Parma

Thinking about visiting Parma?

Home of Parma ham and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese; Parma is a city that prides itself on its local produce.

Something that I learnt whilst researching Parma is that Parmigiano Reggiano can only be produced in the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Mantua (on the right bank of the Po river) and Bologna (on the left bank of the Reno river), in compliance with strict standards. Since 1996 the name Parmigiano Reggiano has been recognised in the European Union as a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin).

And for all my fellow lactose intolerant friends, Parmigiano Reggiano is naturally lactose-free so feel free to go nuts!!

Parma is also home to the famous brand Barilla. In 1877, Pietro Barilla Senior opened a small bread and pasta shop in the heart of Parma which has grown into an international food group that exports its products to over 100 countries.

How to get to Parma

We took the train from Milano Lambrate direct to Parma and it cost 45€ for two adult return tickets. It was so easy and only took an hour and 30 minutes to get there. Once we arrived in Parma it was a 15-minute walk to the centre.

As always, I bought the tickets using the Omio app. Sign up using my referral link and we’ll both get 10€ off towards our next booking! https://www.omio.com/refer-a-friend?ic=ampara7d3k7nhttps://www.omio.com/refer-a-friend?ic=ampara7d3k7n

Parma is a great city to explore on foot; if you start feeling tired take advantage of the many cafés and bars dotted around the city and enjoy a bit of people-watching.

What to see and do

Duomo di Parma

Also known as the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta; it is open every day from 10:00 until 18:00 and is free to visit and has the most beautiful interiors.

Baptistery

The Baptistery is open every day from 10:00 until 18:00 and tickets are €12 per person. I don’t know what it is about this building but I think it’s so pretty and it reminded me of the tower of Pisa.

Palazzo Pillota

Located between Piazzale della Pace and the Lungoparma in the historical centre of Parma; its name comes from the game of pelota played at one time by Spanish soldiers stationed in Parma. The museum is great and a nice place to escape the heat in the summer. We spent a couple of hours here and the theatre was our favourite thing. It’s open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:30 until 18:30.

Ducal Palace and Parco Ducale

Lunch

For lunch we went to Trattoria Corrieri which so many people had recommended and we ordered a plate of parma ham and other cured meats with gnocco fritto; which is like a puffed up pizza dough square. Absolutely delicious! We also ordered a cheese board; so good! And for our main dish the ravioli, which I found very bland so won’t be recommending. We were so full we skipped desert.

Streets of Parma

After visiting the main sites and having lunch, we went on a short walk around the city as we were so full and still had some time before our train back to Monza. It’s such a lovely city and we really enjoyed walking around without running into massive crowds of tourists.