Bologna food tour, Modena balsamic and parmesan-making from Florence

This day trip is perfect for food lovers who want to enjoy one of the unsullied capitals of Italian cuisine without having to worry about itineraries or logistics. You'll visit a Parmigiano Reggiano Factory, an Artisanal Balsamic Vinegar Producer, Bologna Piazza Maggiore, the Old Jewish Ghetto Food Market, the Torre degli Asinelli and the Torre della Garisenda.

You’ll meet your expert foodie guide and small group of no more than 14 people in Florence at 8am, then hop into a private, air-conditioned minibus and drive 2 hours to a parmigiano reggiano factory, where one of the most coveted cheeses in the world is made. Take a full tour of the enormous storehouse stacked floor-to-ceiling with aging cheese, and finish at the tasting table to sample a 24-month aged parmesan that will change the way you think about cheese forever.

Next, you’ll jump back in the minibus and head to a small farm that produces artisanal balsamic vinegar. After seeing how the vinegar is pressed and stored in wooden barrels, you’ll taste 12 and 30-year old vinegars, before sitting down to a light lunch made on the farm of local ingredients that change seasonally.

Your final stop, the foodie paradise of Bologna, is another highlight. Take a one-hour city stroll with your expert tour leader to see the main highlights of the city, including the central piazza, the food market, the old Jewish Ghetto and the city’s two iconic towers, the Torre degli Asinelli and Torre della Garisenda. Sit down at one of our favorite streetside restaurants to enjoy succulent slices of mortadella, the coldcut that became the worldwide inspiration for baloney. Forget about the stuff you grew up with, this is on a completely different level. Wash it all down with a glass of complimentary wine, then enjoy a quick tortellini tasting before jumping back in your minibus for the one hour drive back to Florence.