Modena Food Tour: 10 Tastings with Balsamic & Parmigiano

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1/30

Duration3h 30m

GroupUp to 12

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Ten tastings across Modena's oldest bakery, covered market and hidden trattoria

A 3.5-hour food tour of Modena led by a live English-speaking guide, moving through the city's oldest bakery, a family-owned balsamic vinegar bottega, the historic Mercato Albinelli covered market, and Piazza Grande to taste aged balsamic, four varieties of Parmigiano Reggiano, a classic Modenese pasta dish, regional wines, traditional sweets, artisanal gelato and a signature secret dish. The itinerary and menu may shift based on location availability and weather. Comfortable shoes are essential, as the tour involves a fair amount of walking.

3h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Modena food and cultural tasting tour

Meet at local meeting point
Learn about Luciano Pavarotti
Taste aged balsamic vinegar
Visit Mercato Albinelli market
Taste Parmigiano Reggiano and bread
Enjoy classic Modenese pasta dish
Have artisanal gelato at GIOELIA Cremeria

The Experience

You start at one of Modena's oldest bakeries, tasting three traditional Modenese sweets before moving to a family-owned bottega where you taste three aged balsamic vinegars—the foundation of the city's culinary identity. The guide walks you through the craft behind each one, explaining how time and wood shape the flavor. Non-alcoholic options are available if you prefer to skip the wine pairings.

Mercato Albinelli, the historic covered market founded in 1931 with around 65 stalls, is where you taste four varieties of Parmigiano Reggiano and the city's beloved round flatbread with local pesto, paired with sparkling Lambrusco. The market is still a working space—vendors are selling, locals are shopping—so you see how Modenese people actually eat these things. From there, the walk continues into Piazza Grande, the medieval main square surrounded by the Cathedral and the Ghirlandina Tower, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At a historic trattoria overlooking the square, you sit down to a classic Modenese pasta dish with a regional wine.

The tour finishes at GIOELIA Cremeria with artisanal gelato, and before you leave, the guide reveals the signature secret dish—something exclusive to this tour. Water is included throughout. The whole experience takes 3.5 hours, which leaves you the rest of the day to explore on your own or rest at your hotel.

What’s included

Three aged balsamic vinegars tasted at a family-owned bottega.
four varieties of Parmigiano Reggiano at Mercato Albinelli.
three traditional Modenese sweets.
a classic Modenese pasta dish with regional wine at a historic trattoria.
the city's round flatbread with local pesto and sparkling Lambrusco.
artisanal gelato.
the signature secret dish.
a second local wine pairing.
water throughout.
a live English-speaking guide for the full 3.5 hours.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Secret Food Tours

Is this one for you?At 3.5 hours, the tour fits into a free afternoon or morning without consuming your whole day, leaving time to wander Piazza Grande on your own, visit the Cathedral, or return to your hotel before dinner. The walking is steady but not strenuous, and comfortable shoes are all you need.