Art and music flourished then and continue. Now discerning visitors enjoy newer artistic monuments and the old Teatro Regio, where operas by G. Verdi, a local boy, are still performed besides many others. This duality of historical memories and modern technology characterises the charm of Parma. Parma's proximity to the Alps and the Apennines offers the opportunity to visit some of the most famous geological localities of the world. The nearby Plio-Pleistocene Blue Marls as well the Carrara Marble quarries or the Cretaceous Helmithoid Flysch in the Apennines, are just as interesting as the Alpine successions.
Prices are comparable to other European cities of similar size.
The variety of delicious food is part of the cultural tradition of this region, Emilia, and is world famous.