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.

And remember to like Parma Mia on Facebook for weekly updates. Buon divertimento!


Tourism

Parma is a beautiful city, rich of monuments, churches and museums. We mention here (what we consider) the best of, but there's much more!
Visit the tourist office piazza Garibaldi (in the building of the Comune) for, among others, assistance for ticket booking, and a list of tourist guides who speak English, French, German. Go to Parma Point, via Garibaldi, for brochures, and books in English and French.
Touring Club Editore publishes the very detailed guide 'Parma e provincia', but in Italian only.
On this page you can download the list and opening times of Parma's monuments and museums.

-Monuments
-Museums
-In the province of Parma
-A few ideas for (visits)

Monuments
The Cathedral and the Baptistry are absolute must-see, as well as San Giovanni Evangelista church and its monastery. The library of the monastery is one of Parma's best kept secrets!
Santa Maria della Steccata on via Garibaldi is also a beautiful church, with frescoes by Parmigianino.
The Camera di San Paolo via Melloni deserves a visit (frescoes by Correggio)
Also check out the Biblioteca Monumentale di San Giovanni.

Museums
Teatro Farnese and Galleria Nazionale, Palazzo della Pilotta
Casa della Musica and especially Casa del Suono, piazzale Salvo D'Acquisto
Glauco Lombardi Museum, personal artifacts belonging to Maria-Luigia (more interesting than it sounds!)
Museo Amedeo Bocchi, via Cairoli, another well kept secret.
Palazzo Pigorini
Palazzo del Governatore
Full list of museums
                                                                     
In the province of Parma:
The territory is rich of castles (Rocca Meli-Luppi in Soragna, Torrechiara, Fontanellato to name a few) and medieval churches (Fidenza, Vicofertile, Berceto). 
Castello di Scipione, Vigoleno and Castell D'Arquato also make for nice day trips.
Visit Salsomaggiore, its turn-of-the-century spas and hotels, its parks.
Fondazione Magnani-Rocca in Mamiano di Traversetolo, a very rich private art collection. Also organizes temporary exhibitions of excellent quality.
Museums of the province.
This website will give you a more exhaustive view of places worth a visit. There's also a facebook page.
The province of Parma also edits a weekly newsletter sent by e-mail.
The region of Emilia-Romagna has a website with current events and useful tourist information. Also on facebook.
                                                  
A few travel ideas (also check out of "Getting Lost In..." page):
- a one day trip: Milano (try: http://milan.angloinfo.com/whatson/), Mantova, Bologna, Cremona, Modena (and the mud volcanoes at Salse di Nirano), Lago di Garda, Verona, Cinque Terre, Portovenere, Castell'Arquato, Certosa di Pavia, Ferrara, Forte dei Marmi,
- a weekend: Firenze, Sienna/San Gimignano, Venezia, Roma, Pisa/Lucca, Genova/Portofino/Santa Margherita Ligure, Ravenna and delta del Po.
Among I Borghi più Belli d'Italia are some of the most beautiful villages of Italy. Around Parma: Castell'Arquato, Bobbio, Vigoleno, Compiano, Sabbioneta.
And many, many more! Tell us about your favourite places!
You can also read the monthly magazine Bell'Italia for ideas (you'll want to go everywhere!).
-Fico outside of Bologna for a total Italiano food experience

For the serious traveller ;)
Touring Club guides translated in English: Guides to Italy, Authentic Italy, Heritage Guides.

Website of Emilia-Romagna (in English).

Lodging: in many regions, agriturismo (B&B) is a great way to enjoy Italian sense of hospitality combined with (usually) pretty and affordable accommodations.
Agriturismo.it
Turismo verde
Agriturist

We can recommed Il Filo di Arianna in Bologna as a good priced B&B by the station.
+(39) 392-2417268, ilfiloarianna@gmail.com


Music and Cinema Cultural Tips from a Parma Insider:
Interesting musical and film events (in Italian): Associazione Culturale Caseficio La Rosa
Garage Band Music and More: Arci Taun, Fidenza

WOPA a new modern space in Parma offering interesting cultural, musical, and other events for adults and children.

Monthly Events: for a selection of currents events, visit the home page of the blog. For weekly updates, please like Parma Mia on Facebook!

For an English Speaker's "Slow Travel" guide to Emilia-Romagna, we recommend out friend's excellent website and travel service: My Cousin Emilia

Build your own calendar: enter these links in your favourites, subscribe to newsletters, click "like" on facebook. You will also find several suggestions on our monthly event updates.
Website of La Repubblica: il settimanale (weekly calendar of events). The same list is also available in print at the tourist office piazza Garibaldi or on their website. La Repubblica Parma is also accessible on facebook.
Eventi Parma on the web and the facebook page.
Facebook page of the tourist office. Parma Point.
Cultural events can be found here.
Events for families.
A lot of brochures are available at Parma Point on via Garibaldi.
The province of Parma also edits a weekly newsletter sent by e-mail.
Turismo Emilia Romagna and the facebook page.
Finesettimana.it is a website listing events in all Italia.
Check the "nature" page for events taking place in regional parks.
For sagre (local festivals) and events all around Italy check out Folclore - in English too!
Visit the webpages and facebook pages of cinemas, theatres, etc, to subscribe to their newsletters.

Annual events:
January: Concerto di Capodanno (New year's concert), Corteo dei Re Magi on the 1st sunday
First quarter of the year: Stagione lirica and Stagione concertistica at Teatro Regio
February: Carnevale, Cioccolato Puro (chocolate market)
March: ViolaParma (celebration of violets), Minimondi (children books festival), Children's Corner at Casa della Musica, Earth Hour, Giornate FAI.
April: Festival Internazionale della Chitarra (classic guitar festival), Settimana della Cultura
May: ParmaDanza, Festa dell'Europa, Notte dei Musei (museums open till late), Festa dell'Orto Botanico (botanic garden), Fattorie aperte (farms open their doors), Cantine aperte (vineyards open their doors).
June: Festa Multiculturale (Collecchio)
July: Festival dei Burattini (puppets festival, with street shows)
August: Sotto le Stelle (music festival)
September: Festival del Prosciutto, Palio di Parma (Renaissance festival), Early Music Festival, Giornate Europee del Patrimonio (free admission in national museums)
October: Festival Verdi, Traiettorie (festival of contemporary music), Barezzi Live Festival (music), Ottobre Africano
November: Parma Jazz Frontiere, Aperitivi della Casa della Musica (sunday morning concerts, November to May)
December: Santa Lucia (in the Italian tradition, Sta Lucia brings presents to children, not Santa Claus), Casa dei Bimbi piazza Garibaldi (drop your kids who will enjoy workshops and readings, and go shopping, or relax!), Mercato di Natale
Estate fuori Città is a summer music festival that takes places outside town.


Cinema:
Parma Movie Theaters and Listings
Cinema D'Azeglio  Original Language Films
Cinema Edison
There is also an original language movie theatre in Reggio and several in Milan

Theatre: here is the list of the theatres. We don't elaborate as following a play in Italian is a real challenge! See 'kids' page for shows made for the young public (and their parents!).

Concert halls:
Teatro Regio and Auditorium Paganini
Casa della Musica
Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini
Auditorium del Carmine
Nuovo Teatro di Soragna
Teatro Comunale di Fontanellato
Teatro Verdi in Busseto
Teatro Magnani in Fidenza

LibraryBiblioteca Internazionale Ilaria Alpi offers a selection of books in foreign (non Italian) languages, as well as newspapers and magazines. Every first Saturday of the month, the library introduces its new acquisitions of foreign language books, and organizes workshops for kids in the afternoon. Then it's "happy hour" from 6 to 7 pm: you can borrow as many books as you want for 45 days, you can enjoy 2 hours of free Internet surfing and you even receive a gadget from the librarians!
La Biblioteca di Alice is a library for kids aged 0-14 located in the greenhouse of Parco Ducale, also with a small selection of foreign language books. The library also organizes workshops for kids (pick up the programme at the library).

Magazines: the newsstand piazza Garibaldi offers a good selection of international magazines and newspapers.

Sports:
Pareti - Climbing - San Pancrazio
Polisportiva Coop - Various courses and activities - Campus
http://www.sport.comune.parma.it/sport/impianti.asp?page=1&IdVoceMenu=2
Also, check out our nature page for info on hiking & biking groups and paths/

Art - For a list of the Museums In and Around Parma Click Here
-Fondazione Magnani Rocca Lichtenstein
-Palazzo del Governatore
-Palazzo Bossi Bocchi  (CariParma)
-Museo Bocchi (MonteParma)
-Fondazione MonteParma - new museum location in Via Farini 32/a
-Labirinto della Masone - Treasures from the East
-CSAC museum and archives, Parma

-Art listings

-Near ModenaTerramara di Montale open-air archeological museum, open on Sundays with kids' workshops

No comments: