10 things to do and see in Parma

Don't trust those who say that to know Parma, you only need a few hours. It's not a quick stop to be done with a fast tour around the center: it's a beautiful Italian city, rich in important monuments, various churches not to be missed, an excellent museum, and a cuisine that you must try at least once in your life.

Start your visit at Piazza del Duomo, one of the most beautiful (but less known) squares in the world.

Not far away is the Palazzo della Pilotta, where you can visit two masterpieces in one go: the Teatro Farnese and the Galleria Nazionale, featuring works by Fra Angelico, Leonardo da Vinci, Guercino, El Greco, Tintoretto, Tiepolo, Van Dyck, and many others.

A separate discussion is warranted for Correggio and Parmigianino. The former reached the peak of his art by painting the dome of the Duomo and that of the Monastery of San Giovanni; the latter sought perfection in the frescoes of the Basilica of Santa Maria della Steccata.

These are just a few of the 10 things to see in Parma, the others can be discovered by reading this page.

1

Piazza del Duomo in Parma is one of the most beautiful squares in Italy and perhaps the world. In a harmonious and perfectly preserved ensemble, the Cathedral, the Baptistery, and the Episcopal Palace create a unique scenery and tell 1,000 years of history of this Emilian city.

The Cathedral is considered the most beautiful example of Lombard Romanesque architecture, and due to the long history of its construction, it serves as a real encyclopedia of styles. Begun around 1100, in 1526 Correggio completed an extraordinary cycle of frescoes in the large dome, inspired by the theme of the Assumption of the Virgin. The other key player in the square is the Baptistery, built by Benedetto Antelami at the end of the 1100s.

On the site where it stands, there was a stream that served to feed the large internal baptismal font. The exterior of the Baptistery is made of pink marble from Verona, octagonal (8 is the day of Christ's resurrection) decorated with a zoo for the animals, a large ring with real and fantastic creatures.

The entire exterior tells a story through images: the life of Jesus and Mary, the Baptist, death and resurrection, just as the decorations of the internal dome depict a Jerusalem after the end of the world, featuring the apostles and evangelists. An unmissable masterpiece. The last highlight of the square is the Episcopal Palace, now the bishop's residence and the Diocesan Museum.

The museum's path is chronological, covering the history of Christianity in Parma. The main figure in the museum is the sculptor Antelami, to whom it is dedicated, and includes "the Angel of the Dome", the original statue placed on the Cathedral's bell tower. Then, the two statues of the archangels Gabriel and Michael that decorated the Baptistery, and the two prophets also located at the north entrance of the Baptistery, and finally, the statues of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.

2

The Monastery of San Giovanni Evangelista consists of the church, the convent, and the Old Pharmacy of San Giovanni. The church was largely frescoed by Correggio, who reached the peak in decorating the dome: with an extraordinary perspective trick, the artist creates an imaginary open sky on which the apostles are reclining, with Christ at the center.

The figure of San Giovanni is barely visible on the cornice of the dome, beneath the circle of the apostles, and can only be seen from the presbytery. The Monastery can be accessed from the exterior, featuring its four cloisters, and, above all, the marvelous Pharmacy (or apothecary) of San Giovanni. Active only for monks since 1201, it represents a true journey through the history of medicine.

In the first room, known as "the Fire" room, the ancient counters for selling and scales for weighing the ingredients stored in ceramic and wooden jars can still be seen. In the second room (the Mortars), herbs and minerals were prepared. The third room (of the Sirens) contains valuable medical publications. In the fourth room (the Well or the Alembics), there was the actual laboratory and access to the well with water and the cellar where ingredients were stored.

3

The history of the Basilica of Santa Maria della Steccata begins at the end of the 1300s when an image of a nursing Madonna appeared on the façade of the oratory and quickly became an object of devotion. The number of people coming to see it was so great that it was necessary to build a railing: hence the church's name.

To protect the precious image, still preserved on the altar, this sanctuary was erected in the 1500s, with its dome entrusted to Antonio da Sangallo the Younger.

The masterpiece of the basilica is the under-arch of the presbytery dome frescoed by Parmigianino, his last work before his madness: it depicts The Wise and Foolish Virgins, the origin of which is found in the Gospel of Matthew.

According to the parable of the ten virgins, told by Jesus, 10 virgins awaited the arrival of the bridegroom, but only 5 brought enough oil. So, when the bridegroom arrived, the foolish virgins had gone to buy oil. Only the wise ones, who had brought enough, entered the feast.

4

The Palazzo della Pilotta is a monumental complex whose construction began in 1583 by Ottavio Farnese, who wanted it to simply be an appendage of the nearby Ducal Palace. The first part to be built was a "Corridor" connecting to a courtyard where Spanish soldiers often played "Pelota", from which the name derives.

Over the decades, other spaces were added to host the rich Farnese collection of books and artworks. The upper floors can be accessed through the Monumental Staircase, built based on that of the Escorial in Madrid. Today, the Palazzo houses the National Archaeological Museum, the Teatro Farnese (see point 6), the Palatina Library, the National Gallery (see point 5), and the Bodoniano Museum, overlooking the renewed Piazza della Pace.

5

The Farnese collection of artworks was much richer than it is now, but the last descendant, who became King under the name Charles of Bourbon, decided to move it to Naples.

The current collection, however exceptional, consists of paintings acquired in Tuscany from 1734 onwards, those returned after the French depredations, and, above all, those acquired by Maria Louisa of Austria, Duchess of Parma and Piacenza, from 1816 to 1847.

The chronological path allows you to discover masterpieces from the Middle Ages onwards by Fra Angelico, Correggio (Madonna of St. Jerome, Martyrdom of Four Saints, Madonna della Scala, the detached fresco with The Coronation of the Virgin), Parmigianino (Turkish Slave), Leonardo (Head of Leda), Cima da Conegliano, Sebastiano del Piombo, Giulio Romano, Dosso Dossi, Carracci, Guercino, El Greco, Van Dyck, Bronzino, Tintoretto, Canaletto, Bellotto, Tiepolo.

6

In the Pilotta complex, there is a theater that immediately became an example for the entire world. The Teatro Farnese, built between 1616 and 1618 in the southern wing, was used by Duke Ranuccio I Farnese to celebrate Cosimo II de' Medici's stop in Parma. For the time it was built, the theater is an example of creativity and technique: the stage setup was movable, characters could be lowered from above, and there was an ingenious system for flooding the stage of the auditorium.

However, all this grace did not serve much: the Farnese, in fact, used the theater only 9 times, as a private space, never opening it to the city.

Thus there were very few performances, of not very high quality, except for the inauguration in 1628 with music by Monteverdi.

Having declined for many centuries, in 1944 a bomb destroyed much of it. Recovered starting in the 1950s, it was rebuilt according to the original design.

7

The Monastery of San Paolo in Parma contains a masterpiece of Italian Renaissance little known to most people. It is the Camera di San Paolo, or the Abbess's Room, frescoed by Correggio in 1519.

The abbess referred to by the name is Giovanna da Piacenza, a wealthy and cultured woman, who invited artists and intellectuals to Parma.

The extraordinary nature of Correggio's fresco lies in the illusionistic effect:the room has an almost cubic shape with a late Gothic structure, completely hidden by the decorations.

A pergolato of foliage and intertwined vines in which putti move, Diana (goddess of chastity referencing Giovanna da Piacenza), heads of rams, mythological figures.

Although it has never been confirmed, it is believed that Correggio was inspired by two great Roman works: the Stanza della Segnatura of Raphael in the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel of Michelangelo.

8

Even though it is not as known as La Scala in Milan, La Fenice in Venice, or San Carlo in Naples, the Teatro Regio di Parma has always been a temple of music in Italy and in the world.

Parma itself has been considered a "City of Music" for centuries, and its enthusiasts are recognized as the most knowledgeable and demanding in the world. It was so on May 16, 1829, the day of its inauguration.

That was certainly not the welcome that Maria Luigia d'Asburgo, Napoleon's wife, expected, who commissioned its construction. Vincenzo Bellini, who staged Zaira, was met with boos.

The libretto was inadequate, the music altered, the premiere delayed for too long. It was a real disaster. The Teatro Regio can be visited with a guide who explains its history on a 30-minute journey through the Foyer, the Stalls, and the Ridotto.

9

When one thinks of the food of Parma, three things come to mind: prosciutto crudo, stuffed pasta, and Parmigiano Reggiano. The DOP prosciutto crudo, famous worldwide, is just one of the cured meats that this part of the Po valley has given us. A few kilometers from Parma lies Zibello, home of the famous culatello, the finest of the hams.

Not far away is also Felino, birthplace of salami.

But then there's the coppa di Parma, the cooked shoulder, the fiocchetto, and so on. Nothing more needs to be said about Parmigiano, the most famous cheese in the world.

From the union of egg pasta, cheese, herbs, ham, other types of meat, and Parmesan, come some of Parma's famous first courses. Anolini, cappelletti, tortelli along with tagliatelle and risottos.

Among the second courses, standout dishes include beef braised, boiled meats, and tripe. The rosa di Parma is a must-try; it's a beef roast with Prosciutto di Parma, slivers of Parmigiano Reggiano and Lambrusco wine.

10

Parma is a city of tourism and business, so it has a good supply of hotels of all categories, both in the center and especially outside the city. The prices for the more peripheral hotels, even of higher category, are reasonable: starting from €60 per night.

In the historic center, however, for a good 3-star or higher category, you should budget at least €70 for a 3-star hotel room and at least €100 for superior rooms.