Padua Unveiled: A Journey Through Time and Tradition
Padua, the third most populous city in the Veneto region, serves as the hub of a heavily populated metropolitan area that is interwoven with the industrial and economic fabric of northeastern Italy. The city is vibrant and hardworking, with a contagious energy that comes from the large number of students who frequent its historic university center, which is bustling with activities.
Walking through the streets of the historic center, which are lined with porticoes and dotted with squares, is a great way to relive the past and take in the many artistic and architectural testaments. You could even enjoy a spritz, which is the local specialty and a symbol of the Triveneto.
How to Get to Padua
Padua is easily accessible by car and train. It also features a small airport that is primarily used by military aircraft and is not served by regularly scheduled flights. The motorway toll booth is accessible from the A4 Milan-Venice or the A13 from Bologna. The main railway station is situated on the lne that links Bologna and Venice, from where regional and Frecciargento trains depart hourly. In terms of urban mobility, public transportation basically consists of a vast tram network and a vast bus network that are managed by the APS company (Azienda Padova Servizi).
Where to sleep in Padua?
Padua is a city with a wide variety of hotel accommodations. Staying at the B&B HOTEL Padova, which is in a good location just to the north and not far from the historic city center, in the fair area less than 3 km walk from the Cathedral, is a practical solution with an excellent quality/price ratio. The three-star building features free, lightning-fast WiFi, Chromecast in-room entertainment, pet-friendly accommodations, and covered parking for a discounted daily rate of €10.00. It is possible to add a hearty and varied breakfast for those who desire it. Additionally, a B&B Shop with prepared meals is available here for all your necessary purchases. travel kits for animals as well as tech, personal care, and travel accessories.
History
Situated near the Brenta and Bacchiglione rivers, west of the Venetian lagoon, Padua was supposedly founded in 1184 BC by the legendary Trojan hero Antenor, who was a forerunner of the Venetian migration from Asia Minor to northern Italy. The name Padua has uncertain origins that stretch back to pre-Roman times. Some claim it is assonant with the Latin name of the Po (Padus), while others link it to the Indo-European theme “pat” in reference to the region’s flat topography. It is undeniable that Padua has been among the richest cities in the nation since the Roman era because of its advantageous location close to significant river trade hubs and only a few kilometers from Venice. Because of its prosperity, it became a point of reference for art and culture during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, when the city saw a significant economic boom that drew in the leading Italian artists of the day. Centuries of immense splendor elapsed within the boundaries of Serenissima Padua before the decline of the Republic of Venice also had an impact on it, beginning at the end of the 18th century, leading to the Napoleonic occupation and eventual transfer to Austria. The city deeply experienced the aspirations and tensions of the Risorgimento during the nineteenth century, which was a century of progressive change, while the modern settlement’s foundations were established in the first half of the twentieth century.
The best things to do in Padua
While there are many and varied things to see in Padua, the historic “river insula,” or the area of the historic center bounded on three sides by the waters of the Bacchiglione Main Trunk and from the Torricelle canal, where the “Roman Patavinum” was established, could be a good place to start for a visit itinerary. The Piazza delle Erbe and della Frutta, which are home to some of the most important buildings in the capital, including the municipal buildings and the Ragione, are where the commercial and civil centers of the medieval city were concentrated inside the insula. After passing through this final square and onto Via Marsilio da Padova, you will arrive in the medieval neighborhood of S. Lucia, which has been severely damaged by the city’s demolitions during the first half of the 20th century. However, many important artistic remnants have survived, including the Church of S. Lucia, whose white façade from the eighteenth century hinges on the large central portal, and the Oratory of S. Rocco, which features a cycle of frescoes from the sixteenth century, on which various artists, including Domenico Campagnola, Girolamo Tessari, Gualtiero Padovano, and Stefano dall’Arzere, collaborated.
This area was once covered by the ancient Reggia dei Da Carrara, which gave rise to the name Piazza dei Signori. From Via S. Lucia, take the small Via Sauro. One of the most beautiful squares in the city, it is surrounded by imposing monumental buildings and colorful porticoed houses. The famous Loggia del Consiglio, which was used as a meeting place for the City Council following the fire of the Reason Palace in 1420, is located on the square’s southern side. The Loggia Carrarese, another well-known loggia nearby, is all that’s left of the former Carrara Palace. It is distinguished by the superposition of two orders of thin pink marble columns on the façade and by an all-wood roof.
The cathedral
This brings you to the close-by Piazza del Duomo, the city’s religious hub, which houses the Baptistery, the Bishop’s Palace, and the Duomo itself. Originally constructed in the early Middle Ages, the first was rebuilt in the ninth and tenth centuries following the devastating earthquake of 1117. The renovations were planned by Michelangelo and Andrea della Valle and took place again in 1551.
The cathedral, which bears the name of the Virgin of the Assumption, is incomplete on the outside, but inside it is adorned with priceless decorations on a grand Latin cross layout with a transept and side chapels. Beside it is the Baptistery of St. John the Baptist, which was once utilized by the Carraresi family as a kind of temple. To the south is the Bishop’s Palace, which was built in the fourteenth century but has undergone numerous renovations.
The historic Ghetto, which stretched along the eastern edge of Piazza del Duomo, housed all of the city’s Jewish residents in segregation from 1603 until 1797. The so-called Great Sinanoga, the product of the union of three pre-existing synagogues, is worth seeing, as are the many antique stores primarily centered between via S. Martino and Solferino.
You can take the interesting Via Vescovado, one of the city’s oldest streets, which continues under the shade of the porticoes up to the entrance of the S. Giovanni delle Navi bridge, to get back to Piazza del Duomo. Following the river’s path further south, you will reach the Observatory Tower, which was constructed between 1767 and 1777 by architect Domenico Cerato with help from eminent meteorologist, geographer, and astronomy teacher Abbot Toaldo. Once at the observatory, you can head north-east via XX Settembre up to S. Maria dei Servi, via Roma and the neoclassical Caffè Pedrocchi, or cross the canal and visit the Oratory of S. Michele.
The University building, which has been a part of the city for nearly eight centuries, is located across from the café. The building, also known as Palazzo del Bo due to its historical name, Hospitium Bovis, features an exquisite façade from the sixteenth century supported by an ashlar portico that was created by Andrea Moroni and Vincenzo Scamozzi. The ancient courtyard, which is divided by a double order of Doric style columns on the ground floor and Ionic style columns on the first floor, is the most architecturally significant portion of the complex, though the bell tower from the original building has also survived. Observe the effigy situated to the right of the staircase that leads to the upper loggia. It is sculpted to commemorate Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia, who was born on June 25, 1678, and is she is considered the first woman in the world to graduate.
Scrovegni Chapel’s
A little further north are the Civic Museums of the Eremitani, founded in 1985 inside the old convent renovated by a project developed by architects Franco Albini, Franca Helg, and Antonio Piva, and the Church of the Eremitani, situated between the gardens of the Arena and the square in front of the same name. There are various sections within the exhibition, ranging from the archaeological section to the art gallery featuring Egyptian and Roman collections. However, many visitors become enthralled with the Scrovegni Chapel’s allure and overlook the other exhibits once they arrive at the Arena gardens.
One of the best examples of Giotto’s creative genius, the chapel underwent a meticulous restoration effort that was finished in 2002. Giotto was hired by Paduan nobleman Enrico Scrovegni to paint murals throughout the chapel beginning in 1303. The Florentine master painter’s characters are all distinguished by a precise physiognomy and imbued with a profound humanity; however, the significance of the story, the narration, surpasses simple artistic skill, making this cycle of frescoes one of the greatest artistic expressions ever.
Basilica of S. Antonio
After going over the sights north of the historic core, one only needs to head south to finish the itinerary and see the most well-known sights of the city. We proceed towards Palazzo Giustiniani, commissioned to the Veronese architect Giovanni Maria Falconetto by Alvise Cornaro at the beginning of the 16th century, after passing Antenore square, which houses the tomb of the legendary founder of Padua, and maybe after a stop at the adjacent Musme the Medicine Museum, to reach the Basilica of S. Antonio, one of the most revered sanctuaries in the whole Christian panorama. Apart from its spiritual importance, the structure boasts exquisite artistic finishing and a wealth of details, such as frescoes and sculptures by the most prominent Italian panorama painters of the 13th and 14th centuries. Adjacent to it are the Scuola del Santo, home of the Archconfraternity of S. Antonio since 1427, and the Oratory of S. Giorgio, whose design is reminiscent of the Scrovegni Chapel.
The Enchanting Botanical Garden of Padua, the first university garden in Europe, was founded in 1545 at the express request of the Senate of the Republic of Venice. You enter it after passing the Civic library. Built between 1532 and 1579 in place of an earlier early Christian basilica, the historic Basilica of S. Giustina is even farther on, past the Palazzetto dello Sport and the Tre Pini Sports Field.
In front of it opens its whole grandeur Prato della Valle, the enormous triangular-shaped square spanning an area of more than 88,500 m2. Until Domenico Cerato intervened at the end of the 18th century, the area was uncultivated and prone to flooding. Now, Prato della Valle is a popular gathering spot for the locals.
Curiosities
Because Padua differs from other Italian cities in several ways, it is also known as the city of “without“. It was first described as the City of the Three Without, referring especially to the 1) Saint without a name—Padua was frequently mentioned just as the city of the Saint, omitting to mention S. Antonio—the Meadow without grass, which denoted the Prato della Valle without the grassy surface—and the Café without doors, or the Caffè Pedrocchi, which was once open all the time.
Other “withouts” were added to them, and Padua first became the City of the Four Without, thanks to the Ox without Horns, which represents the University, and then the City of the Seven Without, thanks to the Horse without a Master (an equine statue in the Palazzo della Ragione), the Capital without a Column (also in the Palazzo della Ragione), and the Campanile without a Church, a bell tower at the crossroads between Via G. Cittadella and Via S. Fermo, without the associated religious building destroyed throughout history.
What to eat in Padua
Without first indulging in a nice dinner based on local cuisine, which nearly all share the simplicity of the ingredients, including many vegetables, legumes, and cereals, a visit to Padua cannot be considered complete. Some of the dishes that most perfectly capture the “poverty” of the regional cuisine are pasta with beans, polenta, and pumpkin soup. Roast pork with mushrooms and duck with orange are also popular second courses. All slaked down with DOC wines from the neighboring Euganean Hills, of which you are spoilt for choice in the reds (Merlot, Cabernet, sparkling Marzemino) and the whites (Pinot, Tokaj, Moscato).
Fun Things to Do
Padua is a vibrant city for cultural visits as well; the many art exhibitions held here provide visitors with a plethora of options all year round. The Comics Fair, organized by Be Comics, is noteworthy at the start of the year. The Padua Trade Fair and the Sherwood festival follow. The classic Christmas markets are held in Advent, but don’t miss the vintage car and motorcycle show in the autumn. Last but not least, the Antiques Market is worth mentioning on the third Sunday of each month, save August.
Climate and best times to visit
Only to some extent offset by its closeness to the Adriatic coast, Padua’s climate exhibits some distinctly continental characteristics, with very high summer temperatures and rather cold winters. While fog starts to appear on the evenings of November and peaks in the period between January and February, when there is no don’t even get up in broad daylight, the relative humidity rate is generally high and mostly responsible for the perception of mugginess between June and August.
In the summer, especially on the sweltering afternoons of July and August, strong thunderstorms occasionally accompanied by hail showers momentarily break the heat; in the winter, there are occasional snowfalls that seldom leave appreciable accumulations on the ground.