Well hello to you my reader chums! I left a part of my heart in Parma; there's something about the city with its charm, gorgeous cuisine and characteristic buildings that I fell in love with. Parma is the home of the best Italian food, from freshly made pasta, including tortellini, cured meats and gelato (especially hazelnut).
If you're visiting Parma for the first time, here's my travel guide on what to see for 3 days exploring Parma, Italy.
Day one - Get a taste of the city
Wander around the city and cute piazzas
Parma is a small city and it takes little time to roam around, however, the streets are cobbled, quaint and colourful with plenty of hidden gems. I loved walking around the streets, seeing the restaurants, cafes, piazzas and sights I could find along the way, absorbing all the charm. My favourite piazzas included Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi, Piazza della Pace and Piazza della Steccata. Honestly though, whatever piazza you stumble across, the beauty will shine.
Parma Cathedral
Visiting cathedrals is one of my favourite things to do in European cities and the Parma Duomo was as beautiful as I imagined, and the entry is free. The Parma Duomo is exquisitely detailed inside with paintings across the high ceilings and large arches. Honestly, it's such a beautiful place to visit.
Chiesa San Giovanni Evangelista
You're never short of incredible churches in Italy and San Giovanni Evangelista is just that. The unique exterior adds to the interior's beauty. I loved witnessing this spectacle of the church and appreciating the architectural details.
Day two - See the main sights.
Visit the Palazzo della Pilotta.
Palazzo della Pilotta is the name of the building complex which includes the Palatine Library, National Gallery and Teatro Farnese. The full price to cover entry for each sight is 18 euros, however, you can buy single tickets for each sight too. Although, it's more value for money to pay the full price. This complex is rather large and can take a couple of hours to walk through, depending on how much time you'd like to spend in each place.
The biggest sight is the national gallery and if you love art, you may spend a while here admiring all types of art on offer. My favourite part of the complex was the Palatine Library as I adore books and it was incredibly magical to admire all the ancient (built in 1761) and historical books lining the ceiling-high shelves. The theatre was also something I didn't expect to see and a lovely surprise to explore, learning more about its history. Built in 1618, it's a Renaissance theatre and holds so much beauty, still offering shows today.
Parma Baptistery
Known to be among the most significant medieval monuments in Europe, the Parma Baptistery is a must-visit on your city break. Marking a transition between the Romanesque and Gothic styles, be prepared to marvel at the beauty on offer. The Baptistery isn't massive, when you've walked into the building - that room is it, however, the sheer intricacy is what makes the visit worthwhile. The Baptistery is tall and has a dome effect with paintings all the way up to the ceiling. Costing around 12 euros to visit, you have entry to this and the museum opposite in the square.
Park Ducale
Stepping away from the colourful buildings, cobbled streets and phenomenal restaurants, Park Ducale is a large green space, slightly out of the centre of Parma. During my visit, there was a food festival going on and generally had a populous vibe to it. The park is massive, suitable for picnics, a lovely green stroll or to grab a coffee and be with nature.
Day three - Day trips from Parma
Parma is in a brilliant location to explore many northern Italian cities and towns, whether you're looking to see more of the north or go to a town for a specific reason.
Bologna
Many of you know how much I adored Bologna a couple of years ago. To this day, it's up there with one of my favourite Italian cities, due to the wonderful food scene, authentic culture and beautiful sights. Bologna is a rather large city with enough things to keep you occupied for a few days. However, a day trip there will give you enough time to explore the highlights, such as Piazza Maggiore, Torre Degli Asinelli and Basilica di San Petronio.
The train ride from Parma is just over an hour, giving you most of the day to soak up the sights, visit local markets and eat your weight in fresh pasta, ragu, cured meats, tortellini in broth and gelato.
Modena
On my trip to Parma, I took a trip to Modena for the day as the journey was only 30 minutes on the train. Modena is a stunning city, with vivid, colourful buildings, cobbled streets, and home of the balsamic vinegar and Ferrari. The city isn't massive, even smaller than Parma, however, you can visit the Modena Cathedral, Ferrari Museum, Mercato Storico Albinelli and Torre Civica. The beauty in Modena is roaming around and enjoying the more residential feel and sampling the dreamy balsamic vinegar.
Milan
As the heart of fashion, design and the shopping scene, if you love all things glamorous, a trip to Milan can be a great spot to visit. Likely, you'll either be flying in or out of Milan if you're visiting northern Italy on a budget, but if you fly directly into Parma, then Milan is between a 45-minute to 1.5-hour train journey from the city. Explore sights such as the Milan Duomo, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and Teatro alla Scala.
Where to eat in Parma
Trattoria del Tribunale
The restaurant scene in Parma is elite! I'm still dreaming about these restaurants and would love to go back. Trattoria del Tribunale served the biggest portions of prosciutto with bread and a truffle pasta dish I want to eat over and over again. This restaurant did offer big portions so be warned that the food may be so incredibly good but you can't eat it all. The pasta here is freshly made too - an absolute delight.
Sorelle Picchi Ristorante
I could rave about this restaurant all day long. Honestly, I had to initially eat the food slowly here, ensuring I savoured every bite. The prosciutto here was top-notch and the homemade tortellini was out of this world. The Italians make simple dishes taste so good - and plus, Parmesan in Parma is next level.
Gallo d'Oro
Another raving restaurant served delicious tortellini, ragu and cappelletti pasta - not to mention all the Parmesan you could eat with toppings.
Gelaterias
Gelato is a necessity on an Italy holiday, especially in Parma as the gelato is of premium quality. Some of my favourite gelato shops include Gioelia Cremeria Italiana, Gelateria Ciacco and Gelateria La Romana. Every one of them has a range of quality gelatos on offer, my favourite always being hazelnut and dark chocolate.
Breakfast and lunch
Bar Caffeteria Rustici - For a more local breakfast, this coffee shop sits on the outskirts of the main hub with plenty of baked goods, such as flavoured croissants, coffee and hot chocolate.
Frank Foccacia - Sandwiches in Italy hit differently, especially in Parma with amazing and fresh cured meats on offer. Frank Foccicia was affordable with filling and delicious sandwiches I'd love to have again.
Bombe - For a grander bakery with artisan baked goods, this one is for you with its range of pastries and patisserie items.
Where to stay in Parma
Parma is a very walkable city and even if you stay out of the main part, you can walk there within a short distance. I stayed with my partner in an apartment, about a 10/15 minute walk to the city's bustle and for us it was perfect. Incredibly affordable, had all the amenities we needed and a short walk to the attractions. The train station was about a 20-30 minute walk overall. When choosing a place in Parma, it depends if you prefer to be in the centre of the action and pay a little more or stay slightly on the outskirts for a cheaper rate and quiet appeal.
I hope you enjoyed this post. When are you planning to visit Parma?
Thank you for reading <3