Bologna Food Tour with Licensed Guide Stella: 3.5 Hours

Learn authentic pasta-making secrets from Bologna’s sfogline as they craft fresh dough by hand

A 3.5-hour private walking food tour of Bologna led by licensed guide Stella, combining the city's history with tastings at local markets and artisanal shops. You walk through the Fountain of Neptune and the most interesting squares, stopping to taste wine, cheese, cured meats, bread, pasta, coffee and ice cream from vendors who use traditional recipes passed down through generations.

Step-by-step itinerary

Guided walking food tour in Bologna

• Meet licensed guide Stella
• Walk through Bologna's squares and streets
• Learn history of each place
• Visit lively food markets
• Taste local specialties and produce
• Visit artisanal shops
• Discover hidden gems and favorite vendors
• Enjoy tastings of wine, cheese, cured meats, bread, pasta, coffee, and ice-cream

The experience

Stella has been guiding food tours around Bologna since 2019, and she builds each one around the vendors and spots she knows best. You'll walk through the city's most interesting squares and streets, starting near the Fountain of Neptune, stopping at lively food markets and artisanal shops where the people behind the counter will share what they make and why. The sfogline (fresh pasta makers) will show you how they work, passing on knowledge inherited from their grandmothers. Throughout the 3.5 hours, Stella weaves in the history of each place alongside the tastings, so you're learning the city and its culture at the same time you're eating.

Tastings include two glasses of wine, local cheese, cured meats, bread, pasta, coffee and ice cream: all from vendors using traditional recipes. Stella can accommodate lactose-free, gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan diets. Let her know when you book. Pickup from your central Bologna hotel is included, or you'll meet her at the Fountain of Neptune if your hotel is outside the city center. Comfortable shoes are essential for the walking.

What’s included

• Local wine (two glasses).
• tastings of cheese, cured meats, bread, fresh pasta, coffee and ice cream.
• a licensed tour guide (Stella).
• hotel pickup from central Bologna hotels or meeting at the Fountain of Neptune.

Options for this experience

2 options

Food tour at 9:30 am with StellaGuide in 5 languages · 09:30

Food tour starting at 5 pm with StellaGuide in 5 languages · 17:00

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to SaturdayDepartures at 09:30 and 17:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Traveling Spoon

Is this one for you?Choose the 9:30am departure if you want to explore the markets when they're busiest and most lively. The 5pm tour suits an evening when you'd rather taste wine and food as the day winds down. Either way, you're walking for 3.5 hours, so wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (under 5): free.

Can Stella pick me up from my hotel, or do I need to meet her somewhere?

Stella includes hotel pickup for hotels in central Bologna. You'll need to share your hotel name and address at least two days before the tour so she can confirm. If your hotel is outside the city center, you'll meet her at the Fountain of Neptune instead.

What exactly do you taste on this food tour?

You taste two glasses of wine, local cheese, cured meats, bread, fresh pasta, coffee and ice cream at different stops throughout the tour, all from artisanal vendors and markets using traditional recipes.

What time does the tour start, and can I choose?

Stella offers two departure times: 9:30am or 5pm. You pick which one works for your schedule when you book.

What is the Fountain of Neptune, and why does the tour start there?

The Fountain of Neptune is one of Bologna's most iconic landmarks, located in the heart of the city's historic squares. It's the meeting point if you're not getting hotel pickup, and it sits in the area where the walking tour begins.