WITH LOVE FROM PARMA

Known the world over as the motherland of Parmesan cheese and prosciutto, Parma is indeed a paradise for gourmands. But there is also so much more in store. The birthplace of talents as diverse as Renaissance painter Correggio and 20th century conductor Arturo Toscanini, the site of one of Italy’s oldest universities and most celebrated opera theatres, the home of exquisitely decorated churches, Parma also nourishes many other appetites – artistic, musical and spiritual. Discover the city’s rich cultural legacy on a full-day excursion from Bologna.

You will meet your private driver at your accommodation and relax on the ride across the Po Valley. Your day begins with a visit to the beautifully frescoed halls of the Castle of Torrechiara, located in an enchanting setting, among the gently rolling hills of the Langhirano wine region. Built between 1448 and 1460 by Count Pier Maria Rossi, the imposing, remarkably well preserved fortress is a splendid example of Italian Renaissance castle architecture, perfectly fusing its functions as a defensive stronghold, a residential mansion and a pleasure palace. Once the stage for the love story between the count and his adored Bianca Pellegrini, Torrechiara still reverberates with symbols of passion and desire. Carved hearts, inscriptions and the 15th century symbolic representation of their ideal love by painter Benedetto Bembo still grace the walls of the most striking room of the complex, the Golden Chamber, and all live on as a tribute to Pier Maria Rossi’s eternal devotion to his mistress.

A 30-minute drive will then bring you to Parma. After some free time for lunch, follow your guide on a trail through the city’s delightful centro storico. As you amble past Parma’s major landmarks, you will hear about the history of the city, from its 183 BC Roman founding to its rise under the rule of the Farnese dukes, who governed from 1545 to 1731 turning Parma into a precious treasure trove.

Your tour begins in Piazza Garibaldi, the pulsing heart of Parma for 2,000 years. People have assembled here since ancient Roman times, when the area was occupied by a forum. Today the square is a favourite meeting spot with the locals who gather here for ritual evening aperitivi. Listen as your guide gives details about the buildings that surround the piazza: the porticoed Palazzo del Comune incorporating parts of the pre-existing medieval structure, the Palazzo del Governatore with its bell tower presiding elegantly over the square and the Neoclassical-style facade of the Church of San Pietro.

From here make your way to the picture-postcard Piazza Duomo and step into two of the city’s best-loved monuments. Inside the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, among Italy’s finest examples of Romanesque architecture, you will gaze up in awe at Correggio’s trompe l’oeil dome fresco featuring the ground-breaking Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Mary ascends through a vortex of clouds, filled with angels and saints, towards the divine light of heaven. This true masterpiece of High Italian Renaissance is evidence of the painter’s brilliance in creating innovative compositions, ingenious foreshortenings and visual illusions as well as of the prime role played by Parma in fostering the most audacious artists of the time. The nearby pink-and-white Baptistery, built by Benedetto Antelami in the 12th century, boasts extraordinary bas-relief carvings as well as a dazzling display of wall and vault paintings dating to the 1200s.

The final stop on your tour will bring you to Palazzo della Pilotta, once the private residence of the powerful Farnese family and today home to three museums and a library. The building’s most famous highlight is the wooden Baroque theatre, originally created in 1618 at the request of Ranuccio I Farnese. Though what you see today is a faithful 1950s reconstruction, following the devastation of World War II, its layout is highly significant for the history of the theatre since it is considered to be the precursor of the contemporary playhouse and the first surviving theatre with a permanent proscenium arch. The large U-shaped parterre was used for dancing, royal processions, courtly entertainments and could even be flooded to stage water spectacles.

After the visit your private chauffeur will drive you back to your accommodation in Bologna.