15 Street Food Market Tours in Italy Worth an Early Start

1.Small Group Cooking Class & Market Food Tour in Florence

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,574 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $62Our pick

Spend about five hours with a local chef and a group of up to 20. Visit Mercato Centrale, taste artisan oils, vinegars, and truffles, then make pasta, sauces, bruschetta, and tiramisu. Instructors may include Federico, Tommaso, Alice, or Jon.

“Frederico was a great host!! The class was so much fun, he was very knowledgeable about Italian cuisine but made it fun for all skill levels! Delicious food and a wonderful time at the market too”

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2.Venice Street Food Tour with Local Guide with Local Food Market Visit

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 822 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $53

Meet near Rialto Bridge for a 2.5-hour walk through Venice, starting at Rialto Market and continuing to local food stops. Guides such as Tone, Vanessa, Ana, and Denys introduce cicchetti, regional cheese, cakes, and buranelli biscuits. Food is included, drinks cost extra, and the group is limited to 14.

“Great way to see the quieter streets of Venice and taste delicious cicchetti! Thanks Toni for showing us around!”

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3.Street Food and Local Market Tasting Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 540 reviews · 3 hours · from $81

Walk Palermo’s Capo and Vucciria markets with an English-speaking local guide such as Angelo, Simona, or Vinz. Taste arancina, panelle, sfincione, pani ca’ meusa, seasonal dessert, and three drinks while learning about Sicilian food, history, and daily life.

“Loved this tour! Alexandros was very informative and just an all round great guide. The food was amazing and well worth the money! Thoroughly enjoyed this tour, thanks Alexandros.”

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4.Roman Food Tour with Visit to the Trionfale Food Market

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 471 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $107

Spend four hours eating through Rome’s Prati neighborhood, from morning coffee and Bonci pizza to market samples, Roman pasta, wine, and gelato. Guides such as Irene, Stefania, Martina, and Celeste bring food traditions to life. Come hungry: the portions and number of tastings are generous.

“Rome Food Tour ***Note Come Hungry*** Irene, was our tour guide and she brought a lot of energy, humor, and enthusiasm to the tour. We appreciated the opportunity to sample Italian coffee, Roman pizza, different wines, and hams from Mercato Trianfale. For pasta, we had the choice of trying Cacio e Pepe or Carbonara, both accompanied by more wine. And to end the tour on a sweet note, we ate some great gelato. Throughout our stops, Irene shared a wealth of knowledge and passion for the city, making the tour incredibly interesting.”

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5.Discover Palermo in 3 hours. Art, history, markets and street food

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 352 reviews · from $34Best value

Walk Palermo’s old center with a local Italian-speaking guide such as Maurizio or Fabrizio. Visit the Capo Market, Palermo Cathedral, Quattro Canti, Pretoria Fountain, Piazza Bellini, and more, with stories about Santuzza, the Florio family, and the Beati Paoli.

“Una bella visita ma soprattutto una guida davvero brava e preparata (Maurizio) con tante storie interessanti. Peccato il gruppo un po’ troppo numeroso, altrimenti le 5 stelle ci sarebbero state tutte”

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6.The Original Catania Street Food and Market Tour by Streaty

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 345 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $71

Walk from Piazza del Duomo through Catania’s fish market and old streets while sampling arancini, seasonal fruit, Sicilian dessert, and local drinks. Guides such as Gisella, Allegra, Davide, Barbara, and Luca add food knowledge, history, and personal stories. The tour costs $71.38 and serves up enough food for a meal.

“My gf and I had a wonderful experience with Gisella as our tour guide. It was off season so it ended up being just the 2 of us with Gisella on the tour and we had a great time. She was friendly and knowledgeable and took her time to show us around Catania. We’re still raving about the delicious aroncino that we ate. Definitely recommend this tour if you’re in town.”

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7.Florence Central Market Food Tour with Eating Europe

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 224 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $113

Spend about three hours around San Lorenzo and Mercato Centrale with an English-speaking guide. Taste cantucci and Vin Santo, pecorino, truffle products, lampredotto, Tuscan wine, coffee, and gelato. Guides such as Tina, Alice, Kiara, Anto, Francesco, Ely, and Gaia bring the food stalls and Medici district to life.

“We ended up being the only ones on the tour so we got a private tour with Kiara! The first part was taken by her trying to figure out what had become of the other couple, but once she figured out they weren’t coming she gave us her full attention. We did the Mercato Centrale tour because we are staying at a Airbnb and wanted to supply it with some food from the market. Kiara has great relationships with the vendors and we got to try a variety of Tuscan foods and drinks. It was a generous amount of food and we took notes as to what to come back…”

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8.Food Tour with Market Visit

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 200 reviews

Spend four hours eating through Rome with an English-speaking guide such as Vincenzo, Giordano, Irene, or Stefania. Visit Mercato Trionfale, try Bonci pizza, sample Roman pasta and wine at Il Segreto, and finish with natural gelato. Come hungry: portions are generous.

“Had a great tour. Would’ve loved more time in the market. It was beautiful! Tour guide was kind and patient with my mother and her walker. Food was abundant and delicious!!!”

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9.Devour Rome Testaccio Market Food Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 180 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $95

Start with espresso and maritozzo at Pasticceria Linari, then follow your English-speaking guide through Testaccio Market for pizza, cheeses, cured meats, vegetables, and a Roman panino. Finish with oxtail pasta, wine, and gelato. Groups are capped at 12.

“Enjoyed every stop on our tour. Aurelio was very knowledgeable and a great guide. Come hungry and ready to eat.”

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10.Tastes and Traditions Food Tour with Market Visit

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 162 reviews · from $100

Walk Bologna with an English-speaking guide and sample nine local specialties at eight stops. Begin with coffee and torta di riso, visit Mercato delle Erbe, taste mortadella, Parmigiano, tortelli, tagliatelle al ragù, and finish near the Two Towers.

“It was a great culinary introduction to the city. Benedetta was very passionate and knowledgeable! The amount of food was a bit too much for us personally, but that is because we are small eaters. We will definitely recommend this tour to friends and family.”

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11.Markets and monuments: walking tour and street food in Palermo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 159 reviews · from $52

Start at Piazza Olivella and walk Palermo’s historic center with guides such as Fabrizio or Claudio. Visit Capo Market, taste five street foods, enjoy a drink and cannoli, then see the Cathedral, Fontana della Vergogna, Quattro Canti, and Teatro Massimo area. Groups max out at 16.

“Great tour with our tour guide, Fabrizio. He was very knowledgeable and attentive. I would definitely recommend this tour!”

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12.The Original Florence Street Food & Market Tour (by Streaty)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 158 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $101

Start at Piazza dei Ciompi and spend about three hours tasting Florentine specialties with a local guide such as Alice, Tina, or Stefano. Visit Sant’Ambrogio Market, sample seven or more foods, try lampredotto if you’re game, and finish with gelato near Ponte Vecchio.

“The guide, Alice, was awesome. The tomatoes from the market were delicious! Even though there were a couple of things I didn’t try, all the rest were very good. Perch No…..best gelato in Florence”

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13.Intimate Modena Food Tour: Market & Local Secrets (Max 8)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 131 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $143

Spend four hours tasting Modena with guides such as Loredana, Lori, Lore, Andrea, and Iole. Visit Mercato Albinelli, family-run food shops, and local delis for Parmigiano Reggiano, balsamic vinegar, Gnocco Fritto, Lambrusco, gelato, and other Emilia-Romagna specialties.

“Loredana Sganzeria was a delight to spend the day with in Modena. She was thoughtful and accommodating. She was aware of the very hot day and checked in frequently to be sure we were doing well. Loredana was very knowledgeable and the pace was perfect. The tour was small so we didn’t feel intrusive. We felt comfortable to ask any questions Lastly, the food was amazing and Loredana explained the both historic and regional context. Wonderful tour and guide.”

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14.Private Venice Food Tour with Rialto Market Visit

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 103 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $361

Follow a private English-speaking guide through Venice’s Rialto district for cicchetti, baccalà, seafood, cheese, seasonal fruit, spritz, risotto, wine, and tiramisu. You’ll visit family-run food spots, see the Rialto Fish Market, and cross the Grand Canal by gondola traghetto.

“What a wonderful experience! Not only did we eat delicious food we also learnt about the history a Venice and architecture! I highly recommend this tour.”

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15.Devour Bologna Tastes & Traditions Food Tour with Market Visit

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 69 reviews · from $103

Walk Bologna with an English-speaking local guide such as Mario, Benedetta, or Ela, stopping for coffee, pastries, cheese, mortadella, wine, handmade tagliatelle, and dessert. The 3.5-hour tour caps the group at 12 and links food with Bologna’s customs and past.

“Bernadette was amazing. Funny, knowledgeable and very pleasant. All the food was amazing and fresh. I would recommend not only the tour but with her specifically.”

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