On the plain, on the hills or on the mountains, Parma offers a variety of castles that can be discovered by the visitors following different itineraries:

TORRECHIARA CASTLE

High on a hill the castle dates back to the XV century.

Built by a great commander Pier Maria Rossi. All the rooms have walls covered by frescoes and one of them the “Golden Room” tells us the love story of Pier Maria and Bianca, the two lovers who lived here from 1460 till their death.

The castle is surrounded by estates covered by vineyards where local wines are produced.

FONTANELLATO CASTLE

It is located in the center of the medieval village of Fontanellato, sorrounded by porticoes and painted houses. Build in the XII hundreds by the Sanvitale who lived here until the middle of the last century.

On the first floor the apartment of the Sanvitale family with original XVI and XVII century pieces of furniture, frescoes and paintings.

At the ground floor a great masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance by Parmigianino (Legend of Diana and Actaeon) is painted on the vault of a little chamber, the very private "hermitage" of the countess Paola Gonzaga, wife to Galeazzo Sanvitale.

SORAGNA CASTLE
Private property and partially open to public, the prince, Diofebo VI Meli Lupi, still lives here. A marvellous and elegant manor with Barocco stuccoworks and rich frescoes on the walls.

SAN SECONDO CASTLE
Pier Maria Rossi ordered this castle to be build in 1450 – 60. A staircase ascends to the rooms on the first floor covered with frescoed vaults. The subjects of the decorations are taken from Aesop's Fables. The most impressive room is the Sala delle Gesta Rossiane with 12 frescoed paintings depicting the exploits of various members of the family on both walls and vault.