PARMA private guide: historic UNESCO town, churches and parks

The guided tour of Parma is not just a journey into the land of world famous gastronomic products such as raw ham and Parmigiano Reggiano, but it is a discovery of the most beautiful treasures in the Town of Culture 2021. Let’s start with a visit to the religious buildings more beautiful and appreciated as the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista frescoed largely by Correggio with the beautiful decoration of the dome, an imaginary open sky with the apostles on the clouds and the figure of Christ in the center; the adjacent convent with four cloisters and the Antica Spezieria, or the pharmacy reserved only for monks since 1201, is also wonderful.

Near we find the most scenic square in Parma with the Cathedral, the Baptistery and the Bishop’s Palace and we proceed with the visit of the Cathedral dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta, a splendid example of Romanesque architecture with the particular facade and inside the magnificent cycle of frescoes of the octagonal dome with the Assumption of the Virgin made in the 16th century by Correggio. In front of the Cathedral we can admire the octagonal Baptistery externally and all in pink marble: walking around the sides we discover the zoophore, a large ring with the figures of different animals.

We continue the tour crossing the streets of the historic center and arrive in the meeting square of the town with cafes and restaurants and the imposing Palace of the Governor with its elegant neoclassical facade, once it was the Palace of the Merchants and today it is an exhibition space of contemporary art. Not far away we visit the Church of Santa Maria della Steccata, from the Renaissance period with the image of the Madonna on the facade with a story waiting to be discovered; inside we can admire the under-arch of the dome frescoed by Parmigianino, a true masterpiece that represents his last work.

Going in the direction of the Ducal Park we are amazed to see externally the Regio Theater, a temple of opera music in Italy and in the world, and the Palazzo della Pilotta, a monumental complex that contains many museums and works of high prestige, from Leonardo da Vinci to Tintoretto and the Farnese Theater. In front of the Palace we find the statue of Giuseppe Verdi, an illustrious citizen of Parma and we end our guided tour by relaxing in the Ducal Park, wanted by the Duke Farnese for a walk in the streets with trees and where you can discover the Renaissance-style Palazzo del Giardino, sculptures, the Tempietto d ‘Arcadia, the Trianon Fountain and the Art Nouveau-style greenhouses.

Included:

• Walking tour with licensed tour guide

Not included:

• Food and drinks
• Museum tickets (optional)
• Transfer service

What to bring:

• Comfortable shoes
• Water
• Sun hat on hot days

Meeting point:

• Piazzale San Giovanni square ( next to the entrance to the Church of Saint Giovanni Evangelista )