The Verdi Festival in Parma

Verdi’s homeland beckons for the annual festivities dedicated to the much-loved composer. The intimate city of Parma hosts performances of Un ballo in Maschera and Falstaff in the opulent Teatro Regio. We also include a performance of the Messa da Requiem in the stunning Teatro Farnese, a baroque-style theatre built entirely of wood in 1618. During our tour we visit important sites in the life and work of Verdi.


Fri 7 Oct Early evening arrival in Bologna, and transfer by coach to Parma (approx. 1 hour). We check in at the 4-star Star Hotel du Parc, beautifully situated within the Ducal Park in the centre of the city. In the evening enjoy a welcome dinner in a local restaurant.

Sat 8 Oct Join your guide to follow in the footsteps of Verdi, visiting the village of Roncole to see Verdi’s birthplace, a humble tavern-residence, and the church where he played the organ in his youth. We also visit Busseto where he studied as a young man, to see the Teatro Verdi, built in his honour. Lunch is included in a local restaurant and ham cellar where we will see how the local culatello ham is produced. Late afternoon at leisure. Transfer to the evening performance at the Teatro Farnese.

Sun 9 Oct Today we take a walking tour of Parma. Visit the beautiful Romanesque Duomo and the graceful octagonal Baptistry in rose-coloured marble, containing late-Renaissance frescoes by Correggio. We continue to the birthplace of Arturo Toscanini, one of the greatest conductors of the 20th-century. Mid-afternoon performance at the Teatro Regio, followed by an evening at leisure.

Mon 10 Oct This morning we take a half-day excursion to nearby Cremona to visit the city centre, the Town Hall with its collection of historic Stradivarius violins. We continue to a local violin-maker’s atelier to see how the instruments are made. Return to Parma for an afternoon at leisure. Evening performance at the Teatro Regio.

Tue 11 Oct Late morning transfer to Bologna for the homeward flight.

Flights: British Airways

Flight schedules are subject to alteration. Flights from other UK airports can be arranged on request.