Parma is the home of Parmigiano Reggiano and Prosciutto di Parma, and on Viator two highly rated ways to taste them are very different days. One takes you by van from Parma station to a Parmigiano Reggiano dairy and a Parma ham producer in the countryside, for about $157. The other is a private three-hour walk through the city with five food and wine stops, for about $129. Both are rated 4.9 or 5.0 across more than 600 reviews each.
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The verdict
The producers tour is about seeing how the two products are made. It leaves from Parma station in an air-conditioned vehicle, visits a Parmigiano Reggiano dairy and a Parma ham producer in the province of Parma, and includes snacks; reviewers describe tasting both products. It is rated 4.9 across 673 reviews, with 97% of travelers recommending it; one reviewer notes that it visits smaller family-run producers.
The private food walk stays in the city and is about tasting everything the area makes: a board of cold cuts including Prosciutto di Parma and Culatello di Zibello, Parmigiano Reggiano at three ages, two fresh homemade pastas, a sandwich or focaccia, two traditional pastries, gelato, coffee, a glass each of white and red Colli di Parma wine, and traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena. It is private, for your group only, rated 5.0 across 649 reviews.
Our pick is the producers tour if the dairy and the ham curing are the reason you came to Parma: it is the only one of the two that takes you where they are made. Take the private walk if you want a food introduction to the city itself, a tour that is only for your group, or a morning that does not depend on a train arriving on time.
The producers tour meets at Parma station, and its listing is explicit: arriving late because of a train or other transport delay is treated as a no-show, with no refund and no rescheduling. If you are coming in from Bologna or Milan on the day, take an earlier train than you think you need.
Which one is for you?
Take the producers tour if
- You want to see Parmigiano Reggiano and Parma ham being made, not only taste them.
- You want transport to the producers in the countryside included.
- You are arriving by train: it meets outside Parma station.
- You are happy in a shared group of up to 30.
- You can make an early train, since late arrivals are not refunded.
Take the private food walk if
- You want the tour for your group only.
- You want the widest tasting: cold cuts, three ages of Parmigiano, pasta, pastries, gelato and wine.
- You need wheelchair access: the walk is wheelchair accessible.
- You need a vegetarian or gluten-free option, arranged in advance.
- You would rather stay in the city center than drive out to producers.
What each price covers
The producers tour, from about $157
Included: transport in an air-conditioned vehicle from Parma station to the producers, visits to a Parmigiano Reggiano dairy and a Parma ham producer in the province of Parma, and snacks. The tour lasts four to five hours.
Conditions: groups of up to 30; not wheelchair accessible, and animals are not admitted. Late arrivals, including those caused by train delays, are treated as no-shows and are not refundable or reschedulable.
The private food walk, from about $129
Included: a professional local guide and five food and wine stops: a board of cold cuts with Prosciutto di Parma, Culatello di Zibello, Culaccia, Coppa and salame; Parmigiano Reggiano at three ages; two types of fresh homemade pasta; a traditional sandwich, focaccia or savory pie; two traditional cakes or pastries; artisanal gelato; coffee or tea; bottled water; one glass each of Colli di Parma DOC white and red wine; and traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena PDO.
Good to know: the walk covers about 3 km. A second option on the listing does not include the tasting costs, so check which option you are buying. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are available with notice; the listing states it is not available for vegans. Minimum drinking age is 18.
Where each one starts
- Producers tour: outside Parma railway station. Go down to floor -1, follow the signs for the north exit (Falcone/Borsellino), and walk about 100 meters; the meeting point is on the left corner.
- Private food walk: in front of Caffè San Pietro, Piazza Garibaldi 13, next to the newsstand. The historic center is closed to traffic; the listing suggests the Toschi parking, about ten minutes on foot.
- The producers tour is not wheelchair accessible; the private walk is wheelchair and stroller accessible.
- Both offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start, local time.
Side by side
| Producers tour | Private food walk | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.9 from 673 | 5.0 from 649 |
| Recommended by | 97% of travelers | 99% of travelers |
| Price | from about $157 | from about $129 |
| Length | 4 to 5 hours | 3 hours |
| Format | Shared, up to 30, by vehicle | Private, on foot (about 3 km) |
| Parmigiano | Dairy visit | Tasting at three ages |
| Parma ham | Producer visit | Tasting board with other cold cuts |
| Wine | Not listed | Two glasses of Colli di Parma DOC |
| Wheelchair | Not accessible | Accessible |
| Starts | Parma station, north exit | Piazza Garibaldi, city center |
What travelers say
On the producers tour
Great tour that visits smaller family run producers.
REBECCA_P, August 2026, via Viator
The Parmeggiano tour was ok. The ham tour was not worth the trip.
Felipe_A, June 2026, via Viator
On the private food walk
This tour was unique thanks to its private nature – being for just my partner and I.
Warren_S, May 2026, via Viator
We opted to pay for tastings as we went so that we could explore more
Emmy_S, May 2026, via Viator
Most reviewers of the producers tour describe the dairy as the highlight; Felipe_A’s three-star review is the exception worth reading, and it is about the ham visit, not the cheese. Emmy_S’s note on the private walk explains the second option on that listing: you can book the guide only and pay for tastings as you go.
How either fits a trip
Parma sits on the railway between Bologna and Milan, so either tour works as a day out from either city. In Bologna itself, compare the Bologna food tours, and see our guide to things to do in Bologna. For the story of the cheese, read our guide to famous Italian cheeses.
Questions travelers ask
Which Parma food tour should I book?
Take the producers tour to see a Parmigiano Reggiano dairy and a Parma ham producer, for about $157. Take the private food walk for a three-hour tasting of the area’s food and wine in the city, for your group only, for about $129.
Do Parma food tours visit a Parmigiano Reggiano dairy?
The producers tour does, together with a Parma ham producer in the province of Parma, with transport from Parma station. The private walk tastes Parmigiano at three ages in the city but does not visit a dairy.
Is transport included?
On the producers tour, yes, in an air-conditioned vehicle from Parma station. The private food walk is on foot, about 3 km.
What happens if my train to Parma is late?
On the producers tour, late arrivals, including those caused by train delays, are treated as no-shows and are not refunded or rescheduled. Plan an earlier train.
Are Parma food tours suitable for vegetarians?
The private food walk offers vegetarian and gluten-free options with notice, but is not available for vegans.
Can I cancel a Parma food tour?
Both offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start, local time.
Book the producers tour if the point of Parma is to see the cheese and the ham being made; book the private walk if you want to taste the whole region in three hours in town. Either way, arrive hungry.
Editorial assessment by Italy2Love, September 2026. Inclusions, tasting menus, transport, meeting points, late-arrival and dietary conditions, accessibility, prices, ratings, review counts and cancellation terms read on both Viator product pages (product codes 208820P1 and 237138P1), September 2026. Reviews quoted with attribution to their authors and to Viator. Next review March 2027, or sooner on any change to either itinerary.