An unexpected week off of work gave me the chance to explore a little more of Italy. The historic town of Parma, just a two-hour train ride from Milan, is a perfect getaway. The town is famous for its cheese and meats (hence the names of Parma ham and Parmesan cheese). Its also well known for its theater and music, most notably the opera, something I read about in John Grisham’s Playing For Pizza. However, I didn’t realize how much importance performing arts had on this town. Although I missed the tour at the opera house (the last one is at 12) I was still able to appreciate the theatrical elements of Parma.
One of the highlights of my trip was the Castello dei Burattini…The Puppet Castle. This little museum was a pleasant surprise. A comprehensive history of Italian and some European puppetry is given as you admire these impressive works of art by famous Italian puppet-makers. I really appreciated the museum and made sure to take plenty of photos for my Uncle who has been working in puppetry himself. In the same San Paolo complex is the camara di San Paolo—displaying some of the most famous ceiling frescoes by Correggio. The medieval cathedral and baptistery in Piazza Duomo are also unique and the bapistry with its rose colored marble exterior is particularly breathtaking. Just behind the Piazza Duomo is a tiny little gelato shop called, K2, here they will create your gelato into a tiny flower that looks too pretty to eat! After lunch, I took a stroll through the shaded Parco Ducale, it was a fantastic way to get out of the hot summer sun.
Parma itself is a cute town with some interesting museums, fantastic archeological sites (many of which are actually inside the museums), and of course great food! I would certainly recommend this town as a rich cultural center worth a visit. The museums are all extremely affordable (1-5 euros) and display some of the best in Italian art. Take a trip to Parma and enjoy not only the food but an immersion into Italian art, music, and theater!
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