Parma: Parmigiano Reggiano & Prosciutto Factory Tour with Tastings
Watch Parma Ham and Cheese Age in Real Time, Then Taste Them
You visit a working Parmigiano Reggiano dairy and watch cheese being made, then drive through the Parma Hills to a Prosciutto di Parma plant where you see ham production firsthand. You taste four ages of cheese plus fresh ricotta at the dairy, and Prosciutto di Parma with cured meats and local wine at the ham plant. A professional guide handles the route and the details. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, so you only show up and taste.
Options for this experience
2 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Parmigiano Reggiano and Parma Ham tour
- Visit Parmigiano Reggiano cheese dairy
- Taste different ages of Parmigiano cheese
- Stop for photos at Castle of Torrechiara
- Visit Prosciutto di Parma production plant
- Taste Prosciutto and traditional cured meats
- Castello Di Torrechiara 10m
- Langhirano 1h 15m
What’s included
- Professional local guide, hotel pickup and drop-off (within 15 kilometers of central Parma), bottled water, admission to the Parmigiano Reggiano dairy and Prosciutto di Parma plant, tastings of Parmigiano Reggiano at four ages plus fresh ricotta, tastings of Prosciutto di Parma and traditional cured meats (Culatta and Fiocco), and one glass of DOC Parma Hills wine. Gluten-free options are available with advance notice.
- dietary requirements should be mentioned at booking.
- Every day 08:30
Information
Private half-day tour of Parma's cheese and ham producers with tastings of Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, and local wine. Includes hotel pickup and guide.
Compare the 6 alternatives
Traveler reviews
The experience
You want to know where the food comes from, not just eat it at a restaurant in Parma and move on. That's the pull of this half-day tour. A professional local guide picks you up from your hotel (within 15 kilometers of the city center) and takes you first to an active Parmigiano Reggiano dairy, where you walk through the production rooms: the vats where curds are stirred, the shaping room where wheels are formed, the salting room, and the warehouse where cheese sits aging for 12, 24, 30, or 36 months. You're not watching a video or looking at a display. The dairy is running while you're there, and the smell of milk and salt is real.
After the cheese dairy, you drive through the Parma Hills toward the Prosciutto di Parma plant. On the way, the guide stops at the foot of Torrechiara Castle so you can photograph it: a moment that breaks up the drive and gives you a sense of the landscape these foods come from. The ham plant is different from the dairy: quieter, more controlled, with the meat hanging in long rows. You learn why Parma ham tastes the way it does (the specific salt, the air, the time), and why it can't be made anywhere else and still be called Prosciutto di Parma. The standards are strict, and once you see the process, you understand why.
The tastings happen at each stop. At the dairy, you taste Parmigiano Reggiano at four different ages, plus fresh ricotta. At the ham plant, you taste Prosciutto di Parma alongside other traditional cured meats like Culatta and Fiocco, with a glass of DOC Parma Hills wine. The cheese gets sharper and more crystalline the older it is. The ham is sweet and delicate, nothing like the salty ham you might know from somewhere else. By the end of the afternoon, you've tasted the thing and seen where it's made, which changes how you think about it.
The whole experience is private. Just you, your family or friends, and the guide. No group waiting around, no schedule built for eight people. If you have dietary needs (gluten-free is available with notice), you mention them when you book. The tour runs about four hours total, including the drive time and both stops. Hotel drop-off is included, so you return to where you started without arranging another ride.
Top questions
Can I be picked up at my hotel?
You can choose: pickup at your hotel, or go straight to the meeting point. When you book, you choose your hotel from 68 pickup locations; if yours isn’t listed, you can type in your address.
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English and Italian.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (under 5): free.
How long is the tour?
About four hours total, including both factory visits, tastings, and drive time between them.
What exactly do you taste?
At the cheese dairy: Parmigiano Reggiano aged 12, 24, 30, and 36 months, plus fresh ricotta. At the ham plant: Prosciutto di Parma, Culatta, Fiocco, and a glass of DOC Parma Hills wine.
Can vegetarians or vegans do this tour?
No, the tour is built around cheese and cured meat production and tastings. It's not available for vegans or vegetarians.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
Yes. All areas and surfaces at both facilities are wheelchair accessible, and strollers or prams are welcome for infants and small children.
What if I have a gluten allergy?
Gluten-free options are available with prior notice. Mention any dietary requirements when you book.
Is this a group tour or private?
Private. The tour runs exclusively for you and your family or friends: no other travelers are added.
Do I need to drive myself?
Not if you book the option with transportation included. If you choose the self-drive option, you provide your own car and follow the guide in a separate vehicle.
What's the minimum age for wine tasting?
18 years old. The tour includes one glass of DOC Parma Hills wine at the ham plant.
Can I buy cheese or ham to take home?
The tour description does not mention a shop or purchase opportunity, so contact the operator directly if you want to know what's available.
Operated by ARTEMILIA Guided Tours. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.
Prices and times updated 9 days ago
Parma: Parmigiano Reggiano & Prosciutto Factory Tour with Tastings
5h 30m · EN · IT
from € 160 per person
≈ US$ 180 in your currency
Next, you choose your date and number of travelers and see the final price.