Parma is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its architecture, music, art, prosciutto, cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,292 inhabitants, Parma is the second most populous city in Emilia-Romagna after Bologna, the region’s capital. The city is home to the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world. Parma is divided into two parts by the stream of the same name. The district on the far side of the river is Oltretorrente. Parma’s Etruscan name was adapted by Romans to describe the round shield called Parma.

Things to do in Parma should start from the Cathedral, and it’s amazing Baptistery. The dome of the Baptistery was frescoed in the third decade of the 13th century by workers from the Po Valley, influenced by Byzantine iconographic models. Also, you should see the originally called the New Ducal Theatre, the Teatro Regio in Parma was built at the behest of the Duchess Maria Luigia of Habsburg-Lorraine, wife of Napoleon, who was sent to govern the Duchy of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla following the Congress of Vienna. Work began in 1821 on a project by the court architect Nicola Bettoli and the Theatre opened on 16thMay 1829 with Zaira by Vincenzo Bellini with a libretto by Felice Romani.

Built in the neoclassical style, the façade is characterized by a colonnade with ionic capitals with a large thermal window above.

Visiting Parma is worthwhile just for its amazing food, with parmesan cheese and Parma ham topping the list of must-eat produce. But art and culture lovers will also fall in love with the romanesque cathedral, Roman ruins, Renaissance art and famous opera house.

The iconic Palazzo della Pilotta, home to the Galleria Nazionale, houses the main art collection in the city and is a must-visit spot for fans of Old Masters paintings. Over 700 pieces are on show here – from Leonardo da Vinci’s famous unfinished painting Head of a Woman to the fascinating oil painting Turkish Slave by renowned local artist Parmigianino. Various exhibitions centred around everything from the art of 14th-century Parma to Correggio’s High Renaissance paintings make this gallery worth the trip.