Prosciutto di Parma factory tour with tasting in the Parma Hills

Roman curing techniques still shape how Parma ham ages in the Apennine air.

This three-hour factory tour near Parma takes you through a working Prosciutto di Parma producer, where you walk the salt rooms, cold drying chambers, maturation cellars and aging rooms with a guide who explains the centuries-old curing process. The tour ends with a tasting of Parma ham served with homemade bread and wine from the Parma Hills. An air-conditioned vehicle brings you from Parma to the producer's location in the hills.

Step-by-step itinerary

Prosciutto di Parma factory visit and tasting

• Depart from Parma
• Travel to curing area
• Explore salt rooms and drying chambers
• Visit maturation cellars and aging rooms
• Learn about curing process history
• Taste Parma ham with bread and wine

The Experience

The tour starts in Parma and heads into the small, picturesque area of the Parma Hills where the dry, fragrant air from the Apennines creates the exact conditions needed to cure ham. Your guide walks you through the salt rooms where the ham is first treated, the cold drying chambers where moisture is drawn out slowly, the maturation cellars where the meat develops its flavor, and the aging rooms where it sits for months. The word "prosciutto" itself comes from Latin (perexsuctum, meaning dried) a reminder that this craft dates back to Roman times and has changed little in its fundamentals.

At the end of the factory tour, you sit down to taste Prosciutto di Parma alongside homemade bread and wine sourced from the Parma Hills. This is not a rushed sampling but a chance to taste what you just learned to make, with the guide explaining what you're tasting and why the ham tastes the way it does.

What’s included

• Factory visit with access to the salt rooms, cold drying chambers, maturation cellars and aging rooms.
• Prosciutto di Parma tasting with homemade bread and local wine from the Parma Hills.
• air-conditioned vehicle transport from Parma.
• English-speaking guide throughout the tour.

Days and timesMon–Fri · 14:00

AgesAges 10+ · Under 10 — No ticket type: can't be added to a booking

Meeting point and pickupNo pickup · ends where it startsMeeting point, per the operator: “NH Parma, Viale Paolo Borsellino, 31, 43122 Parma PR, Italy. At Parma Train Station: Follow to north exit Falcone/Borsellino, reach the NH HOTEL on the right. O…”

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

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelers

Operated by CURIOSEETY

Is this one for you?Three hours is enough to walk the factory and taste the ham without eating up your whole day in Parma, leaving time for the city's museums, piazzas or restaurants before or after.

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Top questions

What exactly do I see inside the Prosciutto di Parma factory?

You walk through the salt rooms where the ham is first cured, the cold drying chambers where moisture is removed, the maturation cellars where flavor develops, and the aging rooms where the ham sits for months before it's ready to eat.

Is the tasting at the end a real meal or just a sample?

The tasting includes Prosciutto di Parma served with homemade bread and wine from the Parma Hills, so it's a proper sit-down tasting rather than a quick sample.

How long is the whole experience from start to finish?

The tour runs three hours total, including the factory walk-through and the tasting at the end.

Do I need to arrange my own way to the producer, or is transport included?

An air-conditioned vehicle is included in the tour, picking you up from Parma and bringing you to the producer's location in the hills.

Will the guide explain the history of how Parma ham is made?

Yes, your English-speaking guide covers the ancient curing process and explains that the technique dates back to Roman times, using the same slow, patient methods that have defined the craft for centuries.