Castles and cuvées

Stay: Palazzo dalla Rosa Prati
Fling open the curtains and look straight onto Piazza Duomo at this palatial stay in the heart of Parma’s old town. Palazzo dalla Rosa Prati, 43121 Parma

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Coffee: Bombé
Fuel a busy day of shopping with a Caffè Bombé (an espresso with a spoonful of zabaione, topped with whipped milk foam) and a huge, sugar-dusted croissant cube. Bombé, 43123 Parma

Head to: Fidenza Village
As well as being a hub of Italian fashion, the Village is also a canvas for global street art, with colourful graphic works adding a playful edge to boutique façades. Fidenza Village, 43036 Fidenza

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Shop: Marni
The cool-girl label for cool girls who defy labels, Marni blurs the line between fashion and art with its creative mix of bold colour, maximal prints and confidently off-kilter silhouettes. Marni, Fidenza Village

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Shop: Fabiana Filippi
Deeply elegant knitwear is still at the core of this family-run fashion house: gossamer-thin silk and cotton sweaters that drape just so, the softest cashmere turtlenecks, cardigans made of delicate mohair patchwork – all stitched by artisans in Umbria. Fabiana Filippi, Fidenza Village

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Lunch: Signorvino
Describing itself as a ‘wine cellar with a kitchen’, this is the place for slow sunny lunches beneath the wide red parasols. Seek out plates of salami, deep-fried courgette flowers and arancini – and glasses of sparkling Malvasia di Candia Aromatica. Signorvino, Fidenza Village

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Shop: Coccinelle
Founded in the Parma hills in 1978, the Italian leather brand is still as committed to craftsmanship today as it was almost 50 years ago. Star buys include slouchy shoulder bags and chic ostrich wallets with satisfyingly chunky C-shaped clasps. Coccinelle, Fidenza Village

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Shop: Ermanno Scervino
Dancing between ready-to-wear and haute couture, this Florence-founded label elevates every detail: suede minidresses with intricate macramé detail, zip-up cardigans with bold raffia seams. Ermanno Scervino, Fidenza Village

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Aperitivo: Enoteca Tabarro
Head back into town in time for aperitivo hour at this tiny wine bar. Pull up a stool at one of the barrel tables on the pavement and choose from the huge selection of natural wines that jam the shelves inside. Best paired with a platter of salumi. Enoteca Tabarro, 43100 Parma

Dinner: Cortex Bistrot
The wooden tables and chairs might look rustic, but the cooking here is anything but. Look out for creative takes on traditional ingredients, such as tongue served with kimchi, that show the chef’s globetrotting influences. Cortex Bistrot, 43121 Parma

Breakfast: Antica Pasticceria Pagani
Five generations of the Pagani family have been turning out pastries at this historic café since it opened in 1856. Let the sweet smell of sugar go to your head and order a feast of pistachio-filled croissants and creamy zabaione cannoncino. Antica Pasticceria Pagani, 43121 Parma

Spa: Berzieri Thermal Baths
The town of Salsomaggiore is famed for its salty waters, rich in iodine, bromine and sulphur, which are said to have healing properties. The recently renovated Art Nouveau baths are the place to soak in style beneath the mosaics and frescoes. Berzieri Thermal Baths, 43039 Salsomaggiore Terme

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Lunch: Taverna del Castello
The hills around Parma were once Duchy territory, dotted with defensive castles. Torrechiara is one of the most iconic with panoramic views – and a lovely taverna to tuck into tortelli d’erbetta within the castle’s medieval walls. Taverna del Castello, 43013 Torrechiara

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Castle: Torrechiara Castle
This storybook fortress was built in the fifteenth century by nobleman Pier Maria Rossi. The square stone towers might look imposing, but inside, the frescoed walls of the Golden Room tell another story: the love affair between Pier Maria and Bianca Pellegrini. Torrechiara Castle, 43013 Torrechiara

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Winery: Lamoretti
In the shadow of the castle, this family-run winery grows historic Parma grape varieties, including fragrant Malvasia di Candia Aromatica and Lambrusco Maestri – swing by its cellar to pick up a bottle of these typical sparkling wines. Lamoretti, 43013 Casatico

Perfume shop: Violetta Di Parma Borsari
The sweet, powdery scent of Parma’s violets was first bottled by Bosari in the nineteenth century for the Duchess Maria Luigia, who wanted to capture their unique aroma. In February and March, smell Parma’s violets in person as they turn the gardens of the Palazzo Ducale purple. Violetta Di Parma Borsari, 43121 Parma

Aperitivo: Enoteca Fontana
Under the porticoes on Strada Farini, this unfussy neighbourhood wine bar is always packed. The impressive list of wines by the glass is matched with moreish little plates, including the must-try Il Principe al Culatello – toasted focaccia topped with a culatello ham. Enoteca Fontana, 43121 Parma

Dinner: Ristorante Cocchi
The most old-school of old-school ristorante, Cocchi is all starched white tablecloths and waiters who know the clientele and menu by heart. It’s a short walk outside the historic centre, but worth every step for the perfectly pitched local classics. Ristorante Cocchi, 43126 Parma

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Cocktail: Choice
While aperitivo is enshrined in Parma culture, serious cocktail spots are fewer and farther between. Choice shakes up the expertly mixed Negronis and more creative house concoctions – and is open ‘til 4 am on weekends. Choice, 43121 Parma