Where should I stay?

Your choices:

• Fidenza
• Salsomaggiore Terme (Salso), a major Spa town, just 8km from Fidenza
• Parma, 20km south of Fidenza

Some considerations:

• Salso is prettier and has nicer hotels.
• The shuttle train between Fidenza and Salso runs every half-hour and the last one is at about 20.30 from Fidenza and 21.00 from Salso. These last “trains” are actually buses which leave from outside the station.
• The hotels in Salso are about a five to fifteen minute walk from the train station. If you have heavy luggage, you'll probably need to take a taxi from the railway station in Salso to your hotel.
• If you’re planning to hire a car, then stay in Salso.
• If you’re staying in Fidenza, you will be able to walk from the station to your hotel ( 5 minutes, max) and from your hotel to the Opera House (also 5 minutes).
• The train connections between Parma and Fidenza are good; check the train timetable on www.trenitalia.it

Hotels

There is no shortage of hotels in Salso. They do, however get booked up rather quickly. Accommodation varies from 5 star to Bed & Breakfast (Pensione).

You can find them all on the town's website www.salsomaggioreterme.com

I have just negotiated a small discount with one of the hotels listed below, the Kursaal in Salsomaggiore Terme – you need to mention my name when booking:

Single room: €45 (single rooms tend to be tiny) instead of €50

double room: € 70 instead of €75

double room single occupancy € 53 instead of €60.

They also have rooms with three and possibly four beds. Let me know if you need help with booking.

If you're looking for a budget hotel, the two-star hotel Zara, recommended by local friends, and also listed below, seems to be pretty inexpensive, e.g. single room with bathroom at €25 per night, including breakfast.

I’ve never had a good cappuccino in a hotel, so I always go for the room only option, and have a cappuccino and croissant (called “brioche” locally) at a café (called “Bar”). Some hotels do offer a breakfast buffet, with cereals, cheese, etc.

One of the nicest hotels is Villa Fiorita, 4 star.

Another recently refurbished hotel in the very heart of the town and reasonably priced is Hotel Kursaal, 3 star.

Other hotels that were recommended to me by friends in the know are:

Cristallo 4 Star
Viale Matteotti 5 bis
Tel +39 0524 577 241
Fax + 39 0524 574 022

Daniel 4 Star
Via M. D’Azeglio 8
Tel +39 0524 572341
Fax +39 0524 571 768

Europa 3 Star
Viale Matteotti 45
Tel 0524 57 31 19
Fax 0524 57 23 72

Isola Caprera 2 Star
Via Roma 12
Tel +39 0524 572 177

Zara 2 Star
Via Milano 26
Tel. +39 0524 577 026
Fax +39 0524 571 182

Carancini 2Star
Via Roma 22
Tel. +39 0524 572 059
Fax +39 0524 573 059

Edera
Via Trento 5
Tel. +39 0524 573 223
Fax +39 0524 575 441

I can recommend two hotels in Fidenza, both are a 5-minute walk from the train station:

Astoria 3 star
All rooms with air conditioning.
Tel: + 39 0524 52 43 14
Fax: + 39 0524 52 72 63

Due Spade
Small hotel in Piazza Pezzana, a small square just west of Piazza Garibaldi.
15 rooms, only 5 with A/C.
Tel/Fax: + 39 0524 52 33 89; +39 0524 52 33 09

This is probably the most economical hotel in the area

friendsinconcert.co.uk