I’ve had the privilege of writing and talking about many of Italy’s little gems over the past few years, but few could be more "gem-like" than Parma, a lovely corner in the heart of Emilia-Romagna where art, history and food get along almost too amiably.

You sense it as you stroll through Parma: the beauty of the city’s streets, with their elaborate paving and pastel-colored buildings; the sense of aristocratic grace, somehow more inviting than overwhelming.