New Year's Eve Parma

Parma, a well known and appreciated city all around Italy for some of its products, is not instead sufficiently known from the tourism point of view: beautiful in every period of the year, it assumes a particular charm during the winter months…so why not organize an unusual New Year’s Eve here?!
In a territory which is located between the Emiliano and the Padana plain, Parma takes its name from the river that crosses the city.
You can breath the ancient origins of Parma, which was founded by the Celts to then expand under the domain of Rome, in every corner of the city, full of monuments and historic buildings from different periods.
Particularly famous are the Cathedral and the Baptistery, two magnificent examples of Romanesque art.
But the Parma history was especially marked by the fact that the city was in the midst of an important communication and of trade path between Rome and the rest of Europe: this guaranteed a florid and prosperous economic life for the city, that in time specialized in the production of foodstuffs, such as the famous Parmigiano reggiano cheese or the Crudo di Parma ham.
But let’s start our visit of the city just from the famous Duomo (cathedral), the construction of which started in 1059 and finished only a century later.
To decorate this magnificent building, came the most important artists of the time, among which it is certainly known the name of Benedetto Antelami: its his the Deposizione, today inside the walls of the church.
Other important name is that one of Correggio: its Assunzione della Virgine splendidly embellish the dome of the cathedral.
Let’s stay in Piazza del Duomo square to admire another strong piece in Parma: this is the famous Baptistery, in pink marble of Verona, also this designed by Benedetto Anelami and built between the 13th and the 14th century.
Of the same artist is the Ciclo dei Mesi e delle Stagioni(the cycle of the months and the seasons), a sculpture cycle among the most important in Italy, at least for what concerns the Romanesque art.
Many other places of interest of the city may be: for example, to stay in theme with the religious buildings, the Madonna Steccata church, dating back to 1500, or the San Giovanni Evangelista Monastery, composed with the church, the convent and the famous San Giovanni pharmacy.
Among the old the houses, one cannnot not visit the Palazzo Ducale, designed by Jacopo Barozzi di Vignola by the wish of the Farnese family, and built in the XVIth century.
The palace is located in a marvellous park, the Ducale park precisely, that is one of the most beautiful areas in the city.
Still, we can visit the Regio Theatre: in neoclassical style, it is one of the most important theatresin Italy.
Finally,for the art lovers, they may not loose the National Gallery of Parma, situated within the Palazzo Della Pilotta, this palace too is a historical building of extraordinary beauty.

Here you can admire the art works of the greatest artists in history, such as for example, Leonardo da Vinci, Correggio, Annibale Carracci and Parmigianino.