In the western part of Emilia-Romagna, crossed by a tributary of the Po river that bears the same name, is located the new destination of our trip to Italy: Parma.
This new stop gives us the opportunity to explore one of the most famous cities in Emilia, rich in history, musical and culinary tradition, but not only.
History and tradition: a journey into the past of Parma
Parma is one of the capitals of the region and second most populous city after Bologna, with its 199 thousand inhabitants.
The origin dates back to the time of the Romans, who settled here in 183 B.C. and founded the two twin colonies Parma and Mutina (Modena).
The most important period for Parma began in the 16th century, when in 1545 Pope Paul III gave the city to Pier Luigi Farnese, who gave birth to the famous dynasty. The rule of the Farnese family lasted until 1731.
With the Farnese dynasty were built some historical buildings of the city of Parma, such as the Ducal Palace and the Pilotta Palace.
At the end of the 18th century, however, Parma was subdued by Napoleon Bonaparte, who put his second wife Maria Luisa of Habsburg-Lorraine in power. She remained in Parma until her death in 1847. Thanks to her the city had a flourishing cultural and musical development, for example with the construction of the famous Teatro Regio.
In 1860, finally, the city was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy and lived a period of peace and prosperity, interrupted only by heavy bombing of the Second World War, following which reconstruction works were necessary.
Regarding the etymology of the name Parma, however, there are two different theories: according to some, the name could derive from the Latin word «Parma», a «round shield» used by the soldiers of the Roman army and which would therefore recall the shape of the city, Located on a hill.
According to others it would derive from the name of the ancient Etruscan tribes “Parmnie”, from the anthroponym Parme.
What to visit: from Piazza Duomo to the Teatro Regio.
Parma is a city rich in history and culture, and its historic center contains the main attractions to visit.
One of the most famous places and symbol of the city is Piazza Duomo, where you will find the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta: its construction dates back to 900 years ago and continues until the realization of the dome frescoed by Correggio, in 1526.
Next to the Cathedral is the Baptistery of Parma, a unique building with an octagonal plan that symbolizes the architectural transition from the Roman style to the Gothic. The walls are decorated with frescoes and bas-reliefs.
Crossing the central Piazza Garibaldi, considered the most beautiful square in Parma and seat of the municipality, you arrive at the Teatro Regio. It is considered one of the most important theatres in Italy for its operatic tradition, also thanks to the birthdays that the city has given to two famous musical personalities such as Giuseppe Verdi, one of the greatest operists and composer of all time (among his best-known works are Il Trovatore, La Traviata and L’Aida) and Arturo Toscanini, one of the most well-known Italian conductors, who also conducted some of Verdi’s operas.
The Teatro Regio is known for its yellow façade in neoclassical style and the interior divided into four sets of stages plus the gallery and richly decorated. Its construction began in 1820 with the empress Maria Luisa, wife of Napoleon.
Finally, for lovers of green areas and walks, it is recommended to visit the Parco Ducale, a rich park that also houses a lake and where you can find the palace of Maria Luisa Bonaparte (admirable from the outside).
What to eat in and around Parma: ham, Parmigiano Reggiano and stuffed pasta.
Parma is known for its culinary excellence, sought after and exported all over the world: Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto crudo, Culatello and Coppa di Parma.
In addition to the wide choice of meats and cheeses, the Parma area also offers other culinary specialties.
Among the appetizers there is the fried cake, little squares of pasta that are fried and often accompanied by cold cuts, but not only.
As for the first courses, however, stuffed pasta are inevitable, such as anolini and tortelli.
The anolini, filled with Parmigiano Reggiano, stale grated bread, egg yolk, restricted sauce of beef and spices, are usually served in broth, but also the dressing with butter and sage is appreciated.
The tortelli, on the other hand, whose original recipe includes a filling with chard, fresh ricotta vaccina, grated Parmigiano Reggiano and nutmeg, are served with sauce or pumpkin.
Among the latter, horse meat dishes are very popular and appreciated: the Cavàl Pist, for example, is a horse meat tartare, seasoned with garlic, oil and lemon. For those who do not like raw meat, you can find several cooked proposals, accompanied by vegetable side dishes, such as the gardener.
For a sweet conclusion of meal, finally, the Torta Susanna, very popular in homes and ovens in Parma. It is a shortcrust pastry filled with ricotta cream and covered in a chocolate ganache.
During the celebration of Sant’Ilario, the patron saint of the city (on January 13), the Scarpette di Sant’Ilario are prepared: decorated, glazed and coloured shortbread cakes.
Parma enterprises: tradition and industry towards the future with ultra-wide band.
The area of Parma, as we have said, is famous for its culinary and musical tradition, but it has also established itself from an industrial point of view since the nineteenth century, with the birth of industries linked to agriculture and glass processing. First, they settled in the north-eastern sector of the city, then expanded over the years.
In the post-war period, with the economic boom, various craft and industrial activities were born, which then moved to the urban periphery, in a rather chaotic way. In 1974, a General Development Plan was issued, identifying three main poles of production development in the territory.
Today the industrial area of Parma Nord is the main production site in the province, but new production sites are being developed thanks to an industrial expansion that has taken place in recent years. The industrial landscape is quite rich, with larger or multinational companies (for example Barilla), but also small and medium-sized enterprises, rather virtuous and productive.
In fact, industrial areas have been created in Parma also in the West, East and South. Every cardinal point has his industrial area.
Among the many companies is the Bormioli Luigi, a glassworks that produces containers of very high quality, intended for cosmetic or food use, which today has more than 1000 employees and is located in the industrial area of West Parma. Born in 1946 with the engineer Luigi, it specialized immediately in the production of containers for cosmetics and perfumery, then buying the first automatic machines, with which began a production of higher level, with colorful and more refined containers. The years of economic boom only those in which the company had its greatest development, even going so far as to open two branches in 1986: one in France and the other in America and starting to export their products.
Another company, located in the north of Parma, is Overmach Group, a manufacturer of machine tools. Founded in 1978, over the years it has grown and expanded its offer, offering today also machines for 3-D printing and technical feasibility analysis for any production process. Since 2024, it has also activated the Academy, with training and specialization courses.
The companies of Parma prove to be up to date. They are attentive to the evolution of technologies, on which they are investing to modernise and improve the quality and production of their products.
Looking to the future, companies in Parma are now ready for the next step of their competitive development: the implementation of advanced services such as IoT, AI, cyber security and cloud, thanks to the implementation of an innovative optical fiber infrastructure up to 10G with guaranteed transmission speed realized by FibreConnect.
Ultra-broadband will support the development of new services and improve production processes, making these industrial areas even more competitive and attractive to national and international investors.
Another step forward for our country’s economy and craft excellence, towards an increasingly connected and international future.