The day begins with departure from Parma at 8:45 AM. Head toward the highlands and visit an authentic cheese dairy of Parmigiano-Reggiano (Parmesan) PDO with a local host at 9 AM. This historical producer began in 1846 and is one of the few that operates with the full production cycle from grass to cows to milk to cheese.

Discover how the “King of Cheeses” is still made just as it was centuries ago by the monks who invented it. See its handmade production, the salt pools, and the “wheel cathedral,” a big aging room with real walls of cheese made up of up to 20,000 cheese wheels.

At 10:30 AM, transfer to the province of Reggio-Emilia to admire a real acetaia (vinegar cellar) housing ancient barrels of traditional balsamic vinegar. Learn the difference between the "black gold" and the balsamic condiments that you usually find in the supermarkets. At the end of the visit, savor a tasting of 3 different ages of traditional balsamic vinegar PDO.

Between 12:15 PM–12:30 PM, make your way back to the province of Parma to visit a real Prosciutto di Parma PDO producer. See everything from the fresh meat production rooms to the aging cellars before settling down for a final tasting lunch that includes Prosciutto di Parma PDO, other typical local cured meats, Parmigiano-Reggiano PDO, homemade cakes, local wine, water, and coffee. At 2 PM, the tour ends and you head back to Parma.