Wild Camping Albareto

The Ghirardi Regional Nature Reserve and WWF Oasis (15 minutes’ drive) is a haven for walkers and cyclists; you can follow waymarked trails through beech woodland and meadows, keeping an eye out for deer, wild boar and birds of prey. You may get to see wild horses and donkeys grazing in the neighbouring Ghirardi Nature Reserve (20 minutes), along with Maremma sheepdogs guarding their flocks on the hillsides. Step back in time on a visit to the medieval village of Compiano (15 minutes), with cobbled streets overlooked by its impressive hilltop castle (open occasionally for guided tours of its museums). Bardi (40 minutes) is another pretty village dominated by its castle, where guided tours of its medieval interior come with spectacular views across Val Ceno. If you’d like a cultural day out, gorgeous Parma (an hour) is your best bet; you can discover artistic treasures in the galleries and libraries of Palazzo della Pilotta, and admire the peerless Romanesque architecture of ornate Parma Cathedral and its spindly baptistery.