Walking food tour · Bologna
A progressive tasting across five local stores, from tortellini and mortadella to a balsamic aged 25 years.
Likely to sell out: over 15 tastings, two handmade pastas and artisanal gelato to finish.
The walk in four numbers
Why Bologna
No other city has as many porticoes as Bologna: more than 38 kilometres of them in the historic centre alone, recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021. This walk moves from shop to shop through that arcaded centre, starting beside the Fountain of Neptune.
Tortellini are a stuffed pasta typical of Bologna and Modena, traditionally filled with pork loin, prosciutto, mortadella, Parmesan, egg and nutmeg. Both cities claim to have invented them. On the walk, tortellini and tagliatelle are the two homemade pastas, served at a traditional trattoria.
Mortadella Bologna holds protected geographical indication status under EU law. It is a large cooked salume of finely ground cured pork with cubes of pork fat, traditionally flavoured with peppercorns, and it is among the cold cuts you taste.
Traditional balsamic vinegar is made exclusively around Modena and Reggio Emilia, from cooked grape must aged for years. Here you taste one aged 25 years with Parmigiano Reggiano, and the guide explains how it is made.
Stop by stop under the arcades
How the three hours tend to unfold, from the Neptune Fountain to the Two Towers.
Stops and tastings shift with the season and on bank holidays, so treat the order as a guide and let the guide on the day set the pace.
You gather at the Fontana del Nettuno in Piazza del Nettuno, beside Piazza Maggiore, and the guide begins with the city before the first plate arrives.
The walk opens with tigella, a small round bread of the Emilian Apennines, served as a pre-aperitivo. Then comes the central market and the artisan shops around it.
Cold cuts including mortadella, cheeses including Parmigiano Reggiano, fresh bread and local wines, with the wine stop at the city's oldest osteria.
The guide explains how this balsamic is made, and you taste it with the Parmigiano, a pairing that shows what a quarter-century in the barrel does.
Deeper into the old centre you sit down at a traditional trattoria for two homemade pastas, with more local wine alongside.
The last tasting is artisanal gelato, crafted since 1976, and the tour ends at the Two Towers, in the middle of the old centre.
On the plate
The tastings in the order they tend to arrive, with what to know about each.
Arcades, counters and fresh pasta
Photographs of the streets and foods the walk is built around; they show Bologna, not the tour group itself.
Which one
| Option | What it covers | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| The walking food tour | Three hours on foot with an English-speaking guide: over 15 tastings across five stores, cold cuts, Parmigiano Reggiano with a 25-year balsamic, tortellini and tagliatelle, local wines and gelato. It starts at the Neptune Fountain and ends at the Two Towers. | First-timers and returning visitors who want to taste a lot of Bologna in one outing, on their feet. |
| Lasagna and gelato class | Three hours with a chef-instructor at a cooking school near Piazza Maggiore: spinach pasta from scratch, béchamel and ragù layered into a lasagna, one or two seasonal gelato flavours, then an aperitivo of local cheese and cured meats with natural wine, plus a cookbook of the recipes. Runs with a minimum of two guests; not for children under 14. | Cooks who want to make a lasagna and gelato themselves and carry the recipes home. |
Check dates and open spots on the same GetYourGuide listing ↗
Two ways to eat Bologna
The walking food tour from the Neptune Fountain, and a lasagna and gelato class near Piazza Maggiore. Each card opens that listing on GetYourGuide; more Bologna options sit below.
Three hours on foot with an English-speaking guide: over 15 tastings across five stores, cold cuts, Parmigiano Reggiano with a 25-year balsamic, tortellini and tagliatelle, local wines and gelato. It starts at the Neptune Fountain and ends at the Two Towers.
Open this listing's dates ↗Three hours with a chef-instructor at a cooking school near Piazza Maggiore: spinach pasta from scratch, béchamel and ragù layered into a lasagna, one or two seasonal gelato flavours, then an aperitivo of local cheese and cured meats with natural wine, plus a cookbook of the recipes. Runs with a minimum of two guests; not for children under 14.
Open this listing's dates ↗More to do in Bologna
What to settle before booking
At the Fontana del Nettuno in Piazza del Nettuno, 40124 Bologna, right beside Piazza Maggiore. The walk finishes at the Two Towers.
The walk lasts three hours. Start times vary by date; open the availability calendar to see which are free for yours.
The walk is not suitable for vegans or for people with gluten intolerance, because the tastings are built on pasta, bread, cured meats and cheese. If you have another dietary requirement or an allergy, tell the operator when you book.
The walk is on foot and is not suitable for wheelchair users; baby strollers are not allowed. Wear comfortable shoes and clothing for the day's weather.
The guide leads in English. Your ticket arrives on your phone right after booking, with no printing needed.
Free cancellation runs until 24 hours before the start and the fare comes back in full. With reserve now, pay later you book a place today and pay nothing at checkout.
Notes from a Bologna food writer
Six stops from the Neptune Fountain to the Two Towers, with what to expect at each.
Read the food-walk note → the arcadesThe porticoes, their length and their World Heritage status, and what they mean for a walking tour.
Read the food-walk note → the pastasWhat each one is, how they differ and why Bologna and Modena both claim tortellini.
Read the food-walk note → cold cuts and cheeseWhat these two staples are, why their names are protected and what to look for when you taste them.
Read the food-walk note → the vinegarThe difference between traditional balsamic and the cheaper kind, and why 25 years is a milestone.
Read the food-walk note → planningWhat to know before you book, from dietary limits to the second option for people who would rather cook.
Read the food-walk note →FAQ
No. The walk is not suitable for vegans or for people with gluten intolerance, because the tastings are built on pasta, bread, cured meats and cheese. For any other dietary requirement or allergy, tell the operator when you book.
Plan to skip the next meal. There are over 15 tastings across five stores, including two homemade pastas, and guests describe the portions as generous.
Local wines come with the stops at the osteria and the trattoria as part of the tastings. Treat the walk as a tasting route rather than an open bar.
It starts at the Fontana del Nettuno in Piazza del Nettuno, beside Piazza Maggiore, and finishes at the Two Towers.
The three hours are on foot through the old centre between stores, so comfortable shoes matter. The walk is not suitable for wheelchair users, and baby strollers are not allowed.
Not necessarily. Stops and tastings vary with the season and on bank holidays, so the guide may change the order or the shops. Expect the same kind of tastings: cold cuts, cheese, pasta, wine and gelato.
There is a three-hour lasagna and gelato class near Piazza Maggiore, shown in the second card. It is not suitable for children under 14, and it is not suitable for people with gluten intolerance.
Yes. Up to 24 hours before the start you can cancel at no cost, and you can also book a place now and pay nothing at checkout.
Fares on GetYourGuide follow your date and group size and are quoted in your own currency at checkout.