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Parma, Cremona & Mantua

5 nights Price from £2,452 per person
Departs: 23 Sep 2023
Departs: 23 Sep 2023

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Our second tour to this relatively unknown corner of northern Italy is based in Parma, a city synonymous with the very best food and produce in Italy, and includes visits to the art cities of Cremona and Mantua. Musically, too, the region has the finest credentials; Giuseppe Verdi was born in the small farming village of Roncole and Arturo Toscanini was born in Parma itself. This tour really is an exploration of the three elements associate with Italy – art, food and music. A number of fine lunches and dinners are included and there will be an opportunity to learn more about the two specialities for which the region is world famous, ‘parmigiano e prosciutto’.

 

ART CITIES OF NORTHERN ITALY

Parma, Cremona & Mantua and Ravenna, Urbino & Ferrara run consecutively so why not book both for a 10 night tour of northern Italy’s art cities?  The price to join both tours is £4,398 per person (single supp. £950).

What's included

...when you travel with Kirker

  • Return flights
  • Five nights’ accommodation with breakfast
  • Two dinners and two lunches
  • All entrances fees and gratuities as described
  • Services of the Kirker Tour Leader

Itinerary

  • Day 1 - Arrive Parma

    We fly from London and transfer to Parma where we stay for the duration of the holiday at our centrally located 4 star Hotel Mercure Parma Stendhal.
  • Day 2 - Parma

    Parma was once the seat of the influential Farnese family, whose patronage allowed art and music to flourish. Together with a gastronomic reputation that’s renowned around the world, this makes Parma the most perfect of Italian cultural experiences. At the city’s art gallery and former Farnese residence, the Palazzo della Pilotta, we will see works by Correggio and Parmigianino, before continuing to the Teatro Farnese, the wooden theatre of 1628, the first to be constructed with a proscenium arch. We will also see the city’s exquisite opera house, the Teatro Regio, and the frescoes by Correggio at the cathedral.
  • Day 3 - Mantua

    Nearby Mantua was the base of the rival Gonzaga family, patrons of Mantegna and Romano. We will see works by both artists during our day in the city, as well as the family residence, the Palazzo Ducale, and the elegant Palazzo Te on the outskirts. In the evening we drive to the banks of the River Po for dinner at the magnificent Antico Corte Pallavicino, a distinguished restaurant, which was once a farmhouse on the Pallavicino estate.
  • Day 4 - Cremona

    In Cremona, birthplace of Stradivarius and where members of the Stradivari family created the world’s finest string instruments, we will see the Museum of the Violin. This museum has one of the world’s most important collections of historic musical instruments. Dozens of craftsmen still continue this tradition today and we will visit a working luthier’s atelier in the afternoon to see the craft in practice.
  • Day 5 - Giuseppe Verdi

    Today is devoted to the life and work of Giuseppe Verdi, who was born in rural Roncole and who lived most of his life not far away in Busseto. Here we will visit the Villa Verdi where the composer lived for many years. Lunch is included at I due Foscari, a hotel once owned by the son of the great tenor, Carlo Bergonzi. The day ends at the Museo Nazionale di Giuseppe Verdi where the composer’s creative genius and his importance in the world of opera can be appreciated to the full.
  • Day 6 - Flight back

    We return to Bologna airport for the flight back to London.

Flight Details

Flights with British Airways:

May departure:
Depart London Heathrow 07.40 arrive Bologna 10.50
Depart Bologna 19.40 arrive London Heathrow 21.00

September departure:
Depart London Heathrow 10.15 arrive Milan Linate 13.15
Depart Bologna 11.50 arrive London Heathrow 13.10

Departure Dates and Prices

23 Sep 2023

Status Available

Price from£2452

Single Supp.£475

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Christopher Monckton

Christopher Monckton

Tour Leader

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Andrew Allen.

Andrew Allen

Tour Leader

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To make an enquiry please speak to one of our experts on 020 7593 2288, or enquire online

Our expert reservations team regularly travel to a wide range of destinations to explore new cities, visit hotels and to research museums, galleries and restaurants so that we can offer the most up-to-date advice and recommendations.

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