Parma

Parma is a city in the region of Emilia-Romagna in Northern Italy, known for its architecture, music, art, prosciutto (ham), cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 202,111 inhabitants as of 2025, Parma is the second most populous city in Emilia-Romagna after Bologna, the region's capital. The city is home to the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world. Parma is divided into two parts by the stream of the same name. The district on the west side of the river is Oltretorrente, meaning The other side of the stream. Parma's Etruscan name was adapted by Romans to describe the round shield called Parma.