Labyrinths and gelato

Stay: Grand Hotel de la Ville
What’s more Italian than staying in a former pasta factory? The Barilla Centre was renovated by starchitect Renzo Piano and this hotel is a sleek, contemporary stay, just a short stroll from Parma’s historic centre. Grand Hotel de la Ville, 43121 Parma

Breakfast: Panetteria Anna
Stop by this small pastry store to start the day as the Parmigiani do; with a cappuccino and a cornetto (a finger-licking sweet Italian croissant). Panetteria Anna, 43121 Parma

Head to: Fidenza Village
With more than 120 boutiques and open every day until 8 pm, Fidenza Village makes it easy to snap up some of Italy’s best-loved brands. Sign up for its membership programme to unlock special gifts, complimentary coffees and extra savings. Fidenza Village, 43036 Fidenza

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Shop: PINKO
Founded in 1986 right here in Fidenza, the funky Italian label is known for its bold, feminine style and quilted Love Bags with their signature lovebird buckle – an envy-inducing first designer bag for any teenage girl. PINKO, Fidenza Village

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Lunch: Lievita
Milan’s award-winning pizza slingers make theirs Neapolitan-style, using only the best Italian ingredients: San Marzano tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella from Campania and ricotta from Agerola. Lievita, Fidenza Village

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Shop: Eleventy
A made-in-Italy brand that whispers good taste, Eleventy will kit out the whole family in its casually tailored trousers, chic knits and covetable coats. Eleventy, Fidenza Village

VISIT THE BOUTIQUE

Gelato: Venchi
The Italian chocolate-maker elevates the classic cone with chocolate cream fillings, caramelised Piedmont hazelnut sprinkles and a little chocolate disk on top to finish off each ice cream. Venchi, Fidenza Village

Get lost: Labirinto della Masone di Franco Maria Ricci
Created from some 300,000 bamboo plants, this maze is the largest of its kind in the world, with more than 3 kilometres of pathways designed in the shape of a star. Race to the pyramid at its centre? Labirinto della Masone di Franco Maria Ricci, 43012 Fontanellato

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Dinner: Ristorante Bistro Il Labirinto
Afterwards, the menu at the complex’s restaurant is no puzzle, starring a line-up of local flavours, from Parma ham and Parmigiano tastings to anolini in broth and veal ossobuco. Bistro Il Labirinto, 43012 Fontanellato

Back to: Grand Hotel de la Ville
Families will love the interconnecting rooms; parents, the fire-lit Bar del Camino for a quick nightcap before bed.

Breakfast: Latteria 61
Spot the stream of locals coming to pick up chestnut brioches and cream-stuffed maritozzi, made daily by Sicilian owner Valentina. Latteria 61, Parma

Marvel: Cathedral and Baptistry
Correggio’s painting of the Virgin Mary rising up through the clouds to heaven on the dome of Parma’s cathedral is one of the wonders of the Renaissance. Next to the Duomo, the octagonal, pale-pink marble baptistry is worth a peek too, with the inside completely covered in frescos. Cathedral and Baptistry, 43121 Parma

Pick up prosciutto: La Prosciutteria
The huge wheels of cheese are piled high behind the counter and ham hocks hang from the ceiling at this famous deli – expect to leave with your mouth watering and bag laden. La Prosciutteria, 43121 Parma

Lunch: Pepèn
It’s standing room only at this legendary panini place. Join the line to take a bite of hearty roast beef or delicate bresaola sandwiches, or the local speciality: horse meat tartare and pesto. Pepèn, 43121 Parma

Cycle: Parco Ducale Pick up bicycles (adults, kids, cargo bikes) at the Cicletteria by the railway station, then freewheel through these manicured gardens, which were laid out in the sixteenth century around the Farnese family’s Palazzo Ducale. Parco Ducale, 43126 Parma

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Gelato: Ciacco
Innovation is the name of the game at this gelato laboratory, with flavours that bounce from red bell pepper to banana and black garlic (although its pistachio is one of the best around, too). Ciacco, 43121 Parma

DISCOVER

Explore: Casa della Musica
Composer Giuseppe Verdi was born in nearby Busseto, but the creator of ‘La Traviata’ and ‘Aida’ isn’t Parma’s only maestro. The city’s musical soul is explored in this multimedia museum, along with its concert hall and auditoriums that hold regular performances. Casa della Musica, 43121 Parma

Aperitivo: Piazza Garibaldi
This cobbled square is the aperitivo heart of Parma. Cafes line its perimeter and spill off down side streets, all packed with locals sipping Lambrusco (made in Emilia-Romagna) or a Bicicletta (a mix of white wine and Campari). Piazza Garibald, Parma

DINNER: Tra L'uss e L'asa
Lorenzo and Laura’s place is essentially a wine bar and panino spot, but it also serves the kind of no-frills delicious food (pork cheeks cooking in Lambrusco, meatballs with sweet peppers) that regulars rave about. Tra L'uss e L'asa, 43121 Parma