Emilia-Romagna · Italy
Where to stay in Parma
Parma is a city in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, home to about 197,000 people.
- Best months
- May, June and August
- Nearest airport
- PMF4 km · Parma Airport
- Currency
- EUReuro
- Time zone
- Europe/Rome
- Language
- Italian
About
About Parma
Parma is a city in the region of Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy, known for its architecture, music, art, prosciutto (ham), cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 199,450 as of 2026, Parma is the second most populous city in Emilia-Romagna after Bologna, the region's capital.
The city is home to the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world. Parma is divided into two parts by the stream of the same name. The district on the west side of the river is Oltretorrente, meaning "the other side of the stream".
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Parma
See
- Piazza Duomo
- Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta
- Battistero di San Giovanni
- Palazzo Episcopale
- Palazzo della Pilotta
- Camera di San Paolo
- Palazzo di Riserva
- Museo Glauco Lombardi
- Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi
- Palazzo del Governatore
- Palazzo del Municipio
- Monastero di San Giovanni Evangelista
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Parma
5 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel The Cube | 21.2 km | |
| Lombardi Guesthouse | 1.9 km | |
| NH Parma | 1.0 km | |
| Novotel Parma Centro | 0.9 km | |
| Palazzo Dalla Rosa Prati | 0.2 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Parma
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Parma are May, June and August. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 29 °C; November is the wettest, with about 118 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Parma: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Parma Airport (PMF), about 3.7 km from the city centre in a straight line; Brescia Gabriele d'Annunzio Airport (VBS, 70 km) and Verona Villafranca Valerio Catullo Airport (VRN, 79 km) are also within reach.
Getting around
Walk. Virtually everything in the historic city centre is within easy and leisurely walking distance. Sites across the river require a little more walking but still not too much. The terrain is flat and biking is very popular among the locals. Taxis wait at the train station and across the street from the Governor's Palace (Palazzo del Governatore) in the centre of town. Mi Muovo is an integrated public transport pass for the region. Short-stay visitors might use "Mi Muovo Multibus", a 12-trip bus ticket, see Emilia Romagna. There are rental cars at the small airport just outside town.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
PMF · Parma Airport
VBS · Brescia Gabriele d'Annunzio Airport
VRN · Verona Villafranca Valerio Catullo Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Parma
Eat
If you are in Parma, your trip is not complete until you try a hunk of its eponymous cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano. Known the world over, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese owes its quality to its source. The cows that produce the milk graze only on grass and hay in fields around the city. The cheese is made and aged from 18 months to over 30. Another food you must try in Parma is the local cured ham, Prosciutto di Parma. Parma's Prosciutto is the gold standard for salumi. The hams are cured and aged in temperature and humidity controlled rooms for at least 10 months.
Drink
An aperitivo in Via Farini is something you should not miss. There are several bars in that little street where you will find a lot of people standing outside with a Martini or a Sprizz con Aperol at around 18:00, enjoying the free buffet that is offered when you buy a drink. Try a bottle of the local sparkling red wine called Lambrusco, great on its own and perfect with much of the local cuisine. It can be purchased in virtually any bar or corner shop and is very inexpensive.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Parma: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Parma?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Parma are May, June and August. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 29 °C; November is the wettest, with about 118 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Parma?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Parma Airport (PMF), about 3.7 km from the city centre in a straight line; Brescia Gabriele d'Annunzio Airport (VBS, 70 km) and Verona Villafranca Valerio Catullo Airport (VRN, 79 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Parma?
euro (EUR).
Nearby
Destinations near Parma
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.