About this tour
Explore Bologna's medieval market quarters and taste your way through the city's culinary traditions on this 2.5-hour food tour. You'll navigate the tight lanes of Quadrilatero, sample regional staples at family-run shops—from espresso and tigelle to aged Parmigiano Reggiano—then sit down with a master pasta maker to learn how tortellini are folded by hand. The tour wraps with a proper Bolognese lunch of tagliatelle al ragù and tortellini in brodo, washed down with local Pignoletto wine.
Highlights
- Watch a sfoglina roll and shape pasta using generations-old technique
- Learn tortellini folding and take home the skill
- Taste espresso, tigelle, and premium cold cuts at Quadrilatero
- Sample aged Parmigiano Reggiano with traditional balsamic
- Two-course lunch with Emilia-Romagna wine pairing
- Visit working neighbourhood shops, not tourist setups
What to expect
You'll start at Piazza Maggiore and weave into the medieval Quadrilatero, stopping at small grocers and food stalls where owners still make things the old way. There's a live pasta-rolling demonstration—you'll see the rhythm and pressure required to get the dough paper-thin. Then comes the hands-on bit: a sfoglina will guide your hands through folding tortellini, a fiddly task that takes practice. Lunch is a sit-down affair at a neighbourhood trattoria where the ragù has been simmering since morning. Expect to eat well and slowly.
Good to know
Declare dietary needs upfront; gluten-free isn't feasible on this tour. Wear comfortable shoes for cobbled streets. Public transport links are nearby if you need them. Water's provided, but bring cash for any extras. The tour suits all fitness levels.
Tour sold and operated by Viator via Viator. Descriptions on this page are original BugBitten summaries written by our team — not copied from the operator. Prices and availability are confirmed at checkout.