Prosciutto di Parma
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Prosciutto di Parma is a pork leg cured with sea salt and nothing else. The production rules the Consortium publishes (the version dated May 17, 2025) set a minimum age of 14 months, not the 12 you will still read in older guides. The hams come only from Italian Large White, Landrace and Duroc pigs, slaughtered at nine months or older.
In Parma it is cheap by foreign standards: about €35 per kg at a dairy shop on the edge of town in September 2026. The problem is getting it home. USDA names prosciutto from Italy as something travelers may not bring into the US, and GOV.UK bans EU pork outright.
At a glance
- Ingredients
- Pork leg and sea salt. No nitrites, nitrates or other additives.
- Minimum age
- 14 months under the production rules in force (May 2025 text), counted from the month the leg is sealed.
- Price
- Caseificio Ugolotti, Parma, September 29, 2026: a 1.6–1.7 kg piece €59.50; a whole boneless 24-month ham of 8–9 kg €298. Both about €33–€37 per kg.
- In a restaurant
- A plate costs €11 at Trattoria del Tribunale and €12 (30-month) at Ai Due Platani.
- Museum
- Museo del Prosciutto, Langhirano: €5, weekends and holidays 10 a.m.–6 p.m., March 1 to December 8.
- Customs
- US: USDA bars travelers from bringing Italian prosciutto. UK: pork from the EU is banned.
In this guide
The rules behind the crown
- Where: producers must sit south of the Via Emilia, at least 5 km from it, no higher than 900 m, between the Enza river to the east and the Stirone stream to the west. The Consortium counts 126 producers.
- What: pork and sea salt. The Consortium stresses there are no nitrites or nitrates.
- How long: at least 14 months. A trimmed ham loses more than a quarter of its weight as it cures; a finished ham must weigh 8.2 to 12.5 kg.
- The marks: the breeder tattoos both legs within 30 days of birth; a metal seal with CPP and the curing date follows; the five-point Ducal Crown is fire-branded at the end. Pre-sliced packs carry the crown in a black triangle, and slicing may only happen inside the production zone.
Our explainer on DOP labels covers how to spot the crown and the fakes.
What it costs
Caseificio Ugolotti, a dairy at Via Emilio Lepido 72 in Parma that also sells salumi, listed on September 29, 2026:
| Cut | Weight | Price | Per kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piece (trancio) | 1.6–1.7 kg | €59.50 | About €35–€37 |
| Whole boneless, 24 months | 8–9 kg | €298 | About €33–€37 |
For comparison, culatello in the same shop works out at about three times as much per kilo. Sliced to order at a counter, you pay for what you eat that day.
Where to eat it
- Trattoria del Tribunale, Vicolo Politi 5: Prosciutto di Parma from Leporati, €11, and prosciutto e melone, €13, on its live menu.
- Trattoria Ai Due Platani, Coloreto: 30-month prosciutto (Tanara 800, Moragnano) €12 on the spring 2026 menu.
- Ristorante Cocchi: 30 to 36-month prosciutto, alone or with culatello, on the September 27, 2026 menu (no prices printed).
Order it with torta fritta, the fried dough Parma serves alongside.
Langhirano: the museum and the ham houses
The Museo del Prosciutto is in the former Foro Boario cattle market, Via Bocchialini 7, Langhirano, about 24 km (15 miles) and 32 minutes' drive from Piazza Garibaldi. From March 1 to December 8 it opens Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; weekdays only by booking with a guided visit. Entry is €5, and a breadstick wrapped in prosciutto costs €3 extra. See the Food Museums page for the other five.
To see hams curing, book a prosciutto house visit. Pair it with Torrechiara Castle, which sits on the same road.
Carrying it home: no, and no
- United States: USDA's traveler page (updated January 13, 2026) says cured hams, including prosciutto, and salami "from areas within France, Germany, Italy and Spain may not be brought into the United States by travelers". They may only enter in commercial shipments with extra certification. Vacuum packing does not change this.
- Great Britain: GOV.UK lists pork and products made from it among the items you cannot bring in from the EU.
Buy it at home from an importer. The crown on the pack is the same.
Tickets and tours you can book
Parma: Parmigiano Production and Parma Ham Tour & Tasting
Meets at the NH Parma hotel by the station (or Reggio Emilia AV). Late arrivals count as no-shows. No open-toed shoes; not wheelchair accessible.
Rating as shown on GetYourGuide
Parma: Prosciutto di Parma Tour
Starts 2 p.m. at the NH Parma hotel. Max 8. Not for vegetarians. Pairs with a morning dairy visit on the same day.
Rating as shown on GetYourGuide
Booking through these links supports this site at no cost to you. Prices move by date, so we do not print them here; the official prices we checked are in the page above.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Prosciutto di Parma aged?
At least 14 months under the production rules in force (text of May 17, 2025). Many producers sell 24 and 30-month hams.
Can I bring Parma ham back to the US?
No. USDA names prosciutto from Italy among the cured hams travelers may not bring into the US, however it is packed.
Can I bring Parma ham back to the UK?
No. GOV.UK bans pork and pork products from the EU in personal luggage into Great Britain.
How much is Prosciutto di Parma per kilo in Parma?
About €33–€37 per kg at Caseificio Ugolotti's shop on September 29, 2026: €59.50 for a 1.6–1.7 kg piece, €298 for a whole 8–9 kg boneless ham.
What is in Prosciutto di Parma?
Pork and sea salt only. The production rules allow nothing else.
Further reading
Official sources
- Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma - Production rules, May 17, 2025 (official PDF) – Minimum 14 months (Art. 2c); breeds (Art. 5.1); 9-month minimum slaughter age; 8.2-12.5 kg finished weight; pork and sea salt only; slicing in zone; checked September 29, 2026
- Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma - Preparation (official) – Tattoo within 30 days, CPP seal, five-point Ducal Crown, weight loss over a quarter, no nitrites or nitrates, crown in black triangle on packs
- Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma - Territory and culture (official) – Production area boundaries (Via Emilia, 900 m, Enza, Stirone); museum at Langhirano's Foro Boario
- Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma - The Consortium (official) – Founded 1963; 126 producers
- Musei del Cibo - Museo del Prosciutto, hours and tickets (official) – Via Bocchialini 7; Mar 1-Dec 8 Sat, Sun, holidays 10-18; €5; €3 breadstick with prosciutto
- Caseificio Ugolotti - salumi shop (dairy's own site) – Prosciutto piece 1.6-1.7 kg €59.50; whole boneless 24-month 8-9 kg €298; checked September 29, 2026
- USDA APHIS - Meat, poultry and seafood for travelers (official) – Cured hams and salami from Italy may not be brought in by travelers; updated January 13, 2026
- GOV.UK - Bringing food into Great Britain (official) – Pork and pork products from the EU not allowed
- Trattoria del Tribunale - live menu (leggimenu) – Prosciutto di Parma Leporati €11; prosciutto e melone €13
- Trattoria Ai Due Platani - menu, spring 2026 (PDF) – 30-month prosciutto €12
