Parma is a well known city throughout the world for its history, culture, economy and technical and scientific facilities.

The historical centre of the city has monuments of particular importance, from the romansque to the liberty style. In fact, Parma was the capital of an independent state, the Duchy of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla. In addition, Parma is close to several cities famous for their arts, humanities and music, such as Venice, Florence and Rome.

The climate is mild with no unpleasant extremes, both in winter and in summer time. Parma has a rich and well-established food industry for the production and processing of food, such as the famous Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and Parma ham.

Parma has been selected as the permanent location of the European Food Safety Authority.

Music has its own temple in the nineteenth-century Teatro Regio, where the most famous opera singers face a passionate and knowledgeable audience, and in the new Paganini Auditorium.