Published on Jun, 2024
I cannot express how amazing this private tour was. Laura is so communicative and intuitive. She wants to make sure you have an amazing time. I never met her in person but I just know she would have been a vibe if she was giving us the tour that day.
I made a mistake and didn't realize that Laura would track my train and be there exactly when the train arrived at 910. Thinking we had a few minutes to grab a coffee and a snack before 930, I felt so bad that Filippo was waiting outside for us. Thankfully, all was forgiven and we were able to head out almost on time.
I'm so grateful this was a private tour. It was the 4 of us with Filippo, traveling the gorgeous Emilia Romagna region between Parma and Reggio Emilia. The places you visit aren't set, so you may not go to the exact places we went, but I'm sure they are all amazing. Filippo told us that it varies because these are real working small businesses and honestly, this made me even happier we booked with Laura.
We started with balsamic in someone's attic. This was absolutely amazing to see. I hadn't realized all that went into making vinegar this way. It was amazing. I was also shocked at how much I didn't need translated. Was proud of myself! LOL!
Next, we checked out a reggiano parmigiano (yes, Filippo told us this is the way you should be saying it, darn Parma for taking the recognition) factory. Seeing the wheels of cheese and getting to taste all of the products was incredible.
Then we went to a salumificio, the same place we had an absolutely stunning lunch.
And to top it all off, we went to a vineyard and got to try some amazing wine. The vineyard was a surprise to me because when I spoke with Laura she said she would try to fit it in, but it depended on availability. So happy we were able to try their wines (and buy quite a few bottles.)
I cannot recommend Laura's Private Parma Food Tour enough. This was an amazing experience that I would do again and again.
