Recently crowned the Italian city with best quality of life, Parma is a pleasant medium-sized town celebrated for its artistic masterpieces just as much as it is for its culinary delights. Less than an hour by train from the regional capital of Bologna, it makes for a great day trip as its compact city center makes it easy to explore.

Within a few hundred meters, there are world-class artistic treasures, such as the Duomo, Baptistery, Camera di San Paolo, Palazzo della Pilotta with the amazing Farnese Theater, and the churches of San Giovanni Evangelista and Santa Maria della Steccata.