The 11 Best Cooking Classes in Albania

1.Cooking Classes and Traditional food tasting in Tirana

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 282 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $49Our pick

Join Sindi at Go as Local in Tirana for a hands-on Albanian cooking class. Prepare dishes such as Lakror, Tave Kosi, and Sheqerpare, then sit down to eat with wine, raki, coffee, tea, and homemade snacks. The class begins at 1 pm, lasts about four hours, and is offered in English.

“The food, wine and raiki were excellent. The company very nice and the instructor very good. We would take another class with different dishes if we had time.”

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2.Traditional Albanian Cooking Class in Tirana with Raki Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 125 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $53

Spend about four hours cooking traditional Albanian food in central Tirana with chef Dervis. You will make cottage-cheese burek, village chicken with pershesh, and sheqerpare, while tasting meze, raki, and unlimited homemade wine. The private class welcomes dietary restrictions and ends with a shared meal at the cooking table.

“We had a great time during this cooking class and learned everything there is to know about Albanian (delicious) food and culture. We can't recommend this enough !”

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3.Berat Cooking Class- Traditional Albanian Cooking Class /By Vato

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 120 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $41Best value

Meet at Visit Albania Tour Operator, then head to Nina’s home inside Berat Castle. She guides you through two traditional Albanian dishes, with possible choices such as fërgesë, byrek, or tave kosi. You’ll cook, eat, share a glass of wine, and hear about Albanian family life in an intimate group of up to 10.

“Geweldige (kook-) ervaring bij Nina en Freddy. Hele lieve mensen, enorm gastvrij. Albanees gericht gemaakt : Fergez. Gezamenlijk gegeten, eindeloos (na-) getafeld en over en weer verteld over onze culturen en achtergronden . Kortom fantastisch en zeer de moeite waard! Thank you Nina & Freddy ! faleminderit 🥰”

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4.Savor Albanian Cuisine Cooking Class with Mama Nina Berat Castle

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 55 reviews · 3 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $48

Meet Mama Nina at her kitchen inside Berat Castle for a three-hour Albanian cooking class. With help from English-Albanian translator Mikael, you’ll prepare home-style dishes such as baked eggplant, meatballs, fërgesë, pies, and baklava, then sit down to eat together.

“Nina and her family were extremely welcoming and friendly. She was helpful and full of humour, allowing us to make traditional and authentic Albanian dishes that were tasty. It was very interesting to get to know the culture and interact with locals to immerse into the Albanian culture on a deeper level. Me and my partner were very grateful for this unique experience.”

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5.Cooking Class in Berat Slow Food Community

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 34 reviews · 3 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $66

At Castle Park Hotel and Restaurant near Berat, you prepare four traditional Berati recipes with a local chef, then eat what you make. Guides and hosts may include Antela, Saidi, Nazira, or Elma. The private class lasts about three hours, includes lunch and bottled water, and offers a vegetarian option with advance notice.

“The cooking class was a highlight of our trip to Albania. It was very authentic, a lot of fun and a lot of food ☀️🤗 We had an amazing chef 👩‍🍳and she was really good in including our kids. Our host Nazira was so kind and excellent in making the experience a blast for the entire family 🤩”

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6.Cooking Class & Traditional Albanian Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 15 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $90

Join chef Sokol Prenga in Tirana for a hands-on Albanian cooking class and dinner. Over four to five hours, you will prepare dishes such as pispili, pite, traditional breads, Tavë Kosi, veal ribs with plum syrup, and Qumeshtor, while learning how Albanian food developed over time.

“Amazing journey through Albanian cuisine over the centuries. With a group of 13 friends and we left the building in a group of 20 friends. Unforgettable experience with the best host and chef Sokol and of course the rest of his team. What a hospitality! Rustique and pure foods, amazing flavours, history, love and great storys. A must visit when you are in Tirana! Thanks guys!”

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7.Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 12 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $54

In Gjirokaster’s medieval bazaar, you’ll prepare two traditional dishes and a dessert with family-run host Edua.gjirokaster. Expect qifqi rice balls, OSA pasta with lamb, and hasude, plus mountain spices, teas, appetizers, and local stories. The private class lasts about two hours, includes written recipes, and ends with a meal you cooked yourself.

“Really fun ~1hr cooking class where we learnt a lot about the culture of Gjirokaster and Albania and then ate our delicious meal in the restaurant after. Thank you for the great experience!”

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8.Vegetarian Cooking Class @Teta Marjeta

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 11 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $56

Meet your guide at Cerciz Topulli Square, walk into Gjirokaster’s old bazaar quarter, and cook three local vegetarian dishes with Teta Marjeta: Qofte bobollaqe, Qifqi, and Hasude. An English translator helps bridge the language gap, and the class ends with a shared meal, drinks, recipes, and a warm slice of home life.

“The highlight of the experience was Marieta – she was definitely a character: joyful, cheeky, and so much fun! We were welcomed by a friendly translator who stayed with us throughout, which added to the experience. They answered all of our questions, and additional dishes accompanied what we made.”

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9.Farm-to-Table Cooking Class with Local Family by 1001 AlbAdv

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $72

Meet in Berat for a three-and-a-half-hour food experience with a local family in Drobonik, the region’s cherry village. Expect private transport, Albanian dishes, local wine, cheeses, olives, bread, fruit preserves, raki, mountain tea, and honey. The small group is limited to 10 people, and the experience is offered in English.

“As a solo traveler it was a great to meet others over local foods and wine!”

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10.Berat Cooking Class- Traditional Albanian Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · from $48

Meet at Visit Albania Tour Operator in Berat and head to Nina and Fredi’s home inside the historic castle. With help from host Nina and, when needed, Mikel as translator, you’ll prepare two or three Albanian dishes such as stuffed eggplant, fërgesë, or byrek, then sit down to eat together.

“This was such a fantastic experience and we would highly recommend. Such a great experience chatting while preparing our dinner. This is one of my Albanian highlights.”

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11.Gourmet Lunch Farm Tour with Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 8 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $90

From Sarandë, Kyle and Shawn take you to Bote Farms near Finiq for an Albanian cooking class, animal time, a six-course farm-style lunch, and a swim in a natural pool. Expect mountain views, included transport and towels, drinks, and a group of up to 25 people. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diets can be accommodated.

“Really good day out. We got picked up in the morning and taken to the farm.”

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