Food tour in Bologna

Barbara, here's what I posted on a related thread.

We used www.italiandays.it this past June and had a lovely day. We
learned a lot about Parmesan cheese making, actually going into the
factory to see the process. We also had great insights into balsamic
vinegar, and the different quality levels thereof. Our visit to the
prosciutto factory was good, but not up to the level of the other two
stops. At this venue, Alessandro handed the tour over to an assistant,
whose English was not to the level where he could answer questions.

Aside from that, it was a wonderful experience, with two generous
meals included. And our first time having wine with breakfast!
Alessandro is great, very entertaining and very knowledgeable, an
excellent combination.

We were based in Bologna, and the driver picked us up just a couple of
blocks from our hotel, and returned us even closer. I definitely
recommend this tour.

In fact, here's a link to that thread. Perhaps it will be useful or interesting:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/bologna-modena-parma-fb78a5e9-96f6-49b8-a676-a50676034586

I agree with Jane. Italian Days was by far the best food tour we have ever taken.

Us also, did this tour early in April. Great day. Go hungry.

I looked at some of the Bologna food tours and my experiences in Bologna are that a food tour is superfluous. The markets,restaurants and enotecas are easily walkable. Bologna is fairly self contained and easily walkable. Just walking around, tasting,looking, smelling is a trip of it's own. In my experience, most places will let you taste to see if you like it,not exclusive to food tours.
Plus I get to have a glass(s) of wine as I roam on my own time!

I loved the Italian Days food tour. Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is the one thing I always have in my refrigerator, and to see it being born and at the various stages of ripening was very enjoyable. There was SO MUCH CHEESE in that place, it was like the Fort Knox of cheese! I also enjoyed learning about balsamic vinegar particularly the "batteria" at the family-owned factory we visited. I agree with the previous poster that the prosciutto stop was the least interesting, but at that point in the day I felt like I had already gotten my money's worth.

Hi Barbara:
We found a food tour well worth the time and money during our June 2022 trip to Bologna.

Italian Days gets great reviews on these pages, but we ended up going on a tour in Emilia with Claudio, who I found through Air BnB experiences. https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/91363

It was one of the highlights of our trip! We visited a parmesan producer, then visited the cow farm, then a tasting (where my son had his first glass of wine!) We added on the trip to his cousin's tiny balsamic acetaia.

In Bologna, we did Delicious Bologna, which I also found through AirBnB. We wandered the Quadrilatero, peaking at all the shops and restaurants. Our first stop was Paolo Atti for rice cake (an actual cake, not the horrid stale thing one eats on a diet). We then walked to Bruno e Franco to taste meat, cheese and balsamic and get a full explanation of DOP vs. IDP. We visited a wine bar (then had tigelle at Trattoria La Montanara and wandered by the Bologna canal. Dinner was at La Salsamenteria, where I immediately spilled my orange juice, much to my embarassment and my teenager's delight. We dined on three kinds of classic Bologna pasta: tortellini in brodo, tagliatelle al ragu, and lasagne. And then gelato!

Adding in another vote for Italian Days. So much to experience and tons of information on all the steps and regulations that go into making each product. Very fun and enlightening. Second the same experience re: the parma factory with the guide. He was nice, but not the same level as Alessandro, but Alessandro is pretty amazing at what he does, so it's a high bar. One of the highlights of our month in Europe, for sure.

www.italiandays.it is the absolute way to go. I took my son to Bologna for the tour and it was the best experience I've had in over 14 trips to Italy. I'd do it again in a heart beat. DO NOT EAT BREAKFAST before you go, and plan on having a full belly at the end of this tour. Alessandro is an incredible tour guide, I do not know where he gets his energy...book with him if you can. I still have "fast food kills" card from our trip taken over 6 years ago !

you might also crib from the people that Stanley Tucci and Alex Polizzi visit in that fair city

https://www.tastebologna.net/classic-bologna

I did a walking food tour in Bologna with Tasta Bologna. It was in November 2019, but they are operating now and still have very good reviews. Another option to consider that will keep you on the ground in actual Bologna.

Very down to earth and we enjoyed coffee, markets, delis, gelato, wine, balsamic, parmesan, ragu, pasta, all presented at a nice pace, in a low key, authentic way, with historical nuggets thrown in for good measure.

I would recommend without hesitation.

Thanks so much everyone!!