Parma Food Tour: Parmigiano, Prosciutto & Balsamic Tasting

Options for this experience

4 options

Guide in English or Italian08:30

Guide in English or Italian08:30

Guide in English or Italian07:30

Guide in English or Italian07:00

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Three PDO producers, one day, lunch between them

A full-day guided food tour in Parma where you visit working producers of Parmigiano-Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, and Traditional Balsamic Vinegar, with tastings at each stop and a sit-down lunch featuring the region's signature products and local wines. A professional guide leads the day. Hotel pickup is available from Parma, Bologna, or Milan, or you can drive yourself and meet the guide in Parma.

Step-by-step itinerary

Food Valley tour with tastings

• Meet guide in Parma
• Visit Parmigiano-Reggiano producer
• Taste Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Visit Prosciutto di Parma factory
• Taste Prosciutto di Parma ham
• Enjoy full lunch with local dishes
• Visit Traditional Balsamic Vinegar producer
• Taste Traditional Balsamic Vinegar

The Experience

The day starts with a visit to an authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano producer where you watch the cheese made by hand using methods unchanged since Benedictine monks invented them a thousand years ago. You'll see the milk curdled in copper heaters, the wheels salted and aged in what producers call wheel cathedrals, and taste the result at the end of the walk-through. The scale of the operation (wheels stacked floor to ceiling in temperature-controlled rooms) makes the centuries-old craft visible in a way no description captures.

Next is a family-run Prosciutto di Parma factory, where the guide explains why the best ham can only cure in Parma's hills, where the marino wind from the Ligurian Sea flows through the river valley. You taste here too. Then comes lunch: a full meal built from the products you've just seen, Prosciutto and other local cold cuts, tortelli di Parma (the region's stuffed pasta), homemade cakes, paired with Lambrusco and Malvasia wines. The meal anchors the day and gives you time to sit with what you've learned.

The final stop is a family-run Traditional Balsamic Vinegar producer, where the maker walks you through the production and you taste the finished vinegar. Because these are artisanal operations, not industrial ones, the working cycle varies day to day. You may not see craftsmen at work at every site, but the guide will explain what happens when you're not there. The tour runs seven hours total. You can book pickup from Parma at 8:30 am, from Bologna at 7:30 am, or from Milan at 7:00 am, or you can drive yourself and meet the guide in Parma.

What’s included

• Professional guide in English or Italian.
• tastings of Parmigiano-Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, and Traditional Balsamic Vinegar at each producer.
• full lunch with local cold cuts, tortelli di Parma, homemade cakes, and local wines (Lambrusco and Malvasia).
• hotel pickup and drop-off if you choose a pickup option, or self-drive with the guide meeting you in Parma.

Days and timesDaily · 3 departure times, from 07:00 to 08:30

AgesAges 12+ · 4 to 11 years · Under 4 — Free

Meeting point and pickupPickup optional · ends where it startsMeeting point, per the operator: “PLEASE NOTE!!! If you selfdrive, the meeting point could change, so PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL EXCHANGE WITH VIATOR (even in your spam box): you will receive a mai…”

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

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by FOOD VALLEY TRAVEL

Is this one for you?Book with pickup if you're arriving in Bologna or Milan and want the full day without driving through unfamiliar roads. Choose the self-drive option if you want flexibility on timing or prefer to explore the region on your own terms before or after the tour.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

Can children come?

4 to 11 years; under 4, free.

What exactly is Parmigiano-Reggiano PDO and why does the tour visit a producer?

Parmigiano-Reggiano PDO is a protected cheese made only in a specific region using methods that have stayed the same for ten centuries. The tour visits a working producer so you can watch the entire process (from curdling the milk in copper heaters to aging the wheels in storage rooms), and taste the cheese at the end.

Will I see workers actually making the cheese and ham on the day I visit?

The producers work on artisanal schedules, not industrial ones, so the working cycle changes day to day. You may not see craftsmen at work at every stop, but your guide will explain the full process and what happens behind the scenes at each facility.

What's included in the lunch, and are there options for dietary requirements?

Lunch includes Prosciutto, other local cold cuts, tortelli di Parma (stuffed pasta), homemade cakes, and local wines like Lambrusco and Malvasia. You should tell the tour operator about any dietary requirements when you book so they can arrange alternatives.

Do I need to arrange my own transport, or is it included?

Transport is included if you choose pickup from Parma, Bologna, or Milan. The driver will collect you from your hotel and return you at the end of the day. If you prefer to drive yourself, you meet the guide in Parma and either the guide rides in your car or drives separately and you follow.

How long is the full day, and what time does it start?

The tour runs seven hours. Pickup times depend on your location: 8:30 am from Parma, 7:30 am from Bologna, or 7:00 am from Milan. If you drive yourself, you'll meet the guide in Parma at a time confirmed in your booking confirmation.

What is Traditional Balsamic Vinegar PDO, and how is it different from regular balsamic?

Traditional Balsamic Vinegar PDO is made only in Modena and Reggio Emilia using a specific process that takes years. The tour includes a visit to a family producer where the maker explains the production method and you taste the finished vinegar: a product protected by law and very different from the mass-produced versions sold in supermarkets.