This was one of my most memorable part of my Italian trip. You MUST make a trip here to learn about balsamic vinegar, get complimentary tastings, and buy authentic balsamic vinegar! I ended up buying the twin pack of the balsamic and white vinegar, the 25 year old balsamic vinegar, and a walnut liquor (they happen to have a lot of walnuts and they make it into alcohol. it's very strong). I totally regret not buying the bigger bottle of their condiment balsamic vinegar though. Getting here from the main station via public transportation was quite stressful because I don't speak Italian and couldn't ask for help. BUT the people super helpful and nice. The bus driver actually got out of her bus to point to where I should stand and was extremely helpful. This doesn't happen in Los Angeles! In my experience, the people of Modena were extremely kind and friendly. Before your trip, contact them and book a reservation. The tour is free. How to get there via bus: From the main station, I took Bus 9, transferred at Modena Autostazione and took Bus 2A to San Donnino. You MUST take Bus 2A, not Bus 2 because Bus 2A goes a little further to your final destination. The cost is only €1.50 and you pay ON THE BUS. I thought I had to buy tickets before boarding like in Rome. The bus driver doesn't check to see if you have a ticket but there are officers who get on the bus at random stops to do a check. And I can tell you from experience that one old lady got in soooo much trouble because she didn't tap her card. She must have been a local trying to get a free ride. read more

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Absolutely charming, family-run restaurant serving traditional Bolognese cuisine. Our group loved this restaurant with its cozy decor and friendly, professional service. Classic dishes of the region are served here and were at the highest level of quality and flavor. One person in our group was celiac and the chef, Tiziana, makes gluten free versions of 90% of the items on her menu. They were better than any gluten free dish we've ever eaten anywhere. Everyone in the party thought they were as good as the traditional version with gluten. Tiziana is obsessed with making gluten free versions of her dishes to the point that she has a boutique mill make her specially formulated gluten free flour. We went for dinner three times and plan to go anytime we visit the Bologna area again. But don't think of this as a gluten free restaurant, it's an excellent restaurant that happens to offer unparalleled gluten free versions of its dishes. read more

It was interesting to see this facility and taste their vinegars. They let us come in at the end of the day without a tour and taste. It was a little awkward to taste and not want to buy anything but I didn't love the flavors more that the imported brand I get in the US. Plus I didn't want to load my suitcase up with glass bottles. But great to see how and where balsamic vinegar is made. read more

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If you are in Modena this is an absolute must! The family at Villa San Donnino has been making traditional balsamic vinegar for over 50 years. You can go on a free tour and taste test here. Davide was a wonderful host who showed us all about how traditional balsamic vinegar is made. At the end we had a lovey taste test and it was unbelievable to taste and see the difference between store bought (supermarket) balsamic which is not traditional, and the true balsamic vinegar. We were even able to try some balsamic on icecream which was surprisingly delicious. It was a great experience, believe me, go and try it for yourself. read more

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I cannot say enough good things about this tour. We were a part of a group of about 20 also taking the tour at the same time, but it still felt very personal. The our began in a lovely outside pavilion surrounded by the vines. Davide, the owner gave the history and background of the different types of balsamic vinegar, then provided tastings of the different types. We capped the tasting with a scoop of fresh ice cream, topped with the vinegar. We then toured the facility and got a glimpse of Pierce Brosnan's personal collection which is being produced and aging there. Davide was so kind and entertaining during the tour. We were a group of 7 and some of my family later admitted they did not think the tour would be very interesting but could not believe how much they enjoyed it. L Our two children, ages 8 and 10 also enjoyed the tour, especially the ice cream. We purchased many products that we gave as gifts and now are enjoying at home. If you want to learn about Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena, then this is definitely the place to go. read more