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Parma

If reincarnation ever becomes an option, pray you come back as a Parmesan. Where else do you get to cycle to work through streets virtually devoid of cars, lunch on fresh-from-the-attic prosciutto and aged parmigiano reggiano, quaff crisp, refreshing Lambrusco wine in regal art-nouveau cafes, and spend sultry summer evenings listening to classical music in architecturally dramatic opera houses?

Starting from its position as one of Italy's most prosperous cities, Parma has every right to feel smug. More metropolitan than Modena, yet less clamorous than Bologna, this is the city that gave the world a composer called Verdi and enough ham and cheese to start a deli chain. Stopping here isn't an option, it's a duty.

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Parma.

  • Christian Site

    Battistero

    Overshadowing even the cathedral, the octagonal pink-marble baptistery on the south side of the piazza is one of the most important such structures in…

  • Park

    Labirinto della Masone

    The opening of the world's largest maze in 2015 fulfilled a lifetime dream of art publisher Franco Maria Ricci, who once published what many considered to…

  • Gallery

    Galleria Nazionale

    The Galleria Nazionale displays Parma’s main art collection in dark and ambiently affective environs. Alongside works by local artists Correggio and…

  • Cathedral

    Duomo

    Another daring Romanesque beauty? Well, yes and no. Consecrated in 1106, Parma has a classic Lombard-Romanesque facade, but inside, the gilded pulpit and…

  • Castle

    Castello di Torrechiara

    Magnifico Pier Maria Rossi's impressive Torrechiara Castle is one of the most important examples of Italian castle architecture and is considered one of…

  • Museum

    Palazzo della Pilotta

    Looming over the manicured lawns and modern fountains of Piazza della Pace, this monumental palace is hard to miss. Supposedly named after the Spanish…

  • Piazza

    Piazza del Duomo

    Flanked by a harmonious trio of buildings – the duomo, campanile and baptistry – Parma's cathedral square is one of the city's most elegant public spaces.

  • Museum

    Ape Parma Museu

    This 2018 addition to Parma's cultural landscape houses the relocated works of Amedeo Bocchi, a 20th-century Parma-born artist whose painting owes a debt…

  • Bridge

    Ponte Romano Spazio Aemilia

    Parma's Roman Bridge originally dates to 187 BC and re-opened to the public after extensive renovations in 2018. Two of the bridge's 11 arches are now…

  • Museum

    Pinacoteca Stuard

    Giuseppe Stuard was a 19th-century Parmese art collector who amassed 600 years worth of epoch-defining art linking the Tuscan masters of the 1300s to…

  • Theatre

    Teatro Farnese

    Rebuilt to original plans after WWII bombing, this stunning theatre is almost entirely made out of wood. The great Monteverdi, frustrated by the theatre's…

  • Piazza

    Piazza Garibaldi

    On the site of the ancient Roman forum, Piazza Garibaldi is Parma's cobbled hub bisected by the city's main east–west artery, Via Mazzini, and its…

  • Park

    Parco della Cittadella

    Parma's favourite city park is set inside a cinematic 16th-century pentagonal fortress surrounded by an intact 10m-high wall. Restored and made into a…

  • Museum

    La Casa del Suono

    Housed in the 17th-century Chiesa di Santa Elisabetta is this funky modern museum that focuses on the history of music technology. Review the 'ancient'…

  • Church

    Chiesa di Santa Maria della Steccata

    Behind the Palazzo del Governatore in the Chiesa di Santa Maria della Steccata, you’ll find some of Parmigianino’s most extraordinary work, notably the…

  • Museum

    Casa Natale di Toscanini

    At the Parco Ducale's southeast corner, the birthplace of Italy's greatest modern conductor, Arturo Toscanini (1867–1957), retraces his life and travels…

  • Museum

    Museo Diocesano

    On the other side of the square to the duomo, in the cellars of the former bishop's palace, this museum displays statuary. Highlights include a finely…

  • Park

    Parco Ducale

    Stretching along the west bank of the Parma river, these formal gardens seem like Parma personified – refined, peaceful and with barely a blade of grass…

  • Palace

    Palazzo del Governatore

    With its dramatic tower and a giant sundial added in 1829, this 17th-century palazzo dominates the north side of Piazza Garibaldi, Parma's central square…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Parma.

  • Activities