Parma Guided Tour
About this activity
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Experience Highlights
Parma concentrates Renaissance treasures and aromas from Italy's finest larder. On this guided walking tour of about two hours you will visit Piazza Garibaldi, the Governor's Palace, the Romanesque Cathedral and the pink marble baptistery before wandering through alleys where Parmigiano Reggiano cheeses are still refined and prosciutto is cured.
The meeting point is in front of 18 Strada Garibaldi, very close to the Teatro Regio, where the guide will be waiting for you with headphones so you can listen to every detail effortlessly. The group is small, which guarantees a comfortable pace, space for photos and time for your questions.
- Book now and secure your place in an intimate group.
- Walk less than 2km on flat terrain, ideal for all ages
- Discover anecdotes of Verdi, Maria Luigia and Parmesan gastronomic tradition
What’s included
- Guided walking tour of approximately 2 hours through the historic centre of the city
- Individual headsets for 6 participants and more
- Transfers to/from the meeting point
- Personal purchases and consumption
Select date and time
Keep in mind you need to arrive 10 minutes before start
Step by Step
At the very beginning of the walk, the column in Piazza Garibaldi reveals the civic pulse of Parma. Under the yellow façade of the Governor's Palace, the guide explains how this square was once a spice market, a forum for Napoleonic proclamations and the scene of Verdi's festivals. Around the corner is the imposing Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta: its interior hides the fresco of the Assumption painted by Correggio, a whirlwind of angels that inspired Bernini centuries later. Opposite rises the octagonal Baptistery, carved in pink Verona marble; the guide points out zodiacal symbols that blend medieval devotion and astronomy.
Following the medieval arcades, you come to the Teatro Regio, where operas were premiered that still thrill music lovers. As the wind carries echoes of Verdi's overtures, the guide tells how Giuseppe Verdi used to pass incognito to listen to his choristers when the emperor wasn't looking. A couple of streets further on, the scent of cured ham wafts through the air: it's via Farini, lined with salumerie where prosciutto legs dry slowly on pine boards.
The itinerary continues towards the peaceful Ducal gardens, bequeathed by Maria Luigia of Austria. You walk alongside the Renaissance canal as you discover how the duchess modernised Parma with schools, orphanages and... a recipe for violetta that still perfumes the local chocolates. On this stretch, the brick buildings reveal traces of allied bombardments and restorations that blend Gothic and Italian Liberty.
A last stop in Piazza della Steccata allows you to admire the basilica of the same name, famous for its Corinthian pilasters and Mannerist frescoes by Parmigianino. There, among the focaccia sellers, the guide will give you tips on how to try a real Parmigiana cream gelato or a lambrusco frizzante before you say goodbye just a few metres from the starting point. In just two hours you will have combined art, music and gastronomy in the city that turned the table into a cultural heritage site.
