We will be in Parma in May to visit Verdi sites in Busetto, etc. We will not have a car. We would like a driver or tour guide to make it easier since we aren't there long & don't want to spend time getting lost. We also hope to go to Cremona on this few days. We had thought we could find a day trip tour from Parma, but haven't been able to. Any suggestions?
Posted by
Firenze
500 posts
Busseto can be accessed by train with an easy change in Fidenza. The problem is that while the town is nice - there is a new Verdi museum, not my top choice, and the old Barezzi (Verdi's father-in-law and main sponsor) house - but the really interesting places are the house where Verdi was born in Roncole (very small, can be seen in 15 minutes) and the huge Villa Verdi in Villanova where most memorabilia are, as it is the place where Verdi lived, still belongs to his heirs, and the ground floor rooms were left as they were when he died. You almost expect him coming suddenly out of a door. The Villa has somewhat limited visit times and it is really out of town. With a car you can easily visit everything in succession, but without a car you are bound to stay in town. http://www.villaverdi.org/
You can find a taxi service in Busseto with google, but I cannot advice about it as I always visited the town with a car.
A very local place to have a cold lunch is http://www.salsamenteriabaratta.it/
Cremona is about one hour by train from Parma, again with a change in Fidenza.