Free walking tours in Parma and what to see

Must-sees

Parma is an elegant, quiet city in Emilia-Romagna, known worldwide for its ham and Parmesan cheese, and recognised by UNESCO as a Creative City of Gastronomy. Its artistic heart is Piazza del Duomo: the Romanesque cathedral holds in its dome Correggio's great Assumption, and beside it rises the octagonal pink marble baptistery, by Benedetto Antelami. Close by, the church of San Giovanni Evangelista has another dome by Correggio.

The Palazzo della Pilotta, the old residence of the Farnese family, houses the National Gallery and the Teatro Farnese, a huge wooden theatre that takes your breath away as you walk in. Across the Parma river is the Ducal Park, ideal for a stroll. The city is closely linked to opera and Verdi, and the Teatro Regio is one of its symbols. In the surrounding area there are castles, such as Torrechiara, and hill villages where the ham is cured.

Free tours and guided visits

Parma has no regular free walking tours. What is on offer are guided tours of the historic centre and, above all, food experiences: food tours of the city and visits to a Parmesan cheese dairy and a ham producer, where you see the process and taste the results. There are also visits to local wineries, including a Lambrusco one, and tickets for the Dallara car academy in the nearby hills.

How long to spend

A day is enough for the centre of Parma: in the morning, the cathedral, the baptistery and San Giovanni Evangelista, and in the afternoon the Pilotta with the Teatro Farnese and a walk in the Ducal Park. If you want to visit a cheese dairy or a ham-curing house, which usually start early, add another day. With three you can head out to the castles of the province or to Busseto, Verdi's home ground.

Where to stay

The best option is the historic centre, between Piazza Garibaldi and the cathedral, where there are small hotels, apartments and guesthouses from which you can do everything on foot. Near the station there are practical hotels if you arrive by train. If you want peace and are driving, the hills to the south, towards Langhirano, have rural places to stay surrounded by vineyards and ham-curing houses.