Local Area

In the Salsomaggiore area, there are a host of opportunities for enjoying relaxing excursions, practicing sports and having fun, and for taking in artistic, historical and cultural attractions.
The owners of the Hotel Principe are expert amateur cyclists, so they rent bicycles to adults and children. And with their vast experience, they can recommend pleasant bike trips through the hills at varying levels of difficulty.

Here are some possible cultural itineraries for the whole family:
In Salsomaggiore, we suggest a trip through prehistory with a visit to the paleontological museum called "The Ancient Sea" and the Stirone regional river park (www.parcostirone.it).
Attractions in the vicinity within walking distance include "salt castles" such as those in Scipione, Bargone, Tabiano, and Contignaco, along with Pietra Nera pond, the ancient salt works, the church of St. Nicomede, the Romanesque Parish Church of St. Giovanni in Contignaco, the fascinating Gavinell medicinal herb garden (www.gavinell.it), and the Golf and Country Club (www.salsomaggioregolfclub.it).
A few miles away, you'll find Fidenza with its Romanesque cathedral (one of the most beautiful in Italy), and the Outlet Village shopping hub (www.fidenzavillage.it).
You simply must visit Busseto, the native city of Giuseppe Verdi (www.bussetolive.com).
And you mustn't forget Parma, a city of art where you can admire frescos by Correggio and Parmigianino(www.turismo.comune.parma.it), or Colorno Palace, or the Magnani Rocca Foundation, which contains prestigious collections and art exhibits (www.magnanirocca.it).
The Parma and Piacenza area is studded with forts and fortresses, and the famous, perfectly preserved castles of the Duchy. Worth special mention are fortresses in Fontanellato, Soragna (frescoed by Parmigianino), S. Secondo and Bardi, castles in Compiano and in Torrechiara (so beautiful it has attracted directors from all over the world), the fortress of Castell’Arquato, and castles in Rivalta, Vigoleno and Gropparello (www.castellidelducato.it).
Finally, there's Grazzano Visconti, a characteristic medieval town (www.grazzano.it), Veleia Romana, an ancient Roman city uncovered by archeological digs, and the Abbey of Chiaravalle della Colomba.