Can anyone recommend a charming not-too-large Italian town in which to spend an afternoon/half day in the Parma/Modena/ Bologna region? We are meeting friends along our route between Lake Como and Florence and wish to avoid the hassles of a big city in out short time together.
Thanks,
Pick one of the 3.
If you want a bigger city, choose Bologna, for a smaller city, pick Parma. However Modena, another smaller city like Parma, is in between (a bit closer to Bologna).
Your choice
Parma or Modena. Both are charming.
Parma because the Duomo's lovely pink Baptistery has painted ceiling and walls with sculptures incorporated into the paintings. And the Storica Spezieria di San Giovanni (pharmacy museum). Lots of great places to eat.
But perhaps you would like to avoid a town altogether? Are you driving? In that case, look into visiting Torrechiara, a 15th century castle just outside of Parma --- it's full of wonderful painted rooms, each one different, and views over the countryside. It has a parking lot, so there's no hassle about parking. The restaurant there, Taverna del Castello, is good although fancier than we like. Look into it and see what you think.
Parma is what you are looking for, a small city with lots of options and charming as can be.
