Historic centre loop

Distances are walking routes on real streets. From Piazza Garibaldi, take Strada Cavour north-east to Piazza Duomo. The Baptistery and San Giovanni are both within 250 m of the cathedral door. Walk back towards Strada Garibaldi for the Steccata, then the Teatro Regio and the Pilotta sit side by side at the north end of the center. Return along Strada Garibaldi. If you arrive by train, the station is 1.2 km, about 16 minutes, from Piazza Garibaldi.

The Duomo is free and open every day from 7:45 a.m. to 7:20 p.m. without a break. Look up: Correggio painted the Assumption in the dome between 1522 and 1530. Inside, look for Antelami's Deposition relief, dated 1178. Visits pause during services.

The Baptistery, in pink Verona marble, was built from 1196 to 1216. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The €12 permit (€10 reduced, €25 family, free under 13) also covers the Diocesan Museum and is valid for two days, so you can split them. Buy it at the museum entrance, Vicolo del Vescovado 3/a. Is it worth €12? Yes, for the interior sculpture and frescoes; our Baptistery page explains what you see.

San Giovanni Evangelista, the Benedictine abbey church behind the cathedral, is free. It opens 8:30 a.m. to noon and 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Its dome is by Correggio, and the church has frescoes by Parmigianino and Anselmi. Round the corner, the monks' Antica Spezieria, the old pharmacy, is run by the state museums: €5, Tuesday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Borgo Pipa 1/A, with a maximum of 15 visitors at a time.

Santa Maria della Steccata, a short walk back towards Piazza Garibaldi, is free. Parmigianino signed the contract for its frescoed arch in 1531 and was jailed for two months over the delays. The church has no official website; the most recent directory we found (2024) gives 7:30 a.m. to noon and 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., so treat that as a guide.

The Teatro Regio, opened in 1829, runs 30-minute guided tours of the foyer, auditorium and Ridotto, in Italian and English: €12, €8 for under-30s and over-65s, €3 under 18. On September 29, 2026 it had not published its autumn tour times, so call +39 0521 203995 or skip the interior and admire the facade. If you want to hear it rather than tour it, see an opera night at the Regio.

The Palazzo della Pilotta is the Farnese palace complex. One €18 ticket covers five museums, including the wooden Teatro Farnese and the Galleria Nazionale. It opens Tuesday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., last entry 6 p.m. Enter from 5 p.m. and the ticket is €10: an hour is enough for the Teatro Farnese and the Galleria's highlights. Ages 18 to 24 pay €2 and under-18s are free. Note that Correggio's Lamentation is on loan to Dresden until January 10, 2027.

• Coffee: Caffè Cavour, Strada Cavour 30/B, is on the way from Piazza Garibaldi to the Duomo. Its latest menu (December 2023) lists an espresso at €1.30 at the bar and €2 at a table. Open daily 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Lunch: Trattoria dei Corrieri, Strada del Conservatorio 1, serves from noon to midnight every day, so it suits a late start. For a quicker plate near the square, Osteria dei Mascalzoni does lunch with tortelli at €12.
• A glass at the end: Tabarro at Strada Farini 5/b opens at 5:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday, a few steps from where the loop finishes. Or continue on our aperitivo walk.

1. 3 p.m.: Piazza Garibaldi, coffee on Strada Cavour.
2. 3:20 p.m.: Duomo, then the Baptistery (last entry 5:45 p.m.).
3. 4:15 p.m.: San Giovanni, open again since 3 p.m.
4. 4:40 p.m.: the Steccata, then past the Teatro Regio.
5. 5 p.m.: the Pilotta on the €10 ticket, until last entry at 6 p.m. and closing at 7 p.m.
6. 7 p.m.: back to Piazza Garibaldi and Strada Farini.

Tickets for one adult: Baptistery €12 plus Pilotta €10 = €22. Add €12 for a Regio tour if one is running. On the first Sunday of the month the Pilotta is free. For a day around this loop, see Parma in 1 day.

Private Parma Food Walking Tour with 10 Local Food Tastings

Private, so the per-person price drops for bigger groups; one option has you pay for tastings on site. About 3 km of walking. Not for vegans.

3 hours

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Food Tour with Tastings & Sightseeing in Parma

Max 10 people. Starts at Palazzo Dalla Rosa Prati by the Duomo. A tasting walk, not a meal; no gluten-free option at the pastry stop.

2 hours

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Parma: City Walking Tour

Daily 10 a.m., plus 3 p.m. Saturdays. Sights are seen from outside and no entry tickets are included.

2 hours

4.2★★★★★★★★★★(223 reviews)

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