Parma

Day 1: Historic heart, markets and opera

Parma’s centre is compact and walkable, so you can weave from medieval lanes to grand neoclassical squares with ease. Today blends market life, ducal splendour and the city’s storied opera tradition.

• Morning: Coffee and a cornetto at a bar near Piazza Garibaldi (order cappuccino only before 11:00). Browse Piazza Ghiaia’s food market (Wed/Sat) for seasonal produce, aged Parmigiano Reggiano and cured meats; on Tuesdays, try the Mercatiamo farmers’ market in Piazzale San Bartolomeo for short-supply-chain produce.
• Midday: Tour the Palazzo della Pilotta complex, stepping into the reconstructed 17th‑century Teatro Farnese to see its monumental proscenium and naval-battle stage. Lunch on tortelli d’erbetta at la Forchetta or Osteria della Gatta Matta; remember contorni are ordered separately.
• Afternoon: Stroll to Casa del Parmigiano Reggiano or Salumeria Garibaldi to taste cheeses from 12 to 36+ months and select picnic supplies. Pause for aperitivo on Via Farini at enotecas like Tabarro, where spritzes arrive with small plates of local specialities.
• Evening: Attend a performance or guided tour at Teatro Regio (book well ahead; smart casual is fine except for galas). If not attending, dine at Ristorante Cocchi; from September to April their mixed boiled meats are a seasonal staple. Note the historic centre’s ZTL; use the Ghiaia car park or arrive on foot.

Day 2: Food Valley immersion and ducal countryside

Rise early for a behind‑the‑scenes look at the craft that made Parma a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. You’ll meet makers, taste at source and wander a riverside duchess’s palace.

• Morning: Join a producer tour (e.g., Laura’s Private Parma Food Tour). Watch Parmigiano Reggiano come to life in copper vats and walk ageing rooms stacked with wheels; continue to a prosciutto facility in the Parma hills to understand sea‑salt curing and microclimate.
• Midday: Head towards the Po plain to taste culatello in the Zibello area (quantities are limited and weather‑dependent; book tastings in advance). A simple countryside lunch of salumi, torta fritta and local Lambrusco keeps the focus on produce.
• Afternoon: Visit Colorno’s Ducal Palace, home to ALMA, and learn about the Tortél Dóls tradition; in October, the festival runs 11–12 October 2025. Return to town via specialty shops to assemble edible souvenirs—vacuum‑packed prosciutto and properly wrapped cheese travel best.
• Evening: Country-style dinner at Trattoria ai Due Platani for tortelli di zucca or di erbetta; reserve several days ahead. Alternatively, book Al Tramezzo for a refined tasting menu that reinterprets regional flavours (expect a longer, theatre‑worthy service cadence).

Day 3: Pasta traditions, contemporary tastes and Verdi

Today balances hands‑on tradition with modern creativity and a finale steeped in Verdi. Adjust timings if you’re here during Festival Verdi (around 10 October), when the city hums with performances and free Verdi Off events.

• Morning: Join a pasta workshop focused on anolini or tortelli d’erbetta; timing and dough thickness are everything (anolini in brodo shines in winter and on Sundays/holidays). If you’re here on a hot June night, ask about San Giovanni tortellate traditions on 23 June.
• Midday: Lunch at Officina Alimentare for seasonal plates like tagliolini with tomato confit or fried pumpkin flowers. Leave time for a leisurely espresso afterward; coffee with milk isn’t customary post‑meal.
• Afternoon: Explore contemporary acoustics at Auditorium Paganini (Renzo Piano’s airy conversion of a sugar factory) or take a backstage tour at Teatro Regio to see tailoring and set ateliers. Shop for last treats at La Prosciutteria, then pack cheeses separately from salumi to keep aromas in check.
• Evening: Aperitivo near Piazza Garibaldi before a Festival Verdi programme such as Otello or Falstaff (2025 marks the Shakespeare theme; Busseto hosts Macbeth 1847). If you’re not at the theatre, book Cortex for modern small plates or return to Gatta Matta; dinner service typically starts after 19:30, and you’ll need to ask for il conto when ready to leave.

Notes for all days:

• Reservations: Many restaurants close Sunday/Monday; prime spots fill Tuesday–Saturday—reserve early, especially during Cibus, the Parma Ham Festival (5–7 September 2025) and Festival Verdi.
• Timing: Lunch 12:00–14:30/15:00; dinner from 19:00–24:00.
• Etiquette: Avoid cheese on seafood; taste before salting; shout bravo/brava/bravi at the opera if moved—Parma’s audiences are famously discerning.
• Getting around: Historic Parma is walkable; if driving, check ZTL hours and use the Ghiaia car park (entry when the sign shows libero).

By Air

• Parma Giuseppe Verdi Airport (PMF): 5 km from the centre; limited scheduled flights. 10–15 minutes by taxi; local bus to the centre ~20–25 minutes.
• Bologna Guglielmo Marconi (BLQ): ~95 km. Car: 1–1 h 15. Public transport: Marconi Express (7–8 min) to Bologna Centrale, then direct regional/InterCity trains to Parma (50–60 min). Total: ~1 h 30–1 h 45.
• Milan Linate (LIN): ~120 km. Car: 1 h 30–1 h 45. Public transport: bus/metro to Milano Centrale (25–35 min) + train to Parma (1 h 10–1 h 30). Total: ~2–2 h 30.
• Milan Malpensa (MXP): ~180 km. Car: ~2 h. Public transport: Malpensa Express to Milano Centrale (~50 min) + train to Parma. Total: ~2 h 30–3 h.
• Verona Valerio Catullo (VRN): ~90 km. Car: ~1 h 15. Public transport: shuttle to Verona Porta Nuova (~15 min) + train to Parma (1 h 15–1 h 45). Total: ~2–2 h 15.
• Bergamo Orio al Serio (BGY): ~140 km. Car: ~1 h 45. Public transport: coach to Milano Centrale (50–60 min) + train to Parma. Total: ~2 h 30–3 h.

By Train

• Main station: Parma (Stazione di Parma), a short walk from the historic centre; local buses and taxis outside the station.
• Services: Frequent Regionale Veloce and InterCity on the Milan–Bologna line. High-speed options usually require a change in Bologna or Milan.
• Typical direct/1-change times:
  • Milan Centrale: 1 h 10–1 h 30
  • Bologna Centrale: 50–60 min
  • Florence SMN (via Bologna): ~2–2 h 30
  • Rome Termini (via Bologna on high-speed): ~3 h 30–4 h
  • Verona Porta Nuova (via Modena/Mantova): ~1 h 45–2 h 15
  • La Spezia (for Cinque Terre): ~1 h 45–2 h 15
  • Turin Porta Nuova (via Milan): ~2 h 30–3 h
  • Venice S. Lucia (via Bologna): ~2 h 30–3 h
• Tickets: Trenitalia (and Italo to Reggio Emilia AV with a local transfer to Parma).

By Bus

• Long-distance coaches (e.g., FlixBus, Marino) link Parma with Milan, Bologna, Turin, Florence, Venice and other cities. Stops are at designated coach stops/park-and-ride locations and near the rail station (check your operator’s stop name when booking).
• Local and regional buses hub outside Parma railway station for urban and nearby-town connections.

By Car

• Motorways:
  • A1 (Autostrada del Sole) runs through Parma (exits: Parma/Parma Ovest) connecting Milan–Parma–Modena–Bologna–Florence.
  • A15 (Cisa) links Parma with La Spezia (Tyrrhenian coast).
  • A21 (via Piacenza) connects towards Turin.
• Approximate drive times:
  • Milan: ~1 h 30
  • Bologna: ~1 h 15
  • Verona: ~1 h 15
  • Florence: ~2–2 h 15
  • La Spezia: ~1 h 30
  • Genoa: ~1 h 45
• Parking and ZTL: The historic centre has a Limited Traffic Zone. Use edge-of-centre car parks such as Ghiaia or Toschi and walk in. Check hotel access and ZTL rules before entering the centre.