Cook with a cookbook author · Emilia-Romagna

Parma with Sophie Minchilli

WhereEmilia-Romagna, Italy

Length6 nights

Next departureNov 8–14, 2026

Price€6,400 per person

GroupLimited to 12 guests

StyleAuthor-led

Run byVia Rosa

A seven-day, six-night food week in Parma led by Sophie Minchilli with local guide Alice Rossi (November 8-14, 2026, currently sold out). Days cover culatello, Parmigiano Reggiano, balsamic vinegar, prosciutto, pasta-making and hill-town lunches, with evenings mostly free.

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Free to ask. We confirm dates, availability and price before you commit to anything.

What you will do

Culatello producer in a villa with 700 years of ham-making, cellar of 4,000+ hams
Parmigiano Reggiano farm visit tasting 12, 24 and 36 month ages
Lunch in a private home
Modena: Mercato Albinelli, pasta class (tagliatelle, tortellini) and Torta Barozzi
Attic visit to taste 12- and 25-year traditional balsamic
Castello di Vigoleno, a DOC winery and lunch in Castell'Arquato
Prosciutto di Parma tasting and Torrechiara Castle
Farewell dinner at a restaurant run by a prosciutto maker

Before you go

Eat the region first, then cook it. Everything here is free and saves to your trip.

Where to eat in BolognaStarred tables, local favorites and the dishes to order, with a place to save each one to your trip.Cook it first: Tagliatelle al ragùBest Bolognese. Make it at home before you taste it there.The Best 100One hundred restaurant dishes with a home version to cook this week.

Who leads it

Sophie Minchilli

Co-founder of Via Rosa; tour leader

Elizabeth's daughter. She has led food tours across Italy since 2015, wrote The Sweetness of Doing Nothing and appeared in Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy.

Alice Rossi

Local tour leader, Parma

Parma native with a degree in Gastronomic Sciences, a start at Academia Barilla and a guide licence.

Day by day

Day 1
Arrival and welcomeCheck in at the palazzo hotel to a welcome gift of snacks, wine and a Parma guide. Welcome drinks with Parmigiano at 6:30 pm, then dinner at a trattoria run by three women.
Day 2
Parma and culatelloWalking tour of Parma's center with Alice, then a historic culatello producer for a three-course lunch and a look at the aging cellar. Evening free.
Day 3
Parmigiano ReggianoDairy farm visit covering production rules and a tasting of three ages, then lunch at a local woman's home. Casual dinner at a natural-wine spot.
Day 4
Modena, pasta and balsamicoPastry and market in Modena, then a pasta class with lunch and Torta Barozzi. Afternoon at a producer's home to taste traditional balsamic from the attic.
Day 5
Villages and wineMedieval Vigoleno, a small DOC winery known for passito-style vin santo, and a long family-restaurant lunch of pisarei e fasò and roast pork in Castell'Arquato.
Day 6
Castles and prosciuttoFamily prosciutto producer tasting, 15th-century Torrechiara Castle, lunch known for tortelli with butter and Parmigiano, free afternoon, then a farewell dinner in Parma.
Day 7
DepartureCheck out; the trip ends.

Itineraries can shift with weather, season and host availability.

What is included

Included

6 nights at Palazzo Dalla Rosa Prati, Parma
Daily breakfast
All meals, activities and transportation in the itinerary
Gratuities

Not included

Transportation to and from Italy
Transportation to and from the airport/hotel

Practical details

Where you base: Parma (Palazzo Dalla Rosa Prati), with day trips to Modena, Castell'Arquato, Torrechiara
Where you stay: Palazzo Dalla Rosa Prati, a family-owned hotel in central Parma; concierge can book taxis, cars and transfers.
Group size: Limited to 12 guests
Pace: Full days with generous tastings; about an hour or more of walking daily, sometimes uneven ground and stairs, frequent vehicle transfers. Guests must keep up unaided.
Arrival and departure: Hotel check-in in Parma on Day 1, welcome drinks 6:30 pm; checkout Day 7. No airport/station meeting point published.
Who it suits: Committed food lovers who happily eat pork, cheese and pasta all day and want rural, producer-led experiences.

Good to know

Not suitable for vegetarians, lactose-intolerant or gluten-free guests; Via Rosa says no substitutions on this tour
Itinerary can change; final version sent 30 days before departure
Companions who are not food-focused may not enjoy it

Dates and prices

2026

Nov 8–14, 2026

€6,400 per person

Sold out, waitlist

Join the waitlist →

EUR 6,400 per person double; EUR 7,300 single (EUR 900 supplement). Land only.

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See all upcoming trips

Trip details are compiled from the published information of Via Rosa (Via Rosa Italy), who runs this trip. Dates, prices and availability change; we reconfirm everything with you before you commit.

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