Wild herbs and handmade pasta, in one afternoon. I love the hands-on foraging on a real working, sustainable farm, and I love how Viviana, often called Vivi, teaches you to recognize wild plants by using all five senses. A possible drawback: the farm home has no air conditioning, so warm days can feel long.

This is a private, English-friendly experience starting at Agriturismo Serra dei Costa in Priocca (CN), tucked into the Piedmont hills around vineyards and farms. You’ll meet Vivi, tour her farm and garden, forage with her, then cook and eat a meal built from what you gathered—centered on wild herbs and family recipes.

Key highlights

• Forage with the host in Vivi’s sustainable farm gardens and wild patches
• Learn herb ID the practical way using all five senses, not just memorizing names
• Cook wild-herb classics like pasta alla chitarra or gnocchi, plus herb-forward dishes
• Farm tour while you snack with chickens, vegetable plots, fruit trees, and even chatty geese
• Private group feel with a host who explains the why behind her methods

Arriving at Agriturismo Serra dei Costa: Priocca’s Hills Beat Any Kitchen Set

The experience begins at Agriturismo Serra dei Costa, Strada Serra dei Costa, 2/A, 12040 Priocca CN, Italy. The meet-up is simple and very local: you start and finish back at the same spot, so you’re not juggling multiple transfers or asking someone where to go next.

What makes this location work is the setting. You’re on the hills of Piemonte, surrounded by vineyards and farms, and Vivi’s home sits right in that working-agriculture world. Instead of being brought to a “demo garden,” you’re stepping into a place where plants, animals, and soil practices matter day to day.

This matters for you because you’re not only learning a recipe. You’re learning the rhythm behind it. When you can see chickens roaming, fruit trees growing, and vegetable beds producing, it becomes obvious why wild herbs and fresh produce taste the way they do.

One more practical note: there’s no hotel pickup. If you’re relying on public transport or taxis, plan extra time getting to Priocca. And if you tend to feel rushed on tours, give yourself a little buffer—this experience flows with the farm.

The Farm Tour Part That Actually Feels Like Living Here

A standard cooking class hands you ingredients. This one starts earlier, with Vivi bringing you into her everyday world.

After you arrive, you’ll get a welcome coffee and a tour of her garden. From there, you’ll see farm animals—chickens, and in some cases geese that are, as people put it, especially talkative. You’ll also walk through veggie plots and fruit trees, including things like hazelnut and apricot. The point isn’t just cuteness. It shows you what’s possible when the farm treats diversity as a system.

Then Vivi explains the sustainable approach she uses. One example she shares is how she enriches the soil through replanting. It’s the kind of idea that sounds abstract until you see the garden and understand what she’s trying to encourage: a healthy ecosystem where plants can grow without constantly fighting the land.

You’ll also get a feel for the “why” behind her herb focus. Wild herbs aren’t treated like ornaments. They’re treated like useful plants with traditional roles in Italian cooking—often tied to what grows nearby and when.

Foraging With Vivi: Herb Identification Using All Five Senses

The foraging is the star of the show. You’ll forage wild herbs and vegetables right on the farm, and Vivi will explain properties and traditional uses as you encounter plants.

What I like about this portion is that it’s not only about gathering. Vivi teaches you how to recognize. Instead of a quick photo-and-name lesson, you use all five senses—sight, smell, touch, and yes, taste as part of learning (as appropriate in the moment). The method is meant to make recognition feel teachable, not mysterious.

You’ll get guidance that helps you spot the difference between something you can confidently use and something you should skip. That’s a big deal for you if you’ve never foraged before. It’s also why this is more than a fun walk: you’re building a usable skill.

One hands-on reality to plan for: you may spend time on your hands and knees plucking herbs. A reviewer advice that’s worth repeating is to wear pants and a T-shirt and expect dirt. Bring shoes you don’t mind getting scuffed. This is real farm ground, not polished pathways.

Sustainable Farming Here Is Practical, Not Lecture-Mode

Vivi’s sustainability isn’t just a label. It shows up in how she talks about the farm’s ecosystem and how she manages soil fertility.

She explains how replanting and soil enrichment work together, and she frames the farm as an interconnected system: soil, plants, and the conditions that let everything grow. You’ll also learn how she creates a healthy environment for growth, which ties directly into why certain herbs are present and how the garden stays productive.

For you, that translates into something useful: you’ll understand why wild herbs can be integrated into everyday cooking without relying on a supermarket for everything. When the farm supports a range of plants, your ingredients become part of a bigger local cycle.

And this is where the experience becomes more memorable than a one-time meal. You’re not just leaving with recipes. You’re leaving with a mindset you can apply at home, like paying attention to what grows in your area and using what’s seasonal.

Back to the Kitchen: Pasta alla Chitarra, Gnocchi, and Wild Herbs

After foraging comes cooking time, and this is where everything clicks.

You’ll cook two dishes highlighted with wild herbs. Depending on the session and what’s ready in the garden, the dishes can include items like homemade pasta alla chitarra or gnocchi. You’ll also handle fresh vegetables and wild herbs in the cooking process.

From what people have done on previous days, you might see menus that include gnocchi and tiramisu, plus a from-the-garden veggie soup or a light tomato sauce pasta. Some classes also feature bread and an herb-focused salad—like herb and egg salad. The exact combination can vary, but the core idea stays the same: you’re learning to cook Italian food with ingredients you actually collected.

This part is also structured for different cooking levels. The class is described as working for both novice and experienced cooks, and it can be enjoyed by adults or children. That balance matters if you’re traveling with family or someone who doesn’t want a high-pressure “real kitchen” experience.

The other thing I appreciate is how the meal reflects the farm. When ingredients are gathered a few hours earlier, you taste the difference. The herbs don’t taste generic; they taste like a plant with a place and a season.

The Meal You Make Together (And Why It’s Not Just Food)

You’ll eat what you helped prepare. That simple detail is a huge part of why this experience feels different from many cooking classes.

The meal isn’t presented as a formal show. It’s eaten in the same place where you gathered and cooked, which makes the conversation more natural. People tend to linger, partly because you’re eating something fresh, and partly because you’re still talking with Vivi about the plants and the process.

Alcoholic beverages are included, and that can make the meal feel like a proper sit-down at a host’s table rather than a timed activity. Gratuities are also included, which reduces the usual end-of-tour mental math.

One nice touch from past guests: some people have left with seeds to plant at home. You might not get the same exact item every time, but it fits the overall message of the day—bringing the garden mindset back to your own space.

Timing and Physical Reality: What 4 Hours Actually Means

The class is listed at about 4 hours. In practice, it can run longer because the day is built around conversation, foraging pace, and eating slowly. If you have a tight schedule afterward, build in breathing room.

Physically, it’s not just standing and watching. You’ll forage, which can involve bending and kneeling to find herbs close to the ground. If you’re traveling with mobility limitations, this is the one part you’ll want to think about carefully based on your comfort level.

Also remember the home has no air conditioning. On hotter days, shade and airflow will be your relief. Plan accordingly with water and light clothing, and consider timing your visit on a cooler part of the day if you can control that.

What’s Included, What’s Not, and How to Think About Value

At $170 per person, this is a premium-priced class compared to many city-center cooking options. Here’s why I think it can still feel like good value:

• It’s a private tour with your group only, not a shared bus-to-kitchen setup.
• You’re doing both a farm visit and a hands-on cooking class, including foraging.
• The meal is built from what you collected, and alcoholic beverages are included.
• Gratuities are included, so you’re not hit with extra spending at the end.

What’s not included is hotel pickup and drop-off. That means value depends on how you’ll get there. If you already have transport, you’ll likely feel the cost more clearly as a fair payment for time, ingredients, and teaching. If you’re paying for multiple rides, add that to your budget.

Also note this is an English-offered experience with a mobile ticket. If you prefer clear communication and want the host’s explanations in English, this fits the bill.

Who Should Book This, and Who Might Want Another Option

This is a great fit if you want food that connects to place: herbs, gardens, animals, and practical sustainability. It’s also a good choice if you like hands-on activities that teach you skills you can use later, like identifying herbs more confidently and cooking with what’s fresh.

You’ll likely enjoy it if you:

• want an off-the-beaten-path Piedmont experience
• enjoy learning from a real farm host
• like cooking classes where you gather ingredients first
• are traveling with kids who can handle an active outdoor start

It might be a less ideal choice if you:

• need air-conditioned comfort the entire time
• dislike kneeling or getting your hands dirty
• want a strictly timed, no-surprises schedule
• can’t manage getting to Priocca on your own (no pickup)

Service animals are allowed, which is helpful to know if you rely on them.

Should You Book the Sustainable Farm Tour & Northern Italian Cooking Class?

If you’re the type of traveler who doesn’t just want recipes but wants to understand where ingredients come from, book it. This experience gives you that “I get it now” feeling: you forage, learn plant recognition, cook using herbs from the farm, and then eat the meal you helped create.

The main reason to pause is comfort and logistics. No air conditioning and a hands-on foraging start means you’ll want to dress and plan like you’re on a working farm. Also, because there’s no hotel pickup, you’ll want to be confident in how you’ll reach the meeting point in Priocca.

If that all sounds good, you’ll likely come away with more than a full stomach. You’ll come away with a farm-to-kitchen way of thinking that travels well, even after you’re back home.

FAQ

How long is the cooking class and farm tour?

It’s about 4 hours (approx.).

What is included in the price?

You get a private farm tour and cooking class with the host, alcoholic beverages, and gratuities. A meal is included as part of the experience.

Where do we meet, and do we return to the same place?

You meet at Agriturismo Serra dei Costa, Strada Serra dei Costa, 2/A, 12040 Priocca CN, Italy, and the activity ends back at the meeting point.

Is hotel pickup available?

No, hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

Is the class suitable for children and beginners?

Yes. The class can be enjoyed by adults or children, and it works for both experienced and novice cooks.

Is the home air-conditioned?

No. As is common in many Italian homes, this residence does not have air conditioning.