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Castles of Parma and Piacenza

1 day · ~2 h 35 ·Castles, Wine

Day by day

Driving times are approximate, from OpenStreetMap roads without traffic; long legs are rougher estimates. The Google Maps links give up-to-date times.

  1. Day 1

    ~2 h 35 · 6 h

    Three castles on the hills around Parma and Piacenza

    1. Parma
    2. ~20 min · 16 km
      MontechiarugoloEmilia-Romagna

      Begin at the castle of Montechiarugolo, where the rooms hold Renaissance frescoes and the garden is dotted with statues from Colorno. Listen for the fairy Bema, who by legend still wanders its rooms. Then take the road on to Vigoleno.

    3. ~1 h 05 · 65 km
      VigolenoEmilia-Romagna

      Enter Vigoleno through its one gate and follow the crenellated rampart path round the walls. Climb into the castle keep to see its museum rooms. A glass of the local Vin Santo di Vigoleno, a DOC sweet wine, suits the pause before Castell'Arquato.

    4. ~20 min · 18 km
      Castell'ArquatoEmilia-Romagna

      Castell'Arquato is where the day ends. Climb the lanes to the Rocca Viscontea for views from the keep, then visit the Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta and its cloister museum. Raise a glass of Gutturnio, one of the local wines, before the way back to Parma.

    5. ~50 min · 58 km
      Parma

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What you'll eat

What each stop is known for, and the dishes its region is famous for.

Vigoleno

  • Vin Santo di VigolenoWineDOC dessert wine named after the village

Castell'Arquato

Also typical of Emilia-Romagna

Adapted from Wikipedia (Vigoleno, Castell'Arquato, Cucina emiliana, Emilian cuisine). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Thermal baths along the way

Spas and hot springs near your stops, the closest by road first.

  • Terme Borrini (IT) · ~10 min by car from Montechiarugolo
  • Terme di Monticelli · ~10 min by car from Montechiarugolo
  • Terme Luigi Zoja · ~18 min by car from Vigoleno
  • Terme "Respighi" di Tabiano · ~26 min by car from Vigoleno
  • Terme di Sant'Andrea · ~53 min by car from Vigoleno
  • Terme della Salvarola (IT) · ~58 min by car from Montechiarugolo

Data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

Soundtrack for this trip

Emilia-Romagna in music: Baroque violin, Verdi and Pavarotti, songwriters from Modena to Reggio Emilia, pop and funk.

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