Langhirano is located in the north of Emilia-Romagna Photo: stock.adobe.com/Rüdiger Fanslau
From our editorial team
Langhirano, not Parma, sets the tone for Italy's most famous ham.
Most people think that Parma ham comes from Parma. What sounds logical is not quite right. The real Prosciutto di Parma, the delicately matured, wafer-thin sliced king of hams, comes from Langhirano - a small town near Parma. An example of those quiet places in Italy that achieve great things without being loud.
Langhirano counts just 10,889 Inhabitants (as at 31 December 2023) and is located in the region of Emilia-Romagna, round 15 kilometres south of Parma. The municipality extends over 70 square kilometres and lies by the river Parma.
From north to south: this is how different Italian cuisine is
Where the ham is born
Langhirano is the heart of Parma ham production. Anyone travelling here will see elongated buildings with labelled shutters everywhere, behind which thousands of legs are slowly maturing. The town has the ideal microclimate that air-dried ham needs: the dry breeze from the Apennines, coupled with the humid air from the valley - a combination that naturally controls the maturing process.
This is where the most important factories and maturing cellars that produce Prosciutto di Parma are located - from the selection of the pigs to the final stamping with the five-pointed crown, the official seal of the consortium. A product with a protected designation of origin that can only come from this region.
Antipasto, primo, secondo? This is how Italy eats - and how to order correctly
See, smell and taste ham
Photo: stock.adobe.com/francescodemarco
Langhirano is not only a place of production, but also a kind of walk-in museum of Italian sausage culture. Those who wish can take part in guided tours of ham factories, learn why salt alone is enough - and of course taste it: wafer-thin slices that melt in the mouth, accompanied by a sip of Lambrusco or Malvasia.
Many tours combine the visit with stops at cheese dairies that produce the famous Parmigiano Reggiano - also a child of this region. It is a culinary journey where you learn more than a label could ever reveal.
Buffalo, burrata or fior di latte: the world of mozzarella
A castle straight out of a picture book
Photo: stock.adobe.com/ginettigino
Just a few kilometres away is another highlight: the Castello di Torrechiara, one of the most beautiful castles in Emilia-Romagna. Built in the 15th century, it towers over the valley and not only offers fairytale views, but also artistic frescoes and a feeling of travelling back in time.
The fascination of Cinque Terre: How five fishing villages became world-famous
