Picking favourites at this 14th-century castle is excruciating: there's the castle itself, especially when enveloped in cinematic Po river fog; the ageing cave, where 5000 of the world's very best salumi (cured meats) hang alongside namecards of their owners (Prince Charles, Monaco's Prince Albert II); the 11 rooms with enchanting free-standing bathtubs; or Massimo Spigaroli's one-star Michelin foodgasm.
Luckily, choosing one over the other is not mandatory, which is why this food-focused destination hotel (double rooms from €230) and restaurant makes for a most memorable culinary stopover.
The charcuterie plates include a sampling of the sublime, top-of-the-line culatello di suico nero di Parma (made from the free-range black pigs), and nearly everything else on your plate is made in-house. Namely, the aged parmigiano reggiano, the butter, the herbs and vegetables, even the wine. And then there's the cheese service. You will never forget that cheese service!
It's 6km from central Busseto.