What to see in Padua: the best itineraries for visiting the city

 Padua is a human-scale Venetian city that contains attractions and monuments of undeniable artistic and cultural value, including churches, palaces, and museums of every type and era. The B&B Hotel Padova suggests itineraries for visiting it without missing even one of the masterpieces at your disposal. 

What are the main monuments to see in Padua?

Among the best-known things to see in Padua, there is certainly the Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua. It is one of the largest churches in the world and attracts many millions of faithful devotees to the Saint each year, whose remains are preserved here. The Scrovegni Chapel, with Giotto's frescoes, is another unmissable destination in the city of Padua, a unique masterpiece in the world. The Baptistery is also among the things to see in Padua because it contains an important cycle of frescoes by Giusto de’ Menabuoi. The Palazzo della Ragione, with its immense hall decorated with frescoes of the astrological cycle, the gigantic wooden horse, and the reproduction of Foucault's Pendulum leaves visitors speechless, while Prato della Valle, one of the largest squares in Italy and Europe, with its central island and double outline of statues, invites for a refreshing stop. The university botanical garden is famous for its gardens and greenhouses that reproduce various terrestrial environments, and allows for walks in nature. After a day among the monuments and squares of the center, in Padua it is good to stop in one of the many places that offer “cicchetti,” an indispensable Paduan tradition.

What are the most interesting museums to visit in Padua?

The Museum and the Church of the Eremitani, with interesting archaeological collections, paintings, and Mantegna's frescoes (unfortunately only a small part was saved from the 1944 bombing) are among Padua's main museums, which also boasts Palazzo Zuckermann, with rich collections of coins, medals, and objects of applied and decorative arts. The Risorgimento Museum (located on the noble floor of the building housing the renowned Caffè Pedrocchi) and the Anatomical Theater of the University where Galileo Galilei taught are other important places to visit in Padua, so as not to leave the itinerary of discovery of the historic center incomplete. Among the travel ideas to see the most beautiful spots in the city, there is a boat tour on the canals from which, if desired, boats also depart that lead to other famous Italian places, the Palladian Villas and Venice.

Are you planning a stay in the area? Discover our hotels in Padua.