Parma is famous worldwide for two things: Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and Prosciutto di Parma. But this elegant city in Emilia-Romagna has much more to offer than its culinary reputation suggests.
The old city centre is genuinely monumental, with one of Italy's finest Romanesque cathedrals and a baptistery covered in pink Verona marble that catches the light beautifully. Inside the cathedral, Correggio's frescoed dome is a masterpiece of Renaissance illusionism, and the octagonal baptistery next door is one of the great transitional buildings between Romanesque and Gothic. The nearby Palazzo della Pilotta houses the Galleria Nazionale, with works by Correggio, Parmigianino, and Leonardo da Vinci, as well as the Teatro Farnese, a stunning wooden theatre built in 1618. Don't miss the tiny Camera di San Paolo, whose ceiling Correggio decorated as an illusionistic pergola.
Parma is also known for its musical heritage. Giuseppe Verdi was born just outside the city, and the Teatro Regio is one of Italy's most important opera houses. The city takes its music seriously -- attending a performance here, surrounded by a knowledgeable and demanding audience, is an experience in itself. Niccolò Paganini, the most famous violinist of his age, is buried in the Villetta Cemetery on the southern edge of town.
For food lovers, the area around Parma is pilgrimage territory. You can visit the dairies where Parmigiano-Reggiano is made and the curing houses where prosciutto hangs for months in the Apennine air. In the city, even a simple lunch of tortelli d'erbetta (pasta stuffed with ricotta and Swiss chard) will remind you why this region is considered Italy's gastronomic heartland.