The duchies of Parma and Piacenza
In these regions alone, there are 31 castles, forts, palaces and manors emblematic of the region's medieval and Renaissance golden age. They are visited by nearly 500,000 people per year, but are not well known by the French. Buildings of great historical and artistic interest, 18 of which are located in the Parma region. The list of these architectural jewels is long and you will have to dive into the specificity of each building to make your choice of tour. To choose from: bardi Fortress, Colorno Palace, Compiano Castle, Sanvitale Fortress, Torrechiara Castle, Montechiarugolo Castle, Antica Corte Pallavicina, Roccabianca Castle, Sala Baganza Fortress, the Rossi Fortress of San Secondo, the Meli Lupi Fortress of Soragna, the Scipione Marquis Pallavicino Castle, the Castle of Tabiano, the Castle of Varano de' Melegari, the Castle of Contignaco, the Castle of Noceto, the Castle of Felino and finally the Fortress of Sissa. Also in the neighboring province of Piacenza there are 13, all of them incredible to visit: agazzano Fortress and Castle, Malaspina dal Verme Castle, Visconti Fortress, Gropparello Castle, Olgisio Fortress, Paderna Castle, San Pietro in Cerro Castle, the Castle of Sarmato, the Farnese Palace - Cittadella Viscontea, the Castle of Rivalta, as well as the Donjon and Borgo of Vigoleno, the Castle of Castelnuovo Fogliani and the Castle Malaspina of Gambaro. The choice will be difficult.
Activities and festivities all year round
More than a visit, it is an experience to live in the heart of the castles that is proposed here. For example, you can stay in a princely setting of 14 different estates. At the bend in a courtyard, in a room richly decorated with frescoes or along a walkway, you will meet princes, counts and marquises who still live there. You can also sit down in gastronomic restaurants or be tempted by wine tasting and local products. The castles are exceptional settings for art exhibitions, historical re-enactments in medieval costume, and pretext for great celebrations for Epiphany, Valentine's Day, Carnival, Easter, shooting star nights in August, Halloween and Christmas. To include a wide audience, workshops and nature walks are scheduled, especially in the spring and summer when the gardens are full of flowers and color. Children will be able to sign up for nearly 120 fun and educational workshops while parents enjoy these wonderful bucolic settings. The must is undoubtedly to try an original thematic tour, such as the "ghost tour" in the buildings with the reputation of haunted castle, or the hot air balloon flight to admire the roofs worked with arrows and sculptures in a natural setting. But also visits by vintage car, motorcycle or horseback riding.
