Padova lies where the Brenta and Bacchiglione Rivers meet and this “City of the Saint” has a long history of rebirth. From its ancient 4th Century BC origins it has experienced many periods of decline followed by magnificent revival and growth.
The varied influences of many masters of art, philosophy, culture, architecture and politics make this a veritable cornucopia of treasures waiting to be discovered by modern tourists. Famous alumni of the city include Dante, Donatello, Copernicus and Petrarch.
The University is one of the four oldest schools of this kind in the world and was built in 1222. The Basilica of St Anthony, the Church of Eremitani and the Palazzo della Ragione dates back to the 13th and 14th Centuries. Giotto was the first dominant artist whose masterpiece in the Scrovegni Chapel survives to this day. The Basilica of S Giustina and a new Cathedral was built in the 16th Century as well as the Botanic garden and the Palazzo del Bo which is associated with Galileo Galilei’s teachings.

Famous for... Saint Anthony, patron saint of lost and found objects has been associated with Padova since the 13th century (although he hails from Lisbon originally!). Elena Cornaro Piscopia holds the honor of being the first woman to complete a University degree at Bo’ University (named for a medieval inn that occupied the area where the modern buildings of the university stand) in 1678. The Virtues and Vices that run along the lower parts of the Scrovegni Chapel wall form part of the most extensive and best preserved completed frescoes by Giotto in his later years.

Do not leave before you... Use your Padovacard, a special discount card, that will allow access to a large number of attractions throughout the city and the province for free or reduced fees. More information at: http://www.padovacard.it/eng/index.php.
Follow in the footsteps of Lord Byron and visit the opulent Caffe Pedrocchi for a world-class dolce far niente experience! One of the worlds largest cafés it was designed by the eclectic Giuseppe Jappelli and features rooms decorated in styles ranging from ornate Gothic to Neoclassical. Go to admire the upper floors of the Palazzo della Ragione (built in 1218) where you will find unusual frescoes covering the hall with astrological and religious subject matter. The eight domes of Saint Anthony’s final resting place are worth a go see!
The Basilica of S. Anthony (the Padovans refer to it minimally as “Santo”) boasts works of artists covering 7 Centuries and counting Donatello amongst them.

Getting around

By air:
The closest airports are Venice and Verona.

By bus:
There are a number of busses throughout the province, from the train station and leading to the neighboring provinces of Venice and Rovigo. From April to October you can buy 24 hour tickets for an open topped sightseeing bus that runs around the major city attractions.

By car:
The A4 leads to the north (Milan and Venice) and the A13 connecting to Bologna in the south. Hertz and Avis operate from the railway station as well as all the taxis. Traffic can be brutal during the day, where comfortable shoes, park at one of the major parking lots and continue to explore the city on foot.

By train:
Regular trains depart from Padua for Venice (30 – 45 minutes) and the entire northern region.