Vinita Chaitanya’s Parma

To do

Embark on a culinary journey into the soul of Italy’s food valley with a local cook, the so-called rezdôra, and savour traditions that have earned Parma the Italian Creative UNESCO City for Gastronomy status, home to prized products and dishes at the heart of Italian fare – from savoury Parma ham to the treasured Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Cookery classes are held around the family stove, in private homes along the cobbled streets of Parma’s old town, and culminate in a full-course meal accompanied by regional wines.

TOP TIP: A gourmand's delight, the generational recipes shared aren’t just a set of instructions: they’re family secrets that preserve the personal, as well as the collective traditions, of the local cuisine.

To explore

The historic city is distinguished by its fragrances as well as its gastronomy. Visit in March and the distinctive scent of the Parma violet, native to the region, fills the air. Cherished by Empress Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma and second wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, she cultivated the delicate, aromatic flower in the city and commissioned local monks to extract its essence and create a perfume. So began the cult of the Parma violet and a plenitude of perfumers in the city.

TOP TIP: Enter Color Viola, the historic fragrance boutique just off the Piazza Garibaldi, and savour the sweet bouquet of Violetta di Parma, a fragrance cultivated for more than a century.

To visit

Meander over the Parma River, known as the Torrente, through the signature yellow-shuttered streets of Parma’s historic centre into the Duomo square. There, you’ll encounter two of Italy’s greatest medieval buildings: a Romanesque Cathedral, clad in honey-hued sandstone, and home to a collection of treasured Renaissance frescoes by local master, Antonio da Correggio. And alongside it, a magnificent octagonal baptistry in pink Verona marble – an ode to Romanesque and Early Gothic architecture.

TOP TIP: Venture down a side street of the piazza and you’ll find the century-old Oliva shop – a treasure trove of prints, rare books and manuscripts.

To shop

Within an hour of Milan and Parma, the landscaped setting of Fidenza Village reflects the cultural heritage of the region. Along tree-lined streets, you’ll find more than 120 of the finest local and international names in fashion and beauty, amid a selection of specialty eateries.

TOP TIP: Seek out a taste of authentic gelato at Vero Latte, or savour a bowl of award-winning fresh pasta at Parma Menù, created with home-grown ingredients from the three-generations-old Italian institution’s farm.