Things to see in Padua

Padua (Italian: Padova, Venetian: Pàdova) is a city in north eastern Italy. Padua is famous for its historic University of Padua, founded in 1222, and for its UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the Botanical Garden and the 14th-century frescoes.

Padua is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located centrally in the Veneto region, between Venice on one side and Vicenza and Verona on the other. The city has 209,000 inhabitants (2026).

Padua is sits about 40 km west of Venice. It lies along the Bacchiglione River and is an important economic and cultural centre. The city is associated with Galileo Galilei, who conducted important astronomical observations there.

The climate of Padua is moderately continental, with cold, damp winters and hot, muggy summers.

The Padua Card allows you to visit most churches and all museums as well as use the public transport for €16.

Landmarks: Saint Anthony's cathedral (Basilica di Sant'Antonio). Saint Anthony's Basilica is the best-known tourist site in Padova - millions of pilgrims visit every year. Built immediately after "The Saint's" death in the 1200s, it houses his tomb and notable relics. The statues and crucifix on the main altar are by Donatello, as is the statue of horse and rider in the square in front of the church (called "Gattamelata" - "the honeyed cat"). Free entrance. Oratorio de San Giorgio. A beautiful, frescoed, and generally empty hall on the south side of the piazza next to the Basilica di Sant'Antonio. The paintings were done by two of Giotto's students, and though they are not as magnificent as those in the Capella degli Scrovegni, you can sit down and gaze at them undisturbed for as long as you like. Scrovegni Chapel (Cappella degli Scrovegni). The Chapel is in the north of the city center, not far from the bus and train stations. The walls and ceilings are covered in frescos by Giotto, completed in 1303-1305. The chapel has been well preserved and the art is very impressive.