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Bologna & Modena: Food Valley Tour with Factory Tastings & Winery Lunch

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/17

Duration8h 30m

GroupUp to 19

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Cheesemaking, balsamic aging and Lambrusco in Modena’s food valley

You’ll taste real Parmigiano Reggiano straight from the source near Modena, sample aged balsamic vinegar in an old acetaia cellar, sip Lambrusco at a family winery, and sit down for a long Modenese lunch with handmade pasta and local wine—all with pickup from Bologna. Expect laughter, new flavors, and stories you’ll remember long after you’re home.

8h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Meet guide at meeting point
Visit Parmigiano Reggiano dairy
Taste aged Parmigiano and local wines
Tour traditional balsamic vinegar acetaia
Taste balsamic vinegar varieties
Explore family Lambrusco winery and cellars
Taste seven wines with local specialties
Enjoy Modenese lunch with handmade pasta
Savor homemade desserts and Italian coffee
Return to meeting point

The Experience

I almost missed the meeting point in Bologna because I was looking for an orange umbrella but got distracted by the smell of fresh bread from a nearby bakery. Our guide, Giulia, waved me over with a grin—she seemed to know everyone on the street, which made me feel less like a tourist right away. The van ride out toward Modena was quiet at first, just the hum of early traffic and some sleepy hellos. I kept thinking about whether I’d actually recognize “real” Parmigiano Reggiano after today.

The dairy was colder than I expected, and honestly, the first thing that hit me was this nutty, grassy scent—almost sweet. We watched these huge wheels being lifted from copper vats; Giulia explained how every stage matters for the flavor (she kept saying “patience is everything here”). When we finally tasted three different ages of Parmigiano with ricotta and local wine, it felt like tasting time itself—cheesy as that sounds. I tried to make a joke about it but just ended up nodding along with everyone else.

Later at the acetaia, there was this moment when the guide let us sniff inside one of the old barrels. It smelled like wood and raisins and something sharp—hard to describe but kind of comforting. We dipped tiny spoons into thick balsamic vinegar aged longer than I’ve been alive. Someone asked if you could put it on gelato; our host laughed and said yes, then handed us little bowls to try it. It’s weirdly good—I still think about that combination sometimes when I see vanilla ice cream back home.

The family-run Lambrusco winery felt more like visiting someone’s house than a business. We wandered through cool cellars lined with dusty bottles while our host told stories about his grandfather starting out with just a few vines. Tasting seven wines before lunch felt ambitious (maybe too ambitious?), but somehow all the flavors made sense once we sat down for handmade pasta and second courses that just kept coming. The sfogline—the pasta ladies—peeked in from the kitchen now and then to check if we liked it. I wanted to say thank you in Italian but chickened out at the last second.

What’s included

Your day includes round-trip transport from Bologna by minivan or coach (with bottled water), all factory entry fees for cheese and balsamic vinegar tastings led by local guides who share their family stories along the way, generous wine tastings at a historic Lambrusco winery near Castelvetro, plus coffee breaks and a full multi-course Modenese lunch before heading back in the afternoon.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Tours and the City