Bologna food tour with tastings: Medieval markets and wine

Taste your way through Bologna's medieval streets and seven centuries of flavor

A private food tour of Bologna and Modena that weaves culinary history through the city's medieval quarters, churches and artisan shops. You taste authentic Parmigiano Reggiano, Mortadella, Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena and over 100 local delicacies at a historical salumeria, then finish with wine at Osteria del Sole, a 15th-century inn where the market still fills the square outside.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Bologna University Quarter1h
2. San Petronio Basilica40m · entry included
3. Osteria del Sole30m · entry included

Bologna medieval and culinary tour

• Experience morning life at Quadrilatero market
• Taste Aceto Tradizionale Balsamico di Modena
• Discover medieval and renaissance art stories
• Visit special shops and ancient inns
• Taste Parmigiano Reggiano and local salumi
• Explore old Acetaia balsamic production
• Visit medieval abbey and its cloisters
• See mosaics, sculptures, and Longobards basin
• View Bologna and towers from terrace
• Visit gothic church with renaissance frescoes
• Taste 100 local flavors in historic delicacy shop
• Visit medieval gothic Chapel Bolognini
• Learn about Silk Way and 14th century life
• Taste local wine at 15th century Osteria del Sole
• Smell perfumes of the old market

The experience

You start in the Quadrilatero, Bologna's oldest food market, in the early morning when vendors are setting up. The narrow streets here have held shops and inns since the medieval period, and your guide walks you through the layers: the frescoes in the churches that depict daily life and food from the 15th century, the cloisters and roman ruins tucked behind the facades, the towers and terraces that frame the city. At Acetaia Giusti you taste Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena straight from the old production house, then move into the shops where you sample different ages of Parmigiano Reggiano, homemade salumi, and cheeses made the way they have been for centuries.

The tour threads through seven churches and chapels, each one adding a piece of the story. San Petronio Basilica holds the Bolognini Chapel with its gothic architecture and information about the Silk Road and 14th-century daily life. Outside, the remains of the roman celtic city explain the origins of Mortadella. A renaissance chapel shows frescoes of food and work from the 15th century. Inside a historical salumeria you taste 100 different local flavors (Mortadella, Salame, Coppa, Rice Cake) the depth of what one neighborhood has made and preserved. The medieval Abbey reveals its cloisters, mosaics, sculptures and a unique 12th-century house, with a terrace view of Bologna's towers.

You finish at Osteria del Sole, a 15th-century inn still standing in its original square, where you taste local wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Pignoletto, Sangiovese or Bianco Bologna), and smell the perfumes of the old market that surrounds it. Lunch is included, and the guide speaks English or Italian.

What’s included

• Wine tastings at Osteria del Sole.
• lunch.
• tastings of Parmigiano Reggiano, Mortadella, Salame, Coppa, Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena and over 100 other local delicacies.
• entrance to the Bolognini Chapel at San Petronio Basilica.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to FridayDeparts at 09:30

AgesAdult (19 to 74 years) · Senior (75 and older) · Youth (12 to 18 years) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish 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 3 days ago

Operated by Riccardo Bacchi

Is this one for you?The tour moves at a walking pace through medieval streets and churches over four to five hours, so you need a comfortable pace and an appetite for both history and food. A live guide in English or Italian leads the way, and the route is built around the sites and shops themselves, not around a vehicle or a fixed schedule.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 18 years); Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (under 5): free.

What is Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena and where do I taste it on this tour?

Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena is a centuries-old vinegar made in Modena through a slow aging process in wooden barrels, and you taste it at Acetaia Giusti, an old production house where it is still made by hand. The tour includes a tasting of this traditional balsamic vinegar as part of the food and flavor experience.

How much walking is involved in this tour?

The tour covers Bologna's medieval quarters on foot, moving between the Quadrilatero market, churches, shops and the Osteria del Sole over four to five hours. The pace is steady but not rushed, and you stop frequently to taste and explore the sites.

What kinds of food and wine do I taste?

You taste Parmigiano Reggiano at different ages, Mortadella, Salame, Coppa, homemade cheeses, Rice Cake and over 100 other local delicacies at a historical salumeria. Wine tastings include Cabernet Sauvignon, Pignoletto, Sangiovese and Bianco Bologna at Osteria del Sole, and lunch is included in the tour.

What is Osteria del Sole and why does the tour end there?

Osteria del Sole is a 15th-century inn that still stands in its original medieval square in Bologna, surrounded by the old market. The tour ends there with wine and the chance to sit in a space that has served food and drink for over 500 years, with the market and its smells and sounds still present outside.

Which churches and chapels are included in the tour?

The tour visits San Petronio Basilica and its Bolognini Chapel, which holds information about the Silk Road and 14th-century life; a renaissance chapel with frescoes depicting food and daily life from the 15th century; and a medieval abbey with cloisters, roman and byzantine ruins, mosaics and sculptures. Entrance to the Bolognini Chapel is included.