There are countless places to retreat from the chaos and frenzy of the city, truly for all tastes. Parma and its province offer many, from the plains to the hills, to the mountains and today we have chosen to retire right here, in the Apennines, to discover a bit of nature but also a bit of art. So, lovers of art and landscapes and peace, come with us!

We suggest you to depart in the morning, early enough to have time to calmly admire all the beauties along the route, enjoy the landscape and arrive at the place we want to tell you about ... a very characteristic place that not everyone knows.

Our compass points to Corniglio and we are lucky because at a certain point, right in front of us, we see one of our most beautiful and famous castles rising on the horizon and dominating the rolling hills surrounded by vineyards: here flourished the love story between Pier Maria Rossi and the beloved Bianca Pellegrini and also known as the set of the famous film Ladyhawke.

A stop here is a must.

Going up towards Corniglio, not far from our destination, our attention rests on the Roman bridge, dating back perhaps to the 5th or 6th century AD, it consists of three humpback arches, made of river stone.

Continuing, we then arrive in our magical place, unique in our province, a small town near one of the most beautiful and fascinating parks in the Parma area, the Park of Cento laghi: we are in Sesta Inferiore, a pretty village in the Municipality of Corniglio whose homes have become real artist's canvases. If walking through the alleys you'll feel observed, it is because you'll be surrounded by frescoes representing scenes of everyday life and portraits: these are the frescoes by Walter Madoi, who painted here in the 60s of the 20th century. In the small village, where the painter-sculptor lived and worked for many years, along the streets and alleys a path winds through all the frescoes, he painted on the external walls of the buildings, with descriptions and insights and the narration of the biographical events of the artist and the relationship with the town and the inhabitants. A real "open-air museum" that will leave you amazed and surprised.

Along the way, perhaps the most suggestive place is the parish church of San Rocco, where the painter frescoed his moving Crucifixion all over the wall.

It seems a timeless place, nestled in the Apennine mountains, and it is worth going to know it for the pleasure of immersing yourself in an immense and magnificent nature and because it can be the starting point for many other adventures, for young and adults.

Here you'll find wonderful views between beech and conifers, towards lakes and high peaks and, not far away, the numerous paths that start from the Lagdei Lodge and Lagoni Lodge.

Today, with the time remaining at our disposal, if you have brought your boots with you, we propose you to take the direct route to Lago Santo, a splendid glacial lake that fascinates in all seasons, and then make a delicious stop in the return journey.

On the Parma City of Gastronomy website, you can choose a trattoria or a farmhouse, so that you can stay a little longer, tasting our mountain specialties.

Have we intrigued you or not?