What to see around Piazza Duomo in Parma

What is San Giovanni Evangelista?

The Benedictine abbey church right behind the cathedral apse, with Correggio's first dome, the Vision of St John on Patmos, and frescoes by the young Parmigianino. The church is free.

Correggio painted the dome around 1520 to 1524 and the frieze along the nave in 1522 to 1523; Parmigianino painted in the north-aisle chapels. The church is open 8:30 AM to 12 noon and 3 to 8 PM, so come in the morning with the cathedral. Compare the two domes in our Correggio guide.

Can you visit the monastery and the old pharmacy?

Yes, separately: the monastery by guided visit only, for a donation; the old pharmacy, documented since 1201, for EUR 5 with a ticket bought online or at the Pilotta.

Monastery, library and refectory: guided visits Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 11 AM and 3:30 PM (library only on Saturdays at 4 PM), meeting at the monastery gate; closed Thursday and Sunday except the first Sunday of the month. The Antica Spezieria is in Borgo Pipa 1/A, open Tuesday to Sunday 9 AM to 1 PM and 3 to 7 PM, closed Mondays; EUR 2 for ages 18 to 25, free under 18. It has no ticket office of its own.

What is the Camera di San Paolo?

A room in the former convent of San Paolo with a ceiling painted by Correggio, a few minutes from the Duomo; EUR 8, closed on Tuesdays.

It is in Via Melloni 3, open Monday to Friday 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM and weekends 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM (last entry 6:10 PM), closed Tuesday. The ticket is EUR 8 (EUR 6 reduced); the EUR 15 Civic Museums Pass, valid a year, also covers it. It is small, so 30 minutes is plenty.

Why visit Santa Maria della Steccata?

For Parmigianino's frescoes on the arch above the presbytery, the Wise and Foolish Virgins (1530 to 1539, left unfinished), and the tombs of the Farnese and Bourbon dukes. Entry is free.

The Steccata is open 7:30 AM to 12 noon and 3 to 6 PM. The burial chapel, built in 1823 under Marie Louise, is behind the presbytery. The private churches tour and the Italian-language Correggio and Parmigianino tour both finish their church visits here.

Is the Pilotta and the Teatro Farnese worth it?

Yes, if you have two hours: EUR 18 buys the Teatro Farnese, the National Gallery with Correggio and Parmigianino, and three more museums; under 18 free, ages 18 to 25 EUR 2.

The Complesso della Pilotta is open 9 AM to 7 PM (last admission 6 PM), closed Mondays; from 5 to 6 PM a last-minute ticket costs EUR 10, and the first Sunday of the month is free. You can leave and come back the same day. The guided Pilotta tour ($26, 2.25 hours) covers the wooden Teatro Farnese and the gallery; the listing does not say the entrance ticket is included, so budget for it.

The Teatro Farnese and the National Gallery's Correggio and Parmigianino canvases, explained by a licensed guide.

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What is near Piazza Garibaldi?

The city's main square, about five minutes from the Duomo, with the Palazzo del Governatore; the Teatro Regio opera house is on Strada Garibaldi nearby.

The Teatro Regio runs 30-minute visits Tuesday to Saturday 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM and 2:30 to 5 PM, Sundays 10 AM to 4 PM, closed Mondays; EUR 12, EUR 3 under 18, and visits change around rehearsals. The tourist offices are here too: Parma Welcome at Strada Garibaldi 18, where most group walks meet. The private food and wine walk starts at Caffe San Pietro on the square.

Is the Parco Ducale worth a walk?

Yes, as a free break: the ducal gardens across the river are open April to October 6 AM to midnight, November to March 7 AM to 8 PM.

Walk west past the Pilotta and over the bridge. The self-guided audio tour ends here, and it is the easiest green break near the centre.

How much does it cost to see everything near the Duomo?

Churches are free; the paid sights add up to about EUR 43 for an adult: Baptistery pass EUR 12, Camera di San Paolo EUR 8, old pharmacy EUR 5, Pilotta EUR 18.

Hours from the Parma Welcome timetable; always check closing days.

Frequently asked questions