Parma sits at the centre of one of Italy's most rewarding food landscapes. The Parmigiano-Reggiano dairies (caseifici) open early — most start cooking at 7 am — and many run guided tours by appointment; the cooperative consortium can suggest one near the city. Curing houses for Prosciutto di Parma cluster around the village of Langhirano, in the hills 25 km south. Both make excellent half-day trips by car or organised tour.
The hill country to the south also holds a string of fortified castles and small villages worth a longer detour. To the east, Bologna is an hour by frequent fast train; Modena is half that.