Parma

Ah, Parma.  One guide-book to Italy says “If reincarnation ever becomes an option, pray you come back as a Parmesan.”  After spending a day in this charming city, it’s easy to understand why.  Parma is a foodie city- known for its cheese, of course, its prosciutto, and sparkling wines. 

The food, in fact, is the main reason why we decided to venture out from Bologna.  It’s only an hour away by train.  When we arrived in Parma, we headed first to Parco Ducale.  We took a quick stroll around the park, snapped a few photos, and then it was time for some food!

We ate at a restaurant called Trattoria Corrieri, and I had THE BEST Italian food in my life.  On the recommendation of the waiter, we ordered a plate of 3 different kinds of ravioli.  We had ravioli filled with spinach and ricotta, potato and ham, and pumpkin.  This was the real deal, folks- fresh, hand-made pasta served with olive oil that just melted in your mouth.  It was incredible- words can’t describe it. My favorite was the spinach and ricotta.  The pumpkin was good as well, but a bit too sweet for me.  David sampled some red and white sparkling wine.  I must say, the sparkling wine was much better than I expected- very refreshing on a hot summer afternoon.  

Parma has a very nice Duomo, which unfortunately is under-going reconstruction at the moment.  We did walk through the cathedral, but what sets Parma apart from other Italian towns is the Battistero, or baptistery, pictured below.  It’s an octagonal building made of pink Verona marble.  I've never seen anything like it.  

After touring the churches, we headed home, a block of native parmigiano reggiano cheese in hand.  Though under-rated, Parma is a quiet, relaxing town and well worth the trip.