Ratings & Reviews
Ratings collected from Guidekin & Viator & Tripadvisor
Recommended by 97% of travellers: 129 four- and five-star reviews
Guidekin's take
Private food day with lunch in our Day Trips from Bologna comparison.
Trade-off: Own car from Parma; minimum two.
Last checked: September 15, 2026. Commissions never affect our verdicts.
Overview
Guidekin summaryA private day through the food valley with tastings of Parmigiano Reggiano, prosciutto di Parma and traditional balsamic of Modena, plus lunch with wine, and you choose between a car with driver or following in your own. The guide stays until lunch, a minimum party of two applies, and the self drive option starts in Parma. 4.9 at €275 per person.
From the guide
Ever dreamt of spending a full day in the Food Valley of Italy with a top-notch guide and the most famous gourmet products of the world all around you? Well, here you can!
Tour options
The operator sells this tour in 4 versions. Prices are the operator's current list for two travellers; the calendar shows the exact figure for your date and party.
By Own Car
from €275 / person (for 2+ people)
Guide: English, Italian
With your Own Car: Full-day tour with your own car; the guide will meet you in Parma
Pick-up from Parma at 08.30 am
from €510 / person (for 2+ people)
Guide: English, Italian
With our transportation service from Parma. Meeting with the driver at 08.30 am.
What this option includes
Pickup included
Pick-up from Bologna at 7.30am
from €590 / person (for 2+ people)
Guide: English, Italian
With our transportation service from Bologna. Meeting with the driver at 07.30 am; the guide will meet you in Parma.
What this option includes
Pickup included
Pick-up from Milan at 07.00 am
from €825 / person (for 2+ people)
Guide: English, Italian
With our transportation service from Milan. Meeting with the driver at 07.30 am; the guide will meet you in Parma.
What this option includes
Pickup included
Schedule & Availability
Runs daily
Departures: 07:00, 07:30, 08:30
Scheduled through December 2027
This tour runs daily, departing at 07:00, 07:30, 08:30. Scheduled through December 2027. These are the operator’s scheduled departures, not a live seat count: availability is confirmed at checkout. Schedule last checked September 29, 2026.
What's Included
Professional driver (if car and driver option selected)
Parmigiano, Parma ham & Balsamic Vinegar tastings
Expert guide until lunch included
Hotel pickup and drop-off (if car and driver option selected)
Transport by air-conditioned driver (if car and driver option selected)
Lunch with wine
What's Not Included
Food and drinks, unless specified
Gratuities
Transportation service if Own car option is selected
Itinerary
Meet our guide in Parma and head on to visit an authentic producer of Parmigiano-Reggiano PDO: you’ll discover how the King of all cheeses has been literally made by hand in the same way since the Benedictine monks invented it 10 centuries ago! From the curdling into the typical copper heaters to the salting and the final ageing in the so-called wheel cathedrals, you will be a privileged witness of almost all the steps of production of this out-and-out food icon. Tasting at the end.
1h
Admission included
Guided visit with final tasting at one of the local family-run ham factories producing the mythical Prosciutto di Parma PDO: you will get to know why the best ham can only be made in the hills of Parma, where the marino wind blows from the Ligurian Sea through the river valley.
1h
Admission included
Full lunch based on the typical products of the area: Prosciutto as well as other kind of local cold cuts, a typical stuffed pasta dish (tortelli di Parma), homemade cakes. All paired up with local wines like Lambrusco and Malvasia!
3h
Admission included
Guided visit & tasting at a family-run production of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar PDO (visit performed by the producer)
45 min
Admission included
Departure & Return
Pickup includedThe driver will pick the clients up at their hotel ONLY if transportation service is selected:
- at 07:00 am from Milan
- at 07.30 am from Bologna
- at 08.30 am from Parma
Otherwise in selfdrive mode the guide will meet you at the starting point Viale delle Esposizioni, 3, Parma at 08:30 am OR directly at the dairy. PLEASE CHECK THE COMMUNICATION WITH THE SUPPLIER TO HAVE THE DETAILED PROGRAM AND THE RIGHT MEETING POINT.
533 pickup points listed by the operator, 532 of them hotels
Start pointPLEASE 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 mail containing the WEB LINK with the RIGHT MEETING POINT.
Open in Google Maps End pointPLEASE 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 mail containing the WEB LINK with the RIGHT MEETING POINT.
Additional Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
- For the self-drive option, please meet your guide in Parma (address provided in your booking confirmation). The guide may come in your car, or will be driving her/his own car and you would follow in your car.
- Please note that the locations mentioned in the program might change for availability reasons with similar ones.
- Please pay attention to the program that the tour provider will send you before the departure date through the Viator message center
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Live production: being artisanal and not industrial products, the working cycle is not repeated every day at the same time, so it is not guaranteed to see craftsmen at work at each site (for example: Wine and Vinegar making, Prosciutto di Parma, Culatello).
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
| 1+ days | Full refund |
| 0-1 days | No refund |
Compared with other Food Tours
Ranked #9 of 21 in Food Tours by Guidekin score (rating weighted by review volume). Prices here run from €29 to €275, median €84; typical length 3h. 7 of 21 are private. Figures are live from the tour cards; the rubric is our handpicked set, not the whole market. Compare all 21 Food Tours