17, 2024
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
In-Home Meal
Not offered $98 Not offered
Cooking Experience + Meal
Not offered $154 Not offered
Market Tour
Not offered $114 Not offered
Market Tour + Meal
Not offered $146 Not offered
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
Not offered $178 Not offered
Alcohol
$0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
In-Home Meal
Not offered $98 Not offered
Cooking Experience + Meal
Not offered $154 Not offered
Market Tour
Not offered $114 Not offered
Market Tour + Meal
Not offered $146 Not offered
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
Not offered $178 Not offered
Alcohol
$0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
12:00pm-3:00pm 6:00pm-9:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
10:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-9:00pm
Market Tour
9:00am-12:00pm
Market Tour+ Meal
9:00am-1:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
9:00am-2:00pm
ABOUT TRAVELING SPOON

Traveling Spoon connects you with meaningful culinary experiences, from private cooking lessons to homecooked meals in people's homes. Enjoy an immersive cultural experience that gives you a glimpse into the local way of life.

FAQ

    You can cancel your reservation up until 48 hours before your experience for a full refund minus a 3% processing fee. Experiences within 48 hours are not refundable.

    If you have a question for your host, you can include a note in the field "Write a note to your host" during the booking process. Once your booking is confirmed, you will be emailed your host's direct contact information and you will also be able to message the host through your profile. You can always cancel your booking and receive a full refund 48 hours or more before your experience. If you have other questions you can also email us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Most of our hosts are able to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies, including vegetarian and gluten free options. For vegetarian travelers, we have an icon on each host profile to indicate whether that host can also offer a fully vegetarian menu. There is a section in the booking form to note any allergies or dietary restrictions which will be sent directly to your host.

    Some hosts offer alcohol as an optional add-on for travelers who are of legal drinking age. Pricing for alcohol is visible on the host profile page and includes one to two glasses of wine, beer or local alcohol.

    Have a flight or other tour planned and can’t make the timing provided? If the timing listed on the host’s profile doesn’t work for you, our hosts can often accommodate timing changes. Because all of our experiences are private our hosts are happy to tailor experiences to meet your travel needs. Simply note your request in the booking process.

    Your card will not be charged until your host accepts your booking. Typically hosts respond to bookings within 72 hours. In the event your host is unavailable on your selected date and your host rejects your booking your credit card will not be charged.

    Your host's detailed contact information, including their phone number, address, and direction notes, will all be provided immediately upon successful confirmation of your experience (after your hosts accepts your booking and your credit card is successfully processed). This information will be emailed to you to the email address you used to sign up, and will also be visible on your Traveling Spoon profile.

    All prices are noted per person prices unless otherwise specified. Transportation is typically charged on a per car basis. Children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free. Hosts set their own prices and Traveling Spoon marks up the experiences; on average hosts receive over 70% of the price paid by the traveler.

    100% of Traveling Spoon experiences are private! Just you and your host and host’s family.

    Hosts typically respond to booking inquiries within 72 hours. If for some reason you have not heard from your host or if you have any questions you can always contact us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Your safety and security are our top priority. To ensure this, Traveling Spoon personally vets 100% of all hosts, including an in-person host visit, to ensure each host and experience meets our strict quality requirements.

    Some hosts offer transportation as an optional add-on for travelers. Typically this is round trip transportation with pick up and drop off at your hotel. Pricing is quoted per car. Specific instructions for transportation will be provided in your confirmation details when your booking is confirmed.

    Many of our hosts accommodate solo travelers. You can see if a host accepts solo travelers by looking at the traveler range found next to the experience descriptions on the host profile (indicated by the numbers in parentheses next to "In-home meal", "Cooking experience" and "Market visit").

    Most of our Traveling Spoon experiences are incredibly family friendly and can accommodate infants and children. If a host is unable to accommodate children that will be noted in the “Notes” section of their profile. Our child pricing policy is children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free.