Touristic info: https://www.turismopadova.it/en/
In the central area of the Veneto plains, among lagoons, hills and Alpine foothills, lies Padua, a fascinating mixture of art, cultures, flavours and traditions. A visit to the Province is a discovery of a territory remarkably rich in history, culture, vitality and ingenuity, characterised by a great variety of places to see, products to taste, and people to meet. Above, a view of Prato della Valle, one of the largest squares in Europe.
Padua is a UNESCO World Heritage City with two properties:
The Botanical Garden, UNESCO heritage since 1987: it is the oldest Botanical Garden in the world, founded in 1545 (picture below). It has been preserving throughout the centuries its original location and its main scientific and architectonic features too, that have made it a model for similar institutions in Italy and in the world.
Padova Urbs Picta, UNESCO heritage since 2021, a serial property which includes all the most precious fourteenth-century fresco cycles preserved in eight complexes of buildings of the city: Cappella degli Scrovegni, Chiesa dei Santi Filippo e Giacomo agli Eremitani, Palazzo della Ragione, Cappella della Reggia Carrarese, Battistero della Cattedrale, Basilica and Convento di Sant’Antonio, Oratorio di San Giorgio e Oratorio di San Michele. To fresco the walls of these places, during the fourteenth century, some of the most extraordinary artists of the time: Giotto, who with the frescoes of the Scrovegni Chapel realizes his absolute masterpiece, Guariento di Arpo, Giusto de’ Menabuoi, Altichiero da Zevio, Jacopo Avanzi e Jacopo da Verona.
A visit to Padua is a fully fascinating experience, featuring the visit to some unforgettable to masterpieces, such as:
- St. Anthony’s Basilica, as well as an impressive number of ancient churches;
- The Scrovegni Chapel, frescoed by Giotto at the beginning of 14th Century (picture above);
- The University’s Botanical Garden, a UNESCO heritage site;
- Prato della Valle, one of Europe’s largest squares;
- Palazzo del Bo, the historical seat of the University of Padua: it includes the Main Hall, the ancient Anatomical Theatre (picture below) the Sala dei Quaranta (the Hall of Forty) and Galileo’s chair;
To help visitors, the Municipality of Padua prepared an audio-guide of the City, downloadable for visitors, which offers 5 interesting itineraries (English text available):
- Tour 1: from the Roman Arena to the Caffè Pedrocchi
- Tour 2: the Palazzo della Ragione and the squares around it
- Tour 3: the Jewish Ghetto and the Reggia Carrarese
- Tour 4: the Prato della Valle and the Cittadella Antoniana
- Tour 5: the Walls of Padua by bike.
A wealth of experiences (entrance to monuments, guided tours, tasting experiences) can be booked on this website :
https://booking.turismopadova.it/#/esperienze/TRN/7995d381-0709-492d-8646-c55b553d1345The cookbook of Paduan cuisine dates back to the mediaeval noble families who get the credit for creating world-class cuisine, made up of tasty and simple ingredients. First courses, second courses, appetisers, pastries: Paduan cuisine offers us unique and exclusive flavours, which vary according to the geographical areas. The local wines are also major players on tabletops. With a long and noble history, they were even extolled by Petrarch and Ruzante.
A two minutes tour of Padua is available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ti5EsXlud0IUniversity of Padua
https://www.unipd.it/en/museumsThe University of Padua also offers a large number of Museums and University Museum Centre's collections:
- Museum of Nature and Humankind
- Botanical Museum
- Educational Museum of Veterinary Medicine
- Enrico Bernardi Museum of Machines
- Geography Museum
- Museum of Archaeological Sciences and Art
- Museum of Astronomical Instruments
- Museum of Education
- Museum of Pathological Anatomy
- Museum of the History of Physics
Nearby Destinations of Interest
Venice
Venice needs no introduction or description. It should only be noticed that Venice can be reached from Padua by train in 30 minutes. Trains leave from the Padua Railway Station, located a few steps away from the Conference venue, every 15 minutes.
Verona
For Opera lovers Verona IS the destination. The Arena Opera Festival, every year from June to September, attracts thousands of spectators from worldwide. Verona is less than one hour by train from Padua, and the railway station is 500 metres (~0.3 miles) away from the Arena.
Milan
Milan is considered the business capital of Italy, as it leads the path to innovation and internationalisation, and a two hours journey by train is sufficient to reach it, with many rides each day.. Milan has beautiful monuments, is a world-wide renowned capital for fashion and features an extremely rich cultural landscape: how not to mention the Teatro alla Scala, regarded as one of the leading opera and ballet theatres globally. Milan is the second largest airport in Italy (after Rome), making it a very convenient option for international travellers.
Florence
Florence is another city which needs no introduction and it is less than two hours away from Padua by train, with several rides back and forth for each day.
Cortina d’Ampezzo
The Queen of Dolomites is just 180 km (110 miles) away from Padua and can be easily reached by bus and train. In summer, Cortina is a true paradise for hikers, climbers and mountain-bikers alike, supported by high quality facilities and services.
Jesolo Beach
Imagine miles and miles of endless beach that you can reach with no effort at all, indistinct voices in the background, and the crystal clear water where you can relax and cool off in the summer heat. Jesolo Beach is an hour from Padua by bus (with a dedicated bus line) and 30 minutes from Venice airport. In Jesolo everyone is on holiday. This is a beach for families and children, where the youngest can try their first experiences of swimming in the shallow and safe Adriatic Sea. This is a beach awarded with the Blue Flag and the Green Flag as a safe and child-friendly beach recommended by paediatricians. This is a beach for young people, with many attractions and entertainment especially for them. This is a beach that comes alive at sunset, thanks to the amazing live music performances and international DJ sets. This is a beach for the elderly and those with limited mobility. Social inclusion is guaranteed together with accessibility, meaning the 12 km of seafront and 17 km of beach and nearly entirely accessible.
Park of the Euganean Hills
Padua is sorrounded by the Euganean hills and they are reachable by train and bus in 20-30 minutes from the Padua train station. A unique environment where the presence of man has harmoniously entered into a natural context of great and prized beauty. Along the rolling slopes of the hills the star is nature, with its different varieties of flora and fauna. Oak and chestnut groves alternate with large areas of Mediterranean maquis, orderly vineyards, orchards and century-old olive groves. Suffice it to mention, for example, Este, Monselice and Montagnana, with their medieval wall curtains; Arquà Petrarca, a fascinating ancient medieval hamlet; Luvigliano, Galzignano and Battaglia Terme with their splendid Veneto villas; the Abbey of Praglia and the Hermitage of Monte Rua. The entire territory of the Hills offers visitors a myriad of paths immersed in nature, which you can enjoy with a stroll, by bike or by horseback. Golf lovers can enjoy three greens, and if your objective is relaxation, the Park provides the Euganee Thermal Baths, world-famous for the unique properties of the mud and treatments that can be enjoyed in the facilities of Abano, Montegrotto, Battaglia, Galzignano and Teolo.
Gallery
