Ham & charcuterie
Ham and charcuterie trips lead to the towns where hams are cured and sausages made, with tastings at shops, markets and festival stands.
Bologna is a good base: Emilia-Romagna is the region behind prosciutto di Parma and mortadella, and food tours of the old centre around Piazza Maggiore stop at shops, stalls and small bars. The Dürkheimer Wurstmarkt in Bad Dürkheim takes its name, sausage market, from the quantity of sausages eaten there, though wine is what the September fair is about: Palatinate wine at long shared tables, with food stalls all around. Cured meats are made and sold all year, so a tasting tour is less tied to dates than a festival. Ask for small portions of several products rather than a large plate of one, and keep some bread for between tastings.
Ham & charcuterie festivals by month
Thesupermat, CC BY-SACheeseFeb 27 to Mar 7Paris International Agricultural Show
The Salon International de l’Agriculture at Porte de Versailles, 27 February to 7 March 2027: regional produce, tastings, hours and getting there.ParisView
Zonk43, CC BY-SAWineSep 10 to 20
Rosapicci, CC BY-SA
Altera levatur, CC BY-SA
Vanni Lazzari, CC BY-SA
Nicolas Halftermeyer, CC BY-SA