I was staying in Parma for three nights, so I booked myself a small apartment on Booking.com.  The name of the place was Luigi in Palazzo Bianchi.  I chose it because I liked the way that it looked on the website, it had wi-fi, and was very centrally located, being only steps away from Piazza Duomo.  I was not disappointed.  I loved the place!Being set in a courtyard of a palazzo, it was a perfect place to rest, after a day spent sightseeing.  Most people, when they hear the city of Parma mentioned, think of two things: Prosciutto di Parma, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.  Now, don’t get me wrong – both of those are here, in abundance!  But the city of Parma is more than that.  This is a beautiful city, full of art and history.  A city that deserves time spent exploring its streets, and getting to know its wonderful people.  I decided to begin my own exploring in Piazza Duomo, as it was so close to the apartment, and the weather was a bit iffy, rain periodically falling.  Three of the main attractions in Parma happen to be situated on Piazza Duomo.  The Duomo, of course, is there.  To the right of the Duomo is the Baptistry, while to the left, one can find the Museo Diocesano, which is housed in Palazzo Episcopale.  I decided to start my visit with the Duomo, or the Cattedrale di Parma.  Consecrated in 1106, this building is considered to be one of the most important examples of Romanesque architecture in all of Italy.  My next stop was the Museo Diocesano .  I bought a combination ticket, which gave me admission to all three of the attractions on the piazza.  The museum is lovely, and is a nice way to spend a half of an hour, or so.  Once I was done with the museum, I made a beeline across the piazza, heading to the Battistero di Parma.  Work began on the Baptistry in 1196, but it wasn’t completed and consecrated until 1270.  This is a beautiful building.  It is completely covered in pink marble and is decorated with frescoes and sculptures, which date back to the 13th century.  It is shaped like an octagon, as that is the symbol of eternity.  My three main goals for the day being accomplished, I could now spend the rest of my day leisurely roaming around. Palazzo Cusani is home to the Casa della Musica.  This is a free, fun museum which displays the advance of musical equipment through the modern era.  Inside, you will see old radios, phonograph machines (record players for those of us who remember them…lol), and lots of other interesting things.

Next up: more from the city of Parma, including a visit to Palazzo del Pilotta!

Note: this blog is written in English and Spanish, and the author takes no responsibility for the quality of any other translations which may appear.