Emilia Romagna is Italy's gastronomic heartland, stretching from the Apennine Mountains to the Adriatic Sea. Known as the 'Food Valley' for producing Parmigiano-Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, and balsamic vinegar, the region also boasts medieval cities, Ferrari's birthplace, and vibrant beach resorts.
Top food tours
Guided experiences that show you Emilia Romagna through its food.
Bologna Food Walk: Quadrilatero & Mercato di Mezzo
Explore Bologna's ancient food quarter with stops at historic salumerias, tortellini makers, cheese shops, and the covered Mercato di Mezzo. Taste 8-10 products including fresh tagliatelle, mortadella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and local wines.
Includes: Quadrilatero medieval market district · Fresh tortellini making demonstration · Parmigiano-Reggiano tasting by age · Mercato di Mezzo covered market
Parma Food Valley Producer Tour
Full-day tour visiting a Prosciutto di Parma curing facility, a Parmigiano-Reggiano dairy farm, and a traditional balsamic vinegar acetaia. Includes full lunch at a local farmhouse. The ultimate Food Valley experience.
Includes: Prosciutto di Parma ham curing cellars · Parmigiano-Reggiano aging caves · Traditional balsamic vinegar barrels · Farmhouse lunch with local wines
Modena Food & Motor Tour
Discover Modena's dual identity as home to traditional balsamic vinegar and the Ferrari legend. Visit the Mercato Albinelli Art Nouveau market, an artisanal acetaia for tasting, and the Enzo Ferrari Museum.
Includes: Albinelli Art Nouveau covered market · Traditional balsamic vinegar tasting · Enzo Ferrari Museum · Lambrusco aperitivo
Bologna Aperitivo Bar Crawl
Join a local guide for Bologna's beloved aperitivo ritual, visiting 4 bars from old-school osterie to craft cocktail spots. Each venue offers drinks and complementary snacks while the guide shares stories of Bologna's drinking culture.
Includes: L'Osteria del Sole (est. 1465) · Craft cocktail bar visit · Local Lambrusco wine bar · University area historic bar
Acetaia Balsamic Vinegar Experience (Modena)
Private visit to a family-owned Modena acetaia to learn the 25-year process of making Traditional Balsamic Vinegar DOP, see the battery of wooden barrels from mulberry to oak, and taste vinegars aged 12 to 25 years.
Includes: Battery of 5-7 wooden barrel sizes · Tasting of traditional vs commercial balsamic · Understanding the aging process · Take-home 100ml bottle
Parma Market & Deli Tour
Morning tour of Parma's food culture with visits to the Mercato Coperto, a historic salumeria for Prosciutto tasting, a Parmigiano shop for age-comparison tasting, and aperitivo with Colli di Parma wine.
Includes: Parma's Mercato Coperto · Prosciutto di Parma from 12 to 24 months · Parmigiano from 12 to 36 months · Colli di Parma Malvasia aperitivo
Tour formats
Different ways to experience Emilia Romagna's food scene.
Street food tours
Piadina crawls in Rimini and Cesena from €20; gnocco fritto tastings in Bologna bars from €10; Quadrilatero market self-guided from free
Market tours
Guided morning tours of Mercato di Mezzo (Bologna, €35), Mercato Albinelli (Modena, €30), Mercato Coperto (Parma, €30)
Restaurant tours
Multi-course traditional meals at historic Bologna and Parma trattorias from €35-80/person
Specialty tours
Balsamic vinegar tours in Modena (€65), Prosciutto di Parma cellar visits (€40), Lambrusco winery tours (€50), Parmigiano-Reggiano dairy visits (€35)
Cooking classes
Take a piece of Emilia Romagna home with you.
Bologna Pasta School: Tagliatelle & Tortellini
Learn to make authentic Emilian pasta with a local sfoglina (pasta maker) in a traditional Bologna kitchen. Roll tagliatelle by hand and make tortellini from scratch, then eat your creations with local wine.
Parma Farm-to-Fork Experience
Visit Parma's market with a chef, select seasonal ingredients, then cook a 3-course Emilian lunch in a farmhouse kitchen. Includes wine pairing from local Colli di Parma producers.
Modena Balsamic Vinegar Masterclass
Learn the century-old process of making traditional balsamic vinegar with an acetaia master, followed by an extensive comparative tasting of commercial, aging, and traditional DOP balsamic.
Romagnola Flatbread Workshop (Rimini)
Learn to make piadina Romagnola from scratch—the perfect flatbread dough, the traditional testo pan, and classic fillings including squacquerone, prosciutto, and rucola.
DIY self-guided food tour
Create your own Bologna food tour following this route—ideal for independent travelers who want authentic experiences
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1
Stop 1 (8:30 AM): Mercato di Mezzo (Via Clavature) for morning coffee and fresh produce browsing
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2
Stop 2 (9:30 AM): Tamburini salumeria (Via Drapperie 1) for mortadella, prosciutto, and regional salumi tasting
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3
Stop 3 (10:30 AM): Paolo Atti & Figli (Via Caprarie 7) for fresh pasta watching and sfogline at work
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4
Stop 4 (12:30 PM): Traditional trattoria for lunch with tagliatelle al ragù
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5
Stop 5 (3:00 PM): Specialty cheese shop for Parmigiano-Reggiano comparison tasting
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6
Stop 6 (6:00 PM): L'Osteria del Sole (Vicolo Ranocchi 1) for Lambrusco aperitivo with locals
Foodie tips
Get more out of every meal.
Book producer visits (prosciutto, Parmigiano, balsamic acetaia) at least 2 weeks in advance—many require group bookings
The best mortadella is sold at Tamburini (Via Drapperie 1, Bologna)—ask for sliced, not pre-packaged
Traditional balsamic vinegar DOP comes in distinctive white or gold cap bottles—anything else is commercial balsamic
Sfogline (pasta makers) at the market will often demonstrate if you watch and ask politely
Lambrusco is served chilled (8-12°C)—it's a sparkling red wine and the region's pride with food
Parmigiano-Reggiano direct from a Parma market costs 30-40% less than in specialty shops elsewhere
The Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma runs organized farm visits—book via their website