The County

THE COUNTY

Nonetheless rich in artistic itineraries, the province of Parma deserves to be visited in any case: starting from the large Monumental Complex of the Royal Palace of Colorno (18 km) nicknamed the "Little Versailles", with its park and the Ducal Palace of Maria Luigia d 'Austria Duchess of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla, we move to the no less famous Rocca Sanvitale of Fontanellato (22 km) which contains the small room painted with the myth of Diana and Actaeon from 1524, one of Parmigianino's great masterpieces. A stop at the extraordinary cultural park of the Labirinto della Masone designed by Franco Maria Ricci and we soon reach Soragna (29 km) where the important Rocca Meli Lupi awaits us, a precious example of the early Baroque with valuable decorations by Bibiena. Towards the Po river we meet Busseto (42 km), where in the nearby hamlet of Roncole Verdi we can visit the Birthplace and Museum of Giuseppe Verdi, universally recognized as one of the greatest opera artists and composers of all time. Moving onto the first hills, among enchanting vineyards, we encounter the fifteenth-century village of Torrechiara Castle (17 km) of rare artistic value, where the magnificent Golden Room celebrates in its frescoes the triumph of the love of the two young local gentlemen. Thus the Castle of Montechiarugolo (16 km), a manor house and elegant Renaissance residence where lovers can rely on the gentle ghost of the beautiful Fairy Bema. Further away, in the upper Apennines, we can immerse ourselves in the thousand-year history of the imposing Bardi Fortress (61 km), one of the greatest examples of military architecture in Italy: we will enter its towers, the icehouse and its well, the granaries. We will then be able to walk along the narrow patrol walkways, cross the courtyard of honor, the parade ground until descending into the darkness of the ancient prisons and torture rooms. More relaxing is Salsomaggiore Terme (36 km), an example of liberty architecture and triumph of art deco in the building of the historic Terme Berzieri from 1923, in addition to its old and prestigious hotels, its large gardens and characteristic cosmetics and beauty shops. An unmissable visit, a few kilometers further in the province of Piacenza, is the enchanting medieval village of Vigoleno Castle (46 km), which boasts the certification of one of the "most beautiful villages in Italy".