The Royal Palace of Colorno: The Versailles of the Dukes of Parma

There is a straw-yellow palace facing a porticoed square, and from afar you can tell it is no ordinary building. The Reggia di Colorno, just a few kilometres from Parma, is the ‘Versailles of the Dukes of Parma’: more than 400 rooms, courts and courtyards, a French-style garden and a façade overlooking the Parma stream. You are struck by the contrast between the simplicity of the village and the sumptuousness of the residence, commissioned by dynasties that dreamed of a miniature Paris. Inside, polychrome marbles, stuccoes, frescoes and porcelains tell of centuries of splendour. Outside, the geometric parterre invites you to stroll without haste. Don’t expect a cold, museum-like palace: here the atmosphere is alive, with exhibitions, concerts and the ALMA cooking school housed in the former kitchens.

The origins date back to the 14th century, when a military fortress stood here. In the 16th century Countess Barbara Sanseverino transformed it into a Renaissance court; in 1612 Duke Ranuccio Farnese began the major works entrusted to Ferdinando Galli Bibiena. Under Francesco Farnese the palace became a summer residence, the ‘little Versailles’. In the 18th century it passed to the Bourbons: Philip of Bourbon and Louise Elisabeth, daughter of Louis XV, summoned the architect Petitot. In 1807 Napoleon declared it an Imperial Palace, and Maria Luigia of Austria left her mark there for about thirty years. From 1870 the Province of Parma used it as a mental asylum until the 1970s.

• 14th century: military fortress
• 16th century: Barbara Sanseverino, Renaissance court
• 1612: Ranuccio Farnese and Ferdinando Galli Bibiena
• 18th century: the Bourbons and Petitot
• 1807: Imperial Palace
• 1870: Province of Parma, mental asylum
• 1990-2000: restoration and opening to the public

Inside the palace, the route takes in the Piano Nobile, the Apartment of Duke Ferdinand of Bourbon and the Ducal Chapel of Saint Liborius. The Great Hall, designed by Petitot, is a neoclassical jewel with polychrome marbles and stuccoes; in the two Chinese drawing rooms you can admire Meissen and Sèvres porcelain, linked to the taste of Louise Elisabeth. In the Music Room there is a Viennese fortepiano by Johann Schanz. The Apartment of Duke Ferdinand, built in 1789, preserves frescoes by Antonio Bresciani with biblical scenes and an astronomical observatory with a vault decorated with a compass rose and zodiac signs. The Chapel, commissioned by Francesco Farnese in 1722, houses an organ by the Serassi Brothers with 2,898 pipes. The visit lasts about 80 minutes.

The garden is perhaps the loveliest surprise, also because it is open all year round and admission is free. It covers about 11 hectares and began as an Italian-style garden in the 15th century, later transformed into a French-style garden. The parterre, reconstructed in 2000, occupies 24,000 m² and is bordered by two 120-metre-long green tunnels of Carpinus betulus, with faux arched windows. At its centre are four geometric boxwood beds, a circular fountain and 50 terracotta pots with citrus plants decorated with Farnese coats of arms. Beyond the parterre are the laghetto dell’amore (Love Lake) and the English-style park commissioned by Marie Louise, with centuries-old trees. Look for the 1840 zelkova, a graft on elm with a diameter of 210 cm: it is the most iconic specimen.

Three concrete reasons. First: the palace is alive, not a static museum. It hosts temporary exhibitions, the Reggia Opera Festival, and concerts featuring the Serassi organ, so there is always something extra beyond the classic visit. Second: the free garden, open all year round, makes it perfect even for a short stop or a walk with children, without necessarily booking a guide. Third: in the former kitchen spaces is ALMA, the International School of Italian Cuisine, a detail that says a lot about the place’s contemporary soul. Add that it is pet friendly for small pets: not a given for a historic residence of this caliber.

There’s no wrong season, but the most evocative time is early morning, when the parterre is almost empty and the raking light enhances the geometry of the flowerbeds. In spring, the garden bursts with color and hosts the horticultural show “Nel Segno del Giglio” (In the Sign of the Lily), a good reason to return. Autumn offers warm tones and quiet, while during the Christmas season guided tours have a more intimate charm. If you can, choose a weekday: you’ll avoid the weekend crowds and enjoy the halls at a leisurely pace. Just keep in mind that the palace is closed on Mondays in several months of the year, while the garden remains accessible.

Colorno sits in an area full of ideas for day trips. Nearby you’ll find the castles of Sissa, Roccabianca and San Secondo, ideal stops for lovers of the historic residences of the Duchy of Parma, Piacenza and Pontremoli. If you enjoy nature, the Parma Morta Nature Reserve is a wetland to explore on foot or by bike, perfect for a slow break. Two-wheel enthusiasts can reach the palace by pedalling along the Food Valley Bike route, which links Parma and the surrounding area. And to round things off beautifully, a food-and-wine detour among the typical products of the Food Valley: here food is part of the experience, not just a side dish.