Private Parma perfume tour: Violetta di Parma and Acqua di Parma

Follow the scent from violet greenhouse to 18th-century pharmacy

A private half-day tour of Parma tracing the city's perfume tradition from 1816 to today, guided through the Ducal Park greenhouses, two perfumeries, and the Glauco Lombardi Museum or San Filippo Neri Antique Pharmacy. The tour includes entrance to a historic perfumery and an Acqua di Parma authorized retailer, plus a professional guide in English or Italian. About 2 km of walking across three hours.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Parma's perfume heritage and landmarks

• Discover Violetta di Parma in Ducal Park
• Visit exterior of Palazzo della Pilotta
• See exterior of Palazzo di Riserva and Glauco Lombardi Museum
• View exterior of Teatro Regio
• Cross Piazza Duomo and admire Cathedral
• Observe Baptistery of Parma from outside
• Visit Violetta di Parma 1930 shop
• Walk through Garibaldi Square
• Visit Acqua di Parma authorized perfumery
• Explore San Filippo Neri Antique Pharmacy and Oratory of San Tiburzio

The Experience

The tour opens in the Ducal Park greenhouses, where the Violetta di Parma (the violet that became the city's signature) still grows. From there, a guide walks you past the exteriors of Palazzo della Pilotta and the Teatro Regio, one of the world's major opera houses where Verdi and Toscanini worked, then through Piazza Duomo to see the Cathedral and Baptistery. The route is built around the people and places that shaped Parma's perfume story, not just the scent itself.

You'll step inside the Violetta di Parma 1930 shop to learn how Ludovico Borsari created the perfume that became a symbol of the Duchess, then visit an authorized Acqua di Parma retailer to trace the brand from its origins through its modern variations. The guide explains how Parma's perfume supply chain grew from small laboratories into major manufacturers of bottles, caps, labels and packaging for houses worldwide. The final stop is San Filippo Neri Antique Pharmacy and Oratory of San Tiburzio or the Glauco Lombardi Museum: a galenic laboratory preserved since 1789, where you can touch and smell the raw materials apothecaries and perfumers once used, and flip through recipe books based on natural ingredients.

The walk covers about 2 km and takes three hours total. A professional guide leads in English or Italian, and the route passes through Garibaldi Square, where the Captain's Palace, Town Hall and Governor's Palace overlook shops and restaurants that earned Parma its UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy title. All areas are wheelchair accessible, and public transportation options are nearby if you need them.

What’s included

• Professional local guide in English or Italian.
• entrance to a historic perfumery and an Acqua di Parma authorized retailer.
• entrance to the Glauco Lombardi Museum or San Filippo Neri Antique Pharmacy and Oratory of San Tiburzio.

Days and timesMon–Sat · 10:00 and 15:00

AgesAges 18+ · 12 to 17 years · 5 to 11 years · Under 5 — Free

Meeting point and pickupNo pickup · ends elsewhereMeeting point, per the operator: “Entrance to the Ducal Park, located at the intersection of Ponte Verdi - Via dei Farnese - Strada delle Fonderie”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by ARTEMILIA Guided Tours

Is this one for you?This is a private tour with a guide who leads you through each stop and explains the history and the people behind Parma's perfume tradition, so it suits anyone who wants context and doesn't want to navigate the city alone. The three-hour length and 2 km of walking fit a half-day plan without exhausting a full day.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

Can children come?

12 to 17 years; 5 to 11 years; under 5, free.

What is the Violetta di Parma and why does it matter to the city?

The Violetta di Parma is a violet flower that was present in the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza since the eighteenth century and became a favorite of Maria Luigia of Austria. It grew so closely tied to the city and the Duchess that when Ludovico Borsari created a perfume bearing its name in 1930, the scent became a symbol of Parma itself. The tour shows you where it still grows in the Ducal Park greenhouses and traces how it shaped the city's perfume identity.

Will I get to smell and handle the ingredients at the antique pharmacy?

Yes. San Filippo Neri Antique Pharmacy has preserved its galenic laboratory structure from 1789 untouched, and you can touch and smell the raw materials that apothecaries and perfumers once used. You can also flip through the ancient recipe books based on natural ingredients that are kept there, a legacy of knowledge passed down through centuries.

How much walking is involved and is the tour accessible for wheelchairs?

The tour covers about 2 km of walking across three hours. All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible, and public transportation options are available nearby. Infants can ride in a pram or stroller, and service animals are allowed.

What is included in the tour price?

The tour includes a professional local guide in English or Italian; entrance to one of the historic perfumeries in the city center; entrance to an Acqua di Parma authorized retailer; and entrance to either the Glauco Lombardi Museum or San Filippo Neri Antique Pharmacy and Oratory of San Tiburzio. Any purchases you make at the shops and perfumeries are separate.