The short version: base yourself in Bologna. It has the trains, the food tours, the pasta classes and the widest choice of producer tours; Parma is calmer, closer to the ham and cheese and worth a night if you have three days or more. Modena is a day trip from either. Below is the comparison, the two-day and four-day plans, and where the producer tours actually go.
Side by side
| Bologna | Parma | Modena | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Getting there | Hub: Florence 40 minutes, Milan 1 hour by fast train | 1 hour from Bologna, 90 minutes from Milan | 20 to 30 minutes from Bologna by train |
| City food | Quadrilatero markets, tortellini, tagliatelle al ragù, mortadella | Ghiaia market, prosciutto sliced to order, torta fritta, anolini | Albinelli market, balsamic, gnocco fritto, Lambrusco |
| Tours and classes | The most: food tours, sfoglina classes, full producer days | Half-day dairy and ham tours with transfer; a few food walks | Balsamic tastings, food walks, food-and-Ferrari days |
| Producers | All three products in one day with lunch, 100 to 200 dollars | Dairy and prosciutto close by, 50 to 150 | Acetaie in town; dairies nearby |
| Feel | Big, student city under porticoes | Elegant, quiet, wealthy | Small, orderly, car-obsessed |
Why Bologna
Bologna is where the region’s food is on display: the Quadrilatero streets with mortadella in the windows, the Mercato delle Erbe, trattorias serving tortellini in brodo and tagliatelle with the real ragù, and the sfogline rolling pasta in shop windows. It has the best food tours in Emilia and the best pasta classes, and it is the departure point for the full-day producer tours that visit a Parmigiano dairy at dawn, a balsamic attic and a prosciutto house with lunch. It is also the train hub, forty minutes from Florence and an hour from Milan. Two nights here covers a food tour, a class and a producer day. See Bologna.
Why Parma
Parma is where the ham and the cheese are made, in the hills around Langhirano and the plain south of the city, and its half-day tours to a dairy and a curing house are cheaper and closer than Bologna’s. The city itself is elegant and quiet, with the Ghiaia farmers’ market on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday mornings and salumerie that slice prosciutto to order. It suits a night if you have four days, or a day trip from Bologna. See Parma.
Modena in between
Twenty minutes from Bologna, Modena is balsamic vinegar and the Albinelli market, and its acetaia tastings are the best-value experience in the region. Do it as a morning from Bologna or a stop between the two cities. See Modena.
Two plans
Two days from Bologna: day one, a Quadrilatero food tour in the morning and a tagliatelle class in the evening; day two, the full producer tour with lunch. Four days: add a night in Parma with a dairy-and-ham half day and the Ghiaia market, and a Modena morning for balsamic on the way. The producer tours from every departure point are compared on our Parmigiano, balsamic and prosciutto tours page.
Frequently asked questions
Bologna or Parma for Parmigiano?
The dairies are between them; Parma’s tours are closer and cheaper, Bologna’s add balsamic and lunch.
Can I do Parma as a day trip from Bologna?
Yes, an hour by train, and the half-day producer tours meet you at Parma station.
Is Bologna worth two nights?
Yes; one for the city’s food, one for the producers, and the pasta class fits either evening.
Do I need a car in Emilia-Romagna?
No; every producer tour includes transport and the cities are on the same train line.
Which is the best food city in Italy?
Bologna has the strongest claim, and the region around it is the reason.
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