13 Cooking Classes with a Market Tour in Portugal to Build a Day Around

1.Porto Local Market Visit & Cooking Class / Showcooking

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 206 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) Our pick

Meet Nuno, Ana, or another member of the host team at Mercado do Bolhão for a guided market visit and ingredient shopping. Then ride the metro across the Luís I Bridge to a clean kitchen near Jardim do Morro, where you watch and occasionally help prepare alheira croquettes, cod with cream, and pastel de nata. Wine, coffee, and lunch are included.

“We had a great experience and loved the tour at the market. It was great seeing how the locals live and shop.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Lisbon Market and Food Tour with Cooking Class and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 117 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $141

Meet your English-speaking chef at R. Bernardim Ribeiro 9 at 9:30 am, then walk to a local market such as Mercado 61 to choose fish, shellfish, produce, bread, and cheese. Back in a well-equipped kitchen, you will prepare Portuguese dishes, including cataplana and an orange dessert, then eat your meal with wine. Groups are limited to 12.

“What a marvelous adventure. We had the best time touring the market and learning how to make wonderful Portuguese food. Our memories of this will always be special. I have already planned a great meal for my family when I get home . Thank you Carina for being an amazing chef and teacher. ❤️”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Private Lisbon Market Tour & Portuguese Cooking Class with Paula

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 89 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $99Best value

Meet Paula at the Cacilhas ferry stop, tour her neighborhood market, then cook 2 to 3 Portuguese and Portuguese-Goan dishes in her home kitchen. Choose from recipes such as cod fritters, Goan bojas, bacalhau, curry, and pastel de nata before sharing the meal together.

“Paula is a fantastic host, she welcomes you into her home and makes you feel like family. I couldn't imagine a better day than the day we spent with Paula cooking and learning about the surrounding area. One of our best days on our trip to Portugal.”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Local Market Tour & Cooking Class/Showcooking

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 32 reviews · from $114

Meet Ana or another C&D Porto Tours guide at Mercado do Bolhão, then explore the market before taking the metro across the upper level of the Luis I Bridge to Jardim do Morro. At the nearby kitchen, Ana and Joseph lead a relaxed showcooking session with cod, Portuguese snacks, dessert, drinks, and conversation.

“Super cozy and very interesting. We enjoyed it a lot and recommend it to anyone interested in learning about Portuguese food culture with a glass of wine in the hand.”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Market Tour, Cooking Class And Lunch At Mercado de Arroios

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 23 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $206

Meet Antónia at Mercado de Arroios at 11 a.m., choose fresh ingredients together, then walk to her home for a hands-on Portuguese lunch. Expect market tastings, wine, family recipes, and a small group of no more than four people. Luis may join as host, and dietary needs should be shared in advance.

“We met Maria at the local market in a nice neighborhood: cordial contact right at the beginning. After having bought all the ingredients, we walked back to her apt and met her husband. We cooked and ate a delicious hearty typical meal. The whole activity colored by our discussions about Portugal and its people. Such a nice and more authentic experience!”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.From Market to Table with Paula (Loulé) – Private Cookery Class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 21 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $330

Meet Paula at Loulé’s Pastelaria Amendoal at 9:30 a.m. Shop for fresh ingredients at the market, then walk to her private home for a hands-on Algarvian cooking class. You may prepare seafood cataplana and several local dishes, with wine, lunch, coffee, and stories of Loulé included.

“A truly fantastic experience. We met Paula by the market in Loulé, And then went around the market with her, learning all about the traditional foods and ingredients of the Algarve. She taught us a great deal about seafood and how to choose it whilst at the market. We Then went to home, a very short walk away. Her home is beautiful and really worth seeing on its own. We then spent the next few hours in her kitchen, and Paula cooked / taught us how to cook several local dishes - Cataplana, cuttlefish, cockles and other yummy dishes. We were also treated to a delicious bottle of red wine…”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Cooking Class with Local Market Visit

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 15 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $106

Meet Nuno Miguel Ferreira Silva at his home, then shop at small local markets, a bakery, butcher, or organic garden before cooking a full Portuguese meal from scratch. You will learn about food, wine, olive oil, history, and Portuguese culture in a small group of up to eight, with dietary adaptations possible when arranged ahead.

“Nuno was great! He is so organized and communicated very well before we met him at his home. Right away we headed to the market and picked up some the freshest ingredients for our meal. Nuno cares a lot about the ingredients that go into his meals. Along the way, Nuno explained a lot of Portuguese history to us. We learned a great deal regarding history, wine, food, cooking, and had a lesson in olive oil, as well Together we cooked up appetizers and a delicious entrée of Sebring fish. We learned how to make Pastel de Nata for our dessert. We gathered around his table with wine and enjoyed…”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Lisbon Cooking Class with Market Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $108

Meet your instructors at Mercado de Algés at 10:00 am, choose seasonal fish and produce, then return to the kitchen for a small-group class. You will prepare a starter, main course, and dessert, with lunch included. The class is offered in English and welcomes children from age eight.

“Learning a lot about the how's and why's of Portuguese foods and cooking. The 2 ladies were very nice and kind and patient with me since I wasn't feeling the best during that time. The food was very interesting and good. I learned a lot not to mention a few techniques that I can use in my own kitchen at home. 😃”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.From Market to Plate: visit the market & culinary experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 11 reviews · 4 hours · from $121

Meet Ana at Funchal’s Farmers’ Market for a guided look at tropical fruit, flowers, fish, and seasonal produce. After fruit tasting, walk to a rooftop restaurant for a four-course cooking show with chef Mauricio Fario, Madeira-inspired dishes, Portuguese wine, and views over Funchal. This is demonstration cooking, not a hands-on class.

“Our guide was excellent-knowledgeable, professional, and easily enjoyable. The fruits from the marketplace were delicious and it was fun tasting fruits we had not even heard of in some cases. Lunch was also great from watching the chefs prepare and cook the meal, learning about all the foods of Madeira to tasting their phenomenal creations. Money well spent!”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Market Experience & Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 3 hours · from $106

Meet Ana and Carina at Mercado de Algés for a guided look at seasonal produce, then cook a starter, main course, and dessert in their kitchen. This three-hour, fish-and-seafood class is limited to 10 people and taught in English or Portuguese. You will fillet fish, prepare shellfish, learn Portuguese cooking techniques, and sit down to eat what you made.

“Anna and Catrina were wonderful, and their professional experience really shown through as they answered all of our questions while we walked through the market and into their kitchen. The hours were spent with much joy and laughter making the whole event fun, informative, and easy for both the experienced cook and inexperienced (like me!). They both shared their love of Portuguese cuisine, and imparted their historical knowledge and cultural backgrounds through personal stories and cooking techniques. Our food was excellent and can be replicated at home! I look forward to sharing what I learned with my family and friends. i hope to come back soon and do this again…”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Lagos: Market Tour and Cataplana Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $117

Join Joanna and Margarita for a 3.5-hour Lagos food experience. Select seafood and vegetables at the Municipal Market, learn cataplana techniques in a small group of up to eight, then sit down to your meal with wine, dessert, and a take-home recipe.

“We recently took a cooking class at The Kitchen and had an absolutely fantastic experience from start to finish. The instructors were incredibly knowledgeable and patient, and they made the entire class feel both fun and educational. The ingredients were fresh and high-quality, and the recipes were easy to follow, allowing us to create some truly delicious and beautiful dishes. The atmosphere was so welcoming and lively, and we felt right at home. Best of all, everything we made was incredibly tasty! We left feeling inspired and excited to try out our new skills at home. We highly recommend this class to anyone looking for a unique and delicious date…”

Check availability →Read our full review

12.Setúbal Market and Wine tour with Cooking class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 7 hours · from $117

Join José, a Portuguese chef and guide, for a seven-hour food trip from Lisbon to Setúbal. Shop at Livramento Market, taste fresh oysters, prepare Caldeirada de Peixe beside the sea, try Azeitão cheese, and visit José Maria da Fonseca for regional wine tasting. Groups are kept small, with English and Portuguese guidance.

“Fantastic experience! A great tour, an amazing cooking experience, and wonderful people. José, our local chef and guide, was punctual, and the timing of the experience was perfect. A great way to discover new places and enjoy authentic local flavours.”

Check availability →Read our full review

13.Coastal Villages Market & Seafood Cooking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · 4 - 6 hours · from $106

Start with Marco at São Pedro da Afurada’s fish market, choose seafood and produce, visit coastal villages, then cook and share lunch in Espinho. The small-group tour includes transport, ingredients, cooking materials, and local wines, with pickup in Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia, or Espinho.

Check availability →Read our full review