Would you like to visit Padova, but you just have one or two days available?
Padova offers a wide variety of sights. If you choose to visit it, it means enjoying classic itineraries with frescoes by Giotto, historical museums, the old city center with its charming buildings and institutional headquarters. Churches and monuments give a sense of history and culture; shops, markets and the locals, a sparkling vitality and a vibrant modern life.
As so many places are worth visiting, we decided to create this section to give some tips and ideas about points of interest and itineraries to those that have short time available, but a great desire to know.
Are you going to stay and visit Padova in 2 days?Click for 48h – itinerary
10 things not to miss:
The Scrovegni Chapel cycle of frescoes is considered one of the greatest art masterpieces of the Italian and European 14th century painting. It is the most complete and best preserved cycle of frescoes painted by the Tuscan master Giotto. Colours and light, poetry and pathos. God and Man. Nature and History, Human feelings and Faith mix together in a unique and inimitable style, which totally transformed the language of Western art.
2. Basilica of St.Anthony and Prato della valle
The Basilica of St. Anthony, often called Basilica del Santo, is a complex stately religious building which was started in 1232, a year after St. Anthony's death. The outside of the Basilica is a mixture of Lombard, Tuscan and Byzantine styles; the 8 domes and the 2 bell-towers are built in the oriental style. The golden angel on the highest dome is said to turn following the winds, thus giving exact weather forecast. The 3 bronze portals of the façade were planned by Camillo Boito (1895).
The Palazzo della Ragione was built in 1218 and enlarged in 1306. Until 1797 it was used as city council's assembly hall and palace of justice (hence the appelation della Ragione, meaning of reason). The upper floor, called il Salone, is a vast hall, one of the largest medieval halls of the world (mt. 81x27x27). It has a beautiful wooden ceiling and is decorated by an astounding cycle of frescoes depicting the astrological theories of Pietro d'Abano, a professor at La Sorbonne in Paris and later at Padua University in the 13th century.
4. University and Cafè Pedrocchi
The historical seat of Padua University Palazzo Bo keeps an extraordinary architectural, historical and cultural heritage. The complex we see today is the result of the restoration of a series of buildings which gathered together ancient medieval towers and renaissance palaces. The old courtyard with a double doric and ionic order of arcades is by Andrea Moroni (mid 16th century), the Anatomy Theatre, was built in 1594 by the famous professor of Anatomy Gerolamo Fabrici d´Acquapendente, the Sala dei Quaranta is decorated by the portraits of 40 famous personages who studied at the University and keeps Galileo´s original chair, the 18th-century Aula Magna was renovated from 1854-56 and in 1942 (by the architect Giò Ponti).
5. Sottosalone
In the vibrant heart of the city you will find the stunning Palazzo della Ragione (Seat of Justice), with its magnificent hanging Hall with frescoes of 15thC. At the ground floor, it houses various and picturesque typical shops located in two galleries running along the building. Here you can taste and buy typical food and wines. A sort of ancient market, normally called Sotto-Salone (Under the Hall) by the local citizens. (Photo credits: Archivio Padova Terme Euganee Convention & Visitors Bureau)
The Botanic Garden of Padua dates back to 1545 and is regarded as the most ancient university garden in the world. Beginning from its foundation, it was devoted to the growth of medicinal plants, since they made up the majority of the "simples", i.e. the remedies directly obtained from nature without any further concoction: for this reason it was named "Hortus Simplicium". The first keeper of the garden was Luigi Squalermo called Anguillara.
7. Spritz e cena tipica
Se si vuole conoscere fino in fondo una città è inevitabile provare i suoi piatti tipici, preparati con i prodotti genuini della terra padovana: in uno dei tanti locali del centro storico dovrete senz'altro assaggiare il rinomato bollito e altri piatti a base di carni bianche e verdure di stagione, il dolce di S. Antonio, solo per citarne alcuni.
Ma ciò che più di tutto rimarrà nei ricordi del soggiorno in questa fantastica città è lo spritz, il tipico aperitivo a base di vino prosecco, che per i padovani è indubbiamente un rito che prelude alla cena, ma è anche e soprattutto un momento di condivisione e di aggregazione, per i giovani, ma non solo...
Once upon a time there was a city where people used to move by gondole, burci and mascarete (typical boats) along internal canals, carrying people and goods along waterways and under bridges….let’s discover Padua and its waterways.
9. A walk in the Ghetto
The borough called “Ghetto” is marked by via Barbarigo, Manin, S. Canziano, Roma and Marsala and in the past it could be reached throught the four doors located in the direction of the cardinal points. From 1603 the patavian jewel were forced to live in the ghetto and obligated to respect an evening curfew.
Near their houses, they opened shops and handicraft trades The synagogue, still used, has existed since the mid of 16thC. The area is easy to recognise thanks to its narrow streets and vertical buildings. Strolling through the streets of the Ghetto, you have to stop for some tasting in the local bars.
10. Shopping
Each city is worth discovering not only thanks to its monuments, but also for its traditions and rhythm of the life: this is the right way to meet the real territory soul!