Host offerings
Cristina and Silvia inherited not only their father's acetaia but also his passion for balsamic vinegar making and food. They work alongside their colleague Rita who helps keep their passion alive by passing on their knowledge and traditions around vinegar making to travelers from around the world. Depending on the day, either Cristina or Rita will welcome you into the family home and treat you like family. Learn about the age-old tradition of vinegar making from your hosts who are passionate about keeping the family tradition alive.
Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.
Food tour (4 - 15 guests) Your vinegar tour and tasting takes place in an 18th century family villa located west of Modena en route to Parma. Cristina and Silvia are sisters that live in this beautiful villa. Depending on the day, your host will be either Cristina, Silvia or Rita. Start your experience with a tour of the family home that includes a big Italian style garden and acetaia on the roof. Both sisters and Rita love Italian food and products and explain how the different types of balsamic vinegar can be used in Italian cooking. Learn about how balsamic vinegar is made and aged in ancient barrels that their father purchased over half a century ago. After your vinegar tour, you will have a tasting of six different types of balsamic vinegar: three Reggio Emilia DOP traditional balsamic vinegars and three Modena IGP balsamic vinegars. If you decide to purchase any of the products they sell, you will receive a special discount on your purchase for having gone on the tour.
Languages spoken: #<HostLanguage::ActiveRecord_Associations_CollectionProxy:0x00007f7ee53eecf0>
A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.
This is for sure a unique experience in every sense. Never had I imagined that I would be drinking balsamic vinegar on a spoon. We arrived at Il Borgio del Balsamico by car since it’s the easiest and fastest way to get there. Cristina, one of the owners of the business greeted us at the entrance of the property. The house was amazing and looked exactly like one of those boutique ancient Italian villas. The garden was really nice too, with roses exotic flowers, and even fruit trees everywhere. With Cristina as our guide, we toured the house where her family actually lives in. She showed us the offices from where they run the business. But the last floor was the real jewel of the house. It is this floor where the family keeps the balsamic vinegar stored in wooden barrels for around 15 years before it goes to the market. Cristina’s family has been in this business for over 70 years and their brand is one of the leading ones when it comes to high end balsamic vinegar. The process of making balsamic vinegar is really interesting and captivating since the vinegar can remain stored for up to 50 years before it is ready to be sold. As with wine, the longer the vinegar spends in the wooden barrels, the higher the quality. After a thorough explanation of the production process, including its history and many interesting details, we went downstairs for the tasting. Cristina made us try some of the lighter options first and left the best award winner balsamic for the end. We tried five different vinegars and I can say that each one of them tasted completely different. Cristina also explained us the variety of uses you can give to each of the options. The experience itself was amazing and unique, definitely one of a kind. The perfect way to immerse yourself in the Italian culture and it’s flavours!
Ine, Traveling Spoon Ambassador
Pricing (per person)*
| 1 person | 4 people | 5+ people | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food Tour | Not offered | $25 | $20 |
| *Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout. | |||
| Lunch | Dinner | |
|---|---|---|
| Food Tour | 10:00am - 11:00am | 4:00pm - 05:00pm |
Traveling Spoon connects you with meaningful culinary experiences, from private cooking lessons to homecooked meals in people's homes. Enjoy an immersive cultural experience that gives you a glimpse into the local way of life.
