Everything under the sun in Padua
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PADUA is a historical city in Italy that is only a 45-minute drive from Venice.
Tourists will find a mixture of art, history and shopping to occupy their time. There’s also a chance to eat and drink to the heart’s content as Padua has loads of restaurants and cafes. There’s also vineyards outside of town that provide tours. Some even have restaurants.
It is considered the oldest city in northern Italy and was founded around 1183 BC by the Trojan prince Antenor after the fall of Troy. With a population of about 214,000, it is the capital of Padua province and the economic hub of the area.
Another claim to fame is its hot springs. The Euganean Hills have been praised for its therapeutic waters for centuries by famous poets, including Petrarch, Ugo Foscolo and Shelley. Soak in the postcard-like scenery of this area. Driving along the twisting roads and up and down the hills, visitors can find numerous wineries including some with restaurants.
On occasion of Expo Milano 2015, at the invitation of Padova Promex, I had the opportunity to attend the event “Discover Padova Expo Week” to discover the city of Padua.
One of the city’s biggest claims to fame is the University of Padua, which was founded as a school of law about 800 years ago. It’s the second oldest in Italy and among the earliest universities in the world.
It remains one of Italy’s leading universities, finishing first in many recent ranking reports of the country’s largest universities.
The school is known for its research, particularly in the areas of medicine, astronomy, philosophy and law, and for having famous lecturers throughout history, such as physicist and astronomer Galileo Galilei. His original teaching desk is still kept in the school.
Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia graduated from the school in 1678 and is the first woman in the world to be awarded a doctorate in philosophy.
The University of Padua houses another treasure — the oldest surviving anatomical theater in Europe. It has attracted artists and scientists studying the human body during public dissections since 1595.
The university also hosts one of the world’s oldest botanical gardens, which was established in 1545 and inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997.
Besides collections of rare plants from all over the world, visitors can also see old baroque buildings and a newly built greenhouse. The garden is also one of the ideal places in the city to hold outdoor banquets in a large courtyard. The famous Basilica of St Anthony can be seen in the background.
Constructed between 1232 and 1310, the basilica is a giant edifice that can not be pigeon-holed into one architectural style as it features a variety of influences. The exterior is a mix of mainly Romanesque and Byzantine elements with some Gothic features.
It is so famous that it attracts millions of Catholics from all over the world every year. Padua is sometimes referred to as the city of St Anthony, such is the basilica’s fame.
Near the basilica and the botanical garden is Prato Della Valle, a large square in the heart of the city. Sculptures of famous ancient sages are placed around the square.
Padua is also a treasure trove of art and frescos are common. Basilicas, churches, shrines, chapels, hermitages, monasteries, cathedrals and palaces are all home to wonderful frescoes.
Works by famous artists such as Giotto di Bondone, Titian (Tiziano Vecellio), and Tintoretto (Jacopo Robusti) can be seen around the city. The spectacular Last Judgment fresco by Giotto, an undisputed masterpiece of Western art preserved in Scrovegni Chapel, offers visitors a strong emotional impact as it depicts the life of Jesus.
Padua, only a 3-hour drive from Milan, is also good for shoppers as the city boasts modern fashion houses, small shops and international boutiques in the city center. Upscale names like Prada, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and other popular brands can be found only steps away from one another. Since many tourists don’t stop in Padua, shoppers rarely face long queues and some popular items that are sold out in larger cities are still available here.
The city also offers a nice selection of restaurants, trendy clubs and cafes.
Cafe Pedrocchi is a definite highlight as the oldest cafe in the city. It was founded in 1831 by architects Antonio Pedrocchi and Giuseppe Jappelli from Venice. The two-floor cafe with a lion statue at one entrance was a popular place for scholars and artists to gather. Students and teachers from the nearby University of Padua hold events to celebrate graduation here every year. It is slightly more expensive than other cafes in town but it’s worth visiting and having an espresso or cappuccino.
Padua makes for a nice side trip when visiting Venice or Milan.
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