A charming city renowned as Italy’s food capital, Parma is a gastronomic delight. Located in northern Italy, approximately an hour and a half drive south of Milan, you really must see Parma. Here I will tell you why you should visit this part of the boot-shaped country.

In Parma you will experience delicious Italian food in the heart of the Emilia Romagna region. This region of Italy is famous for Parmesan cheese known as Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma or Parma Ham, and balsamic vinegar. Furthermore, it is the birthplace of Barilla Pasta, Guiseppe Verdi (the opera composer) and loads more… It also has one of the oldest universities in the world, founded in the 10th century.

Arriving in Parma

We chose to hire a car from Milan, which we pre-booked online. After planning our route, we drove directly to Parma to enjoy a 4 day stay. The drive takes less than 1.5 hours.

I have some great tips I can share with you on driving in Italy, if you’re interested.

We booked our accommodation online and chose the NH Parma Hotel, a modern building, for a very comfortable and enjoyable sojourn in the city, walking distance to main historic sites and plenty of nearby shops and restaurants.

A train station is located 100m away, but no noise was heard whilst at the hotel. You can travel to Parma by train from Milan in 1.5 hours, or from Rome in 3.5 hours. 

Markets

Upon arrival, markets greeted us everywhere. It was Saturday and vendors were in full swing on almost every street and alleyway. I love markets – such a frenzy of activity, and all your senses are alert. All manner of goods were for sale; from clothes, crafts, bags and shoes, to food, food and more food!

A huge assortment of Italian delights were on display for your tasting pleasure, a veritable smorgasbord, including salami, prosciutto, cheese and wines. Mouthwatering stuff. Markets run every week, which is fantastic if you love the hustle and bustle, as I do. Italians love to shop and talk about food, and sample at the mercati.

 

Food and Wine of Parma

As a big foodie, a big part of my time here was devoted to researching the food. It involves hours of laborious tasting and testing. It’s a hard job, but someone’s gotta do it, right?

I discovered there is a Festival of Prosciutto each year in September, to honour the king of cold meats.

The authentic ‘Prosciutto di Parma’, or Parma Ham, is made from a special breed of pigs from the region.

Parmesan cheese is the local specialty cheese of the area which has been around for hundreds of years. Various types of parmesan are produced in Parma and nearby towns of the Emilia Romagna region. But Parmigiano Reggiano from Parma is the king of all parmesan cheeses. If you wish to buy a whole wheel of this cheese it, will set you back about 1,000 euros!

After thorough and extensive investigations, eating my way around Parma, my findings conclude firstly, that pizza in Parma is absolutely delicious everywhere you go. Without a doubt, there is no such thing as a bad pizza here.

Pasta of course, is absolutely exceptional here. The standouts for me are Tortelli stuffed with ricotta and spinach, absolutely delicious and very popular in these parts. But my personal favourite, Cappelletti in Brodo, are clear winners and something everyone should taste. These cute little hat-shaped pasta, filled with meat and served in a delicious broth are a culinary delight, and are good for the soul!

These local dishes from the Emilia-Romagna region are served in almost every restaurant here. Cappelletti and tortelli are widely featured on the menus. I was ecstatic and in foodies heaven, having grown up on these dishes at home, thanks to my Nonna, who brought the tradition from here to Australia with her, more than 60 years ago. Grazie Nonna Piera.

Lambrusco wines are from this region of Italy also, with more than 60 different varieties of Lambrusco grapes grown in the region. The making of Lambrusco dates as far back as Roman times. The Romans drank wine? Really??!! 

The most popular is the sweet red frizzante variety.

Restaurants

I was a bit disgruntled to find that restaurants were only open a few hours each day; lunch was only from 12 to 2.30pm, so if we wanted to have a late lunch on our holidays, we couldn’t because a lot of kitchens were closed. But perhaps that was due to the fact it was Winter. Similarly, in the evenings we had to wait until 7 or 7.30pm before restaurants opened. I got caught out a couple of times, thinking the restaurants were open longer hours, which was very annoying. However, takeaway outlets were more readily open. Crisis averted!

Two fabulous restaurants I went to are Pizzeria Orfeo in Via Giosuè Carducci and La Greppia in Strada Giuseppe Garibaldi. I thoroughly recommend both of these establishments for authentic Italian fare and excellent service, the second one being more upmarket. To top off a scrumptious meal at La Greppia, our wonderful waiter brought out a complimentary dessert platter. OMG! Unfortunately, I had to share it with my dinner companions.

Ducal Park

Parco Ducale is the central meeting point in the city with a lovely pond and gardens to stroll around and hang out. It’s been here since 1560 and has fruit trees and fountains too. A very peaceful spot to relax and take in nature.

However, a word of warning, watch out for the birds! We were virtually attacked by a flock of birds, dozens of them in fact, which swooped over us touching our heads. I ducked as I had my finger on the camera button and managed to get photos of this frightening ordeal. Luckily, we survived relatively unscathed.

History

Walking around the city there are numerous ancient sites to admire and appreciate. The most important part of the city is the Piazza Duomo which contains two medieval buildings.

You must see Parma’s Duomo, the Cathedral of Parma, an important historic building of Roman architecture dating from 1059. It has grand frescoes painted by Renaissance artists and sculptures of the Gothic era.

The other important building in the Piazza Duomo is the Battistero (above), a very distinct building, an octagonally shaped medieval monument adjacent to the Parma Cathedral.

It is constructed of beautiful pink Verona marble. Dating from 1196, the Baptistery has been very well maintained and is one of the most important buildings in all of Europe. Apparently, the design aspects of the edifice are some how related to the astronomical calendar governed by the sun, moon and planets.

Streets

When visiting old cities I particularly enjoy wandering around the gorgeous old streets and lanes. Whilst exploring you absorb the atmosphere of a city, and find interesting places tucked away. The streets of Parma are quite enchanting, very romantic and a joy to get lost in.

Museums

There are a number of art, history and specialty museums in Parma.

I visited the delightful Glauco Lombardi Museum. This is the former home of Napoleon’s second wife. She was made Duchess of Parma after he was defeated. Artefacts and memorabilia from their life together in Europe during the 1800’s really show you intimate details of these historical characters. Entry is only €5. Well worth the visit.

 

Italy’s Capital of Culture

Parma was named Italy’s Capital of Culture for two years running, in 2020 and 2021.

Everywhere you turn there are historic buildings, amazing architecture and fabulous artwork. Ancient paintings and sculptures adorn the many galleries and churches here.

Capital of Culture is a truly well deserved, but of course, I’m a bit biased. You must see Parma for yourself.