Touring a Parmesan Cheese House
No visit to Parma or its environment is complete without the drama of watching milk transformed into wheels that, once cured, will become Parmigiano Reggiano, one of the world’s great cheeses.
A guided tour of a Parmigiano Reggiano® cheese house provides the opportunity to see how the cheese is made and to gain an understanding of why the aging is so important to flavor and quality.
Tips for Booking a Tour:
- Review the list of provincial offices that follows to determine which one fits in best with your travel itinerary. The office will contact a nearby producer to arrange the tour. Be sure to email your request 20 to 25 days in advance.
- Tours are scheduled weekdays from Monday through Friday, except for holidays. On request, they can be given in English or other languages besides Italian.
- Guided tours take about two hours; there is no charge. Visitors must arrive by 8 a.m. in order to observe the entire cheese-making process.
- You may have an opportunity to taste Parmigiano Reggiano cheese at the end of the tour and to purchase shrink-wrapped Parmesan cheese to take home.
Contacts for Your Tour
These offices correspond to the provinces in the approved production zone for Parmigiano Reggiano cheese: Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna (west of the Reno River) and Mantua (east of the Po River).
Parma: sezionepr@parmigiano-reggiano.it
Tel. +39 0521 292700; Fax: +39 0521 293441
Reggio Emilia: sezionere@parmigiano-reggiano.it
Tel. +39 0522 506160; Fax: +39 0522 506159
Modena/Bologna: sezionemo@parmigiano-reggiano.it
Tel.: +39 059 208630; Fax: +39 059 208635
Mantua: sezionemn@parmigiano-reggiano.it
Tel: +39 0376 327621; Fax: +39 0376322502