Have you ever stopped to think where the Parmigiano Reggiano you grate on your pasta comes from? If it is indeed authentic Parmigiano Reggiano—a product with a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)—it was made in or around Parma, a charming Italian city about an hour from Bologna. And according to International Living, Parma is a perfect alternative for Florence.

"With many museums covering every era of art, a Ducal Palace set in an enticing park, churches filled with glorious frescoes, opera theaters, and a layer cake-like cathedral and baptistry, you’ll not lack any art and culture in Parma," Valerie Fortney-Schneider, an International Living contributor, told Travel + Leisure.