36 Hours in Parma

Restaurants, hotels, sites, and itinerary

This guide is the first in a new series that I will share with Premium Subscribers once a month. I know everyone wants to get away from the crowds in Italy and visit smaller towns or cities. In this series I’ll share some of my favorite spots and suggestions for how you can spend a weekend or a couple of days in some of my favorite places.

These guides are not exhaustive. They are definitely ‘Elizabeth Minchilli’ itineraries. For instance, I’m not one for spending 3 hours in a museum. Instead, I like my museums small and quirky. I will always go out of my way to visit a farmer’s market or walk through a park or botanical garden, and I definitely make a detour for good gelato. And just for fun, I’ll also throw in a one-day trip outside of town in case you have another day to spare.

36 Hours in Parma

While I had been to Parma a handful of times over the years, I truly got to know the town while researching some of my books. While writing the chapter on Parmigiano Reggiano for my book Eating My Way Through Italy, I got to spend 3 weeks in the area. And then I spent another chunk of time there for the chapter on Emilia Romagna in my book The Italian Table, cooking with nonnas. But it was while I was researching our Week in Parma Food Tour that I really got to know and love Parma. I now spend 3-4 weeks there each year leading tours, and I am very happy to do so. For me, Parma is the perfect size: just big enough to feel like there is enough stuff going on but not too big that it is overwhelming. I have to admit that part of the town’s attraction for me is that it is so quiet. Rome these days is beyond hectic, and I feel like I need a dose of Parma - where I am often the only person walking down a street at 10 pm - every so often.

Even though Sundays can feel bustling, it’s mostly locals from the region who are coming into town to have a passeggiata. Parma, at least so far, is not anywhere near the tourist attraction of bigger cities, or even nearby Bologna. Most days you will have the place to yourself, which is heavenly.

Here follows a list of the main things to see and do. You’ll find the full itinerary, with restaurants, further down.