Discover Santa Maria Del Piano

Santa Maria Del Piano combines culture with experiences in nature. Villa Lanfranchi is particularly distinctive, situated between the Parma River and the hills of Lesignano de’ Bagni. Built in the 16th century, the house museum was for many years the home and workplace of director and collector Mario Lanfranchi. Those planning a trip featuring cultural discoveries and trails through the landscape will find various opportunities here to get to know the area better.

Villa Lanfranchi as a cultural centre

In the Province of Parma, Villa Lanfranchi belongs to the regionally recognised network “Case e studi delle persone illustri”. Guided tours include the garden and the villa. Visitors gain insights into Mario Lanfranchi’s works and passions. The interiors also make the visit interesting in their own right: some have been designed to recreate the atmosphere of stages and film sets.

Advance booking is mandatory for the guided tours. This is an important point to bear in mind when planning your day if you specifically want to visit the villa. From Parma, bus 12 runs on the route to Basilicanova–Lesignano Bagni. From the square in Santa Maria del Piano, it is about a 10-minute walk to Villa Lanfranchi. This specific connection may play a role when choosing where to stay if you want to plan your visit without relying exclusively on the car.

Trails along the Torrente Parma

The surrounding area also offers various opportunities to combine your stay with physical activity. The “Sentiero dei cristalli” is described by the municipality of Lesignano de' Bagni as a footpath with numerous rest areas. The La Voladora route covers a total of 25 km, passing through Santa Maria del Piano, among other places, and runs along the floodplains of the Torrente Parma. It is described as a mountain-bike trail and can also be used on foot and on horseback. This allows for different ways of planning the day: a walk with rest areas, a longer route through the floodplains or a tour on the described cycle trail.

In the wider area around Santa Maria del Piano, the Parco dei Barboj is located near Rivalta. Mud volcanoes can be found there in a protected natural landscape. Together with the river area and the hills, this creates an excursion setting that appeals to interests in nature as well as to those drawn to Villa Lanfranchi. For families with children of different ages, it can be helpful when planning a trip to choose between cultural visits, shorter walks and longer outings, without making every day’s itinerary the same.

Cultural events in 2026

A special event is the fifth edition of “Piaceri d’Arte in Villa Lanfranchi”. The programme of photography, music, opera and theatre at Villa Lanfranchi is dedicated to Anna Moffo in 2026 and takes place from 23 August to 25 October 2026. Those travelling during this period can therefore combine Santa Maria Del Piano with a set cultural programme. Outside this period, the villa, its history and the landscape and trail themes described above remain independent reasons for planning a trip.

Choosing Santa Maria Del Piano as a holiday destination

When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home, it is worth first deciding on your preferred focus. Accommodation in Santa Maria Del Piano is a suitable search direction if Villa Lanfranchi, the trails through the town and the landscape along the Torrente Parma are to be the main attractions. Anyone primarily planning to visit the villa should take the mandatory advance booking into account. For active days, the “Sentiero dei cristalli” and La Voladora offer routes with different characteristics, while the Parco dei Barboj is another destination in the surrounding area.

The Chiesa della Purificazione di Maria Vergine is a parish church dating from 1887 to 1893 and belongs to the late Neoclassical cultural context. Together with Villa Lanfranchi, it creates a travel experience that combines historic architecture, the history of a personal collection, contemporary cultural events and experiences in nature.

For further travel planning, you can also make a note of these places: Tizzano Val Parma, Bore, Banca, Bardi, Torrechiara, Arola, Borghetto and Ostia Parmense.

For the main travel overview: Parma.