There is an Italian city that manages to offer art, history, great masterpieces, and extraordinary cuisine without being overwhelmed by the crowds of international tourism, and now it has captured foreign press: it is Parma, a jewel of Emilia-Romagna that the Guardian has just placed among the five best European destinations for a city break off the beaten track.
In its report dedicated to European cities still little known to mass tourism, the British daily devotes ample space to Parma, describing it as a destination worth reaching even by making a small extra effort to get there by train from Bologna or from Milan. The reason? Parma, according to the Guardian, manages to “bring together everything you could wish for in a weekend”: museums, frescoed churches, good cuisine, local wines and one of the most captivating opera houses in Italy. But above all, without having to deal with the endless queues of the more famous destinations.
Parma, the Italian city far from the crowds
It is precisely its location that works in Parma’s favor. The Guardian notes that the city lies far enough from the main Italian tourist routes to not be swamped by the masses who every year reach Venice and Florence. Visiting it, one immediately notices that it is a city with a calmer pace, where the historic center can be explored comfortably on foot and where cultural attractions do not necessarily require advance bookings far in advance.
It is precisely this aspect that most impressed journalist John Brunton: the possibility of entering museums and admiring great works of art “without being surrounded by crowds”.
Parma between art, gastronomy, and music
The Guardian’s recommended itinerary begins at Piazza Duomo, one of Parma’s symbolic spots: dominated by the Romanesque cathedral, dating back about 900 years, with its famous frescoed dome by Antonio da Correggio. It is the illusionistic fresco by the Renaissance painter, with its swirl of figures and perspective, that captures the visitor’s gaze.
Next to the Duomo sits the Baptistery, one of Parma’s most recognizable monuments, with its octagonal shape and pink marble exterior that contrast with the rich decorative interiors, where paintings and sculptures from the XIII and XIV centuries meet.
A short distance away, almost hidden behind the cathedral, the Monastery of San Giovanni Evangelista also reveals itself, with its cloisters and garden, described by the Guardian as a true oasis of peace in the heart of the city (and a perfect stop to organize a budget-friendly weekend, since access to the cathedral and the monastery is free).
The great art appointment arrives however at the Palazzo della Pilotta, a monumental Baroque complex on the banks of the Parma River, which divides the city in two: here you will find museums, a library and the sublime Teatro Farnese, built almost entirely of wood.
The complex, created by the Farnese family, whose patronage contributed to leaving Parma with an extraordinary artistic heritage, also includes the Galleria Nazionale di Parma, described by the Guardian as a true treasure chest of paintings by old masters, among which Leonardo da Vinci, Fra Angelico, Canaletto and Tintoretto.
But art is not the only reason Parma has won over the Guardian. This Italian destination is also presented as one of the Bel Paese’s culinary capitals. Describing the typical boards with razor-thin slices of Prosciutto di Parma, cured meats, aged Parmigiano Reggiano and a glass of Lambrusco, the journalist recounts his culinary experience in one of the traditional rustic and lively venues, from taverns to trattorias.
And here is finally the last but not least reason that makes Parma particularly appealing for a weekend: music. If you time the visit well, you can, for example, attend an opera by Giuseppe Verdi, who was born in the Parma province, at the evocative Teatro Regio. This is how Parma wins over travelers: packing in a perfect mix of art, architecture, gastronomy, and music within just a few kilometers, while maintaining a much more relaxed atmosphere than Italy’s more frequented destinations.
