Booking choice: The Parmigiano and Parma ham tour, from $154 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
Most Parma ham tours are really cheese and ham tours: a Parmigiano Reggiano dairy first, then a Prosciutto di Parma maker in the hills, with tastings of both. They differ in size, price, length and the extras they add.
Below: the six tours side by side, why to go in the morning, the most booked group tour, the NH hotel tour, private days, balsamic and castle add-ons, driving yourself, and which one suits you.
The quick answer
The most booked is the Parmigiano and Parma ham tour: $154, 4 hours, pickup in Parma, rated 4.9 from 955 reviews. The cheese and ham factory tour is similar for $147; the private tour ($185) and the Food Valley tour ($220) give you your own guide and a self-drive option. Add a balsamic maker for $208, or Torrechiara castle for $240. Book a morning start: the dairy makes cheese early.
Which Parmigiano and Parma ham tours are there?
Six, from $147 to $240 per person: three group tours from Parma, one of them with a balsamic maker, and three private tours with a self-drive option, one of them with Torrechiara castle.
From-prices per person in USD; every one cancels free up to 24 hours before.
| Tour | Style | Stops | Length | Rating | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parmigiano and Parma ham tour | Group, pickup in Parma | Dairy, family ham maker | 4 hours | 4.9 (955) | $154 |
| Cheese and ham factory tour | Group, NH Parma | Cheese factory, ham maker, wine | 5 hours | 4.7 (236) | $147 |
| Private cheese and prosciutto tour | Private, pickup or self-drive | Dairy, ham plant, wine | 5h 30m | 5.0 (89) | $185 |
| Private Food Valley tour | Private, driver or self-drive | Dairy, ham maker, Torrechiara photo stop | 4 hours | 4.9 (131) | $220 |
| Cheese, ham and balsamic tour | Group, meeting points in Parma | Dairy, ham maker, balsamic maker | 6h 30m | 4.9 (318) | $208 |
| Private Torrechiara day | Private, pickup or self-drive | Dairy, ham plant, castle ticket | 6h 30m | 5.0 (10) | $240 |
Why do cheese and ham tours start in the morning?
Because Parmigiano Reggiano is made in the morning. Arrive late and the copper vats are already empty; the ham maker looks the same all day.
The milk is worked early, and the curd is lifted from the vats before the day is old. Guests report that morning visits show the whole cheese process, from the vat to the moulds to the aging rooms. If you can only go in the afternoon, a ham-only tour loses nothing.
What is the most popular cheese and ham tour like?
The ParmaLook Parmigiano and Parma ham tour: 4 hours, pickup at points in Parma, a working dairy and its aging room, then a small family ham maker in the hills, with tastings of both.
It is rated 4.9 from 955 reviews. Guests report a short van ride of about 20 minutes, guides who explain both products clearly and a shop where it is easy to overspend; bring some cash in case the card machine fails. Sandals, open-toed shoes, strollers and large bags are not allowed, it is not wheelchair accessible, and late arrival counts as a no-show.
The most booked morning in Parma: a working Parmigiano dairy, a family ham maker in the hills and tastings of both, with pickup.
Explore the Parmigiano and Parma ham tourWhat is the cheese and ham factory tour from the NH hotel like?
Five hours from the NH Parma hotel by the station: a Parmigiano factory with its shaping, salting and aging rooms, then a Parma ham maker, with a glass of wine at each tasting.
The cheese and ham factory tour ($147) is rated 4.7 from 236 reviews. Guides use headsets, closed-toe shoes are required, and pets and large bags are not allowed. It is not suitable for people with mobility impairments.
A cheese factory and a ham maker from the NH hotel by Parma station, with tastings and a glass of wine at each.
Check dates for the cheese and ham factory tourIs a private cheese and ham tour worth it?
If you want your own pace, time for questions or your own car, yes. The private tour costs $185 for 5 hours 30 minutes; the Food Valley tour costs $220 for 4 hours.
The private cheese and prosciutto tour ($185, rated 5.0 from 89 reviews) visits a dairy and a Prosciutto di Parma plant, with Parmigiano at 12, 24, 30 and 36 months, fresh ricotta, prosciutto, culatta and fiocco, and a glass of DOC Colli di Parma wine. The private Food Valley tour ($220) starts at 8:30 with a dairy and a ham maker, about an hour each, and a photo stop below Torrechiara; lunch is not included. Prices are per person.
Your own guide at a dairy and a Prosciutto di Parma plant, with four ages of Parmigiano and a glass of Colli di Parma wine.
Explore the private Parmigiano and prosciutto tourCan you add balsamic vinegar or Torrechiara castle?
Yes. The cheese, ham and balsamic tour adds a traditional balsamic maker near Modena for $208; the private Torrechiara day adds the castle ticket for $240.
The cheese, ham and balsamic tour (6h 30m, rated 4.9 from 318 reviews) visits a family dairy, a family ham maker and a balsamic maker with its museum; the same rules on shoes, strollers and late arrival apply. The private Torrechiara day (6h 30m) pairs a dairy and a prosciutto plant with the frescoed castle above Langhirano. More on the castle and the ham town in the Langhirano guide.
Parmigiano, Parma ham and a traditional balsamic maker near Modena, in one guided day.
Check dates for the cheese, ham and balsamic tourCan you drive yourself on a cheese and ham tour?
Yes, on the private tours: the private tour, the Food Valley tour and the Torrechiara day all offer a self-drive option, and the guide meets you. The group tours use vans from Parma.
Driving gives you freedom for lunch in the hills afterwards; Langhirano is about 30 minutes from Parma on the SS665. Remember that you will be tasting wine. The three-ham tasting in Sanguinaro, on the Via Emilia west of Parma, is the other option you reach on your own.
A private morning at a dairy and a ham maker, with a driver or your own car, and a stop below Torrechiara.
Check dates for the private Food Valley tourWhich cheese and ham tour should you book?
For a first visit, the ParmaLook morning. Pick a private tour for your own pace, the balsamic tour for a full day, or the ham maker tour if the cheese does not interest you.
- The most booked: the Parmigiano and Parma ham tour, $154.
- Near the station: the cheese and ham factory tour, $147.
- Your own guide: the private tour, $185.
- A full day: the balsamic tour, $208.
- Ham only: the ham maker tour, $99; see the factory tour guide.
- On a budget: the three-ham tasting, $25, plus the ham museum in Langhirano.
Frequently asked questions
Is it better to do a cheese and ham tour in the morning?
Yes. Parmigiano is made in the morning, so early tours see the cheese being made; the ham maker looks the same all day.
Do cheese and ham tours include lunch?
Most include tastings, not lunch; the Food Valley tour says lunch is not included. Check each listing.
Are cheese and ham tours wheelchair accessible?
Mostly not. The group tours list themselves as unsuitable for wheelchair users; ask the private operators.
Should I bring cash?
Some cash helps if you want to buy cheese or ham at the dairy or the maker; guests report card machines do not always work.
Ready to book
Choose your day
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Parmigiano and Parma Ham Production Tour
- Pickup and drop-off at points in Parma
- Parmigiano Reggiano dairy and aging room
- A family Prosciutto di Parma maker in the hills
Parmigiano and Prosciutto Private Tasting Tour
Your own guide at a dairy and a ham plant
