Culatello of Zibello Private Tour with Lunch and Farm Visit
Description
We will visit a farm devoted to the recovery of ancient local races, from the white-mantled cows to the ancient pig breed “Nera Parmigiana”. We will observe the vegetable gardens and the vineyards and visit the magnificent cellars of an ancient fortress of the early XIV Century, where the PDO Culatello of Zibello is cured. Few people know that this is the area in the world where the greatest variety of cured meat products is obtained from pigs. During the visit you will be able to understand the features and origins of the different products and the characteristics and the history of the king of cured meat, the PDO Culatello of Zibello. The visit will end with a rich tasting or lunch, a real joy for the senses! This is a private tour, run exclusively for you and your family or friends.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The Lowlands of the Province of Parma consist in the plain north of Parma. It is a territory characterized by the respect for ancient traditions, rich in history, art and genuine food, to discover and enjoy at a slow pace. Our route to the discovery of the Parma Lowlands starts crossing the strip of land running from the Parma Morta Reserve to Maria Luigia’s Woods in Torricella, near the meandering of the Taro river, to reach San Secondo Parmense, Roccabianca, places where it seems as if time has stood still.
We will see the Roccabianca Castle (exterior), that was built around mid 1400 by Pier Maria Rossi for his beloved Bianca Pellegrini, the beautiful frescoes and heraldic emblems in the portico that a recent restauration has brought to light. The castle is home to the Museum of Distillery.
We will see the main square of Zibello and the beautiful Palazzo Pallavicino (exterior).
We will visit a farm devoted to the recovery of ancient local races, we will observe the farm animals, the vegetable gardens and the vineyards. We will see the masterpieces of the local culinary tradition, such as Culatello, Fiocco, Spalla di San Secondo, Salami, Strolghino, produced and refined in the magnificent cellars of an ancient fortress of the early XIV Century, perfectly restored and endowed with a fine restaurant, where it is possible to enjoy the best of Parma cuisine.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Hotel pick-up and drop-off is included in the "Price including transportation" option. Pick-up and drop-off is intended within a radius of 15 kilometres of the city centre (Piazza Garibaldi in Parma). If your location is not among the pick up points listed, contact us to receive a customized quote for the extra transportation service. When travelers select the "Self-Drive Price" option, we'll see them at the Departure Point, they must provide their own transport and follow the guide in a separate car.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Minimum drinking age is 18 years.
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking.
- Available for gluten free with prior notice. Please advise when booking.
- Not available for vegans and vegetarians.
- This is a private tour, run exclusively for you and your family or friends.
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off is included in the "Price including transportation" option. Pick-up and drop-off is intended within a radius of 15 kilometres of the city centre (Piazza Garibaldi in Parma). If your location is not among the pick up points listed, contact us to receive a customized quote for the extra transportation service. When travelers select the "Self-Drive Price" option, we'll see them at the Departure Point, they must provide their own transport and follow the guide in a separate car.
Reviews(6)
Great discovery of this region of Italy with special thanks to our guide. A beautiful day
Hi Lucas, Thank you for taking the time to write this review and for your enthusiastic words! We look forward to having you as our guests again for new adventures in Emilia-Romagna. Best regards, Michelle Costa
Roberta and our driver, Guido, took us around in this wonderful and peaceful day in the area. Despite the rainy weather, we had a wonderful time. Guido picked us up in a beautiful and comfortable Mercedes right at our hotel, with Roberta meeting us and all of our luggage. At the end, they dropped us off at the station to catch a train to Milan. We had a delightful day chatting with Roberta as we made stops at some of the local towns for a coffee, pictures, seeing the castles, while she explained the history and the geographical importance of the elements of the area and creation of the local products. We ended at the local producer of the Cutello di Zibello and a delicious lunch with cured meats, pasta, local wine, and desserts. She took care of everything and we found the knowledge that she shared was excellent, but also just having conversations about our experiences, ours and her backgrounds, etc. We really enjoyed our day with her. Thank you Roberta! We would love to come back and bring our family and friends on this tour.
Thank you so much, Sarah! We’re happy to hear that you had such a wonderful day exploring this authentic and less touristy area with Roberta! Although the rain may seem like a setback, you have actually experienced the full charm of the Parma lowlands in its most typical fall climate :) We’ll be delighted to welcome you back one day with your family and friends to share even more of this beautiful region. Best regards, Michelle Costa
This tour is incredible! This is exactly what you come to this region for in every way. Michelle is so warm and knowledgeable about the region (being from Parma herself) and just beams with joy to share it with you. The pride for the food that’s produced here and the dedication to preserving it is downright infectious. We stopped at several historical sites off the beaten path, a family farm where the pigs are raised and produce is grown, and the otherworldly estate where the Culatello of Zibello is aged. This was a once in a lifetime experience! The estate has a Michelin star restaurant, a museum that gives a ton of background on how the cured meats are produced, a huge one of a kind aging cellar, and even a few rooms as a hotel. I couldn’t stop taking pictures of the landscape and the aging cellar. The Culatello of Zibello is the best thing you’ll ever taste. The other meats were also incredible. The portion was so huge we had to wrap a few pieces up for later - rarely ever happens to my husband and I. The pasta was also really delicious and local to the area. It was such a pleasure to share this experience with Michelle and we’ll be giving her a call for more when we come back to Parma!
What a fantastic experience! This tour was very personal and so much more informational than other group tours around Italy. We loved getting to know all about the area from our local guide, Serena was amazing! We got to try a whole tray of different meats from the region, some homemade pasta, and a lovely traditional dessert. Would recommend!
This tour is just extraordinary! We were only in Parma for a day and a food tour was a must do experience. I’m so glad I booked with Michelle! The location you will visit on this tour is absolutely beautiful and the lunch was delicious. Michelle is one of a kind! She has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the region of Parma, the history, the food, everything! She is professional and accommodating. She arranged our transportation and picked us up punctually right in front of our hotel. I immediately felt comfortable talking to her and we ended up sharing great stories! In addition to this tour, she also arranged a morning experience for us which included an incredible visit to a Parmigiano Reggiano plant. After the tour, Michelle gave us more recommendations for a few other places to visit and showed us where to get the best gelato in Parma! Thank you for making our short time in Parma so memorable, Michelle!
A special tour. Our guide Michelle and a driver picked my girlfriend and I up from the train station in Parma and brought us to an organic pig and curing farm where we learned how various cured meats, particularly Cullatello are produced. During the whole time she told us with specific facts and knowledge about the history of the region. After that we went to a special restaurant and farm where we could see hundreds of Culatello curing underground (the same basement featured on Anthony Bourdain). The whole time the guide Michelle was well-researched, friendly and answered your questions deeply. The format of the private tour gives you flexibility and the ability to ask lots of questions. At the end of the tour, Michelle gave us recommendations for things to do in town and even helped us purchase awesome Parmigiano from her favorite specialty store. Would recommend this experience for all!
Dear Alex, Thank you for your kind words, it was a pleasure to meet you and Layla. I Hope you’ll keep nice memories of the beautiful countryside we crossed together and that the special Parmigiano Reggiano you bought will make you remember its scents and colours.. A warm greeting from Emilia Romagna, Michelle
