From Bologna: Parma cheese and ham factory tours, reviewed
My verdict: the most expensive tour on this site, and the lowest-rated of the seven. The transfer from Bologna is included, which is the reason it exists, and lunch is not. If you are based in Bologna without a car and want Parma ham as well as the dairy, it does the job. Before you book it, compare the other Bologna departure.
Car, or no car?A dairy visit booked direct costs €15–35. What the tours below sell is the ride out to the dairy by 9am, and the ham and balsamic stops.
Compare all sevenThe 4.7, said plainly
4.7 from 167 reviews is the lowest score of the seven tours on this site. Four of the others are 4.9 and one is 5.0. In absolute terms 4.7 is still a good score, and the reviews I quote below are happy ones. But it is the bottom of this list and it belongs to the most expensive tour, and those two facts together are the first thing I would want to know. I do not have the critical reviews broken down, so I am not going to invent a reason for the gap.
Transfer included, lunch not
The listing includes a transfer from Bologna to the producers and back. Lunch is excluded, so budget for it on top of the €198. The dairy visit on its own costs €15–35 booked direct through the Consorzio’s booking page. Most of the difference is the transfer, and the rest is the Parma ham producer and the guide. For someone staying in Bologna without a car that is a real service; a dairy visit is a morning thing, and the transfer is what gets you there for it.
Against the other Bologna departure
The balsamic tour is €140, carries 5.0 from 96 reviews, runs about six hours and adds a balsamic vinegar factory instead of the ham. Its listing places it in Bologna but does not spell out the pickup the way this one does. So: this tour for a stated transfer and the ham, that one for the vinegar, a lower price and a smaller but higher score. The balsamic tour, reviewed. Both, side by side.
What the reviewers describe
Jean Ann, from the United States, enjoyed the countryside on the way to Parma and describes a knowledgeable, outgoing guide. Olga, also from the United States, found learning how the products are made fascinating. Both are describing the day the listing promises.
The hour still matters from Bologna
The listing gives no start time I can quote. Coming from Bologna, the tour still has to reach the dairy in the morning for you to see the wheels lifted from the copper vats. What you see early and what you miss late.
What works
- Transfer from Bologna included
- Cheese and Parma ham in one day
- Reviewers praise the guide and the countryside
Worth knowing
- The lowest score of the seven, at 4.7
- The most expensive tour on the site
- Lunch is not included
- No duration given
Who it suits
Someone staying in Bologna, without a car, who wants Parma ham as well as the dairy and prefers a transfer that is written into the listing.
Other tours to consider
Best ratedThe Secrets of Parmigiano Reggiano & Balsamic Vinegar Tour
Most bookedParma: Parmigiano Production and Parma Ham Tour & Tasting
Cheese, ham & balsamicParma: Cheese, Ham, & Balsamic Vinegar Tour with Tastings
Frequently asked questions
Why is the Bologna tour rated 4.7?
I do not know, and I would rather say so than guess. It is the lowest of the seven tours on this site and still a good score, from 167 reviews. The reviewers I quote enjoyed the guide and the drive.
Does the Bologna tour include transport and lunch?
The transfer from Bologna is included. Lunch is not, so budget for it separately.
Is there a cheaper Parmigiano tour from Bologna?
Yes. The balsamic tour, also listed from Bologna, is €140 and rates 5.0 from 96 reviews, though its listing does not spell out pickup. The balsamic tour, reviewed.
Could I visit a dairy near Parma myself instead?
Yes, if you can get to Parma. Dairies take bookings direct for €15–35, and one of them is on a Parma city bus route. Visiting a dairy without a tour. The cheese and ham tours compared.