The people of Parma eat out as a hobby so for the better restaurants it is advisable to book. A lot of Italians will eat Antipasto, Pasta, Primo and Secondo followed by dolce. It is not compulsory! It is quite acceptable for instance to take a plate of Prosciutto between two as your starter and follow with a Pasta or Primo/Secondo (First or Second Main course - the trenchermen and women among you may of course want to go the whole hog!)
What you won't find in the city centre are BurgerK or McD, however, there are more than sufficient Pizza and Kebab take-aways, for those who need a late night snack.
Remember, Parma is a very rich City and you will find that people do tend to dress up to go out. Piazza Garibaldi and Strada Cavour are the two places to "people watch", but between 3pm and 8pm things are usually quiet, livening up again from 10pm. Via Farini is the liveliest area at night, but most bars close around 2 a.m.
MY FAVOURITES
The “Enoteca Fontana” owned and run by Fabrizio Fontana is not just a great sandwich bar. Tucked in at the back is a well priced lunchtime restaurant where you can order from a carefully balanced menu augmented by daily special dishes, in the evenings it has only a “panini” menu and closes at about 10.15pm You will find it located in Via Farini, (the street to the south of Piazza Garibaldi opposite the statue of “Gari” himself) about 200 yards down on the left.
The local wine is a lightly sparkling red - Lambrusco - served chilled, very dry and delicious, forget any misconceptions you have of the Lambrusco you may have drunk in the UK! The region also produces a very nice dry white, Malvasia.
DRINKING
There are masses of bars and you will not go thirsty! Beer is generally more expensive than wine and eating and drinking in the main square, Piazza Garibaldi is not cheap, like any city centre.
Again in Via Farini, this time on the right about 50 yards from the piazza, you will find “Tabarro”, Diego will guide you through his extensive selection of wines in near perfect English; he also offers a range of food not found in the other bars, for example Irish blue cheese, hand carved ham from what was Yugoslavia (I think) and wild Irish salmon!
In Via al Collegio dei Nobili is a great little bar called Il Segreto dei Nobili, open daily except Sunday, with late nights on Friday and Saturday.
SIGHTS
I am not a “museums” person, but in the period before and after the match there is plenty to see. I would however recommend that if you only see two things make them the Pink Marble 12th Century Baptistery, in Piazza Duomo; and the restored “Teatro Farnese” in the Pilotta next to the National Gallery. The Pilotta is the large partly bombed (American friendly fire) building set back behind the small “Parco della Pace” in Via Garibaldi. It will cost about €4.00 for entry to the Baptistery and €2.00 for the Teatro Farnese. If you are not impressed by either I will be very surprised.
Pilotta by the way was an early form of soccer played in some Mediterranean countries.
Parma Weather - We provide weather reports for Parma" target="_blank" style="">PARMA WEATHER
Hot in Summer (a lot of the more well off inhabitants take to the mountains for July and August because of the heat); cold in Winter, normally reasonably dry all year round, but it is as well for an extended stay to pack an umbrella.
IN SHORT
Have a fabulous time in what I think is one of the loveliest, and friendliest, little cities in the world.
