Parmigiano & Balsamic Artisans: In-depth Private Tour And Tasting

We spent an incredible, unforgettable morning with Erica! She took us to a small dairy so we could see the parmigiano reggiano making process, and then we visited an acetaia in a family home. Both experiences included tastings and opportunities to buy products, which was awesome. I’d highly recommend doing this private tour because you get really up close and personal with these masters of their crafts. And Erica was absolutely excellent — a great depth of knowledge about the region and these incredible artisanal processes. Plus very kind and funny — loved touring with her ❤️

This was truly one of the most amazing experiences I could have asked for. Thank you, Roberta for sharing your knowledge and history of these foods with us. We appreciate you so much! The cheese makers and farm that we were taken to were simply of the highest quality and beauty. To be so close up, to watch the very best in their craft was an honor. The same can be said for the traditional balsamic maker. It was incredible. If this was all that I did in Italy I would surely be content! A magnificent day!

This tour of parmigiano reggiano & balsamic vinegar facilities was spectacular. We booked a private tour, was a bit uncertain about the cost, but it turned out to be worth every $ we spent. The car pick up time was punctual, Roberta was fantastic (very knowledgeable and engaging in a relaxed way). She made the experience fun and informative. great detailed information and the tastings were well planned.

Thank you, Michelle and Artemilia Guided tours, for an unforgettable tour! We truly could not have asked for a better experience. Michelle’s depth of knowledge about every step of the cheese-making process, the art of crafting authentic balsamic vinegar, and the wine was remarkable. Each stop on our journey felt incredibly personal and special, with boutique locations and passionate artisans who welcomed us warmly and shared their incredible craft. The wine and lunch were absolutely outstanding, and the breathtaking countryside made the day even more magical. This was, without a doubt, one of the very best tours I’ve ever experienced. Everything felt thoughtfully curated, genuine, and full of heart. An absolute must-do — highly recommended!

Our tour guide Roberta was fantastic! We spoke very little Italian, but our tour was fantastic due to Roberta's knowledge of the process and previous life as a translator. Our tour started off early at the parmigiano dairy where we were able to see the cheesemakers perform every step of the process up close while Roberta explained what they were doing and why, the history behind the process and innovations, plus how parmigiano production fit into the larger food and history of the Emilia-Romagna area. We capped off with a tasting and then headed to the vinegar producer where we had the same (fantastic) experience.

Michelle Baleria Costo is a fabulous guide. She not only knows the history of the city she knows the history of the food. She took us to her favorite food shops in the city and taught us about the cheese , ham and balsamic vinegar. Then we continued to learn about the pastas. After which we learned about the gelato and then the cakes and cookies of Parma. It was a great day of eating and learning about Parma. I highly recommend this trip!!!

Roberta was so knowledgable and fun. To learn about a unique incredible craft was magical. We had a last minute booking and she was so accommodating. Would highly recommend!!!

Our tour guide Roberta (I hope I spelled right) is friendly , knowledgeable and professional. The tour is well organized and the experience is unique and excellent. Highly recommended.

Wow - Michelle was incredible. Full of knowledge and a passion for her home. Both of which are so clearly seen as she shares her vest knowledge on tours. She showed our tour group a parmigiano reggiano tour at Villa Aiola and balsamic tour at Acetaia Picci. Beautiful people and food. Thanks again, Michelle!

An amazing tour! If you’re unsure if you want to spend the money, I’d say book it. It was the highlight of our time in Parma. It’s such an authentic and informative experience. Cecilia is incredible and has extensive knowledge about the parmigiano reggiano and balsamic process. My partner and I can not stop talking about how great this tour was. Thanks again!

My husband and I loved this tour (late post as we visited in Oct 2024). Cecelia was our guide and she (along with the staff at the farm and the family at the balsamic location) made the whole experience very special and memorable for us. Everyone was very friendly, knowledgeable, and the passion that they share for these respective traditions was incredible to experience. Cecelia made it feel like we were visiting an old friend and we will definitely be back to visit again to explore more. Thank you Cecilia. Xo

We had an absolutely amazing experience on the Parmesan and Balsamic Vinegar tour with Michelle Costa from Artemisia. We chose the pick up option from our hotel which made it much easier for the trip. Michelle was an great guide, very knowledgeable and passionate about the local food and culture. One of the highlights was being allowed onto the production floor at the dairy. Watching the cheese-making process up close was fascinating, and it was such a treat to be behind the scenes. We also had a chance to walk around the dairy and see how well the cows are cared for which was nice. The visit to the balsamic vinegar producer was equally impressive. The tasting was delicious, and it was a real privilege to hear directly from the producer/owner about the aging process and the family traditions behind it. If you’re a foodie or just someone who enjoys learning about local culture through its culinary roots, this tour is a must. Highly recommended!

This was hands down the best tour! Roberta was an incredible host—knowledgeable, warm, and so passionate about sharing her world. We saw the entire Parmigiano Reggiano process from start to finish, beginning with the cows and ending in the aging rooms filled with wheels of cheese. Tasting cheeses aged for different years was a true highlight—each one more delicious than the last! Afterward, the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar tour was just as amazing. It was so cool to learn how it’s made, and the family’s dedication and talent came through in every detail. We left completely blown away by the craftsmanship, tradition, and heart behind it all. An unforgettable experience I can’t recommend highly enough!

What a fabulous experience with Michelle from Artemilia! She went above and beyond to guide us in getting to Parma from Florence early enough to be able to fully experience the parmigiano reggiano process (they start their days very early)! Guido picked us up from the train station & got us to the dairy farm, where the learning began. Each step of the process is carried out with such care, that it’s no surprise the quality of the end product is superb. Michelle’s knowledge and passion is evident as she shares the history of parmigiano reggiano, the quality control measures, flavor nuances (she’s a certified taster), and inspection protocols for this fabulous cheese. We also enjoyed visiting the cows responsible for providing the star of the show…the milk! The second, and equally impressive part of our day was visiting a balsamic vinegar house. Again, so much history involved and certainly a process requiring much patience, as the least aged vinegar is 12yrs old! The flavor is something that I will never forget or take for granted again. The pride in this generational family business is evident, and the awards won are proof that they know what they’re doing. This half day experience was a favorite & one you certainly will not regret booking for yourselves.

What a great experience to be right there while the cheese is being made. We learned about and saw the whole process start to finish. The balsamic tasting was so good. It was a great experience to be welcomed into the home of an award winning maker to see the process. Unforgettable tour with Roberta.

Michelle was very knowledgable! Kept us engaged, explained everything and very kind. She has great relationships with the balsamic and caseificio

Michelle is an expert in the art of teaching about the heart of Emilia Romagna. Her knowledge of the history, process and flavors of Parmigiano Reggiano and Aceto is enormous. Even greater is her passion for what she does. This is evident at every moment of the tour, which was one of the best we have ever done. Highly recommended!

Michelle is an expert in the art of teaching about the heart of Emilia Romagna. Her knowledge of the history, process and flavors of Parmigiano Reggiano and Aceto is enormous. Even greater is her passion for what she does. This is evident at every moment of the tour, which was one of the best we have ever done. Highly recommended!

We cannot recommend Michelle enough as a tour guide! She was absolutely amazing—her passion, knowledge, and generosity made our tour of the Parmigiano Reggiano production and balsamic vinegar truly unforgettable. Michelle brought every step of the process to life, explaining everything in such an engaging way that we left not only with a greater appreciation for these incredible products but also with a deeper connection to the tradition and craftsmanship behind them. Her warmth and hospitality made us feel like family. This was easily one of the highlights of our trip, thanks to Michelle. We wish there was more time to take additional tours with her on this trip!!

The experience was amazing. Michelle was an excellent guide, she provides many historic facts that make the experience fun and interesting. We were able to talk directly with the producers and had the opportunity to see the cheese and vinegar processes inside the factories at first row. We would love to come back to Parma and repeat this experience.

Michelle was wonderful! She provided such an interesting and thorough tour. She is incredibly knowledgeable and very skilled when it comes to Parmesan and vinegar tastings. We are so grateful for our time with her.

Very fun and informative experience. Tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. Would highly recommend to others as a must-do if you are in the Parma area. If you select the “self-drive” option, be sure to have your own vehicle and not just a taxi drop off as you will need to be driving to more than one location during the duration of the tour.

Cecelia was a great tour guide. We learned much about the process of making parmigiana reggiano. It was very interesting! The stop to learn about balsamic vinegar was wonderful. We felt very lucky to be able to meet Marco, the balsamic vinegar maker, and to hear his story and to taste along with his explanations. Overall, it was a great experience and we highly recommend it.

The entire experience was awesome! Michelle was super informative, personable, and made both tours fun! Thank you from Texas!

The experience & personal attributes of the tour guide and hosts opened our eyes to the craft of making Parmesan Reggiano & Balsamic Vinegar.

We really enjoyed every aspect of this tour. The attention to detail was second to none. Celia was knowledgable, attentive and enhanced our experience with her personal experience of the products. The perfect host. I would urge anyone with an interest in Italian cuisine to take this tour. Luigi was an excellent driver too. They went the extra mile by together helping us source a restaurant for our evening too.

Cecilia was great. Punctual and very informative. Clean car. The parmeggiano experience was unique. Very wise to go early to see the process from start

The process and production of making cheese was impressive. We were up close with the actual “cheese master”. Our tour guide, Cecelia was very knowledgeable, and friendly. Highly recommend.

What an incredible experience! My husband and I loved our tour with Michelle. She was so knowledgeable about the region and we really appreciated having a local perspective on the culinary culture. The parmigiano reggiano dairy was a once in a lifetime experience. We got to witness the cheesemaking process up close, taste delicious samples, and visit the cows. We also loved the balsamic acetaia. Michelle gave a great tour and it was a treat to have Marco guide is through the tasting of his product. We learned so much on this tour—I highly recommend it! Grazie mille, Michelle!

Amazing knowable guide took us both places. We learned so much about the making of parmigiano Reggiano and balsamic vinegar. Seeing it done first hand was such a treat. Then tasting samples of both products was awesome. We purchased many of both. Highly recommend.

This was an amazing experience - we can't recommend it enough! This private tour exceeded all our expectations. The Parmesan Dairy was incredible - we got to see all aspects of the cheese making process and learned so much. We also thought the tasting was great. This was also true at the Balsamic Vinegar stop. At both places, our guide was extremely knowledgeable and really helped us learn about both the history and current production of each product. This was a highlight of our trip.

My wife and I, Barbara and Chip Cannon, booked our tour with Artemilia very close to the departure for our trip. We could not have been more impressed by the knowledge, thoughtfulness and professionalism of Michelle our tour guide and co-owner of the tour agency. She even arranged to have her driver pick us up outside of Parma where we were staying in Salsomaggiore. She was wonderful and understood the processes involved with the making quality parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar. The farm/parmesan producer she took us to was a small venue, but it allowed us to be in the area producing the cheese while they made it. Really interesting. The balsamic vinegar producer was also a small production facility but was very interesting and just as much a character. Really entertaining. And the smells and flavors were fantastic. Now am not a huge favorite of organic wines created in the "old ancient way" (i.e. fermented in the bottle by adding yeast). Find them too efforvescent for my liking. But the vineyards location was beautiful and lunch was very nice. Probably would have preferred a prosciutto producer visit as I don't mind being around blood. Again Michelle Costa was wonderful, attentive, understood the processes and was very communicative. We can't say enough about her and her tour. Will highly recommend and she is all-knowing about her hometown of Parma. She probably should be on all the Parma billboards

We did the half day Parmigiano and Balsmanic Vinegar Tour with Michelle and it was the highlight of our vacation! It was so incredible to see the entire parmigiano process from start to finish, especially with a guide as knowledgeable and passionate as Michelle. She cares so deeply about the food produced in the region and is constantly going out of her way to become a more informed expert. It was so clear to us how much she loves the region and the produce created here and it made our experience that much more special. The balsamic vinegar portion of the tour absolutely blew us away and we haven’t stopped thinking about it. If you’re looking for an authentic experience while in the region, we could not recommend Art Emilia Tours more highly. We stayed in Bologna and opted for the transport inclusive tour, and were met by Michelle and her driver at Modena station, making it so easy for us to get around. Thank you Michelle for such a wonderful experience!

Beatrice was our exceptional guide. Above and beyond. Extremely detailed and passionate. Would recommend to anyone wanting to witness cheese making before your eyes. The balsamic was eye opening as well. Highly recommend

Our tour was great. Our tour guide was a wealth of information. She was very pleasant, spoke English fluently, was accommodating to our needs. The tour was very interesting and I'm glad we added the adventure to our itinerary

This tour experience was exceptional in every way--thanks primarilyto Michelle's knowledge, passion and professionalism. Here cheese and balsamic manufacturing artisans were of the highest quality,making it a fun, memorable and tasty morning.

Serena was our tour guide for this fabulous tour. She was amazing, spoke beautiful English and had lots of interesting details to explain the tour. We saw the entire cheese making process and then had amazing samples. This is a “must do” for your trip to Parma.

Michelle was an amazing tour guide! She took us to a wonderful farm and parmigano reggiano maker. Michelle was extremely knowledgeable about the process and the cheese was excellent. The balsamic vinegar maker Michelle took us to was fantastic. Again Michelle was very knowledgeable about the process, the balsamic maker was lovely, and the balsamic was like no other balsamic I have ever tasted. This day was one my family and I will never forget!

Out tour guide Michelle was outstanding! My wife and I have been on many food tours in the US and in Europe and Michelle was by for the best guide we have had. She was incredibly knowledgeable about Parmigiano Reggiano and Balsamic Vinegar, we learned so much. She was also so nice and personable. We felt like we found a new friend.

The tour was very informative. Michelle was incredibly knowledgeable about the cheese making and Balsalmic making process. We brought our 16 and 17 year old boys with us and they loved it! The tasting was delicious.

This was surprisingly one of the best activities/tours of our 12 day trip. Serena was so kind and knowledgeable. Her deep appreciation and pride for her home regions craftsmanship came through and we thoroughly enjoyed watching and learning about both Parmigiano Reggiano and Traditional Balsamic Vinegar.

It was my favorite tour. Everyone I met I told about this tour The cheese factory was amazing The tasting of cheese was awesome Michelle our guide was the best knowledge and took her time The ricotta was amazing They work so hard. I will eat my Parmesan reggiono very slowly from now on and enjoy the amazing flavor Thank you The balsamic vinegar tour was just as amazing The owner was a sweetheart kind and explained everything I bought all my balsamic vinegar to take back to NY I never knew what it took to make this delicious vinegar I would recommend this tour to everyone Thank you Michelle for taking us to two family owned businesses I loved it

We had a great time with Beatrice, our tour guide. She was so sweet and informative. The dairy farm and cheese making was very interesting and I’m glad we did the tour. My adult daughter really enjoyed it. Great memories.

Barbara was our tour guide and she was fantastic. This tour of how Parmesan reggiano cheese is made as well as balsamic vinegar was outstanding. Interesting, fun and amazing. Highly recommend!

This tour was the highlight of our trip to Italy! Michelle is incredibly knowledgeable about the processes of making Parmagiano Reggiano cheese and traditional balsamic vinegar. We learned a ton and she is a top-notch story teller. She also knows so much about art history, other places we were visiting, and other Italian made products. Wish we had more time to chat with her! She has very warm relationships with the owners of the places we visited, so the experience was in-depth, behind-the-scenes, truly a once-in-a-lifetime. The driver was very nice and the car was comfortable, too.

Unforgettable experience! Perfect! We have learnt a lot about cheese making. Sarena, the tour guide is excellent! Very attentive, passionate and knowledgable. Our kids loved it, too.

Our family including our 10 and 15 year old boys enjoyed this tour very much. It was good to see where and how the Parmigiano Reggiano & Balsamic Vinegar that we like are made to help us appreciate them more. Our guide was Lisa and she went above and beyond to guide us in the tour and helped with local recommendations and we enjoyed our discussions with her throughout the tour. If you are in the area, don't miss it. If you are thinking you can do this by yourself, don't, just book this. Thank you Lisa!

Do not miss this tour. Our guide was knowledgeable and passionate. This was an insiders look at the production of balsamic vinegar in the region. Thank you for a fantastic tour!

One of the best tours I have ever been on. Michelle is very knowledgeable and so nice. The balsamic tasting was amazingly eye opening. If you have not ever had traditional balsamic vinegar, you are in for a wonderful experience. I would highly recommend Michelle’s company. The vehicle was very comfortable, the cheese tour was fantastic and the balsamic was out of this world.