Parma in November

We spent a few days in Parma -too late for the opera season but still a worthwhile place to visit.  We stayed in a suite at Palazzo Dalla Rosa Prati which is situated in the Strada del Duomo and is opposite the Battistero and Duomo - an ideal location and comfortable accommodation.
The weather was quite cold and a bit rainy but it didn't stop us from wandering around and if the rain was heavy we shopped or stopped in to one of the many bars for a caffè or aperitivo.

Palazzo Dalla Rosa Prati is very close to the Battistero which was built in the 1100s

The Baptistery

The doors of the Battistero

One of the side panels

Parma is an interesting, well maintained place and the centro is quite picturesque with many attractive narrow streets and large piazzas. Sections of the city were bombed in the second world war and some evidence of the destruction remains today.

The street lights are beautiful and are attached to buildings rather than free standing

As with most Italian cities, there are interesting courtyards visible from the street

Piazza Garibaldi

Piazza Garibaldi

We went to a Botero sculpture exhibition "Botero a Parma" in Palazzo del Governatore. This sculpture was in Piazza Garibaldi

Palazzo Pilotta was bombed during WW2. It was partially rebuilt but still shows signs of damage

The cds in this shop were precariously balanced near the computer monitor

Parma is the home of fantastic prosciutto and parmigiano.  This antipasto tasting plate has prosciutto crudo, culatello, spalla cotto and the best pancetta that we have ever tasted

Sicillian food market and the Turin Marathon registration marquee in Piazza Castello

There was a fantastic Sicillian food market adjacent to the Turin Marathon registration marquee.  A bit hard pre race for marathon runners who usually watch their diets pretty strictly before a race.  We still managed some arancini and I also tried some torrone -I wasn't running so didn't have to worry :)

Ricotta with Pistachios

Cassatina Siciliana

Cannoli - YUM

  Arancini di ragu and arancini di formaggio

Parmigiano

Anchovies in oil

Torone: morbido e duro

Acciughe ed olive