08:30 am – Your Parmesan Cheese Factory Tour begins here. Meet our guide in Parma and head on to visit an authentic producer of Parmigiano-Reggiano PDO: you’ll discover how the King of all cheeses has been literally made byhand in the same way since the Benedictine monks invented it 10 centuries ago! Fromthe curdling into the typical copper heaters to the salting and the final ageing in the so-called wheel cathedrals, you will be a privileged witness of almost all the steps of production of this out-and-out food icon. Tasting at the end.

To follow – Picture-stop at the medieval fortified village of Torrechiara dominated by its breathtaking castle: one of the most spectacular among the manors included in the Italian network called Castles of the Duchy, it dates back to the early Renaissance time and – with its gentle lines and the golden frescoes housed in the highest tower – it still represents the switch from the Middle Ages to the modern era.

11:15 am – Guided visit with final tasting at one of the local family-run ham factories producing the mythical Prosciutto di Parma PDO: you will get to know why the best ham can only be made in the hills of Parma, where the marino wind blows from the Ligurian Sea through the river valley.

12:30 pm – End of activities end head on to your hotel/next destination.