Bologna: Parmigiano Reggiano & Balsamic Factory Tours with Lunch

Three factories, one morning, and why early matters

You arrive at dawn in central Bologna, spend the morning watching Parmigiano Reggiano being made and aged, taste prosciutto at a working factory, and end in a balsamic vinegar aging room surrounded by decades-old barrels. Breakfast, tastings, and a full lunch with wine are included throughout. Plan for a full day out. That's what fits three factories and the drive between them.

Step-by-step itinerary

Food factory tours and tastings

• Meet at Piazza XX 3 Settembre at 7am
• Transfer to countryside between Modena and Bologna
• Visit Parmigiano Reggiano cheesemakers
• Taste young and aged Parmigiano Reggiano
• Enjoy breakfast with salame, mortadella, bread, cake, Lambrusco, and coffee
• Tour Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena aging room
• Visit Prosciutto Factory Montevecchio
• Taste prosciutto, local charcuteries, and Lambrusco
• Enjoy multicourse Italian-style lunch

The experience

Seven in the morning at Piazza XX Settembre, near the train station in Bologna, and you're already in a minivan heading into the countryside between Modena and Bologna. The early start isn't arbitrary: Parmigiano Reggiano production happens at dawn, and the cheesemakers don't wait for tourists. You'll watch them handle the curds, see the wheels being turned, and then step into the aging warehouse where thousands of wheels sit in rows, each one waiting at least twelve months before it earns the name. The tasting comes next: young or aged, creamy or crunchy, and you get to taste both and decide which one wins.

After the cheese comes breakfast with local salame, mortadella, homemade bread, cake, Lambrusco wine and coffee. The kind of spread that makes you understand why this region takes food seriously. Then you're moving to the next stop: Prosciutto Factory Montevecchio, where two ingredients and time become something fragrant and buttery that tastes like nothing you've had before. The guide walks you through the curing process and the strict regulations that protect it, and then there's more tasting with local charcuteries and another glass of Lambrusco. By now you're not just eating. You're starting to see how these products fit together.

The third factory is where things get quiet. The Traditional Balsamic vinegar aging room in Modena is full of wooden barrels, and the smell alone tells you something old and patient is happening here. Family tradition, the guide explains, is baked into every bottle. Some of these barrels have been aging vinegar for decades. You taste it, and it's nothing like the balsamic you've bought in a supermarket. After that, a proper multicourse Italian-style lunch is served with wine pairings, and by the time you're back in Bologna in the late afternoon, you've moved through three worlds of production and tasted your way through the region's most protected foods.

The tour runs about seven hours total, and the guide speaks English throughout. If you have dietary needs (vegetarian, gluten-free, lactose-free), you need to tell them at least three days before, or they can't arrange it. No hotel pickup is available. Everyone meets at the same point in central Bologna at 7am. If you're driving in from outside the city, you can contact them about a different meeting spot, but the timing stays the same.

What’s included

Your day includes round-trip transportation from central Bologna in an air-conditioned minivan or minibus, guided tours of three production sites with an English-speaking guide, breakfast with local salame, mortadella, homemade bread, cake, Lambrusco wine and coffee, generous tastings at each factory, and a multicourse Italian-style lunch with wine pairings. Dietary accommodations (vegetarian, gluten-free, lactose-free) are available with three days' notice.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to SaturdayDeparts at 07:00

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (2 to 12 years)

GroupUp to 25

Live guideEnglish

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.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by Italian Days

Is this one for you?Right for travelers who want to understand how Parmigiano Reggiano, prosciutto, and balsamic vinegar are actually made, not just taste them. The 7am start is what lets you catch the cheesemakers at work and fit three factories into one day.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 12 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Do I need to arrange my own transport to the meeting point?

No hotel pickup is provided. You meet at Piazza XX Settembre near Bologna's train station at 7am. If you're driving from outside Bologna, contact the operator about a different meeting point, but the departure time stays 7am.

What if I'm vegetarian or have a food allergy?

Vegetarian, gluten-free, and lactose-free menus are available, but you must notify them at least three days in advance. Without notice, they cannot accommodate dietary requirements.

How long is the tour?

About seven hours total, including transport, three factory tours, breakfast, tastings, and a multicourse lunch.

Is wine included?

Yes. Lambrusco wine is served at breakfast and with the prosciutto tasting. Wine pairings are included with lunch.

What should I wear?

Comfortable shoes are recommended. The factories are climate-controlled, but you'll be walking and standing for several hours.

Can I join if I'm not feeling well?

No. If you have symptoms like fever, cough, or exhaustion, you're not allowed to join. Inform the operator immediately if you feel unwell before or during the tour.

Is the minivan air-conditioned?

Yes, the minivan or minibus is air-conditioned and disinfected before and after each tour.

Can I book a later pickup time?

No. The only pickup time available is 7am in central Bologna. This early start is necessary because Parmigiano Reggiano production happens at dawn.