Mercato delle Erbe Tours and Tickets

Experience the best of Bologna with this exclusive 3-hour private tour that masterfully combines the vibrant energy of local markets with the elegance of a professional wine masterclass. The first part of the tour is a dynamic journey through the scents and flavors of the Quadrilatero Market, Piazza Maggiore, and the Jewish Ghetto. Alongside an expert local guide, you will explore the history of "La Grassa" (The Fat City), stopping at three historic delis to savor authentic local delicacies. The second part marks a distinct change of pace: your guide will escort you to a historic wine cellar where, in a reserved area, you will enjoy an hour and a half of professional wine tasting led by a sommelier. Here, three prestigious Italian red wines are paired with a rich platter of cold cuts, cheeses, balsamic vinegar, and a warm taste of authentic Bolognese ragù. The experience concludes with the interactive "Sommelier Game," a 10-question challenge to test your knowledge, complete with a digital certificate and personalized wine recommendations.

Explore the culinary traditions of Bologna with this small-group half-day food tour. Join a guide for a small-group walking tour and taste local specialties such as Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, Bolognese ragu, and mortadella. Begin the tour with a gourmet coffee, visit markets, and meet artisans at work to see how tortellini are made.

Explore the historic streets of Bologna with a private guide leading the way during this walking tour. See top landmarks including Piazza Maggiore, taste espresso under the famous portici (arched colonnades), and wander through the Mezzo Market. The itinerary can be customized according to your interests.

Follow your senses — and a gourmet guide — around Italy’s culinary capital on a private food tour in Bologna. Remove the guesswork from choosing eateries and let a local show you the best delis, cafes, markets, and bakeries scattered through the historic city center. Sample Bolognese specialties like tortellini and mortadella, discover new favorite dishes, and rest your feet over an aperitif at an indoor market.

Get a feel for Bologna on an intimate private walking tour. In addition to navigating and translating, your guide customizes the day’s itinerary according to your interests, planning stops at top landmarks and hidden gems loved by locals. Leave with an inside perspective on the city and a handle on its layout and transit system.

If you are a foodie, this is the perfect tour for you! You will be guided at the discovery of tastes and smells of the most authentic Bologna the fat, the Italina capital city of food! You will wander among the narrow street of the historical center as locals where you'll meet small artigianal producers and taste their hand-made products such as the mortadella, parmigiano reggiano DOP, tagliatelle al Ragu' and much more. You'll do shopping as a local and learn the needed italian words to do shopping in the traditional food markets where you can find the most typical products that give the city of Bologna the deserved prestige as the food capital of Italy.

I will guide you in a private tour of the city's best food spots, with focus on traditional Bolognese cuisine. We will visit small family owned shops like the Formaggeria Barbieri and Le Sfogline, taste homemade pasta, parmesan, prosciutto, local wine, balsamic vinegar, gelato and more. Veg alternatives are available. Hotel or B&B pick-up at no cost. all tastings are included.

Bologna is famous for its cuisine, but it takes a local to know where to sample and purchase the top specialties in the city. With this small-group tour, explore the top food markets, specialty shops, and artisan producers in the historic center and learn about Bologna’s rich culinary culture. Stop to sample traditional cheeses, cold cuts, and other delicacies (own expense), plus note your favorite shops to circle back to on your own.

Choose between the morning or the sunset tour (english-speaking escort included): MORNING TOUR: Strolling under the porticoes we will taste together the best of the local culinary tradition starting without a doubt with fresh pasta. We will then make a stop at the Quadrilatero, the city's historic open-air market open since the Middle Ages: we will stop at the city's oldest osteria where we will taste typical cold cuts and cheeses accompanied by a glass of the wines of the area ending with an excellent gelato! EVENING TOUR: As the sun goes down, Bologna wakes up and its nightlife begins: to start the evening, we cannot miss a typical Italian-style aperitivo from the 1960s, with cocktails inspired by the era. We will then make a stop at the Quadrilatero, the city's historic open-air market open since the Middle Ages: here we will stop at the city's oldest osteria where we will taste typical cold cuts and cheeses accompanied by a glass of wines, ending with an excellent gelato!

Discover the authentic soul of Bologna on a journey through hidden alleys and historic shops. This isn't just a food tour; it's a "behind-the-scenes" look at the city's culinary heritage. Start in Piazza Maggiore and dive into the medieval Quadrilatero market. Taste local icons: a perfect espresso, traditional Rice Cake, and warm Tigelle stuffed with premium cold cuts. At Mercato delle Erbe, enjoy Parmigiano Reggiano with authentic Balsamic vinegar. The highlight? An exclusive "pasta show" where a master sfoglina reveals ancient secrets of the rolling pin. You'll get hands-on to learn the unique twist and fold of the Tortellino—a skill to boast about! Conclude your experience with a classic Bolognese lunch of Tagliatelle al Ragù and Tortellini in Brodo, paired with local Pignoletto wine. A delicious, immersive journey into the heart of the world's food capital.

Learn the secrets to preparing authentic Sicilian dishes in your own kitchen with this online cooking class streamed live from Mamma Maria Luisa’s home in Palermo. Join her and her son Marco, a licensed tour guide who acts as the English-speaking interpreter, as they demonstrate how to make classic "involtini alla Palermitana", then try your hand recreating them at home by following the recipe sent in PDF form.