Modena and Parma Food Tours from Bologna: Which to Book

For a guided Food Valley day with transport from Bologna, our pick is the 9-hour Italian Days tour: Parmigiano Reggiano, balsamic vinegar, prosciutto, breakfast and a long lunch with wine, with round-trip transport from Bologna. If you would rather take the train, a 2-hour balsamic lunch in Modena or a 4-hour cheese and ham tour in Parma costs far less.

The tours below differ in more than food. Some leave from Bologna, some start in Modena or Parma after you take the train, and only one collects you at your hotel. Check where each one actually begins before you compare prices.

Quick Comparison: Which Food Tour Should You Book?

Prices are the advertised adult rates on the booking pages and on the operator’s own site, and they change with the date and the group size. Tours priced by group size, such as Bologna Tour’s, cost much more for a single traveler than for a party of four.

Tour or Train? Why the Start Point Matters

Parmigiano Reggiano dairies, balsamic vinegar producers and ham factories are mostly in the countryside around Modena and Parma, not next to a railway station. A guided tour solves that with a vehicle, but the vehicle does not always leave from Bologna. The Italian Days tour departs from Bologna. The Modena and Parma tours below begin in their own area, so you take a regional train first (see our guide to day trips by train for timetables and fares).

A guided tour is worth it when you want several producers in one day or cannot reach a dairy or acetaia without a car. If your main goal is to see Modena or Parma themselves, the city centers, markets and restaurants, a self-guided day is enough: see our Modena day trip guide and our Parma day trip guide.

The Tours Compared

1. Italian Days: Bologna Food Experience (Our Pick)

This is the most complete day on the list, and the one that starts in Bologna. The Viator listing describes three producers in the countryside between Bologna and Modena: a Parmigiano Reggiano dairy, a traditional balsamic vinegar producer in Castelvetro di Modena and a prosciutto factory, plus breakfast and a multi-course lunch with wine pairings.

Best for: First-timers who want cheese, vinegar and ham in one day without a car
Start: Piazza XX Settembre, Bologna, at 7:00 am (07:00); the bus leaves at 7:05 am (07:05) and does not wait for late arrivals
Return: Back in Bologna at about 5:00 pm
Included: Round-trip transport from and to Bologna, food tastings, lunch with matching wines and gratuities
Not included: Hotel pickup: the listing states that none is provided
Cancellation: Free up to 24 hours before the start

The price is the highest of the three bookable tours, but it covers transport, breakfast and lunch for a full day. The listing says the tour is not wheelchair accessible and recommends comfortable shoes. It starts early, so it does not combine well with a late night.

2. Modena: Balsamic Lunch with Vinegar Cellar Tour and Tasting

The cheapest way to see how traditional balsamic vinegar is made. Acetaia Gambigliani Zoccoli, a family producer in Castelfranco Emilia, shows its vinegar attic, then serves a tasting of two ageings (12 years and over 25 years) paired with a lunch of Parmigiano Reggiano, cured meats, focaccia, risotto and dessert.

Best for: A low-cost, short and food-heavy visit by train
Price: From €39 per adult
Duration and group: 2 hours, up to 20 people
Meeting point: Via Mavora 154, Castelfranco Emilia, outside the city of Modena
Transport: The listing offers a free shuttle from Modena train station that leaves 30 minutes before the visit; places are limited and you request one at least 24 hours ahead
Cancellation: Free up to 24 hours before the start

You do not need a car, but you do need to plan the train and the shuttle. A Bologna to Modena regional train is the easy part; the shuttle request is a separate step you handle yourself. For Modena itself, see our Modena day trip guide.

3. Parma: Parmigiano Production and Parma Ham Tour and Tasting

A shorter way to see the two most famous products of Parma. The GetYourGuide listing, run by ParmaLook Food Tours Experience, visits a Parmigiano Reggiano dairy and a ham producer and finishes with a tasting that includes a glass of wine.

Best for: Cheese and ham, and a half-day that starts in Parma
Price: From €135 per person
Duration and group: 4 hours; a small group of up to 15 or a standard group of up to 20, depending on the option you choose
Transport: Pickup and drop-off from pickup points in Parma; you travel to Parma yourself
Included: Guide, entry tickets, tasting and gratuities
Not suitable for: People with mobility impairments and wheelchair users; sandals and flip-flops are not allowed
Cancellation: Free up to 24 hours before the start

The tour does not collect you in Bologna, so allow for the train to Parma and the time back. See our Parma day trip guide for the city itself.

4. Bologna Tour: Parmigiano, Wine and Balsamic Vinegar with Lunch

This is the option with hotel pickup. Bologna Tour’s operator page lists a 7-hour day that starts at 8:00 am, with hotel pickup and drop-off in Bologna or Modena, a private vehicle and driver, a visit with tasting at a Parmigiano Reggiano producer, a balsamic vinegar producer and a winery, and a typical two-course lunch. The operator calls it semi-private: some parts of the tour may be shared.

Best for: Travelers who want hotel pickup and a small party
Price: Adult rate by party size: €570 for one traveler, €350 for two to four, €290 for five to seven
Cancellation: No charge up to 24 hours before the start, except handling fees
Not stated: Which drinks come with lunch; the page asks you to report food intolerances in advance

The same operator also runs a 4-hour balsamic vinegar visit with hotel pickup (departures at 9:00 am and 3:30 pm) and a Parma cheese and ham factory tour for €185 that includes the train ticket from Bologna but not a vehicle: you take the train on your own and meet the guide in Parma. Always check whether a tour that says it departs from Bologna really picks you up there.

What About Ferrari?

Some day tours add the Ferrari Museum in Maranello to the food stops. The Village Italy’s private tour leaves from Bologna at 9:00 am, returns at 5:00 pm and includes the Ferrari Museum tickets, a Parmigiano Reggiano visit and a balsamic vinegar visit. It lists €349 per person for two travelers, €249 for three and €199 for four or more, with lunch optional and a maximum of seven people. Ferrari and food compete for the same hours, so you get fewer food stops than on a food-only day. For the museum and other car visits, see our Motor Valley guide.

Which Food Tour Should You Book?

• Cheese, vinegar and ham in one day, no car: Italian Days. It starts in Bologna and includes transport, breakfast and lunch.
• A short, low-cost visit: the Modena balsamic lunch. It costs a fraction of the other tours, but you handle the train and the shuttle yourself.
• Cheese and ham only: the Parma tour. It is shorter than Italian Days, and it starts in Parma.
• Hotel pickup or a small party: Bologna Tour. It costs more, and the price depends on how many people share it.
• Ferrari fans: compare a combined tour and accept fewer food stops.
• Vegetarian, pork-free or gluten-free: these tours center on cheese, cured pork and wheat. The listings we compared ask you to report food intolerances in advance and do not promise a pork-free menu, so ask before you pay.
• Tight budget: consider the train and a self-guided day instead; a guided tour is not automatically the better value.

Choose by what you want to see being made, not by the number of stops.

Practical Tips Before Booking

Check the Meeting Point and the Return

Read where the tour starts and how you get back. Italian Days leaves from a square in Bologna and returns there, Bologna Tour collects you at your hotel, and the Modena and Parma tours begin in their own areas. Allow time for the train in both directions if you start outside Bologna.

Plan for an Early Start

The two tours that start in Bologna leave early: Italian Days at 7:00 am and Bologna Tour at 8:00 am If you want to see a dairy at work, ask the operator which departure includes the production visit.

Dress for Working Buildings

Wear comfortable, closed shoes. The Italian Days listing recommends comfortable shoes, and the Parma listing does not allow sandals or flip-flops. Cellars, curing rooms and dairies are working spaces, not museums.

How Far Ahead Should You Book?

Book once your date and starting point are settled, especially if you have only one suitable day. The operators do not publish a number of days that guarantees a place, so a rule such as two weeks ahead would be a guess. Check the calendar, the number of travelers and the cancellation terms before you pay.

Do Not Plan a Tight Connection Afterward

A countryside tour can end later than the schedule. Do not book a train or a dinner reservation for the minutes after you are due back. For a similar food experience inside the city, see our guide to the best food tours in Bologna, and for the dishes themselves, our guide to Bologna’s traditional food.

Frequently Asked Questions

Every destination within easy reach of Bologna is collected in Day Trips.