← Parma Marathon·Day trip

Torrechiara Castle and Ham Country

A 15th-century hill castle with a frescoed Golden Room, above the town that cures Parma ham. The castle is closed on Mondays.

DurationDay trip
TransitTEP bus from Parma to Langhirano, then a short walk or taxi to the castle
DepartsParma

After the Parma Marathon: Torrechiara

The Route: Parma → Langhirano → Torrechiara → Langhirano → Parma Logistics: A TEP bus on route 2670 from Parma to Langhirano, then a short walk or taxi to the castle. A hire car makes the day easier. Marathon Month: October Duration: Day trip

Parma ──(TEP bus 2670)──> Langhirano ──(short walk or taxi)──> Torrechiara castle
  ▲                                                                   │
  └──────────────────────(same route back)───────────────────────────┘

The Parma Marathon climbs through the countryside south of the city, and Torrechiara is in the foothills beyond it, about 20 km from Parma. The castle has stairs, which your legs will notice, but the lunch afterwards does not. Torrechiara castle was built between 1448 and 1460 by Pier Maria Rossi, a local lord, on a spur above the Parma river, with three rings of walls and square corner towers. The state runs it, and it is closed on Mondays. The Monday after the Parma Marathon is therefore the wrong day for it. If you can stay until Tuesday, go then. If not, spend Monday in Parma and save this trip for the next visit.

October in the Parma hills: the mornings are cool and often misty, and the afternoons are mild. The hills are turning colour, and rain is possible. Bring a layer for the castle, which is cold inside.

Getting there

TEP runs buses from Parma to Langhirano on route 2670, and extra Sunday and holiday services have been added in some seasons. Check the current timetable and the last bus back at tep.pr.it before you go. The castle is a short way from the bus stop on foot, and the final approach is uphill, so a taxi from Langhirano is worth the fare on tired legs.

The castle

On the figures available, the castle is open Tuesday to Friday from 9:00 to 15:00 and Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 to 17:00. The full ticket was about €8, and under-25s pay a reduced fare. Check the current hours and any reservation rule at the Pilotta complex's website before you travel, since Sunday visits have needed advance booking.

The finest room is the Camera d'Oro, the Golden Room, painted in 1462 with scenes that tell a courtly love story between the castle's builder and Bianca Pellegrini. The rest of the castle is a sequence of stone halls and a courtyard, and the climb to the upper floors is by stairs.

Langhirano and lunch

Langhirano is the centre of the prosciutto di Parma trade, and many curing houses line the valley. Some producers offer tours and tastings by appointment, so book ahead and ask about the language and the length. Without a booking, a trattoria in the town will serve the ham on its own, with torta fritta, a fried bread, and a glass of the local Malvasia, a white wine from the Parma hills.

Getting back

Take the bus back to Parma, and check the time of the last departure when you arrive. Allow a margin if you have a train or a flight that evening.