Festival Verdi 2022 – Tour + Tickets

Soak up the magical atmosphere of Festival Verdi in the unique and wonderful spaces around Parma, Italian Capital of Culture and UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, home to fine music, great art and phenomenal food.

While admiring incredible works of art, savouring the sublime food and typical products that have made the Food Valley famous the world over and listening to the music of the Grande Maestro you will discover the true spirit of Parma.

The tour takes in the Lands of Verdi – Busseto, Roncole Verdi and Sant'Agata – where the maestro was born, lived and honed his art, and home to the Renata Tebaldi Museum dedicated to the great soprano, the centenary of whose birth we celebrate this year.

And of course, typical products enjoyed the world over, so iconic they are now celebrities in their own right: Parmigiano Reggiano, Parma Ham and Culatello di Zibello will delight and surprise you with their unique flavours and history.

Day 1

First day in Parma and trip to the city: a step back in time in Piazza Duomo with a visit to the imposing medieval Cathedral and pink-marble Baptistry. Next is a visit to the Pilotta Monumental Complex, with its amazing and unique wooden theatre Teatro Farnese and the National Gallery with works by Correggio, Parmigianino, Leonardo and other hugely important artists.  A walk across Ponte Verdi to Parma’s famous historic centre and a visit to the house where Toscanini was born, the Museo Casa Natale di Toscanini. Time for lunch of your choice in the city centre. A free afternoon or a guided tour of the historical delicatessens of Parma’s city centre with possible tastings of typical products: Parmigiano-Reggiano, Parma Ham and Culatello di Zibello. An evening dedicated to music in the splendidly elegant neoclassical Teatro Regio di Parma, temple of Italian opera, with a performance of either La forza del destino, Simon Boccanegra, Messa da Requiem or Quattro pezzi sacri. Pre- or post-theatre tasting-supper in a typical trattoria in Parma, including Parmigiano Reggiano and our delicious deli meats, Parma Ham, Salame Felino, Fiocchetto di Prosciutto, Coppa and our most typical dishes and wines. Night in a hotel.

Day 2

Breakfast and a trip to discover and experience the places and atmospheres of the great maestro’s life: Casa Natale (his birthplace) in Roncole, Villa Verdi in Sant'Agata, Museo Casa Barezzi and Teatro Verdi in Busseto. Time for lunch of your choice. In the afternoon, a visit to Villa Pallavicino and Museo Renata Tebaldi, which this year celebrates the centenary of the great soprano's birth.  Transfer to Fidenza. A chance to visit the splendid Romanesque Cathedral. Pre- or post-theatre supper of your choice. Performance of Il trovatore in the nineteenth-century Teatro Magnani di Fidenza, a small bijou theatre with a great tradition, rich in history and beauty, ideal for staging the works and music of the great maestro.  Transport back to the hotel for the night.

Day 3

Breakfast and check-out.
Now customise your tour!  Request one of our extra activities to enrich your itinerary:

• special visits backstage at Teatro Regio including costume, set design, the rehearsal room, dressing rooms and the stage;
• exclusive organ music concerts with music walks;
• for fans of the Grande Maestro, an exclusive meeting with the historical “Club dei 27”, perhaps the smallest of the world’s many associations dedicated to Giuseppe Verdi, with only 27 members, each one allocated the name of one of the composer's operas;
• pre- or post-opera gala dinners;
• tastings and extensive gastronomic experiences: a Culatello di Zibello experience in the Land of Verdi? Or how about experiencing Parmigiano Reggiano and Parma Ham while touring the gently rolling hills and captivating castles? Or what about an extensive tasting of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar while discovering authentic old-fashioned farmhouses? A fun tasting tour in the heart of Parma, sampling the delights of panini shops, high-end street food outlets and modern bistros... Just ask and you will be spoilt for choice.
• a visit to the Labirinto della Masone maze, the largest in the world, made entirely of bamboo plants, and to Franco Maria Ricci’s book and art collection;
• a day devoted to relaxation and wellness in the historic spa town of Salsomaggiore;
• a visit to the captivating castles of the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza;
• a visit to the nearby, wonderful città d’arte or “cities of art”: Mantua, Bologna, Modena, Cremona, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia, Ferrara, Ravenna, La Spezia, Pisa, Lucca, Milan…