My husband and I loved the hands-on cooking class with Francesca. We learned to make three types of fresh pasta (including ravioli) and matching sauces, and because the class had only three participants we received very personalized instruction. After cooking we sat around the table to enjoy the three dishes we’d prepared, paired with a glass of wine. Francesca is organized, friendly, and teaches from a comfortable, well-equipped space.
Getting there: We traveled from Palermo without a car. We took the train from Palermo Centrale to Bagheria (€3.30 per person one-way, about 13 minutes). We had planned to take a taxi from Bagheria station but didn’t realize one must be arranged in advance, so we walked the 1.6-mile route to Francesca’s (about 35 minutes). The final 500 feet are along a somewhat narrow roadway, but it was manageable. You can arrange a taxi in advance if you prefer not to walk.