Away game in Parma? Here’s what the city has to offer

Parma is a beautiful city located in the centre-north of Italy, famous among Italians for its central role in the food industry. Parma ham is one of the best in the world, as well as the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, born in the nearby city Reggio Emilia more than 1,000 years ago. These are only two of the city’s important contributions to Italian food culture. The region in which Parma is located (Emilia-Romagna) gave birth to masterpieces of Italian cuisine such as lasagna, tortellini, and piadina just to name a few. Hence, you cannot come to Parma to see a game against Zebre and miss out on the great food, drinks, experiences, attractions and landmarks that this city has to offer. In this guide, the Carborugby team will give you everything you need to know to make the most of your experience in this city while still being able to enjoy the rugby game you’ve come for.

Getting to Parma

If you’re coming, it is highly likely that you’ll fly to Bologna or Milan, which means you’ll have some more road to cover to get to Parma. The best way to do that is by trains, there are many options both from Bologna and Milan, once you reach the central station with public transport.
If you’re getting there by train, then it won’t be hard to move around the city once you get there. There’s only one train station in the city, very close to the city center and not too far from the rugby stadium.
However, if you rented a car, you may want to know where it is best to park it to avoid chaos and narrow Italian streets. The best car parkings are Parcheggio Fratti, Parcheggio Toschi, Central Parking Repubblica and Ghiaia Parking. These are all very close to the city center, and if you feel lucky you can try to get your parking in the “blue lines” on the streets. Parking free near the center is almost impossible, and the cost is around 1,5€ / hour, but they parking along the streets are free on Sunday and bank holidays. If you prefer to avoid parking costs, consider to stop your car in one of the “Parcheggio scambiatore” (Park-and-ride) located at the four entrance of the city (North, East, South, West) and take a public transport to reach the center.

Getting to the stadium

from the train station

The Sergio Lanfranchi stadium is just about 2 km far from the train station, and it is well-connected with public transports. It is possible to walk to the stadium directly (ca. 25 mins). If you choose to go by bus, you will need to walk to the -1 floor of the train station (underground) and hop on the Bus 7 direction Parcheggio Nord. During the week there is a ride every 15 minutes, while on the weekend the rides are a bit less frequent. Tickets can be purchased directly on board with credit cards. To reach the stadium exit the station left, then enter Via Trento, and stay on it until you see the stadium. Keep in mind that neither of these options will take you through any of the historical sides of the city of Parma: for that you’d have to go the other way.

by car

The stadium is very close to Parma’s Autostrada (highway) exit. From the exit gate you only need to follow directions to the train station, the stadium will be on the right side of the street, about 2 km downstream the highway exit. There is a parking lot in front of the stadium and it isn’t too complicated to find a spot there, but in the worst-case scenario you can also park in the parking lot of the shopping center in front of it. The shopping center closes at 21:00, and the parking lot closes along with it, so be careful not to park there if the game is at night.
You can also park the car by the other side of the stadium, on Viale Europa, which has several parking slots and it’s usually quite empty.

Food & drinks: go where the locals go

AT THE STADIUM

Eating inside the stadium is not an experience worth remembering. It’s definitely worth paying a visit to the Zebre clubhouse: it is located just 10 metres before the stadium’s ticket office on the right, and here you can find some historical shirts and a nice bar. However, eating there it’s not remarkable.

Near the STADIUM

The stadium is located in the industrial part of the city, and there are few places you can stop by to eat something.

• Osteria Imelde Parma: If you want to eat something typical, near the stadium, and not too costy, this is the place for you. This is a small place very close to the Lanfranchi entrance (booking is strongly recommended) which prepares typical Parma dishes, such as tortelli, Parma ham, and torta fritta. This is not the best restaurant in town, but it’s a good compromise if you want to eat right before or after the game without moving your car or taking a bus. The prices are average, you should spend around 20-30€ without the wine.
• La Locanda di Sparafucile: if you arrive by car, you can take a stop here when you exit the highway. In a minute you can be there, and you’re about 5 minutes by car from the Lanfranchi. Here you can choose to eat typical food, meat, and also fish. The menu is wide and the place is rustic and authentic. Here you will spend around 35-40€.
• Pizzikotto: If you crave for a pizza (even if Parma is almost 1.000Km from the pizza’s home, Napoli), you can choose to stop at Pizzikotto, a fine pizzeria very near the Lanfranchi stadium. While pizza is not typical food in Parma, this place prepares a good pizza that worth a visit, if you want to eat the most famous italian dish. The pizzas here cost about 10-15€.

IN THE CITY

One of the best suggestions we can give you is to save your hunger for when you’re in the city centre. While we gave you some tips near the stadium, they’re not the best places to have a dinner in Parma. If before or after the game you decide to grab a bite in the city centre, there’s plenty of choice including traditional local food. Here’s a shortlist of restaurants that we’d like to suggest you, all relatively close:

• Pepèn. This place is in any street food guide whenever Parma is in the guide. Exceptional sandwiches, great food. We have some suggestions for you: first of all, the Pesto Crudo di Cavallo (Minced raw horse). In northern Italy horse meat is typically eaten in the most refined places, and Parma makes no exception, we definitely suggest to give it a try. If you’re not comfortable with eating horse meat, we suggest the Arrosto Spacca Balle (“ball breaker” roast pork), but also the Primavera con tonno (tuna). Moreover, he suggests to try the place’s specialty: the Carciòfa, a pizza filled with cheese and artichokes. Sandwiches cost about 8€ and you will eat them outside, standing.
  
• Ciacco. This is one of Italy’s finest artesanal ice cream parlours. They are featured in almost any Italian food guide or ice cream maker rankings, and the place is located where there used to be an old hat shop, giving it a unique atmosphere. This is one of the most sought-after artisanal ice cream shops in all of Italy, and you can find here classic tastes like chocolate or cream, but also exotic ice cream tastes you can find only here, like Parmigiano Reggiano, Olive Oil, Pepper and many other, all handmade by the Ciacco’s artisians.
  
• Walter – la clinica del panino. What’s better than an ice-cold beer and a fat sandwich? For that, you must visit Walter. There you’ll find at least 50 different types of sandwich which all cost about 5-6€ and a 0.5L beer on top of that will add about 5€. For those who want to save some money while still having a tasty meal.
  
• OsteMagno. This place is almost institutional in Parma, if you want to grab a drink. Quite on the cheap side, it offers you few seats inside and a beautiful look to the Piazza Pilotta, one of the most iconic landmarks in Parma. They have any kind of wine, from 1,5€ a glass up to the most expensive ones. The customers of this place are often university students, and the atmosphere is always cheerful and festive, especially bi night. If you grab a drink and a snack it will cost you around 10€.
  
• Osteria dei Servi: one of the best places to eat in the center of Parma, in the ancient Piazza Ghiaia. Everything in this place is designed to give you the typical Emilia-Romagna food experience, from the service to the location, furnished with hams and salamis hanging from the ancient wooden beams. Everything in the menu is handcrafted and well prepared, served in small pans to embrace the tradition. You can taste here the traditional pasta, a fine selection of meat and vegetables recipes and even a unespected lists of top quality grilled steaks. A good wine selection and tasty desserts give you all the reasons to stop here for a meal. The price should be 30-50€.
  
• Trattoria Corrieri. This is a traditional place, by all means. For their kitchen, their service, their food, their offer, and the atmosphere. On of its perks is that it stays open continuously from midday (12:00 PM) to midnight (12:00 AM), so it could be a life-saving pinpoint on your map. A suggestion is to try their fried quiche with local salami and their trio of tortelli. If you’re still hungry after that, you can try a local delicacy that may scare many: horse pesto. Like in Pepen sandwich, this pesto is made of ground horse meat served raw: delicious. Suggested wine is local Lambrusco (red) or Malvasìa, and the overall price should be around 35-50€.

Staying longer? Don’t miss out on this

Parma is a great touristic destination, with or without rugby. In fact, most people will visit Parma regardless of it, considering its high value in terms of history, food and wine.

streets and squares

The most representative element of the city centre is perhaps its main square, Piazza Garibaldi. Here, among other things, you’ll also find the touristic information office (IAT) where you’ll be able to get ahold of lots of important information on the city, as well as ideas on what to visit. From the main square you’ll easily reach any of the important monuments, churches and squares that you may want to see, so it’s a good starting point. Piazza Garibaldi is famous for its numerous bars with outside space and for the statue dedicated to Giuseppe Garibaldi, the historical figure guiding the Italian unification in the 19th century.
From the main square you could walk down Via Farini, the main pedestrian street, or Strada Cavour, which is the shopping street. If you feel like walking, we suggest you to take Via Nazario Sauro, famous for its antiques and modern art shops. Moreover, consider having a walk in borgo Giacomo Tommasini, a street which is always well-decorated and colourful.
If you’re more into 50s/60s architecture and residential districts, the oltretorrente district is what you’re looking for. Cross the river and you’ll find yourself amidst small houses and small squares, which feels very much like a small town, in a good way. We suggests to walk down Via D’Azeglio starting from Piazza Corridoni, reaching Piazzale Inzani and then coming back to the city centre through Parco Ducale, a local big park with an artificial lake.
Finally, as in any Italian city, also in Parma you’ll find plenty of religious architecture. The best two pieces in Parma are the Duomo (dome) and the Battistero (baptistery). They lie in the same square, piazza Duomo. The dome’s masterpiece is the cupola with Correggio‘s important fresco representing the Assumption of the Virgin. The baptistery has an octagonal shape built with pink marble and a grand interior decoration. Entrance to the dome is free of charge, but visiting the baptistery will cost you 12€.

museums and art

There’s many museums to see in Parma. The most important is perhaps the Complesso Monumentale della Pilotta, a museum complex which includes the Archeology Museum, the old Teatro Farnese, and the National Gallery, which exhibits several key paintings of Italian renaissance, including those of Parmigianino and Leonardo da Vinci. A unique ticket to all these museums is 18€.
Another interesting museum is the Pinacoteca Stuard, which is an ex-private collection turned public and freely accessible. The only catch is that it closes early (17:30) so you’ll have to rush it a bit.
If you’re into frescos then you must pay a visit to the Camera di San Paolo, the old apartments of Giovanna di Piacenza. In this space you’ll see beautiful frescos, which include the bedroom that was painted by the Italian master Correggio, considered one of the masterpieces of Italian renaissance painting. The visit costs only 8€.
Finally, there are two spaces that host temporary exhibitions which are Palazzo del Governatore (Governor’s palace) and APE. These two offer exhibitions that can be quite interesting and different from the mold, so we suggest you to check out what they have in the days you’re there.

Music and opera

There is one man, and one man only, that you’ll find everywhere in Parma (just like parsley, as we say in Italian): Giuseppe Verdi. A statue dedicated to Giuseppe Verdi is placed in Piazzale della Pilotta, where all the museums mentioned above are. Verdi has been perhaps the most important Italian opera composer in the 19th century, composing worldwide known operas such as Nabucco, Aida, Traviata, Trovatore, and Rigoletto. For any fan of classical music and opera, these are perhaps five of the most important compositions of all time. The theme Va Pensiero from Nabucco (1842) has been long considered as an “alternative” Italian anthem. If you’re into music and want to deepen your understanding of Verdi, the Opera scene, and their relationship with the territory of Parma, the best thing you can do is to visit the Teatro Regio (royal theatre) for just about 10€. In October, the festival Verdi takes place. This big classical music and Opera festival includes a long list of events centred around the maestro and his composition.

FOR RUGBY FANS

Zebre Parma are by far the most important team in the region, but they were founded in 2013 and they have an old legacy of an invitation team that played some matches until the 1990. For those who wants to have a look to the historical rugby club in Parma, Rugby Parma FC 1931 is the place. The oldest rugby club in Parma and one of the oldest in the entire Italy, this club is one must-to-visit if you’re in Parma and you’re a rugby fan. Not far away from the city center, the club won the top national competition 3 times in the fifties, and now is competing in the second division. With a wide numbers of youngs playing on their fields, Rugby Parma is part of the culture of the city. You can have a look to their nice club house, full of oval memories and nice people that will offer you a beer or two.