Modena: Food Tour & Private Balsamic Acetaia Tasting

4.92

(133 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I didn’t expect the air inside the acetaia to smell so sweet—almost syrupy, but in this quiet way. We’d just stepped through a creaky wooden door, and our guide (Francesca, who grew up around here) grinned when she saw my face. She showed us these old barrels lined up like family portraits. The oldest one was older than me by decades. I tried a drop of the 25-year balsamic on my finger—thick, sharp, almost smoky. It’s nothing like what you get in supermarkets back home.

After that, we wandered through Modena’s streets toward Albinelli Market. It was loud in there—people calling out orders for cheese or bread, someone laughing behind a counter. Francesca introduced us to a vendor who sliced Parmigiano Reggiano right in front of us; he handed me a crumbly piece and winked when I tried to say “grazie mille” with my awkward accent. The cheese was salty and nutty and kind of melted as I chewed it. We tried tigelle too—those little round breads—and gnocco fritto that locals apparently eat with cappuccino (which sounded odd at first, but honestly… it works).

The city felt different walking with someone who knew everyone. Francesca pointed out the Ghirlandina tower as we passed—she said locals use it like a compass when they get lost downtown. There was this moment outside the market where an old man waved at her and handed her a tiny paper bag of cherries “for her guests.” I still think about that gesture—it made Modena feel like a small town instead of just another stop on my trip.