Bologna: Private Food Tour with 6 or 10 Tastings & City Walk

Private Bologna food walk with local tastings and city stories

You’ll wander through Bologna tasting tortellini fritti, creamy formaggio bianco, and other hand-picked bites with a local foodie guide. Expect laughter in hidden bakeries, city stories between tastings, and time to actually savor each stop. It’s not just about food. It’s about feeling like you belong for an afternoon.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each2 stops

1. Piazza Maggiore1h
2. Bologna University Quarter1h

Bologna food and cultural tour

• Meet local host in Bologna
• Taste 6 or 10 local foods
• Try tortellini fritti and formaggio bianco
• Visit Bologna Piazza Maggiore
• Explore Bologna University Quarter
• Discover city highlights between tastings

The experience

I’ll admit, I thought I knew pasta, but the first bite of tortellini fritti in Bologna made me question everything. It was still warm from the fryer, crispy outside and somehow delicate inside. Our guide, Giulia, grinned when she handed it over. She said her nonna always makes it for birthdays. You could smell the cheese as soon as she opened the paper bag, not sharp, just this mellow kind of comfort. We stood right there on a side street near Piazza Maggiore, eating with our fingers because honestly, why wait?

Between stops (there were six for us, but you can do ten if you’re ambitious), Giulia pointed out things I’d never have noticed: old student graffiti in the University Quarter, a bakery where everyone seemed to know each other by name. One guy behind the counter winked at me when I tried to pronounce “formaggio bianco”. I definitely mangled it. The cheese itself was creamy and cool against the heat outside. I think that’s what I remember most about that day trip in Bologna: how every taste matched some piece of the city’s mood.

I liked that it wasn’t rushed. We wandered through arcades while Giulia told stories about students protesting in the ‘70s and why Bolognese people take their aperitivo so seriously (she said “it’s not just a drink, it’s a pause”). There was laughter when someone spilled Lambrusco on their shirt (not me this time), and at one point we stopped just to listen to a street musician playing something soft on an accordion. So yeah, it wasn’t only about food, though if you’re after a private food tour in Bologna with real local flavors and some city secrets along the way, this is probably it.

What’s included

• Your day includes a private multilingual foodie guide who leads you through 6 or 10 hand-picked tastings of high-quality local products (think tortellini fritti and formaggio bianco) plus drinks along the way.
• Vegetarian options are available if you let them know ahead of time.
• Between bites, you'll explore city highlights like Piazza Maggiore and the University Quarter at your own pace before finishing wherever feels right for dessert or another round.

Options for this experience

2 options

Private tour with 6 tastingsGuide in English or Italian · 17 departure times: the first at 11:00, the last at 19:00Lasts 2 hours with 6 local food and drink tastings, including piadina romagnola, local cheese and more. Private food tour of Bologna, an award-winning experience led by a private host rather than in a group. Tailor-made and customizable.

Private tour with 10 tastingsGuide in English or Italian · 15 departure times: the first at 11:00, the last at 18:00Lasts 3 hours with 10 food and drink tastings, including torta di riso, tortellini fritti, formaggio bianco and more. Private food tour of Bologna, an award-winning experience led by a private host rather than in a group. Tailor-made and customizable. Meeting point: Via Belvedere, 6, 40121 Bologna BO, Italy

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

Before you book

Lasts 2h–3h, runs every day, 17 start times, from € 113 per person, with a live guide in English and Italian, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day17 departure times: the first at 11:00, the last at 19:00

Book up to2h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

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

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Withlocals

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

How many tastings are included on this Bologna private food tour?

You can choose between 6 or 10 different food and drink tastings during your private tour.

Is there a vegetarian option available on the Bologna food tour?

Yes, vegetarian alternatives are offered. Just message your host about dietary requirements before booking.

Does this tour include any sightseeing in Bologna?

Yes, you’ll see city highlights like Piazza Maggiore and parts of the University Quarter between food stops.

Are drinks included on the private food tour?

The tour includes both food and local drinks among your tastings.

Is pickup included for this Bologna day trip?

No hotel pickup is mentioned. Tours start in central Bologna with easy access by public transport.

Can infants or small children join this private food tour?

Yes, infants and small children can join. The route is stroller-friendly.

Is this private or will we be with other travelers?

This is a fully private tour: only you and your group will join your local guide.