Parmigiano tours from Bologna: two options, and the drive
About the drive
I’ll be straight with you: from Bologna, the tour is mostly a ride. The €198 tour takes you to Parma, and Jean Ann from the United States enjoyed the countryside on the way. The listing doesn’t state a length, so I won’t invent one, and I won’t give you a drive time either. What I can tell you is the thing that matters: the cheese is made in the morning, and the extraction, when the wheels come out of the copper vats, happens early. So the question for any tour from Bologna is what time it gets you to the dairy. Check the start time on the listing against that. Why the hour decides everything is on what time to visit.
One fact that surprises people staying in Bologna: part of Bologna province is inside the Parmigiano Reggiano zone, the part left of the River Reno, along with Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena and Mantua right of the Po. The cheese is not only a Parma thing.
The two tours
Best ratedThe Secrets of Parmigiano Reggiano & Balsamic Vinegar Tour
From BolognaFrom Bologna: Parma Cheese & Ham Factory Tours and Tastings
€198: the transfer from Bologna, without lunch
From Bologna: Parma cheese and ham factory tours and tastings, 4.7 from 167 reviews. It includes the transfer from Bologna and visits cheese and ham producers. Lunch is excluded, in writing, so budget for it or eat a proper breakfast. Olga from the United States found learning how the products are made fascinating, and Jean Ann described the guide as knowledgeable and outgoing. Of the two, this is the one where the ride is spelled out as part of the price. My longer write-up is in the Bologna tour review.
€140: cheese and balsamic, the best rated
The Secrets of Parmigiano Reggiano and Balsamic Vinegar, 5.0 from 96 reviews, the highest score on this site on a smaller base than the tours from Parma. It runs about six hours and adds a balsamic vinegar factory, a tasting of three vinegars and ice cream with 30-year balsamic. A traveller from the US called the guide, Claudio, “an amazing storyteller” with hands-on knowledge. Read the listing for where it starts before you book.
Side by side
| Cheese and balsamic | From Bologna, cheese and ham | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | €140 per person | €198 per person |
| Transport | Not stated | Transfer from Bologna |
| Length | About 6 h | Not stated |
| Second product | Balsamic vinegar | Parma ham |
| Lunch | — | Excluded |
| Rating | 5.0 from 96 | 4.7 from 167 |
| Free cancellation | Up to 24 h before | Up to 24 h before |
If you have a car in Bologna
Then you may not need either. On the Consorzio’s own booking page you can filter dairies by province, language and date, and visits with a tasting run €15 to €25. Book ahead; every dairy I checked requires it. Without a car the problem is the one I describe for Parma: a local guide on the Rick Steves forum estimated that “at least 90%” of dairies are far from any bus or train stop. The direct route in full is on visiting a dairy without a tour, and the cheapest tour of all, €35 at Formigine near Modena, is on all seven tours.
Eat before you leave Bologna. The €198 tour excludes lunch, and a tasting of cheese and ham on an early start is not the same thing as a meal.
Can’t make these dates?
Browse more available Parmigiano Reggiano dairy tour and find one that fits your schedule — all with instant confirmation and free cancellation.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Parmigiano tour from Bologna with transport?
Yes. The €198 From Bologna tour includes the transfer from Bologna and visits Parma cheese and ham producers. Lunch is excluded.
How long is the drive from Bologna to the dairy?
I can’t give you a verified figure, and the €198 listing doesn’t state a length, so I won’t guess. What matters more is what time you reach the dairy, because the extraction happens early in the morning.
Does the Bologna tour include lunch?
No. Lunch is excluded on the €198 tour from Bologna. If lunch matters to you, one listing on the Consorzio’s own page offers a tour with tasting lunch for about €50, which you reach yourself. The full cost picture is on what a Parmigiano tour costs.
Which is better from Bologna, cheese and ham or cheese and balsamic?
The balsamic day is cheaper at €140, better rated and about six hours long. The €198 tour is the one with the transfer from Bologna spelled out, and it adds Parma ham. The ham tours are compared on cheese and ham tours.