The Culture of Food in Parma
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Parma
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May 25-31, 2025
While delicious ingredients come from all over Italy, the region of Emilia Romagna is particularly rich. When most non-Italians think of Italian food, it is the dishes of this region – lasagna, ravioli, tortellini, and tagliatelle – that they think of. All have their roots in Emilia Romagna. It is not a coincidence that Emilia Romagna has the most DOP and IGP (officially recognized and protected) foods in Italy.
Based in Parma, we will spend six nights and five very full days diving deeply into the culture of food that defines this region and makes it so delicious. Each day we will visit markets and food producers, eat, and cook.
Each day we will head out to visit different parts of Emilia Romagna, but you will have time in the late afternoon and evenings to explore the town on your own. Since we will be eating a lot during the day, we’ve left you most of the evenings free to explore the culinary landscape of Parma according to your own appetite.
Sunday: Arrival and Introductions
Hotel
We will be based in one of the great culinary capitals of Italy: Parma. We are staying at the utterly charming, family-owned hotel in the center of town, Palazzo Dalla Rosa Prati. Although our days will be packed with delicious outings, you will also have free time to explore this gorgeous town on your own. In your private room, you’ll find a copy of our schedule for the week, a map, a list of our favorite Parma places along with some snacks, a branded tote bag to carry your goodies during the week as well as some other goodies.
Drinks & Introductions
At 7 pm, we meet for the first of many meals together. Our location this evening is in an apartment that belongs to the hotel, facing the rose-colored Romanesque Baptistery. The comfortable living room is where we will get to know each other. As we enjoy a glass of wine while munching on chunks of Parmigiano Reggiano, we will talk about our plans for the week.
Dinner
We will then walk around the corner to one of my favorite restaurants in Parma where we’ll enjoy our first meal together.
Monday: Parma and Culatello
Parma
After breakfast, we will meet our friend Alice, our favorite ‘know it all’ in the region. Alice is from Parma and will join us for many of our delicious adventures, sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm.
This morning Alice will take us for a stroll around the historical center of Parma. During this walk, we’ll learn the history of our home for the next week and get ourselves oriented. We’ll stop by some of the major monuments along the way and sit down for a mid-morning coffee in one of my favorite cafes.
Then we’ll get on our bus for an afternoon adventure.
Culatello
If you haven’t heard of Culatello, it’s because this precious little ham never makes its way to the US. Today we are going to see how it is made. This cut of meat is made in only eight small towns that hug the river Po, taking advantage of the foggy weather that turns this ham into silky loveliness. We’ll visit one of the few makers of Culatello and their stately villa, where we will have a delicious three-course lunch. Afterward, a walk around the estate, including a trip to the cellar where over 4000 hams hang from the rafters!
Dinner
After our long day and huge lunch, you are on your own for dinner.
Tuesday: Parmigiano Reggiano
Parmigiano Reggiano
After an early breakfast, we head just outside town to begin our education about one of the most important ingredients in this part of the world: Parmigiano Reggiano. We will meet Alice at a farm just outside of Parma. Here we’ll learn all about Parmigiano Reggiano: the rules that govern its production, the animals that provide the milk, and of course, how it is made and then aged. We’ll then sit down and taste our way through 12, 18, 24, and 36-month-old samples
Lunch
For lunch we are invited into the private home of Antonia. Antonia was brought up in Parma and her free-standing house is located within a private park that was built by her grandfather. We will get a chance to chat with her over glasses of prosecco and nibbles before we head into the kitchen to prepare lunch: Pollo alla Duchessa and Pumpkin Sformato.
Dinner
This evening we stop by everyone’s favorite place in Parma to grab a bite and indulge in a glass of local natural wine. We will be doing both.
Wednesday: Pasta and Balsamico
Modena
After breakfast, we head to nearby Modena. Like Parma, Modena has a rich food history. We will meet our friend Caterina, who is from Modena, to explore. Our first stop is one of the oldest bakeries in town, where we will have a sweet treat. Then we will visit Mercato Albinelli. Considered by many to be one of the most beautiful markets in Italy, the turn-of-the-century wrought iron structure houses food stands with produce, cheeses, cured meats, and pasta. You’ll have a bit of free time to shop for goodies. Along the way, we’ll also stop by the Basilica of Modena and learn about its history.
Pasta
Some of the most famous stands in the market are the ones selling pasta. We now head to a local cooking school to learn how to make it ourselves.
We’ll be trying our hands at tagliatelle, rosette, and tortellini. Afterward, we’ll eat our handy work for lunch, along with a delicious local chocolate cake: Torta Barozzi.
Balsamico Tradizionale
Our next stop is to learn all about one of the most famous ingredients from this part of the world: Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale. We’ll visit a Balsamico maker to learn how this precious elixir is made, visiting their aging room and tasting ‘extra aged’ Aceto Balsamico di Modena.
Dinner
Free time on your own this evening. We are happy to help you plan your time.
Thursday: Villages and Wine
Vigoleno
Today we head to the hills north of Parma, where time seems to stand still. Our first stop is at the Castello di Vigoleno, which is so perfectly preserved it seems like a movie set of the perfect castle. We will stroll through this medieval town and visit the romanesque church, San Giorgio.
Winery
Our next stop is a very special winery where we’ll learn how their award-winning vin santo is made. It is one of the smallest wineries to carry the DOC label in Italy and is the only winery that makes this passito dessert wine.
Lunch
For lunch, we will go to one of the oldest restaurants in Castell’Arquato. Owned by the
same family for over 85 years, we’ll sit down to enjoy some of their dishes, including the salami and hams they cure themselves. We will also have pisarei e fasò, a local version of pasta e fagioli, and their most famous dish: guinea fowl cooked in clay.
Castell’Arquato
After lunch we’ll visit the perfectly preserved medieval village of Castell’Arquato. Originally a fortress, it enjoys breathtaking views of the surrounding valley. We’ll visit the Collegiata dell’Assunta and its charming chapels, the main square dominated by the imposing Rocca Viscontea and adjoining garden, the Palazzo del Duca, and Podestà.
Dinner
On your own this evening.
Friday: Castles and Prosciutto
Torrechiara
After breakfast at the hotel, we will head south with Alice.
Our first stop is in one of the most beautiful buildings in the region: the Castle of Torrechiara. Built in the 15th century as a fort for Count de Rossi and a home to his beloved mistress Bianca. We will visit the Renaissance decorated rooms, including the matrimonial bedroom, dining room, and suite of frescoed rooms. We’ll also see the ancient kitchen, one of the few to survive from this period.
Prosciutto
We then visit one of the best prosciutto di Parma makers in the area. By the end of the week, we will have probably eaten our weight in prosciutto, but today we see how it is made and
aged in this family-run business. We’ll then have a guided tasting of three different ages of prosciutto.
Lunch
For lunch, we head to the outskirts of Parma, to another very old restaurant. It is not just one of the best trattorie in Parma; it is considered to be one of the best in Italy.
Afternoon
You have the entire afternoon free to shop and explore Parma on your own.
Dinner
Our final dinner is at one of the best and most elegant restaurants in Parma, La Forchetta. We will bid farewell in their private dining room.
Saturday: Departure
Check-out
Our tour is officially over, and after one last breakfast, you will be checking out of the hotel.
Is This Tour For You?
The Culture of Food
Our tours are about exploring places through the culture of food. This means that almost all of our activities are food-related. You can expect big meals and often snacks in between. If you do not have a big appetite, have food intolerances, or are squeamish or a picky eater, then this is not the tour for you.
Food Intolerances
This tour takes place in Emilia Romagna, where the diet is very heavy. Many of our meals revolve around local food traditions and will include meat and almost always cheese and pasta. If you are a vegetarian, lactose intolerant, or gluten-free, then this tour is probably not for you. (On our other tours we can provide substitutions, but not on this specific tour).
Activity Level
To fully enjoy our tours, it’s important that you feel confident in your mobility. Each day, we will explore a new town or village. We often get up early, and the days are long and will involve walking for up to an hour or more, often on uneven terrain, stairs, and getting in and out of a bus multiple times a day. While the level is never overly strenuous, you must be able to keep up with the rest of the group unassisted. Please let us know about any mobility issues before signing up.
Travel Companions
Many of our clients find out about us through social media and know what to expect: days spent exploring the culture of food through visits to farms, markets, and more. If you are thinking of bringing along a traveling companion (friend, spouse, relative, partner), please make sure they are aware of the types of things we will be doing. If they are not interested in food, visiting farms, eating in rustic settings, etc., they won’t enjoy this tour. Someone who is not fully engaged will not be happy on this tour.
Pricing:
Double occupancy (2 people in 1 room): €6900 per person
Single occupancy (1 person in 1 room): €7800 per person
Since our tours are based on small family-run businesses, we reserve the right to vary the specifics of the itinerary. We may switch days, add/change activities, or substitute locations. We send out an updated itinerary within 30 days prior to the start date.
Each Tour is limited to 12 guests
The fee includes:
- 6 nights in a private Suite at Palazzo dalla Rosa Prati
- Daily breakfast
- All of the meals, activities and transportation outlined above
- A copy of Elizabeth Minchilli’s book Eating My Way Through Italy
- A guide to our favorite places in Parma
Not included:
- Transportation to and from Italy
- Transportation to and from hotel
Concierge service: the hotel can help you arrange restaurant reservations, taxis, and cars for your free time, airport, or train transfer. We also have a trusted tour agent if you would like to extend your stay in Italy before or after our week.
A million thanks for an absolutely amazing and truly memorable tour. We loved every minute of it and so appreciate all of the time and effort you put into your tours. They are perfection! We can’t wait for the next one!
Kirby
Your Host for the Week
Elizabeth Minchilli
Elizabeth is one of the founders and owners of Via Rosa Tours. She has been writing about the joys of Italian life for 35 years. She is the author of 9 books on Italy, including her most recent, The Italian Table, Eating My Way Through Italy, and Eating Rome. She has written for over 40 publications, including Bon Appetit, Travel & Leisure, Food & Wine, and The New York Times. Her award-winning blog is where she has shared her passion for Italian food, writing about recipes, meals, and restaurants for the past 15 years. She now publishes one of the best-selling travel newsletters on Substack. She has been leading food tours since 2011, and you can read about them in magazines and in this article from the New York Times. You can follow Elizabeth on her very active Instagram and TikTok accounts, where she shares scenes from daily life, including her tours.