Parma cheese, ham & balsamic tasting tour: Three factories

Taste three legendary foods where they're made, then understand why each one takes years

A guided factory tour from Parma visiting a Parmigiano Reggiano dairy, a Prosciutto di Parma producer, and a traditional balsamic acetaia in Modena, with tastings at each stop and hotel pickup included. The tour runs 4 to 6 hours and covers three distinct production methods (from fresh milk to aged cheese, salt-cured ham aging in wooden beams, and slow fermentation in wooden barrels), so you taste the product and see what made it. Choose the 8:30 or 10:00 departure. Both include a live guide in English or Italian, transport, entry to all three factories, and tastings paired with local wine.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit cheese, ham, and balsamic producers

• Meet at pickup point
• Drive to Parmigiano Reggiano dairy
• Tour cheese-making process
• Taste Parmigiano Reggiano with wine
• Drive to Prosciutto di Parma producer
• Tour ham curing cellars
• Taste Prosciutto di Parma with wine
• Drive to Modena Acetaia
• Tour traditional balsamic vinegar production
• Taste balsamic vinegar
• Return to Parma

The experience

You start in Parma and drive into the countryside to a working Parmigiano Reggiano dairy, where the day's first stop is the aging rooms: rows of wheels stacked on wooden shelves, each one stamped with the date it was made. The guide walks you through the production from fresh milk to the moment the wheels are moved to age for at least 24 months. Then you taste it: the guide pairs slices with local wine so you notice the texture and the salt. This is not a museum. It is a factory still making cheese the same way, and you see the vats and the workers.

A short drive through the province brings you to a Prosciutto di Parma producer, where the air smells like curing ham. You walk through the aging cellars (long rooms lined with legs of ham hanging from wooden beams), and learn how salt-curing and natural maturation work. The ham spends months here, and the guide explains why the climate of Parma is essential to the flavor. The tasting comes next, sliced thin, paired with wine again, so you taste the difference between what you've eaten before and what comes from this place.

The final stop is Modena, at Acetaia Giusti, a traditional balsamic vinegar producer. You see the aging rooms stacked with wooden barrels of different sizes and ages. Some of the vinegar inside has been fermenting for decades. The guide explains DOP versus IGP balsamic and walks you through the slow fermentation process that turns grape must into something you can taste on a single drop. The tasting is the payoff: a spoon of aged balsamic, nothing else, so the complexity is all you notice. If you want a bottle to take home, you can buy one here. The drive back to Parma closes the day.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Parma.
• air-conditioned vehicle for the full day.
• entry to all three factories.
• guided tasting of Parmigiano Reggiano paired with local wine.
• guided tasting of Prosciutto di Parma paired with local wine.
• guided tasting of Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale.
• live guide in English or Italian.

Options for this experience

2 options

Cheese, ham and balsamic at 08:30Guide in English or Italian · 08:30Tour at 08:30

Cheese, ham and balsamic at 10:00Guide in English or Italian · 10:00Tour at 10:00

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

Before you book

Lasts 4h–6h, runs every day at 08:30 and 10:00, from € 183 per person, with a live guide in English and Italian and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesMonday to Saturday: 08:30 and 10:00Sunday: 08:30

Book up to16h before

AgesAdult (7 and older) · Infant (under 7)

GroupUp to 16 · max 8 per booking

Live guideEnglish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

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

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by ParmaLook - Tour Food Experience

Is this one for you?Book the 8:30 departure if you want the morning at the factories and the afternoon free in Parma. The 10:00 start works better if you're arriving by train and need time to reach your hotel first. Either way, the three tastings and the guide's explanations of how each product is made mean you taste them differently afterward. The production method becomes part of the flavor.

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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: Infant (under 7).

What's the difference between DOP and IGP balsamic vinegar?

DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta) balsamic is made in Modena using only grape must and aged in wooden barrels for a minimum of 12 years, with no additives. IGP (Indicazione Geografica Protetta) balsamic follows similar methods but has a shorter minimum aging period and slightly different production rules. At Acetaia Giusti, the guide explains both during the tasting so you understand what you're sampling.

How long does it take to make Parmigiano Reggiano cheese?

Parmigiano Reggiano wheels must age for at least 24 months before they can be sold, though many producers age them longer for deeper flavor. At the dairy you visit, you see wheels at different stages and taste the difference between younger and older cheese, so you understand what time does to the flavor and texture.

Can I buy products at the factories to take home?

Yes. At each stop (the Parmigiano dairy, the Prosciutto producer, and Acetaia Giusti). You have the option to purchase products. Balsamic vinegar is especially popular as a souvenir since bottles are easy to pack, and the guide can advise on which ones to choose.

What time does the tour start, and how long does it take?

Two departure times are available: 8:30 or 10:00. The tour runs 4 to 6 hours total, including the drive to Modena, all three factory visits, tastings, and the return to Parma. The exact duration depends on how long you spend at each stop and traffic on the drive back.

Is lunch included, or do we eat on our own?

Lunch is not included in the tour. The tastings at each factory (cheese, ham, and balsamic paired with wine) are substantial, but if you want a full meal, you can arrange one in Parma before the tour or after you return. The guide can suggest restaurants if you ask.

Do I need to arrange my own transport to the meeting point?

Hotel pickup in Parma is included, so the driver collects you from your accommodation and returns you there at the end. If you're arriving by train, the station is near the pickup area, and public transportation options are available to reach your hotel. Just plan to arrive on time: late arrivals after the scheduled pickup cannot be accommodated.