Padova: Everything You Need To Know

Padova: everything you need to know

By Anna Purpurpurpur

Padova is a fantastic city in Veneto region of Italy, and you can easily get there from Venice by train. The legend says it was founded by a Trojan hero, and you can see the traces of the Roman culture here too not to mention the Middle age and Renaissance.

It’s a great location if you’d like to try gastronomical delicacies and learn more about the most significant masterpieces of Italian art! One or two days will be enough to explore the majority of them.

See my recommendations of the most prominent landmarks, food and hotels, below.

1. Scrovegni Chapel

Start with a landmark which Italians call no less than the most important piece of European art – it is a Scrovegni chapel, or Cappella degli Scrovegni. It might look pretty humble from the outside but when you come inside…

This chapel once was an addition to a mansion (now demolished) built for Enrico Scrovegni, a famous local banker and family, in the 14th century. It has incredibly well-preserved frescoes by Giotto, with many Biblical scenes easy to recognise: there are scenes depicting the life of the Virgin Mary and the life of Jesus Christ, the Vices and Virtues Series and the Last Judgement. Enrico and his second wife were buried in the apse here.

The colours of frescoes are rarely vivid because they have been preserved under certain conditions: you can enter there only as a part of the group after watching a short movie about the Capel, and the doors open just for a few seconds. The kiss between Virgin Mary mother, Anna, and Joachim, her father, at the Golden Gate is often called one of the most important kisses in art history!

I’d highly recommend you buy tickets in advance; however, you can try your luck and try buying tickets on the site, too (but be ready to get disappointed). Recently, the Chapel was declared a UNESCO Heritage site.

2. Musei Civici agli Eremitani

Nearby the chapel you’ll see the Church of the Hermits (Chiesa degli Eremitani) dating to the 13th century. You can visit this museum alongside with the Scrovegni Chapel.

Now, this former Augustinian monastery is home to the Musei Civici agli Eremitani: you can examine the archaeological exhibits from the Mesopotamia, Egypt, Ancient Greek and Roman periods, as well as Pinacoteca.

3. Piazza della Frutta and Piazza dell’Erbe

The some of the most famous squares of Padua are Piazza della Frutta and Piazza dell’Erbe (Fruits and Herbs squares). And yes, there are still fruit and herbs markets on those squares – they are considered to be running for around 800 years, which makes them one of the oldest markets in the world!

Come here to buy fruits, clothes, toys and so on, and there are lots of cafes (including freshly opened Starbucks) and shops framing the squares. However, the main gem is located between those squares…

4. Palazzo della Ragione

Palazzo della Ragione dates back to the 13th century and is located between Piazza della Frutta and Piazza dell’Erbe. It represents a ship turned upside down designed by the Augustinian friar James of the Eremites.

On the ground floor, there is still a covered part of the market – it is believed to be the oldest covered market in Europe. The upper floors initially acted as seats for the court and city administration. You can reach it by a staircase.

The upper floor is occupied by the Great Hall, or Il Salone, one of the most significant mediaeval halls of all times – and the astronomical frescoes here used to be created by Giotto himself! Originally, the hall was divided into three rooms, but after the fire of 1420, they were united into one grand space – original Giotto’s frescoes were lost in the fire too but were restored later by other painters.

You can also find there some other exhibits that include a large wooden statue of a horse, which Donatello made for the Equestrian statue of Gattamelata statue, a modern version of the Foucault pendulum and a golden sun with a hole instead of the mouth: at noon, the a ray of sunlight passes through it.

There is a large tower – Torre degli Anziani – attached to it, but now it’s under reconstruction.

5. Piazza dei Signori

Piazza dei Signori is another fantastic spot you cannot miss.

It was named after Palazzo della Signoria (it doesn’t exist any more) and was constructed in the 14th century.

One of the most famous sites on this square is the Church of Saint Clement, which dates back to the 12th century, but some think that it’s actually much older. Spot the representation of St. Clemente, St. Giustina and St. Daniele on its facade. If it happens to be open during your visit, come inside to see the Madonna and Child fresco by Jacopo Bellini and the paintings, including Sermon of St John the Baptist by Francesco Zanella and Jesus in the Act of Delivering the Keys to Saint Peter by Pietro Damini.

Don’t miss Loggia del Consiglio, or Council’s loggia (also known as Loggia della Gran Guardia during Austrian rule), built as a seat of the Gran Consiglio – this astonishing building is the finest example of the architecture of the 15-16th centuries.

6. Torre Dell’Orologio

The main landmark of this piazza is undoubtedly Torre Dell’Orologio, the 30-metre-high tower with an astronomical clock by Jacopo Dondi dating to 1344! In the past, it was a part of Palazzo Carrarese, built during the period of prosperity when Padua was under Venetian rule.

It’s one of the oldest in the world in operation: it can tell you not only the time and the date but also the moon phases and the position of the Sun in the Zodiac signs. You might notice that, however, there are 11 zodiac signs, not 12: in the zodiacal system used in the past, Libra was considered a part of Scorpio constellation – it was known as Scorpion’s Claws back then.

7. Caffe Pedrocchi

During our short visit to Padova, we’ve been to Caffe Pedrocchi like four or five times!

It’s probably the most famous coffee place in Padova (but the queue to the newly opened Starbucks was longer, to be honest). Until 1916, it worked 24/7 (it’s mind-blowing for Italy!) and was frequently referred to as Caffè senza porte, or a cafe without doors.

Walk inside to admire its interiors, too, and the rooms are decorated in distinctly various styles. In the upper floors there is Museo del Risorgimento e dell’Età Contemporanea.

It has been known for non-stop operation for almost 2 centuries, starting from 1831, and it was named after its founder, Antonia Pedrocchi. Come here to try their famous signature mint coffee, Zabaione di Stendhal named after the famous writer who spent his time here, and Cicchetti, small dishes local to the Veneto region.

8. Padua’s University Botanical Gardens

The University of Padua, founded in 1222, is the second oldest university in Italy, right after the Bologna University (it was established by scholars from Bologna who had different opinions from the rest of the professors in the university) and one of the oldest in the world! Palazzo Bo is their main campus – spot it on your walk around the city.

The first woman in the world to receive a doctorate also studied here – it was Elena Lucrezia Corner Piscopia in 1678, who graduated from Padua University with her philosophy doctorate. And there is no way you can miss the University Botanical Garden.

It was founded in 1545, which makes it the oldest university botanical garden in operation in the world. It’s a fantastic green space with many species of plants, a large Goethe palm, which is said to have been examined by Goethe himself, and a garden with water plants and medicinal plants.

The botanical museum there is probably the most modern botanical museum I’ve been to: it has a great herbarium, many educational multimedia materials and a grand auditorium.

9. Saint Anthony of Padua Church

Basilica di Sant’Antonio di Padova is undoubtedly the most famous religious landmark of Padova.

St Antonio who was born in Lisbon died in Padova, and now it’s a famous site of pilgrimage: millions of Christians visit it every year. It’s is believed that St Antonio gives extra protection to children (and you can spot people attaching photos of their kids to the large desk inside the church) and helps to find lost people and lost goods.

The construction of Basilica di Sant’Antonio started in the 13th century, soon after the death of Saint Anthony, and was completed in 1310. Now it’s magnificent complex of buildings is also surrounded by numerous kiosks with religious goods.

The building itself is huge and has a few most visited chapels: Chapel of St. Anthony with the tomb of the Saint and Chapel of the Relics with basilica. Pay special attention to the Main Altar as the statues there were created by Donatello in the 15th-century. Also have a walk around the cloisters and pop inside the museum if you have time.

10. Padua Cathedral

The Cathedral of Padua, or Basilica Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption, located on the Piazza Duomo, is another important landmark – well, you can’t miss the Duomo of the city when in Italy, right?

Originally, it dates to 1117 – it was built on the site of a church built in the 4th century after the Edict of Constantine – however, it was massively destroyed by an earthquake in the 16th century and rebuilt into a ргпу and a bit empty religious edicifice with the facade still unfinished. However, there is a gem hidden nearby…

11. Baptistery

However, make sure to visit the Baptistery (you have to buy a ticket for it) – it’s a real treasure!

Located to the side of the cathedral, it dates to the 12th century and incredible frescoes inside illustrating the life of Jesus were created by Giusto de Menabuoi in the 14th century. Don’t forget to get an audio guide to get the most of your visit!

12. Diocesan Museum

Just across the square you can find the Diocesan Museum (buy a combined ticket for the Baptistery and the museum).

Come here to admire the Salon of the bishops decorated with frescoes, Madonna with Child mosaic dating to the 15th century and chapel of Santa Maria degli Angeli. There are also many other precious religious artefacts to learn about.

13. Equestrian Statue of Gattamelata and house of Donatello

Donatello, one of the most famous sculptors of Italy during the Renaissance, spent a decade in Padova from around 1443-1444 – and historians say that he probably had some sort of psychological crisis here, not being paid in time and not working for three years.

Sadly, the Equestrian Statue of Gattamelata (Erasmo da Narmi) by Donatello, dating to the mid-15th century, is currently covered in scaffolding, and it’s not possible to see it. However, you can still spot many references to Donatello, including a plaque on Piazza Santa in front of the St. Anthony Basilica stating that he lived in this house.

14. Prato della Valle

Did you know that Prato della Valle in Padua is the largest square in all of Italy and one of the largest in Europe?

It’s a nice elliptical green space with fountains located on a small island, l’Isola Memmia, connected with the rest of the city by small bridges and surrounded by 78 statues featuring famous people from Padova. However, the water would benefit from some water cleaning, to be honest.

At the back, you can spot a marvellous building, the Abbey of Santa Giustina.

15. Abbey of Santa Giustina

The church of Santa Giustina was originally built in the 6th century, but its current building dates back to the 17th century. You can easily spot its prominent dome from Prato Delle Valle.

The abbey of Santa Giustina is dedicated to the patron saint of Padova, St Justina of Padua. And Christians flood this place for another reason too: the relics of St Luke the Evangelist are kept here.

Its interior is equally impressive: come to see the works of Veronese and to admire the chapels della Pietà, find the well of Martyrs, and the tomb of St. Prosdocimus.

16. Canals of Padua

Did you know that there are canals in Padova too? There are much fewer of them than in Venice now – in the past there were many canals used for transporting goods and people but because of the frequent flooding many of them are covered in concrete or dried out.

However, they still influence the landscape of the city. Come to admire the canale di Santa Chiara from the Ponte delle Torricelle for instance!

17. Arena Park

Giardini dell’Arena, or Arena Park, where Cappella degli Scrovegni is located, is a public park by the canal Tronco Maestro bank – in the past, there was an amphitheatre for gladiator games.

It was built around 70 AD – and the city was called Patavium back then. Some ruins of this arena are still pretty much visible. It’s a nice green spot to visit even if you don’t go to the museums or chapels. Come from Corso Garibaldi to see the statue of Garibaldi, too.

18. Tomb of Antenore

Walking along the centre of Padua, you can also spot a large sarcophagus named the Tomb of Antenore. He was the legendary founder of Padova, the Trojan elder and adviser to king Priam during the Trojan War!

The monument itself dates to around 1283. Although the actual relics there belong not to Antenore but to some Hungarian warrior who lived in the 3rd-4th centuries AD, the tomb still has symbolic meaning. You can also explore the Ancient Jewish Ghetto and the Jewish Museum not far from it.

19. Via Umberto I and Via Roma

Walk along central streets of Padova: Via Umberto I and Via Roma, these are the main roads of life in the city!

You can find here lots of restaurants, shops, cafes and everything you might need as a tired tourist. For instance, we had a fantastic breakfast at Caffe V – I’ve never had matcha in Italy before (see below).

Spot the Church of Santa Maria dei Servi, a 14th-century church with a crucifix by Donatello, and have a coffee at the Caffe V. No way you can miss the gorgeous tower of the mediaeval Palazzo Capodilista too!

20. Porta Altinate and other gates

Ponte Altinate was a Roman bridge over Naviglio Interno canal – and it was completely covered by the modern pavement in the 1960s. However you can still see the Porta Altinate, a gateway above the bridge leading to the Piazza Garibaldi. It dates to the 13th century.

You can also see the Ponte Molino – this bridge survived being cemented over, but it’s a bit further away from the centre. It also has a gate called Porta Molino. In addition, Porta Savonarola built in the 16th century is another gate of Padua that is part of the city walls. You can learn more about it here.

Where to eat in Padova

There are quite a few fantastic spots in Padova where you can have a coffee break or lunch. I just wanted to name a few. If you’re looking for an elevated gastronomical experience, come to Ai Porteghi Bistrot, which is recommended by the Michelin guide.

For local dishes such as bigoni pasta with duck, come to C2O bistrot – it’s located right in front of the St Anthony Basilica.

I’ve already mentioned Pedrocchi – this historical spot is fantastic for breakfast, lunch and dinner (we tried it all ourselves), and I must note that you must visit this place at least once for its historical significance.

Finally, try Caffe V: they have a great selection of pastries, sandwiches and bruschettas!

Where to stay in Padova:

We stayed in Hilton Inn Garden purely for the location – all main landmarks like Palazzo Raggione and Torre d’Orologio are like 5-7 min away by walk. However, I’d not call it a luxurious accommodation and their breakfast selection was extremely limited (however this is absolutely a norm for Italy).

Pictures of the floating world