In addition to Modena, Parma is also located in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Parma is known for, as you might guess, Parmesean cheese. It’s also known for its ham. In this things to do in Parma Italy guide, I highlight everything we did when we visited.
Before jumping into the guide, a bit more about Parma. It’s an old city northwest of Modena and Bologna. The university in the city naturally creates a younger-feeling vibe compared to Modena. With that said, the city is a great place to relax and unwind.
Best Credit Cards to Use in Parma Italy:
It can be argued that the three most valuable transferable point programs are American Express, Chase, and Citi. Each offers credit cards with high earn rates in relevant bonus categories for your spending.
Three cards to consider bringing with you to Parma are the American Express Gold, Chase Sapphire Reserve, or Citi Prestige. You earn 4x points on dining and US grocery stores with the Gold. Reserve cardmembers earn 3x points on dining and travel. As a Prestige cardmember, you earn 5x points on airfare and dining.
How to Fly to Parma Italy:
The two closest major airports to Parma are Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) and Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE). Each offers flights from across the world including nonstop flights from the US.
You can fly Alitalia, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, and United Airlines nonstop from the US to Milan. If Venice makes more sense, you can fly nonstop from the US on American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines.
Where to Stay When Visiting Parma Italy:
IHG is the only major points hotel with a property in Parma. The Holiday Inn Express Parma is your option. Just outside of Parma in Reggio Emilia, IHG has the Holiday Inn Express Reggio Emilia.
Other options include Airbnb and Google Hotels. The latter option allows you to refine your search to find a place that works for you. God Save the Points has a helpful Google Hotels post showing you how to use its features.
Where to Eat and Drink When Visiting Parma Italy:
We started our Parma trip with a bite to eat at Trattoria Corrieri. The rest of our day was covered by an interesting Parmesan cheese tour guide by Bike Food Stories. I highly recommend booking this tour!
On our next visit, we plan to grab coffee at Farnese food coffee & drinks and Torrefazione Gallo. For dinner, Parizzi, Ristorante La Forchetta, Osteria del 36, Meltemi Parma are on our list.
Things to Do in Parma Italy:
Walking around Parma is a great way to get a feel for the city. In addition, I recommend a Parmesan cheese tour guide with Bike Food Stories is a must. Davide, the owner, bikes you through the city to the plants that create some of the world’s best cheese. This tour is incredible and is captured in the Parma vlog above.
Other places we did not have time to see include the Statua Parco Ducale and Regional Taro River Park. These are on our list to check out on our next trip to Parma.
Conclusion on the Best Things to Do in Parma Italy
We enjoyed our time in Parma and recommend it as a place to visit. The city has some of the best cheese in the world. It’s low-key and relaxed. This is another perfect place, like Modena, to unwind on your Italian vacation.
What about you? What’s on your things to do in Parma Italy list? What do you recommend? Please let me know in the comments below or by sending me an email on my contact page.
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