Above: Arriving in Portofino on by ferry (photo by Chris Frescura).
Splendors of the Italian Riviera Tour May 2026

We’re back from a fabulous week of cooking, savoring, and sightseeing in  Liguria:  this tiny, crescent-shaped region has been our home since we moved from the US in 2023, and the more we explore it, the more we fall in love with its cuisine, landscape, and people.

If you're a lover of the sea, don't miss our May 10-16, 2026 culinary tour to Liguria. We'll stay in an elegant four-star hotel in the quaint seaside town of Sestri Levante, visit beautiful small towns along the rugged coast (Portofino, Cinque Terre, Camogli, Santa Margherita, and more); and dine at the region's best tables.

And since we live here, we'll give you the inside scoop on what makes this northern Italian region so special: not just the towns we'll visit, but the artisans we’ll introduce you to, the dishes you’ll taste, and the recipes you’ll learn to prepare.

So what’s a typical day on our Liguria tour like?

After a leisurely breakfast, we'll cook together, and you'll find that the laughter is as important as the learning. Lunch paired with local wine follows, before heading out to meet passionate locals who'll share their knowledge with you: you'll learn to make gelato with Luca, how to fill handmade chocolate with Massimo, and how extra-virgin olive is produced from Carlo. Next, a bit of sightseeing and relaxing, before a sumptuous four-course dinner with wine at Liguria's best restaurants.

If this sounds like a dream, reserve your spots on this once-in-a-lifetime culinary vacation before the tour sells out.

Watch a video to see what we have in store for you on our Splendors of the Italian Riviera Tour and call us at 347 566 2212 (US phone on Italy time) or email micol@rusticocooking.com  to book. We look forward to sharing our Italy with you!
Micol and Dino

Below: The village of Manarola in the Cinque Terre.

What's Included in The Tour?

• all breakfasts, all lunches, all dinners
• 6 nights stay at the hotel (upgrade to premium accommodations available)
• private room with en-suite bathroom
• daily hands-on cooking classes at the hotel
• wine with all lunches and dinners
• private wine tasting at an award-winning winery in Cinque Terre
• private olive oil tasting and visit of olive mill
• private gelato class with a master gelataio
• private chocolate-making class and tasting with an award-winning chocolatier
• all organized group activities
• transportation by private bus to towns such as Camogli, Santa Margherita, Chiavari, and more
• transportation by ferry to Portofino
• all cooking class recipes
• apron
• one-year Rustico Cooking Video Membership (a value of $120)

Below: Whipping up amaretto-apple cake in our hands-on cooking classes.

Client Testimonial: Audrey L., Boise, ID

"Just wanted to say a big THANK-YOU for making our first trip to Italy a memorable one. We had a blast, all of our senses were on overload. You certainly made everyone feel very relaxed... I certainly don't think anyone could have covered as much territory on their own. Your knowledge and expertise on the local food and customs made us enjoy the experience so much more. It certainly was the most memorable experience, one I will look back on with fond memories of all the delicious food, the cooks and all the people in our group." 

Testaroli (Griddle-Cooked Pasta in Basil Pesto from Liguria)

One of Italy's most unique pastas, testaroli are made by cutting and boiling a simple wheat and flour pancake.

They are a direct descendant of the porridges of the Neolithic that were poured onto hot stones to cook, and derive their name from the heavy earthenware vessel called testo in which they are traditionally cooked. Testaroli can only be found in Lunigiana, an archaeologically rich area straddling Liguria and Tuscany.

After the pancakes are cooked in a hot skillet, they are cut into diamond shapes and dropped into boiling water for a few seconds to heat up and soften, ready to sauce with pesto.

Don't be put off by the numerous steps and seemingly long ingredient list in the recipe: this is one of Italy's easiest fresh pastas and will surely be a revelation to anyone who hasn't had the pleasure of tasting it before.

Serves 2

 For the pesto:
 55 grams (2 ounces) basil leaves, stems removed, washed and dried
 15 grams (0.5 ounces) pine nuts
 1 garlic clove, peeled
 ¼ teaspoon salt
 45 milliliters (3 tablespoons) extra-virgin olive oil
 45 grams (1.5 ounces) Parmigiano Reggiano
 For the testaroli:
 55 grams (2 ounces) white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
 110 grams (4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
 ½ teaspoon salt
 230 grams (8.1 ounces) room-temperature water
 5 grams (1 teaspoon) extra-virgin olive oil
 To cook:
 15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) extra-virgin olive oil
 1 chunk onion
 To serve:
 30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) extra-virgin olive oil
 15 grams (0.5 ounces) Parmigiano Reggiano

1. Make the pesto: Place the basil, pine nuts, garlic, and salt in a food processor. Gradually pour in the olive oil with the motor running; the mixture will emulsify.
2. Transfer the pesto to a serving bowl and stir in the Parmigiano with a fork. (The pesto keeps in the refrigerator up to 1 week as long as it is topped with a thin layer of olive oil; it can also be frozen for up to 1 month if the Parmigiano has not been stirred in.)
3. Make the testaroli: Mix the flours and salt in a bowl. Pour in about half of the water, whisking all the while. Whisk in the olive oil. Whisk in the remaining water little by little, whisking vigorously to work out any lumps. The batter should be fairly liquid, similar to fluid pancake batter or thin yogurt, and perfectly smooth; add more water if needed.
4. Heat a heavy nonstick 12-inch (30-centimeter) skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Drizzle in 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and swirl to coat. Rub the cut side of the onion into the oil to flavor it.
5. Pour one-third of the batter into the skillet, and immediately tilt the skillet to spread the batter as close to the edges of the skillet as possible. It may be hard to get it to spread all the way to the edges since it is rather thick; do your best by quickly moving your wrist as soon as the batter hits the skillet. It may not cover the entire surface of the skillet, which is fine.
6. Cook 5 minutes, or until speckled with brown on the bottom, then flip, and cook 3 more minutes, or until the second side is also speckled with brown. Monitor the heat to avoid burning.
7. Remove each pancake as it is ready to a cutting board and cool. When fully cool, fold in half. Cut into ½-inch-wide (1.3-centimeter) strips, then unfold, and line up the strips side by side.
8. Cut the strips into 1/2-inch-long (1.3-centimeter-long) diamond shapes or lozenges. These are the testaroli. They can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated at this point for 24 hours.
9. Continue in the same manner with the remaining batter, swirling in 1 teaspoon of olive oil and rubbing with the cut onion each time before pouring in the batter.
10. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts (4 liters) of water to a boil.
11. Drop in the testaroli and cook 10 seconds, just long enough to warm through; if the testaroli cook longer they will become unpleasantly mushy.
12. Drain the testaroli, reserving 250 milliliters (1 cup) of the pasta cooking water.
13. Stir as much of the reserved pasta cooking water into the pesto in the serving bowl to loosen the pesto to a flowing consistency.
14. To serve: Add the drained testaroli and stir to coat. Stir in the olive oil and adjust the salt if necessary. Sprinkle with the Parmigiano and serve hot.