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Emilia-Romagna

Parma

Attractions and Places To See in Parma - Top 20

Best attractions and places to see in Parma, a city in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, offers a blend of historical sites, cultural institutions, and natural landscapes. The city is known for its rich history, art, and culinary traditions, making it a significant cultural hub. Visitors can explore ancient architectural marvels, lush green spaces, and world-class institutions. The area also features mountain passes and castles, providing diverse exploration opportunities.

Best attractions and places to see in Parma

  • The most popular attractions is Passo della Cisa, a mountain pass that is a popular destination for cyclists. It is located at an altitude of about 1,041 m a.s.l., separating the Ligurian Apennines from the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines.
  • Another must-see spot is Garibaldi Square, a historical site and the central square in the old town. This lively open square is a natural meeting point, surrounded by historic buildings like the Palazzo del Governatore.
  • Visitors also love Parma Cathedral, a religious building from the 11th century. It is an important Romanesque building with a magnificent facade and is considered one of the finest examples of a Romanesque Cathedral in Italy.
  • Parma is known for its historical sites, cultural institutions, and natural features. The region offers a variety of attractions, from ancient cathedrals and castles to vibrant city squares and scenic mountain passes.
  • The attractions in Parma are appreciated by the komoot community, with more than 270 upvotes and 140 photos shared.

Last updated: May 9, 2026

Passo della Cisa

Highlight • Mountain Pass

A very popular Apennine pass, the Cisa is one of the favorite destinations for those who cycle in the area. It has gentle slopes, wide curves and is a historic link between the Po Valley and the sea. At the brow point, a stairway leads to the sanctuary of the Madonna della Guardia.

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Garibaldi Square

Highlight • Historical Site

The Plazza Garibaldi with its monument is also commonly called Piazza Grande. Today's Piazza Garibaldi was already the forum of Parma in ancient Roman times. Many of the houses that line the square today date from between the 13th and 16th centuries. The Palazzo del Governatore was built in the 13th century as the palace of the Capitano del Popolo, the people's governor.

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Parma Cathedral

Highlight • Religious Site

The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta in Parma, from the 11th century, is an important Romanesque building worth seeing from the outside with its magnificent facade with its facing of sandstone and marble.

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Busseto

Highlight • Settlement

Busseto is an Italian municipality located in the province of Parma, in Emilia-Romagna, with a population of 6,790 inhabitants. Ancient capital of the Pallavicino State, Busseto is famous for being the birthplace of the composer Giuseppe Verdi, born in the hamlet of Roncole Verdi in 1813. The writer and journalist Giovannino Guareschi also lived in one of the hamlets of Busseto. The municipality obtained the title of city in 1533.

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Located on the shores of Lago Santo, the Mariotti refuge is perhaps the most famous refuge in the Parma Apennines. Inaugurated on 12 September 1882 and dedicated in 1935 to Giovanni Mariotti, then mayor of the city of Parma and president of the CAI section of Parma from 1893 to 1935, this refuge has a kitchen service, two reception rooms, four bathrooms and 42 beds divided into five rooms with bunk beds. You can get here via chairlift or on foot. For information on extraordinary openings or events, call 0521889437.

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Corte di Giarola

Highlight • Historical Site

The courtyard of Giarola is a beautiful place to stop for a break, rent a bike, eat something or visit the food museums inside.

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Tabiano Castle

Highlight • Castle

Built by the Pallavicino family to control the Via Emilia, the Via Francigena and the precious salt of Salsomaggiore and Tabiano, this castle is now open to the public for guided tours or events.

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Torrechiara Castle

Highlight • Castle

Torrechiara Castle is one of the best preserved fortresses in all of Emilia-Romagna. Climbing up to the castle from the paved road is quite hard, while the dirt paths that wind around it are particularly beautiful.

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A beautiful fortress in the municipality of Sala Baganza. With a beautiful garden and a
fountain. Outside there are also games for children.

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Palazzo della Pilotta

Highlight • Historical Site

The palace dates from the 16th century. From the outside a huge complex, but inside with its museums and the sensational Teatro Farnese it is simply brilliant.

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Michele Pelacci

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Massimiliano Franceschini ⛰️🚵‍♀️
February 21, 2026, Rifugio Giovanni Mariotti al Lago Santo

A refuge on Lago Santo Parmense. Located in a magnificent setting, it's a delightful place to stop. It's managed; all the information is on the website. It can be reached on foot or by chairlift from Lagdei.

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La corte di Giarola è una corte rurale medievale dotata di chiesa interna, situata nell'omonima località presso Pontescodogna, frazione di Collecchio, in provincia di Parma; costituisce la sede dell'Ente di Gestione per i Parchi e la Biodiversità Emilia Occidentale, del museo del pomodoro, del museo della pasta, del Teatro alla Corte, del centro visite "Sotto il segno dell'acqua", di due sale convegni e di un ristorante.[1][2] È il punto di partenza per semplici camminate nel Parco del Taro. STORIA: La corte fu costruita originariamente tra l'VIII e il IX secolo per volere della casata di Ingo, nobile franco; l'edificio nacque quale presidio fortificato a controllo del vicino guado di un ramo della via Francigena attraverso il fiume Taro; a causa della sua prossimità al corso d'acqua, la località era conosciuta col nome di Glarola, forse di origine latina, in riferimento alla grande quantità di ghiaia depositata sulle sponde. La più antica testimonianza della sua esistenza risale al 1034, quando Glariola fu citata in un rogito di compravendita di terreni da parte di Alberto Prete a Giovanni di Viarolo. I discendenti di Ingo, feudatari della zona,nel 1045 donarono il castrum con la sua cappella romanica alla badessa Imila del monastero di San Paolo di Parma. L'anno seguente il vescovo Cadalo cedette alcune terre in castro clariolae alle monache. Nei decenni seguenti le religiose trasformarono la struttura in una corte agricola indipendente,[4][5] protetta da mura e dotata di abitazioni, stalle, caseificio e mulino alimentato dalle acque del canale Naviglio; le boscose e paludose terre circostanti furono bonificate e coltivate. Nel 1187 il papa Gregorio VIII emanò una bolla confermando alla badessa di San Paolo i diritti sull'Ecclesiam Sancti Nicomedi de Glarola, oltre a numerose altre del Parmense. A difesa dell'edificio e del guado il vescovo di Parma fece inoltre erigere una torre difensiva, che si aggiunse ai vicini castelli di Collecchio, Segalara, Madregolo e Carona. Nel 1308 i Rossi e i Lupi, dopo la loro cacciata da Parma, presero possesso della struttura fortificata di Giarola, che pochi mesi dopo fu contrattaccata dalle truppe di Giberto III da Correggio e distrutta al termine di un aspro combattimento; sopravvissero solo la corte agricola e la cappella. Nel 1440 ogni residua struttura fortificata fu completamente demolita o trasformata in abitazioni. Nel 1451 la corte ospitò durante il suo viaggio il duca di Milano Francesco Sforza,mentre nel 1495 vi si accamparono, in vista della battaglia di Fornovo, le truppe di Ludovico il Moro. Secondo il Catasto farnesiano del 1562, la corte, dipendente dalla magistratura di Parma e abitata da 110 persone, gestiva un territorio di 1140 biolche parmigiane, corrispondenti a circa 342 ettari, appartenenti in gran parte al monastero di San Paolo; le coltivazioni si estendevano in particolare nella pianura occidentale, in quanto all'epoca il fiume Taro scorreva molto più a ovest. Nel 1760 la chiesa romanica fu modificata in stile neoclassico. Dopo la conquista napoleonica del ducato di Parma e Piacenza, la corte rimase per alcuni anni soggetta direttamente al Comune (o mairie) di Parma, ma nel 1806 fu aggregata a quello di Collecchio. In seguito alla soppressione degli ordini religiosi che colpì anche le benedettine del monastero di San Paolo, nel 1811 la tenuta fu confiscata dal governo francese e affittata a imprenditori agricoli, primi tra tutti i conti Camillo e Alessandro Zileri. Gli abitanti della struttura raggiunsero la quota di 312 nel 1855, per calare un po' alla volta nei decenni seguenti. Le terre furono lottizzate e alienate a privati, mentre la corte fu acquistata alla fine del XIX secolo dalla famiglia Montagna, che dedicò parte dei terreni circostanti alla coltivazione di pomodori e costruì in adiacenza una fabbrica di conserva e un moderno caseificio con annesso allevamento di suini, affittati a conduttori esterni. Durante la seconda guerra mondiale, il 17 aprile 1945 la corte fu colpita dai bombardamenti alleati, che causarono la morte di nove persone[14] e il parziale crollo della chiesa di San Nicomede, di cui rimasero in piedi soltanto alcune porzioni delle murature esterne; il luogo di culto fu ricostruito nel 1950 nelle originarie forme romaniche. La fabbrica conserviera fu alienata nel 1957 all'imprenditore Ercole Azzali; pochi anni dopo fu però chiusa, mentre il caseificio sopravvisse ancora per qualche tempo. Dopo la cessazione dell'attività, il degrado aumentò, finché nel 1998 la corte e le strutture annesse furono acquistate dall'Ente Parco Fluviale Regionale del Taro, poi Ente di Gestione per i Parchi e la Biodiversità Emilia Occidentale, che ne avviò i lavori di ristrutturazione, adibendo parte dell'edificio a propria sede; nell'ala est furono inoltre ricavati un percorso espositivo e una sala auditorium. Nel 2005 fu recuperata la casa colonica esterna, destinata a Laboratorio storico. Nel 2006, su finanziamento della Regione Emilia-Romagna, del Comune di Collecchio e della Fondazione Cariparma, l'ala sud, originariamente adibita a legnaia e deposito, fu trasformata in sala teatrale; il Teatro alla Corte fu inaugurato nel settembre del 2007; nello stesso anno furono avviati i lavori di sistemazione dell'ala ovest, ove all'interno delle antiche stalle trovò spazio nel 2010 il Museo del pomodoro. Nel 2013 il cantiere dell'ala ovest fu completato recuperando anche l'antico pastificio e il mulino; l'anno seguente gli ambienti divennero la sede del Museo della pasta. Nel 2014 fu inoltre ricostruito il tetto della chiesa di San Nicomede,sede parrocchiale a servizio della frazione di Pontescodogna. Nel 2019 fu ristrutturato l'antico caseificio posto nell'ala nord ovest, al cui interno nel novembre dello stesso anno fu inaugurato l'Agrilab Giarola, un laboratorio di cucina per promuovere la biodiversità agroalimentare, i prodotti del territorio e la loro stagionalità. FONTE ed altre b notizie: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corte_di_Giarola

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Originally built between the 10th and 11th centuries, the castle was rebuilt in 1153 and expanded several times in the following centuries. With the exception of a few brief periods in the 12th and 14th centuries, the Pallavicino marquises maintained it almost uninterruptedly until their extinction in 1756. Assigned to the Sermattei family, the manor was purchased a few years later by the Landi cousins. Sold in 1882 to the Corazza family, the manor was renovated and transformed into an elegant stately home, rich in frescoes and stucco decorations. Since the early 21st century, the building, along with the surrounding village, has been used as a scattered hotel, with an adjoining farm. SOURCE: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabiano_Castello

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A short detour to visit the town center (and perhaps stop at a bar for a snack)

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Joern
June 8, 2025, Parma Cathedral

An early Christian church, probably built over a pre-Christian sanctuary, stood on the site of today's cathedral square from the 4th or 5th century. From 860 onwards, the Church of St. Mary was built nearby, which became the cathedral. After its destruction by fire, construction of the present cathedral began in 1074 in several phases. The bell tower was built between 1284 and 1294 in the Gothic style. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dom_von_Parma

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From behind the courtyard you enter the Taro Park towards the canals and the butterfly path

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The Pilotta in Parma is today a Monumental Complex that gives life to a cultural and scientific center and opens up to a new dialogue with citizens. complessopilotta.it

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Frequently Asked Questions

What historical and cultural sites should I visit in Parma?

Parma offers a rich tapestry of history and culture. Don't miss the impressive Parma Cathedral, a Romanesque masterpiece with stunning frescoes, and its adjacent octagonal Parma Baptistery. The sprawling Palazzo della Pilotta houses the National Gallery, Teatro Farnese, and Palatine Library. For a glimpse into the region's past, visit Torrechiara Castle, a well-preserved 15th-century fortress just outside the city.

Are there any significant natural attractions or parks in Parma?

Yes, Parma has several beautiful green spaces. The Passo della Cisa is a popular mountain pass offering scenic views and is a favorite for cyclists. Within the city, Parco Ducale, known locally as 'The Garden,' is a large recreational area perfect for walks. You can also explore the tranquil Botanical Garden (Orto Botanico di Parma) or the historical Cittadella Park.

What outdoor activities can I do near Parma's attractions?

The region around Parma is excellent for outdoor enthusiasts. You can find numerous road cycling routes, such as the 'Piccolo Stelvio Parmense and Varano Castle Loop' or the 'Passo della Cisa, Passo del Cirone e Passo del Silara' tour. For hiking, consider trails like 'From Castelcorniglio to the Pessola waterfalls' or the 'Borgo Val di Taro, Marmitte dei Giganti, and San Cristoforo Trail'. Many cycling routes, including the 'Food Valley Bike from Parma to Busseto', also offer a great way to explore the area. You can find more details on these activities in the Road Cycling Routes in Parma, Waterfall hikes in Parma, and Cycling in Parma guides.

What are some family-friendly attractions in Parma?

Parma offers several family-friendly spots. Garibaldi Square is a lively central meeting point where families can enjoy the atmosphere. The Parco Ducale provides ample space for children to play and explore. Many historical sites, such as Busseto, a charming settlement with historical significance, are also suitable for family visits.

Are there any unique cultural experiences in Parma?

Absolutely. Parma is renowned for its culinary traditions, so consider taking a Parmesan Cheese or Parma Ham tour to learn about and taste these world-famous products. The city also offers various food tours and cooking classes. For music lovers, attending a performance at the neoclassical Teatro Regio di Parma provides a profound experience of Italian operatic heritage.

What is the best time of year to visit Parma?

Parma is enjoyable throughout the year, but spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October) generally offer the most pleasant weather for exploring both the city and its surrounding natural areas. These seasons avoid the peak summer heat and winter chill, making outdoor activities and city strolls more comfortable.

Are there any free attractions to visit in Parma?

Yes, you can enjoy several attractions in Parma without an entrance fee. Strolling through the historic center and soaking in the atmosphere of Garibaldi Square is free. Exploring the beautiful Parco Ducale and Cittadella Park also costs nothing. While the interior of the Parma Cathedral may have specific visiting hours or donation requests, admiring its magnificent Romanesque facade from the outside is free.

What are some indoor attractions for a rainy day in Parma?

On a rainy day, the Palazzo della Pilotta is an excellent choice, as it houses the National Gallery, the Teatro Farnese, and the Palatine Library, offering hours of cultural exploration under one roof. The Parma Cathedral and Baptistery also provide shelter while allowing you to admire their stunning interiors and artwork.

How can I get to attractions in Parma by public transport?

Parma's city center is quite walkable, and many key attractions like Garibaldi Square, the Parma Cathedral, and the Palazzo della Pilotta are within easy reach of each other. For destinations further afield, such as the Parco Ducale or the train station, Parma has a reliable local bus network. Information on routes and schedules can typically be found at bus stops or on the local transport authority's website.

Are there any wheelchair accessible points of interest in Parma?

Yes, efforts have been made to improve accessibility in Parma. Garibaldi Square, as a central open space, is generally wheelchair accessible. Many of the city's main streets and pedestrian areas in the historic center are also navigable. It's always advisable to check with specific venues like museums or historical buildings for their individual accessibility provisions before visiting.

What are some lesser-known attractions in Parma worth exploring?

Beyond the main highlights, consider visiting the Basilica di Santa Maria della Steccata, known for its frescoes, or the ancient Benedictine complex of San Giovanni Evangelista, which features a church with Baroque and Romanesque elements and impressive frescoes by Correggio. For a unique experience, the Labirinto della Masone, a large bamboo labyrinth, offers an intriguing challenge outside the city center.

What do visitors enjoy most about Parma?

Visitors frequently praise Parma's blend of historical grandeur, artistic treasures, and its world-renowned culinary scene. The city's charming pedestrian-only old town, the vibrant atmosphere of Garibaldi Square, and the impressive architecture of sites like the Parma Cathedral are often highlighted. The komoot community particularly appreciates the diverse exploration opportunities, from ancient cathedrals to scenic mountain passes like Passo della Cisa.

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