Parma cheese, ham and balsamic vinegar tour: review
My verdict: Parmigiano, Parma ham and balsamic vinegar in one booking, with what the listing calls a private guide, and headsets. What it does not state is transport. The cheaper cheese and ham tour does include pickup, so the choice comes down to how much you want the balsamic, and whether the operator confirms a ride when you ask.
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 sevenTransport: not stated
This is the difference that matters between this tour and the flagship. The €135 cheese and ham tour includes pickup and drop-off. This one costs €48 more, adds balsamic and a private guide, and its listing says nothing about getting you there. I am not going to assume it does. Ask the operator before you book, and if the answer is no, decide whether the balsamic is worth arranging your own ride for. The pickup tour, reviewed.
What €183 buys
The dairy visit on its own costs €15–35 booked direct through the Consorzio’s booking page. Everything above that pays for the ham, the balsamic, the private guide and the headsets. That is a full programme and, for someone who wants all three foods in a single day, a reasonable way to buy it. What it is not is a better way to see the cheese made: the dairy is the same kind of visit either way. What each tour adds over going direct.
Arrive late and you lose the booking
What the reviewers describe
Alistair, from Australia, describes the guide, Loris, as passionate and knowledgeable, and says he used his connections along the way. On a three-stop day that is the thing to hope for. The score is 4.9 from 317 reviews, the second-largest base on this site after the flagship.
The first stop sets the day
The listing gives no start time I can quote. The dairy is the stop where the hour matters: the wheels come out of the vats early, and later in the morning you see the warehouse rather than the making. What time to be at a dairy.
What works
- All three foods in one booking
- A private guide and headsets, per the listing
- 4.9 from 317 reviews
Worth knowing
- Transport not stated, unlike the cheaper cheese and ham tour
- €48 more than the flagship
- Late arrival counts as a no-show
- No duration given
Who it suits
Someone in Parma who wants cheese, ham and balsamic in one day and has sorted out the ride, or had it confirmed. If you would rather drop the balsamic and have pickup stated, the cheese and ham tours are compared here.
Other tours to consider
Most bookedParma: Parmigiano Production and Parma Ham Tour & Tasting
Best ratedThe Secrets of Parmigiano Reggiano & Balsamic Vinegar Tour
From BolognaFrom Bologna: Parma Cheese & Ham Factory Tours and Tastings
Frequently asked questions
Does the cheese, ham and balsamic tour include transport?
The listing does not say. The cheaper cheese and ham tour does include pickup and drop-off, so ask the operator before paying the difference.
Is it worth paying more than for the cheese and ham tour?
Only if you want the balsamic and the private guide. The cheese itself is the same visit. The cheaper tour has pickup stated on its listing, which this one does not. Compare the flagship.
What happens if I arrive late?
The listing treats late arrival as a no-show, non-refundable and non-reschedulable. Free cancellation applies only up to 24 hours before.
Is there a balsamic tour from Bologna?
Yes, the balsamic tour listed from Bologna, about six hours, 5.0 from 96 reviews. Its review.