Parma Food Tour: Parmigiano, Prosciutto & Balsamic with Pickup

Parma's Food Factories: Cheese, Ham & Vinegar in One Afternoon

You visit three working food producers in Parma (a Parmigiano Reggiano factory, a prosciutto facility, and Acetaia Giusti for aged balsamic) with hotel pickup and tastings at each stop. The tour runs at your preferred time, morning or afternoon, and stays small enough that you can talk to the owners. Everything is included, so you just show up and taste.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Parmesan Cheese Museum1h 30m · entry included
2. Acetaia Giusti40m · entry included

Visit Parma food production sites

• See Parmigiano Reggiano factory
• Visit Prosciutto factory
• Explore balsamic production

The experience

You'd think a food tour in Parma would mean sitting at a table somewhere, but this one takes you inside the actual places where the stuff gets made. Hotel pickup means you don't navigate the streets yourself, and the timing is flexible: morning or afternoon, whatever works for your schedule. The three stops are a real Parmigiano Reggiano factory, a prosciutto production facility, and Acetaia Giusti, where the balsamic vinegar sits in wooden barrels aging for years. It's not a museum walk-through. You're seeing how it actually happens, with the owners or their staff walking you through each step.

The Parmigiano Reggiano factory is first, and you get to watch the curds being cut and stirred, then see the wheels being turned and aged in the storage rooms. At the prosciutto stop, you'll understand why the salt, the air, and the time matter. It's not complicated, but it's precise. Then Acetaia Giusti, where the balsamic has been fermenting in different wood barrels (oak, chestnut, mulberry) for anywhere from twelve to a hundred years. The owner or someone who works there will talk you through the tasting, and yeah, there's plenty of it. You're not just sipping a spoonful. The whole thing is designed around small groups, so it doesn't feel like you're herding through with thirty other people.

What makes this different from a standard food tour is that these are family-run operations, not tourist attractions dressed up as factories. You can actually ask the people who make it questions, and they'll answer you. If you don't want to see the ham factory for some reason, they can swap it for a Lambrusco winery instead: the tour adjusts to what you want to know about. All fees and entry are included, and the pickup from your hotel means you're not figuring out buses or taxis between stops.

What’s included

Hotel pickup, entry to a Parmigiano Reggiano factory, a prosciutto production facility, and Acetaia Giusti balsamic vinegar producer, tastings at each stop, and all fees and taxes. You can substitute the prosciutto factory for a Lambrusco winery if you prefer.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:30

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (14 and older) · Child (4 to 13 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 4 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendly

Operated by Food and Cooking with Laura

Is this one for you?Right for travelers who want to taste Parma's three signature foods without arranging transport or entry themselves: the small group size and flexible timing mean you're not locked into a fixed schedule, and you're actually inside working factories, not watching from behind glass.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 13 years); Infant (under 4): free.

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.

Can I choose which factories to visit?

Yes. If you don't want the prosciutto factory, you can substitute a Lambrusco winery instead.

What time does the tour start?

You can start in the morning or afternoon. The tour is flexible around your schedule.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes, pickup from your hotel is included. No bus. It's a private arrangement.

Are tastings included?

Yes, there are tastings at each factory. All fees and entry are included in the price.

Is the tour accessible for people with mobility issues?

Yes, the tour is wheelchair accessible. All areas and surfaces at the factories are accessible, and transportation is wheelchair accessible.