Parma Food Tour: Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto & Wine Tasting

Follow the whole production chain, from the cow to the aging warehouse, then taste what you watched being made.

A private half-day food tour in Parma led by a local guide through the production of Parmigiano Reggiano and Prosciutto di Parma, ending with lunch and wine. You watch the cheese master break the curd in copper cauldrons, tour the aging rooms, taste four ages of cheese, visit a Prosciutto plant, and eat traditional cured meats and fresh pasta with DOC Parma Hills wine. The tour runs for about seven and a half hours and includes hotel pickup within 15 kilometres of the city centre, or you can drive yourself and meet the guide at the departure point.

Step-by-step itinerary

Parma food production and tasting tour

• Visit Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese dairy
• Watch cheese master break curd
• Taste 12, 24, and 36 months cheese
• Photo stop at Torrechiara village and castle
• Visit Prosciutto di Parma production plant
• Lunch with Parma delicacies and local wines

The Experience

You start at an authentic Parmigiano Reggiano dairy where the guide walks you through the entire production chain. You watch the cheese master's hands break the curd with the traditional spino tool, then lift the cheese wheels out of the copper cauldrons. The same process that has made this cheese for centuries. The overwhelming aromas in the resting and aging rooms are part of the experience. You move through rooms where wheels sit for 12, 24, 30 and 36 months. The tasting that follows lets you taste the difference those months make, and you also taste fresh ricotta cheese made the same day.

After the dairy, the tour moves to the Parma Hills for a photo stop at the medieval Torrechiara castle, then to a working Prosciutto di Parma plant where you see how the ham is produced. Lunch happens at a winery or family-run restaurant and includes traditional cured meats (Prosciutto di Parma, Coppa, Pancetta and Salame) alongside two types of fresh homemade pasta, a choice of traditional cakes, and two glasses of DOC Parma Hills wine. Coffee or tea closes the meal.

The tour is private, meaning it runs only for you and whoever you bring. A professional local guide leads in either English or Italian. If you book the option with transportation, hotel pickup and drop-off are included within a 15-kilometre radius of Piazza Garibaldi in central Parma. If you choose the self-drive option, you provide your own car and follow the guide in a separate vehicle. Bottled water is provided throughout, and the operator can arrange gluten-free meals with advance notice, though the tour is not suitable for vegans and vegetarians. The minimum drinking age for wine tastings is 18.

Options for this experience

2 options

Up to 10 per booking · Guide in English or Italian07:30

Up to 8 per booking · Guide in English or Italian07:30

You pick the guide language when booking.

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

What’s included

• Professional local guide in English or Italian.
• admission to the Parmigiano Reggiano dairy and Prosciutto di Parma plant.
• tasting of four ages of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and fresh ricotta.
• lunch with traditional cured meats, two types of fresh homemade pasta, traditional cakes, two glasses of DOC Parma Hills wine, and coffee or tea.
• bottled water throughout the day.
• hotel pickup and drop-off within 15 kilometres of central Parma (transportation option only).

Days and timesDaily · 07:30

AgesAges 5+ · Under 5 — Free

Meeting point and pickupPickup optional · ends elsewhereMeeting point, per the operator: “You will meet the guide in front of Emily Way Bar in Via Marco Emilio Lepido, 215, 43122 San Prospero PR at 7.30 am.”

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

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyInfant seats available

Operated by ARTEMILIA Guided Tours

Is this one for you?Book the transportation option if you want hotel pickup and drop-off included. Choose self-drive if you prefer to follow in your own car and meet the guide at the departure point. Either way, the private format means the guide is dedicated to you and your group alone, with no other travelers joining.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

Can children come?

Under 5, free.

What exactly do I see at the Parmigiano Reggiano dairy?

The Parmigiano Reggiano dairy shows you the full production from milk collection through the forming of curd in copper cauldrons. You watch the cheese master break the curd with the spino and lift finished wheels from the cauldron, then walk through the resting, salting and aging rooms where the wheels sit for months. The visit ends with a tasting of cheese aged 12, 24, 30 and 36 months, plus fresh ricotta.

Do I need to drive myself or is transportation included?

You have two options at checkout: one includes hotel pickup and drop-off within 15 kilometres of central Parma, and the other is a self-drive price where you provide your own transport and follow the guide in a separate car. Both options include all tastings, lunch and wine.

What's included in the lunch?

Lunch includes traditional cured meats such as Prosciutto di Parma, Coppa, Pancetta and Salame; two types of fresh homemade pasta; a choice of traditional cakes; two glasses of DOC Parma Hills wine; and coffee or tea. The meal happens at a winery or family-run restaurant.

Can I do this tour if I have dietary restrictions?

Gluten-free meals can be arranged with advance notice at the time of booking. The tour is not available for vegans and vegetarians because the meals centre on cured meats and cheese. If you have other specific dietary requirements, contact the operator when you book.

How long is the tour and what time does it start?

The tour runs for about seven and a half hours. A specific start time is confirmed when you book, and the guide will arrange pickup from your hotel at the agreed time if you select the transportation option.