Share on Pinterest
More share buttons
Share with your friends










Submit

Virtual Tour of Padova

Overview of Padua

You may not recognize the name of the city in its Italian form, but if you heard it in its English form, you will easily see it as the tourist destination that is just an hour away from Venice. Those who love medieval architecture, art, and history will love the city of Padua, which is on the banks of the Bacchiglione River and framed by the Euganaean Hills in the southwest. This city is also where you will find the University of Padua where famed polymath Galileo Galilei once lectured.

Prato della Valle Padova

Prato della Valle Padova

Padua, or Padova to Italians, is a city that has been used by many artisans in their work. Shakespeare used it as the setting for his work The Taming of the Shrew, and Victorian writer Oscar Wilde had a play entitled the Duchess of Padua. This city is also popular for its many tourist attractions, and these are what bring thousands of visitors to it every year.

Where to Go and What to See in Padua

When in this city west of Venice, you will find that the number of palaces, piazzas, churches, and places of interest you can visit here can be quite a lot. You may need to plan a visit that lasts more than one or two days in order to see everything that Padova has for you to see. Here are some of the most frequently visited tourist spots in the city:

Cappella degli Scrovegni – The Scrovegni Chapel is probably the most famous tourist sight in the city and this is because it houses one of the most important masterpieces of Western Art. This is the fresco cycle that Giotto created, which was finished in the early part of the 1300s. The frescoes in the chapel covered all the internal surfaces of the structure, with the largest ones depicting the lives of both the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ.

Palazzo della Ragione – If you want to take a look into the past of Padova, this palace can help you achieve just that. This historic building showcases more frescoes but this time made by Giotto’s assistants, Nicolò Miretto and Giusto de’ Menabuoi. Aside from these marvelously unique murals, the building also houses a 15th century wooden horse patterned after Donatello’s bronze Gattamelata.

Prato della Valle – For those who love gardens and parks, the 90,000 square meter elliptical garden is a sight to behold. The Prato della Valle is considered the largest square in all of the country and is fondly called by locals as Il Prato. The glorious garden went through a period of neglect in the early 190s, but has since been rejuvenated and revitalized with the help of concerned citizens of Padua.

What to Do in Padua

Exploring the many grand buildings, parks, and villas that can be found in this city is not the only thing you can enjoy doing here. There are a few activities that you can try out in this city that not that many tourists venture to do. Here are some of them:

Learning How to Cook in Padova

Learning How to Cook in Padova

Learn How to Cook Italian Cuisine with Mama Isa – If you want to learn how to cook the many different dishes that are known to be the embodiment of Italian cuisine, you might want to book cooking lessons with this personal chef and cookery teacher in Padua. Learn how to make pasta from scratch, create authentic tiramisu, and bake focaccia in a half-day or whole-day cooking class.

Ride the Brenta Canal on a Passenger Boat – Travel to and from Padua and Venice in a burchiello, which is a traditional boat that has been carrying noble Venetians along this route since the old days. These boats now serve tourists who want to see the many impressive houses along the canal and to spend a day cruising quietly on the river, with some tours having lunch and tour guides talking about the sights they see along the way.

A visit to Padua is a must if you find yourself in the Venetian region of Italy. It is a great trip to package together with one that takes you to Venice, Verona, and other cities in the northern regions of Italy, like Milan, Turin, and Bologna.

omS BYeRz zrLV uS TE d
GRAB OUR ITALY VACATION GUIDE & CHECKLIST
GET IT NOW!
close-image