Albania Cooking Class in Durrës: My Honest Review

Is a cooking class in Durrës actually worth your afternoon?

Short answer, and I’ll give it to you right up front.

Absolutely, yes.

Here’s the thing about cooking classes though.

So many of them are tourist theatre.

You turn up, the ingredients are already chopped into neat little bowls, someone talks at you for an hour, and you leave knowing nothing about the country you’re standing in.

I’ve lived in Albania since 2017 and I’m pretty hard to impress on the food front by now.

This wasn’t that.

Full disclosure: I did this as a collaboration with Cooking with Erti. It hasn’t changed my verdict.

So, is it worth it?

Yes.

Book it, especially if you want to actually understand Albanian food rather than just eat it.

It’s the single thing I’d push hardest on anyone spending a few days here, and it made my list of the best things to do in durres without much competition.

What actually happens

The class kicks off around 4pm.

But it doesn’t start in a kitchen, which is the first thing that sets this Albania cooking class apart from the usual format.

You start at the market

You begin with a trip to the fresh local market to gather the ingredients you’ll be cooking with.

Erti walks you through what you’re buying and why.

That honestly sets the tone for the whole afternoon.

You’re not handed pre-portioned bowls.

You’re shopping the way somebody who lives here shops, which means you also learn what’s in season and what things actually cost.

Then you walk to the studio

From the market it’s a short walk to the studio.

It’s not far at all, so don’t let that put you off if you’re not a big walker.

The studio itself is lovely too, all pale wood shelves, plants and Albanian bits and pieces.

Then you get properly stuck into the cooking.

The whole thing wraps up around 8pm, so you’re looking at a solid four hours from market stall to plate.

The three dishes we made

Erti taught me three traditional Albanian dishes, and they’re a genuinely good spread of what this country eats.

Fërgesë, which is the baked peppers, tomato and gjizë (which is a salted Albanian curd cheese similar a slightly sour ricotta or a sharp cottage cheese) dish that turns up on menus all over Albania.

If you only learn one Albanian recipe, this is the one.

I was SO excited to finally learn how to make this one!

Bamje, an okra dish that is mixed with tomatoes, onions and herbs. If I could describe it, it would be similar to a okra stew.

Speca të mbushura, stuffed peppers, and in this case stuffed with rice.

Everything was delicious.

There was unlimited red wine throughout, which feels worth mentioning, and a welcome shot of raki to kick the whole thing off!

The local wine was good enough that I’ve now got a Durrës vineyard tour on my list for next time.

🍽️ What we cooked: Fërgesë, bamje and speca të mbushura. Unlimited red wine, welcome raki.

If that spread sounds like your kind of afternoon, reserve your spot here before your Durrës dates fill up.

What made it good

Erti was so patient with me the whole way through.

He explained each step, but more importantly he explained the story behind each dish.

Not just the technique.

It felt less like a cooking demonstration and more like being taught by a friend who happens to be brilliant in a kitchen.

That’s genuinely hard to fake, and it’s why I’d pick this over a slicker, more corporate operation.

If you want to keep eating well after the class, I’ve rounded up the durres restaurants I’d actually send people to.

Things to keep in mind

I’d be doing you a disservice if I only listed the good bits.

It takes your whole evening. Four hours from 4pm means you’re not doing anything else that night. Plan around it rather than trying to squeeze dinner plans in afterwards.

There’s unlimited wine. So don’t plan on driving anywhere after, and don’t book it the evening before an early ferry or flight.

It runs daily, but it’s a small operation. I’d book ahead in July and August.

It’s not for everyone. If you have zero interest in food or cooking, four hours is a long time to be standing in a kitchen. Though if that’s you, you probably weren’t reading this far anyway!

Can Erti cater for dietary requirements?

There’s a welcome form before the class that asks about allergies and dietary requirements, so I’d say yes.

I’d flag anything specific when you book rather than on the day, just to be safe.

How to book

You book through GetYourGuide, where you’ll also find the current price per person.

I’ve deliberately not quoted a number here because tour prices move around with the season, and I’d rather you saw the live one than budgeted off something out of date.

Book the Albania cooking class in Durrës here

Would I do it again?

1000% yes.

Whether you’re in Durrës for a single day or staying the week, this is the experience I’d prioritise.

It’s also a brilliant thing to do on a day when the weather turns, which happens more than people expect outside high summer.

Worth factoring in when you’re picking your dates, and I’ve written about the best time to visit durres if you’re still deciding.

If you’re building out the rest of your trip, my 3 days in durres itinerary slots this in on day one, and where to stay in durres will sort your base out.

Getting here from the capital is easy, all of it covered in tirana to durres, and if you’re still deciding whether the city is worth it at all, I’ve been honest in is durres worth visiting.

Albanian food is one of the country’s most underrated things, and if you want a sense of how much of this city’s identity is tied up in its food and markets, Durrës has an official city page worth a look.