A journey through the city's two historic libraries, so different but united by the cultural importance they held in the 16th and 18th centuries. Places of study and reflection that preserve ancient manuscripts and precious volumes, but also authentic caskets of art little known to the public to be rediscovered "with their noses up", letting themselves be guided among symbols and famous people.

In the Library of St. John the Evangelist, located in the silence of the Monastery of St. John the Evangelist, we will discover from the walls to the ceiling a real tangle of emblems and mottos, not easy to decipher today, which indicated to scholars the right way to Knowledge.

In the Palatine Library, located inside the Palazzo della Pilotta and built in 1761 by Don Filippo di Borbone with the help of Paolo Maria Paciaudi "Antiquary and Librarian", we will find a shining example of an Enlightenment-style library, created by the dukes for the benefit of the public.

Have you ever thought about reaching for the stars with the person you love? It’s the opportunity for a unique and unforgettable gift: a guided walk in the historic centre after nightfall, when Parma reveals all its romantic charm. The Cathedral and the Baptistery, Piazza Garibaldi and the Regio Theatre have a thousand stories to tell behind closed doors, in the silence of the evening.

An itinerary of about 2 hours suitable for small groups and families among the main city parks, such as the Ducal Park and the Cittadella Park. The route will also touch the most important monuments of the city centre and places less known by tourists, such as the Church of Santa Croce in Oltretorrente and the Botanical Garden.

Known as the largest in Europe, the Franco Maria Ricci Labyrinth is also an amazing piece of architecture, designed by Pier Carlo Bontempi, and an unusual art collection, the result of the visionary dream of patron and publisher Franco Maria Ricci. The entire structure, container and content, is an expression of his personal taste.

An experience that would not be complete if we were not willing to challenge the bamboo corridors of the Labyrinth, a place where you lose yourself to find yourself again.

A guided walk dedicated to the most evocative views and perspectives of Parma, conceived both for citizens and tourists who love to take pictures in peace and quiet and at the same time wish to learn more about the many faces of the city.

The itinerary is customized and can be carried out at different times of the day, giving the possibility to capture always different lighting and atmospheres.

The Villa dei Capolavori (Masterpieces Villa) of the Magnani-Rocca Foundation, on the hills a few kilometers from Parma, houses the prestigious Luigi Magnani art collection, the subject of our guided tour.

The works include masterpieces by Gentile da Fabriano, Filippo Lippi, Carpaccio, Dürer, Tiziano, Rubens, Van Dyck, Goya and, among the contemporaries, Monet, Renoir, Cézanne, up to De Chirico, De Pisis, Morandi, Burri.

The Foundation also occasionally organizes temporary exhibitions that enrich the guided tour.

For total immersion in Verdi’s places, we can walk in the Master’s steps starting with his birthplace at Roncole and the nearby Church of Saint Michael the Archangel where Verdi was baptised, continuing towards the Verdi Theatre, inaugurated on August 15, 1868, in the Pallavicino Busseto Castle, and the splendid Villa Sant’Agata which preserves intact the rooms containing the Master’s furniture and souvenirs.

For true music enthusiasts, the trip begins in Parma with a Musical Promenade that lets you explore the musical history of the city by choosing these steps: Regio Theatre, Farnese Theatre, Opera Museum, and Arturo Toscanini’s birthplace.

Other significant places, which can be included in a two-day itinerary in Busseto, are:

Casa Barezzi
The Verdi Museum in Villa Pallavicino
The Convent of Santa Maria degli Angeli

Located on a hill overlooking the valley of the Parma Watercourse, this enchanting castle was the scene of the love story between Bianca Pellegrini and Pier Maria Rossi, retraced in the splendid Golden Chamber (about 1460, attributed to Benedetto Bembo).

Set in a pastoral landscape, between vines and the bed of the watercourse, the tour of the castle and the village of Torrechiara plunges us into the Romanesque: it is easy to imagine hearing the hammering of horses’ hooves and the rustle of the lively life of the ladies and knights. To deepen knowledge of the territory, it is possible to tour the Benedictine Abbey of Santa Maria della Neve, the Parma Ham Museum in Langhirano, the wineries and the ham production plants located in the surroundings.

A castle erected in the 14th century and still belonging to the Meli Lupi family, it is one of the most sought after residences in the region and certainly the richest in original furniture and objects.

Nowhere like in Soragna you can breathe the air of an ancient family, rich in history and tradition.

It is advisable to devote a whole day to the village of Soragna to tour, besides the castle, the Synagogue and the  Jewish Museum Fausto Levi , the Church of Saint James the Major, the Parmesan Museum and the Museum of Peasant Civilization. 

The “Little Versailles of the Dukes of Parma” was the summer residence of the Farnese, Bourbons and Marie-Louise of Austria. Today we can visit the rooms of the noble floor, the private apartment of Duke Ferdinand, the Ducal Chapel of Saint Liborius and the park.

The complex, which is being restored, is of all castles that which is most related to the history of the duchy and the city of Parma. It is rich in histories and anecdotes fed by the personages who lived there, such as the Duchess Babette, the Duke Ferdinand de Bourbon, the Duchess Marie-Louise. Here is a curiosity: did you know that the great fountain of the Ducal Park of Parma used to be in the garden of the Palace of Colorno a century ago? And what destiny had the Palace after the Unity of Italy? Come and discover the reason for this curious move during a tour that will surely surprise you.