ALL ABOUT PARMA - IN ENGLISH!

Parma mia! is a blog for ex-pats and English-language speakers in Parma as well as for tourists who want to learn more. We've got lots of tips and tidbits to share: where to buy your foreign foods, favorite restaurants, what's on for kids during the weekends, local agricultural fairs, where you can find a babysitter or chiropractor and hints on how to make it through the bureaucratic maze that is Italy (see tabs below). This forum is for you: please share your ideas/events with us at parmamia@gmail.com or on FB at Parma Mia.

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March 30, 2012

April in Parma

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Special events:
Kids:
  • April 22 at 10:30 am at the Spezieria di San Giovanni (old pharmacy): guided tour for families. Borgo Pipa.
  • Casa dei Bimbi is back piazza Garibaldi on April 22 and May 27.
  • Every Friday from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm, readings for kids aged 3-10 at Libreria Giunti al Punto via Garibaldi 22/I. Free of charge, no booking necessary.
  • Activities at Libri e Formiche, RosaLimone, Atelier del Borgo.
  • After school activities for children aged 5-11 at parco Bizzozero run by volunteers of Legambiente (environmentalist non-profit organization). Monday-Friday 2 pm-7 pm.
  • EuropaTeatri: the last show of the season.
    Biblioteca di Alice in Parco Ducale organizes workshops. Pick up the programme at the library or click here.
  • Aria Aperta is an organization based in Reggio Emilia that offers donkey riding activities for children! The ride of April 25 takes place in Gattatico, only 20 kms far from Parma. The donkeys are particularly quiet and adapted to small children.

  • New: Every Thursday until June 14 the Museum of Natural History (via Università 12) is offering laboratories of observation of insects with a microscope.
    Booking is ab-so-lu-tel-ly necessary with one week prior notice: tel 0521.033430 or stefano.bulla@unipr.it (leave a phone number to enable the museum to confirm availability).


Music:
  • Festival Internazionale della Chitarra at Teatro Regio and Teatro del Cinghio. Classic guitar festival.
  • Casa della Musica: "Cadeau", a series of 6 free concerts on the occasion of the 10th birthday of Casa della Musica, until May 12. Aperitivi until May 20 and Concerti until April 23 with a season dedicated to Claude Debussy.

Art:  
  • Fondazione Magnani-Rocca: an exhibition dedicated to Dante's Divine Comedy until July 1st. And of course, the worth-seeing permanent collections and the gorgeous park.
  • Opening on April 14 at the Palazzo del Governatore, "Storia d'Italia in mille scatti", the history of Italy in 1000 pictures.
  • In Reggio Emilia, an exhibition dedicated to Andy Warhol's Last Supper (inspired by the fresco of Leoanrdo da Vinci) until April 15.
  • Mostra Pixar Mantova, a behind-the-scenes exhibition dedicated to studio Pixar, the creators of Toy Story, Monsters & Co, Nemo, etc. An opportunity to visit the beautiful city of Mantua, an hour or so far from Parma.
  • In Ferrara, an exhibition dedicated to Joaquin Sorolla located in the palazzo dei Diamanti. Ferrara is also a very beautiful city!

Sagre - Local Festivals
  • http://www.monterossofestival.it/index.shtml
    If it doesn't downpour April 22nd, it might be interesting to check out the Monterosso Val d'Arda Wine Festival. Located in and near Castell Arquato - a beautiful village a little more than halfway between Parma & Piacenza (site in English).

    March 8, 2012

    March in Parma

    Spring at last!

    It's time to visit our 'Nature' page to get ideas for your coming weekends and holidays!










    What's up? Our selection:


    Kids:
    New: Every Friday from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm, readings for kids aged 3-10 at Libreria Giunti al Punto via Garibaldi 22/I. Free of charge, no booking necessary.

    New:  After school activities for children aged 5-11 at parco Bizzozero run by volunteers of Legambiente (environmentalist non-profit organization). Monday-Friday 2 pm-7 pm.

    Biblioteca Ilaria Alpi organizes a workshop about the Chinese year of the dragon on March 3.

    Workshop at the Archaeological Museum on March 21.

    Teatro delle BricioleEuropaTeatri, Theatro del Vicolo, offer shows for kids.

    Activities at Libri e FormicheL'Atelier del Borgo, Rosalimone.

    Minimondi, a children books festival organized by Libreria Fiaccadori, 17 March-1 April. The bookstore opens on March 10 piazza Garibaldi with a selection of foreign language books.

    Children's Corner at Casa della Musica, Sunday concerts for children. Highly recommended.

    Biblioteca di Alice in Parco Ducale organizes workshops for kids starting March 15. Pick up the programme at the library or
    click here.






































    It's spring, go green!
    On March 11, Parco Boschi di Carrega proposes a guided tour of the park (well, yes, in Italian..) to discover spring flowers that are bloooooooming right now!  

    It's Earth Hour on March 31. Join WWF's global event and switch off the light from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm. WWF Parma will welcome you and your kids at Centro Torri and Eurosia for a fun workshop and information about how to save energy... and our planet!

    Parma Color Viola starting March 31.

    Festa dei Fiori piazzale Lubiana 9 am - 7 pm on March 31 and April 1st.

    Aria Aperta is an organization based in Reggio Emilia that offers donkey riding activities for children! The ride of April 25 takes place in Taneto, only 15 kms far from Parma. The donkeys are particularly quiet and adpated to small children.

    Cinema:
    The original ones at
    Cinema D'Azeglio, Via D'Azeglio, 33 (movies in English with Italian subtitles).

    Music:

    The Festival Internazionale della Chitarra (classic guitar festival) will take place in April, but tickets for the opening concert with early music super stars Jordi Savall and Rolf Lislevand should be bought now (still a few left)!!
    New: "Cadeau", a series of 6 free concerts on the occasion of the 10th birthday of Casa della Musica. From March 31 to May 12.
    On going:
    Aperitivi alla Casa della Musica until May 2012 and Concerti until April with a season dedicated to Claude Debussy.
    Nuove Atmosfere, a series of 13 concerts until May 2012.
    Teatro Regio: Stiffelio and concert season: a few tickets are still available!
    Estri Armonici 2012 season at Teatro al Parco.
    Tutti per uno XL at Auditorium Paganini (no concert in March but time to buy tickets).

    Art:
    Until March 18 in the monastery of San Giovanni,
    beautiful still lifes by Paolo Pasini.

    Until March 30 at Palazzo Giordani, 150 years of fashion.


    Fondazione Magnani-Rocca will reopen on March 31 with an exhibition dedicated to Dante's Divine Comedy.

    On March 24-25 the Fondo Ambiente Italiano will exceptionally open the doors of two monuments usually closed to visits: on Saturday, the recently restored Collegio delle Orsoline (convent) and on Sunday, the Certosa di Paradigna (this big church on the road to Ikea...).

    An idea for a weekend out of town:
    On March 11, the enchanting Parco Giardino Sigurtà located in Valeggio sul Mincio will reopen its gates, an opportunity to admire one million (yes, one million!) flowers: tulips, hyacinths, and narcissus. Close by: Garda lake, Verona.

    In Modena on March 10, la "Notte dei Motori", or A Night in Motorland, an event for all the automobile aficionados.

    March 7, 2012

    Last minute: free Skipass in Schia tomorrow!

    Tomorrow 8 of March, Schia ski resort offers the Skipass to all the ladies on occasion of International Women's Day.
    This might be one of the last opportunities to enjoy skiing this year!

    In the afternoon, the spa "Normena" in Schia offers one hour of spa time.
    More information: 348-2446531 or http://www.normena.it/



     
     
    And if Schia is too far away, you can still enjoy Parma's museums.
    Tomorrow no entrance fee for ladies at Galleria Nazionale and Teatro Farnese (Pilotta), Camera di San Paolo (via Melloni), Storica Spezieria di San Giovanni Evangelista (borgo Pipa), from 8:30 am to 2 pm. Then from 8 pm to 11 pm with free guided tours for all (in Italian) at 8:30 pm and 9:30 pm.

    March 1, 2012

    Cartarte

    With Cartarte card you can get a reduced or free entrance fee in various sites of these five cities: Parma, Cremona, Mantova, Verona and La Spezia/Cinque Terre.

    The card is free of charge and available at the tourist office via Melloni. It's aimed at tourists and therefore also available for your family and friends!