The Experience

Veer off the beaten path and discover Parma, a charming town with a rich history. Parma is famous for its cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano, and its ham, Prosciutto di Parma, as well as its beautiful cathedrals, palaces and opera house. Your package includes a private guided walking tour of Parma, as well as a half-day excursion to the surrounding countryside where you will visit a local farm and sample the delicious wine, cheese and prosciutto of the region. Book for travel from September 15-19th and attend the 13th annual Prosciutto di Parma Festival! Optional add-on tours available to the nearby towns of Maranello, home to Ferrari, and Bologna.

Includes:

• Roundtrip Transfers Between the Parma Rail Station and Hotel
• 2 Nights Parma at 4* Palace Maria Luigia
• Private Guided Walking Tour of Parma
• Private Half-Day Countryside Excursion with Wine, Cheese and Prosciutto Tasting
• One 3-Course Dinner
• Daily Breakfast

Day 1 – Arrive Parma:
Arrive by rail or car, and check into the 4* Palace Maria Luigia, perfectly located in Parma just a three minute walk from the rail station and a five minutes walk to pedestrian-only city center. This sophisticated property is an updated mix of contemporary and classical in structure and decor. Rooms are individually decorated with great attention to amenities, plus all rooms are soundproof. The Palace Maria Luigia offers a beautiful garden lounge (right) where you can have your meals served or your can just relax and visit with other guests over a glass of a delightful local wine.

Half-day Excursion into the countryside from Parma including cheese, prosciutto and wine tastings.
(Accommodation, Parma)

Day 2 – Parma:
After breakfast, meet your English-speaking guide for your private walking tour of Parma, a city that dates back 3,500 years to the Bronze age. The current city was probably founded and named by the Etruscans, Latin for a parma or circular shield. Over the centuries, Parma was a Roman colony, was destroyed and rebuilt numerous times even being sacked by Attila the Hun.

Sights include the Romanesque Cathedral, the 12th century Baptistery (left), the 10th century abbey church of Saint John the Evangelist, the 11th century Benedictine Monastery of San Paolo, the University of Parma, one of the oldest in the world, the Palazzo della Pilotta (1583) housing the Academy of Fine Arts, the Ducal Palace, and so much more.

The city of Parma is located between the Po River and the Appennino mountain range, including a series of wonderfully preserved castles from the 14th and 15th centuries, plus a number of rural villas. The mountains near Parma provide plenty of opportunity for hiking and other outdoor activities plus beautiful landscapes as a backdrop to your Parma experience. Breakfast, accommodations, Parma)

Private Guide for Half-day Walking Tour of Parma. (Present your voucher to the guide then discuss those sites you are most interested in seeing ,“ it,™s your tour to enjoy.)

3-course dinner at the Ristorante Angiol d’Or an elegant place serving traditional local cuisine. Angiol d’Or faces the Piazza del Duomo opposite the Baptistery. The menu starts with cold meat cuts, prosciutto, salami and cooked shoulder, or ravioli with black truffles, or pasta with partridge sauce. Main dishes include shin of veal, tripe with Parmesan, beef stew with polenta, lamb with Balsamic Vinegar or glazed duck breast with pears. The wine list is varied and of excellent quality. (Please arrive on your own for your 8:00 p.m. reservations; present your voucher before ordering. Your dinner will be 3-courses with water and 1 glass of wine per person. Gratuities & additional beverages not included.)

Day 3 – Depart Parma:
Either add a day in Parma to enjoy an optional tour, or depart for your next Avanti destination. (Breakfast, Parma)

Optional add-on tours available to the nearby towns of Maranello, home to Ferrari, and Bologna.

Maranello

Maranello, a town of 16,841, is best known as the home of Ferrari S.p.A. and the Scuderia Ferrari Formula One racing team since the early 1940s, when Enzo Ferrari transferred operations from the Scuderia Ferrari Garage and Factory in Modena. The public museum Galleria Ferrari, which displays sports and racing cars and trophies, is also located here.

Bologna

Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna lying between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains. Home to the oldest university in the world, University of Bologna (1088), Bologna is a lively, cosmopolitan Italian college city with a rich history along with art, cuisine, music and culture, and is also one of the best preserved medieval cities in Europe.