Bologna Food Tour: Behind-the-Scenes with Local Artisans

Four hours, eight tastings, two markets and the people who've been making Bologna's food for decades

A 4-hour walking food tour in Bologna limited to 10 people, led by a local guide through Mercato delle Erbe and the University Quarter to taste handmade pasta, mortadella, Parmigiano, prosciutto and wine from the hills, plus gelato. The tour meets at Piazza Maggiore and includes visits to the oldest shops where you'll meet the artisans behind the food.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each5 stops

1. Piazza Maggiore10m
2. Mercato delle Erbe30m
3. Bologna University Quarter15m
4. Osteria del SoleEntry included45m
5. Basilica of Santo Stefano30m

Bologna local food market and tasting tour

• Make your way to meeting point
• Meet guide and group at Piazza Maggiore
• Walk through Mercato delle Erbe food market
• Visit pasta lab and watch artisans
• Stop in authentic local eateries
• Enjoy mortadella and pignoletto tasting
• Eat memorable pasta dish
• End with best pistachio gelato

The experience

The tour starts at Piazza Maggiore and heads straight into Mercato delle Erbe, one of Bologna's most authentic food markets. You'll walk the stalls and stop at a pasta lab to watch the women at work making fresh sheets of dough and cutting shapes by hand. From there the route moves into the University Quarter: the foodie heart of the city where tourists usually miss the real places. You sit down with mortadella and a glass of Pignoletto wine, then move to a pasta stop where the dish changes with the season: Lasagne or Tortellini depending on what's fresh. The guide is a local who eats here with their own family, not someone reading from a script.

Over the four hours you'll taste eight or more items: Mortadella, Prosciutto, Parmigiano-Reggiano and other Bolognese staples, each one sourced from a shop the guide knows by name. The wine comes from the hills around Bologna: Pignoletto or Sangiovese, depending on the day. You'll also get a portion of handmade pasta cooked to order, not pre-plated. The group stays under 10 people, which means the guide can answer questions and adjust the pace if someone wants to linger at a stall or needs to sit down. The walking is moderate, about 3 kilometers total, and the route stays on flat ground through the old center.

The last stop is gelato, and the guide promises you'll remember the pistachio. You also get a small gift to take with you. The tour runs in English with a live guide, and it's free to cancel up to 24 hours before. Vegetarians, pescatarians and gluten-free diners are welcome with notice at booking. Vegans are not recommended for this tour since nearly every stop involves cured meat or cheese.

What’s included

• Visit to Mercato delle Erbe and the University Quarter with stops at 4-6 local food shops.
• tastings of handmade pasta, Mortadella, Prosciutto, Parmigiano-Reggiano and other Bolognese specialties.
• wine from the Bologna hills.
• gelato at the final stop.
• a small gift.
• 4-hour walking tour led by a local guide in English.

Before you book

Lasts 4h, runs Monday to Saturday at 09:30 and 10:00, from € 115 per person, with a live guide in English, in groups of up to 10 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesMonday: 09:30 and 10:00Tuesday to Friday: 10:00Saturday: 09:30

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (11 and older) · Child (4 to 10 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish

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 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Taste Bologna

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to eat where locals eat and meet the people making the food, rather than a standard market walk with a script. The small group size, capped at 10, is what makes the guide able to stop longer at a stall if you're curious or adjust the pace if someone needs a break.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 10 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What exactly do I taste on this Bologna food tour?

You taste eight or more items including Mortadella, Prosciutto, Parmigiano-Reggiano, handmade pasta (Lasagne or Tortellini depending on the season), wine like Pignoletto or Sangiovese from the Bologna hills, and gelato. Each tasting happens at a different local shop or market stall.

How much walking is involved in the Bologna food tour?

The tour covers about 3 kilometers on foot over four hours, all on flat ground through the old center. It's a moderate amount of walking with stops to sit and eat at each location, so the pace is relaxed.

What is Mercato delle Erbe and what happens there?

Mercato delle Erbe is one of Bologna's most authentic food markets. On the tour you walk through the stalls and stop at a pasta lab to watch the women making fresh pasta by hand: cutting sheets of dough and shaping it into traditional forms.

Is this tour suitable for vegetarians or people with dietary restrictions?

The tour is available for vegetarians, pescatarians and gluten-free diners with prior notice at booking. It is not recommended for vegans, since nearly every stop involves cured meat or cheese. Let the operator know your dietary needs when you reserve.

What's included in the price of the Bologna food tour?

The price includes the 4-hour walking tour with a local English-speaking guide, tastings at 4-6 local establishments and 2 food markets, a portion of handmade pasta, wine, gelato, and a small gift. It does not include hotel pickup or drop-off.