Modena and Parma

Modena's cathedral, begun in 1099, is one of the great Romanesque buildings of Europe and unusually well documented: the architect Lanfranco and the sculptor Wiligelmo are both named on it, which is rare for the period, and Wiligelmo's relief panels of Genesis across the facade are among the earliest monumental sculpture of the Italian middle ages. The cathedral, its campanile the Ghirlandina, and the Piazza Grande carry a joint listing. Parma, an hour west, has a Romanesque baptistery in pink Verona marble, Correggio's dome frescoes, and the Teatro Farnese, an entirely wooden theatre of 1618 rebuilt after wartime destruction.

What you actually see

• Wiligelmo's Genesis reliefs - on the Modena cathedral facade.
• The Ghirlandina - Modena's leaning campanile.
• Parma's baptistery - pink marble, inside and out.
• The Teatro Farnese - the 1618 wooden theatre in Parma.

When to go

April to June and September to October. Both cities are on the fast line and can be done from Bologna. Parma's Verdi festival runs in October. Producers of parmigiano, prosciutto and balsamic take visitors by arrangement, usually early in the morning.

Honest expectations

Both are working provincial cities rather than showpieces, and the sights are concentrated in a small centre. Food producer visits must be booked ahead and start very early, since cheese is made at dawn. Summer here is hot and humid and August empties the cities.

Nearby

Bologna is 20 minutes east of Modena; Reggio Emilia sits between them.