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 lasting about four hours. You will prepare lakror, Tave Kosi, and sheqerpare, with ingredients, lunch, snacks, coffee, wine, raki, and water included. The class is offered in English and is designed for groups of up to 10, though booking details also mention a maximum of 15.

“Great experience. Sindi was a great host, fun person and kept the cooking and conversation (as well as the wine) flowing. We enjoyed getting to know the other guests from several other countries. The location was not easy to find. Out of the five guests, four of us had to have her come find us. I completely recommend this experience whether you are a cook or just want to try new things and meet fun people. She said Apple Maps does not work very well in Albania.”

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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 Albanian dishes with chef Dervis in central Tirana. Start with meze and raki, prepare burek, village chicken with pershesh, and sheqerpare, then share the meal with homemade wine. Vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, halal, and lactose-free diets can be accommodated if noted when booking.

“It was a great time. The cooking teacher was interesting snd patient with everyone. We i how to make three delicious dishes Highly recommend!”

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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 for a three-hour Albanian cooking class. Nina and Freddy welcome you, explain dishes such as fërgesë, byrek, and tavë kosi, and guide you through preparing two dishes before you sit down to eat with wine and water.

“Sharing family pictures, making the food, learning about their life and culture. Visiting their home and seeing outdoor space with view.”

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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 inside Berat Castle for a hands-on Albanian cooking class lasting about three hours. With help from English-speaking translator Mikael, you prepare dishes such as baklava, baked eggplant, meatballs, savory pies, and fërgesë, then sit down to eat together. The small group is limited to eight people.

“This was the most memorable of my time in Albania. First off, we were cooking in a castle called Berat (I think). There’s a small village of people who live there so it was very welcoming. The kitchen was outdoors which was also very nice. The weather was very windy during this time but did not effect our cooking experience. There was a translator present as our main chef did not speak much English but she was very nice & thorough. Coming from a chef, this experience has elevated my palate!! We made some baked egg plants covered with a tomato’s sauce mixture (vegan friendly) - we made pork meatballs…”

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5.Cooking Class in Berat Slow Food Community

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

Meet at Castle Park Hotel and Restaurant in Berat for a 3 to 5 hour cooking class led by local staff such as Antela, Saidi, or Elma. You will prepare four traditional Berati recipes in a working kitchen, pause between dishes, and sit down to eat lunch. Vegetarian cooking is available with advance notice.

“Wasn’t was we expected. however had an amazing time. The chef and kitchen had made the experience incredible. The food was fantastic! The kitchen itself is a working Resutrant kitchen which made the experience even cooler. Elma is an incredible operator who is incredibly response to any questions you may have. Would recommend.”

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6.Cooking Class & Traditional Albanian Dinner

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

Join Chef Sokol Prenga and his team in Tirana for a 4 to 5 hour hands-on class in Albanian cooking. You will make pite, pispili, breads, Tavë Kosi, and Qumeshtor, then share a traditional meal with stories about Albania’s food culture. The class runs Monday to Friday evenings and requires at least eight participants.

“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

Meet Edua.gjirokaster in Gjirokaster’s medieval bazaar for a private, roughly two-hour class focused on qifqi, lamb OSA pasta, and hasude dessert. You’ll learn family cooking methods, mountain spices, and local food customs, then eat what you make. English support is available, though the cook may rely on a family translator.

“It was a nice and unique experience. I enjoyed every moment with them. And thank them for the lessons and the technics.”

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8.Vegetarian Cooking Class @Teta Marjeta

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

Meet your English-speaking guide at Cerciz Topulli Square, walk into Gjirokaster’s old bazaar quarter, and cook with Teta Marjeta in her home. With translator Klarissa helping along, you’ll prepare qofte bobollaqe, qifqi, and hasude, then sit down for dinner, drinks, conversation, and a view.

“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

Travel from Berat to Drobonik, the region’s cherry village, for a three-and-a-half-hour family food experience. Expect local wine, cheeses, olives, bread, preserved fruit, raki, mountain tea, honey, lunch or dinner, drinking water, and private transportation. The setting is intimate, with no more than 10 people.

“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 your host at the Visit Albania Tour Operator office, then head to Nina and Fredi’s home inside Berat Castle. With help from Mikel when needed, you’ll prepare two or three Albanian dishes such as byrek, fërgesë, or stuffed eggplant, then sit down to eat. The class lasts about three hours and costs $48.15.

“What a treat. In addition to great food, we especially loved talking with the neighbor who spoke excellent English.”

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11.Gourmet Lunch Farm Tour with Cooking Class

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

Leave Sarandë for Bote Farms in Finiq with hosts Kyle and Shawn. Learn to make byrek, feed goats, pigs, and donkeys, then enjoy a generous six-course farm meal, drinks, and a swim in the fresh natural pool. Pickup, towels, transport, and vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options are included.

“Possibly the best trip I had in Albania, certainly up there with the best!”

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