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Route length 4 days

Parma Apennines: round trip to places with important stories of emigration.

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The experience

We are in the province of Parma, specifically in the heart of its authentic Apennines.

Here beautiful memories of grandmother as she prepared traditional dishes of local Parma cuisine will surface, as well as those related to tales enriched by the anecdotes of a thousand adventures.

You will have an experience that will give you a better understanding of the phenomenon of emigration to these lands. Local communities in mountain hamlets have long been penalized on the path to modernization, mainly due to harsh environmental conditions and scarcity of resources. It will be an opportunity to learn about the resourcefulness and tenacity of its people, their spirit of adaptation and industriousness.

After a beautiful day in Parma, we invite you to begin your journey toward exploring the Parma Apennines, a land of strong emigration that involved especially mountain municipalities such as Bedonia, Compiano, Albareto, Borgo Val di Taro and Bardi. Numerous emigrants departed from here and left their indelible mark in every country they went to.

Shortly

Parma
food and wine
Museum Pole
Porcini Mushroom
Nature
Historic village
Hiking
Bedonia
Compiano
Albareto
Borgo val di Taro
Bardi

Tour

PARMA

This unforgettable day will begin with a personalized tour of Parma, a noble and refined city. It will be an exciting time when an experienced guide will lead you to discover the historical, artistic and cultural treasures of this fascinating city. Here you will begin a parallel journey between the town and your personal history. Memories of chats with Grandma will begin to return to your mind, and you will soon begin to feel at home.

This is just the beginning!

In the afternoon, you will experience an unforgettable gastronomic experience because you will learn how to cook traditional recipes in a home restaurant. Afterwards you will taste the dishes prepared during the course in a beautiful family atmosphere.

Address: Piazza del Duomo, PR, Italy

BEDONIA

Once in Bedonia, the adventure can begin at the Bishop’s Seminary where the Museum Complex is located, a place full of cultural and historical treasures that not everyone can access. With an expert you will walk through the Emigration Documentation Center, a place that tells stories of courage and rebirth of those who left their homeland to seek a better life elsewhere. This will move you to tears, evoking your ancestors and family history.

Always accompanied you will walk through the historic center of Bedonia: it is a place that reveals itself as a crossroads of cultures and traditions, where you will have the feeling of being in a familiar community that you had experienced before. Bedonia is also a village where you can relax and rediscover the taste of living by appreciating the slowness of unique moments.

Full of excitement you will stop for lunch and enjoy the long culinary tradition of Emilia-Romagna, in places that are waiting for you not as a tourist, but as a friend.

ADDRESS: Bedonia, PR, Italy

COMPIANO

Before reaching Compiano, one cannot miss a visit to the Museum of the Emigrant in Tarsogno di Tornolo, a museum dedicated to all the people who emigrated from the Taro and Ceno valleys both to Europe and the World. Have you ever heard of bears? In the museum in Compiano dedicated to them, you will discover the true roots of this territory. With a circus arts workshop you will learn the art “of excitement,” that is, the art that the ancient wanderers of the Parma Apennines, who left around the mid-1700s, did as a trade on the streets of Europe. They entertained the audience by playing various instruments and making trained animals dance.

There will be no shortage of walks through this beautiful medieval village overlooking the Taro River, with its castle full of history and magic.

ADDRESS: COMPIANO, PR, Italy

ALBARETO

You will start your day with a typical breakfast with a unique Emilia-Romagna flavor and get ready to get to know Albareto. This village is among the towns decorated with a Silver Medal for military valor, an honor awarded in Italy for acts of bravery and outstanding military service. It confirms and highlights its history of resistance and engagement against the occupying forces. Albareto is located along the “Strada del Fungo Porcino,” a true delicacy of the region’s gastronomy.

You will take a hike with an expert “mushroom picker” who will tell you how mushroom picking is an ancient and fascinating practice.You will have opportunities to take a walk in territories surrounded by beautiful nature while learning techniques aimed at mushroom enhancement. Helped by the expert you will make a good and rich collection!

Address: Albareto PR, Italy

BORGO VAL DI TARO

In the afternoon you will immerse yourself in a visit to Borgo Val di Taro, considered the capital of the Upper Taro Valley. Narrow cobblestone streets, colorful houses, and ancient architecture will take you on a pleasant walk that blends the past with the present. You will then arrive at the Porcini Mushroom Museum, where in addition to learning about this modern and beautiful museum, you will be greeted by a chef with whom you will cook several traditional recipes using the mushrooms you collected during the morning.

Borgotaro IGP Porcino mushroom is the only one recognized by a European label at the national level

Address: Borgo Val di Taro, PR, Italy

BARDI

Immerse yourself in a fascinating trek in Bardi, a small tribute to the emigrants of the Parma Apennines in the Upper Valceno that combines the natural beauty of the area with an exploration of the impressive Bardi Castle. Always accompanied by local experts, who will have a thousand stories to tell you, we set off on a hike from the center of town via the scenic trail that climbs gradually toward the castle, offering spectacular views.

Once at the castle, you will explore its impressive towers, courtyards and rooms, admiring the medieval architecture and enjoying breathtaking views. You will pause for a picnic with local products, surrounded by nature, before embarking on the descent through a different route, which will take you back to the center of Bardi.

Conclude the adventure by exploring the town’s quaint historic center, where you will learn how to make “Crocetti alla Bardigiana,” a unique dish that the basis of the diet of the Bardigiana people and therefore always present in their homes.

Address: Bardi, PR, ITALY

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