Most famous for it's speciality ham and cheese, the city of Parma has a lot more than good food to offer visitors in the region. Located in the northern province of Emilio-Romagna, Parma is home to world-famous historical churches and buildings, beautiful open spaces and, of course, some of the best restaurants and food stores in Italy.
No visit to an Italian city is complete without a few hours in historical churches, and Parma is no exception. The 12th century building features an intriguing octagonal dome, rather than the more usual circular model found on most other Italian churches. The impressive bell tower was added in the 13th century. The interior is typically opulent, with a vast fresco painted on the interior of the dome and a red marble staircase that takes you to the site of a famous religious sculpture by Benedetto Antelami. The world-famous Parma baptistery dominates the piazza it shares with the cathedral. Four storeys high and built from pink marble, in the same unusual octagonal style as the cathedral dome, the baptistery is open to visitors every day, though access is not allowed when there is a service in progress.
If you need a break from all that sightseeing, you can always relax in the large Ducal Park, on the west side of the river. This park has everything, from laid-out gardens to wild woods that the kids will love exploring. They might even stumble upon the ruins of an Arcadian temple in the forest, the meeting spot for an 18th century group of Greek history devotees. The park is also home to a children's play area, an outdoor café and a recently opened sports track. Inside the park is the Ducal Palace that gives the area its name. While the building itself is small, the artworks contained within are anything but, with large frescoes adorning the walls that have been restored to their former glory.
No trip to Parma would be complete without sampling some of the local delicacies. Parma ham, a cured version of the meat popular as a starter with melon in the UK, has now been given special status, so it can only officially be called “Parma ham” if it come from the city. Every time you eat in an Italian restaurant, you will be offered Parmesan cheese for your pasta, but nothing compares to trying the string cheese in the city of its birth, perhaps sprinkled on one of the local stuffed pasta dishes.
Looking for self catering holiday accommodation in Parma? Then below is a selection of Apartments in Parma and villas in Parma that can be rented direct from their owners. You can either click on each listing for further details or you can use our search engine on the left if you are looking for something in particular.
