Half Day Private Parmigiano Reggiano and Parma Ham Experience

About this tour

Spend five-and-a-half hours tracing two cornerstones of Emilia-Romagna's food culture through the rolling Parma Hills. Visit a working Parmigiano Reggiano dairy to watch cheese makers shape and salt wheels, then taste four ages of the finished product alongside fresh ricotta. Cross into prime ham country to see how Prosciutto di Parma is crafted, learning the exacting standards that define its signature sweetness. A local guide steers the entire operation, with regional wine and cured meat tastings woven throughout.

Highlights

• Watch Parmigiano Reggiano wheels being shaped and salted live
• Taste wheels aged 12, 24, 30 and 36 months
• Tour an authentic Prosciutto di Parma production facility
• Sample traditional cured meats: culatta, fiocco, house-made ham
• Glass of DOC Parma Hills wine included
• Private tour with professional local guide
• Hotel pick-up and drop-off available

What to expect

Your morning or afternoon begins with a dairy visit where you'll walk through production, shaping, salting and storage rooms—all operating normally. The cheesemakers won't pause for tourists; you're observing genuine workflow. You'll then drive into the Parma Hills toward a working ham plant, where you'll see how pigs are processed, cured and aged according to strict PDO rules. Both facilities offer tasting sessions: aged cheese samples paired with fresh ricotta, followed by sliced prosciutto, culatta and fiocco with a glass of local wine. Expect to be on your feet for most of it, though rest stops are built in.

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