Fascinating Little Padua Reveals Hidden Treasures
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Best Things to Do in Padua & How to Visit
Thinking of visiting Padua? I highly recommend giving this charming little city a day or two of your time, or even a week that includes some day trips.
Called Padova in Italian, this historic city in northern Italy is one of those rare Italian cities that surprises you at every turn.
Located just half an hour from Venice by train, Padua rewards the visit with plenty of art, history, and charm, and with far fewer crowds.
If you’re wondering whether it’s worth a day trip, the answer is a wholehearted yes. This is a city where Giotto revolutionized Western art inside the Scrovegni Chapel, where students have gathered for centuries at one of Europe’s oldest universities, and where vast piazzas, elegant arcades, and hidden courtyards invite slow wandering.
In this post, I’ll share the best things to do in Padua, from must-see masterpieces to quiet corners that most visitors overlook, along with tips for booking tickets and making day trips to Venice and Vicenza.
Quick Facts – Visiting Padua, Italy
- Top Sights: Scrovegni Chapel (Giotto), Basilica of Saint Anthony, Prato della Valle, Palazzo della Ragione, Botanical Garden
- Must-Book Ahead: Scrovegni Chapel (strict timed-entry; book weeks ahead)
- Ideal Time Needed: 1 full day (half-day possible if only visiting Scrovegni and Basilica)
- Best For: Art lovers, history buffs, architecture fans, travelers escaping Venice crowds
- Where to Stay: Near the historic center, close to Piazza delle Erbe or Prato della Valle
- Tours Worth Considering: Scrovegni Chapel, historic center tour
- Getting There: 30 minutes by train from Venice; walkable flat city center
- Pro Tip: Plan your day around the Scrovegni Chapel entry time which you’ve booked as far ahead as possible; the rest of the day revolves around it.
Padua Highlights at a Glance
- Staring awestruck at the Giotto frescoes in the Scrovegni Chapel
- Exploring the fascinating anatomical theater
- Hanging out in the stunning Prato della Valle
- Staying in an apartment as a temporary local
- Exploring the city on a ClueGo walking trail
- Taking a day trip to Vicenza
Top Things to See in Padua
Here are the top things to see in Padua listed in the order in which I talk about them later in this post.
- Scrovegni Chapel – Giotto’s revolutionary fresco cycle; book ahead; 15-min acclimation chamber
- Musei Civici Eremitani – excellent medieval and archeological museums not far from the Scrovegni Chapel
- Anatomical Theater in the Palazzo Bo and tour of the University of Padua – highly recommended
- Palazzo della Ragione – Enormous medieval hall with incredible frescoes
- Piazza dei Signori and Piazza delle Erbe – Medieval markets, colonnaded shops, a palace & lively cafés
- Prato della Valle – Massive and very photogenic public square with water
- Botanical Garden (Orto Botanico) – UNESCO site; world’s oldest academic garden
- Padua Cathedral & Baptistery – Jaw-dropping frescoes by Giuso de’Menabuoi in the bapistry
- Basilica of Saint Anthony (Il Santo) – Pilgrimage site with Donatello sculptures
Where to Stay in Padua
Since I was staying a week in Padua, I home-based in an apartment about a ten-minute walk from the train station in a pleasant residential area with nary a tourist in site. Here are some options for hotels in three areas:
- Historic Center / Piazza delle Erbe – Walkable & lively; try Majestic Toscanelli Hotel.
- Near Prato della Valle – Spacious, green, calm; this is a lovely area to home base. Try Art Hotel Al Fagiano.
- Near Scrovegni Chapel – Closer to the train station and near a lovely park. Hotel Europa gets good reviews.
How Long to Stay in Padua
In your travel planning, don’t make Padua and Venice an either/or option. Instead, build time in your itinerary to visit both.
You can easily see Padua’s main attractions and enjoy the laid-back ambiance in a relaxed two-night stay, or keep yourself busy for a week like I did.
If you only have time to make a short stop in the city of Padua, then squeeze in a flying visit to the Giotto frescsoes in the Scrovegni Chapel and walk around the piazzas to the Prato de Valle. Just make sure you’ve booked your visit to the chapel well in advance of your visit (more on that in a minute).
A day in Padua is not enough. I suggest you slow down, book a place in Padua’s historic city center, and stay awhile. There are plenty of things to do in Padua, which yields up its treasures with measured delight.
Map of Padua
The map below includes all of the sites mentioned in this post in addition to the location of the wonderful apartment I rented (#11), about a 15-minute walk from the center of town.
My Week in Padua
So why was I in Padua for a week, instead of Venice, its more famous neighbor?
First, I’ve visited and stayed in Venice several times and felt it was time to explore more of the Veneto. Second, my husband Gregg Simpson (who is an artist) had an exhibition of his paintings at a gallery in Padua.
I’d heard Padua was worth visiting in its own right and so I looked forward to exploring this new-to-me town. I visited in November, which is a chilly time in northern Italy. Take a good, warm coat.
On the upside, late November is also the time of Padua’s scrumptious Chocolate Festival. Dozens of booths growning with all kinds of chocolate confections lined the piazzas in the center of Padua. Needless to say, we sampled our fair share.
Scrovegni Chapel
I’ll start with the heaviest hitter of them all, sightseeing-wise: the Giotto frescoes in the Scrovegni Chapel (#1 on the map) known in Italian as the Cappella degli Scrovegni. On any Padua itinerary, the Scrovegni Chapel deserves the top spot.
I visited on Day 7 of my stay in Padua, which made for a stunning finale to our week.
When I left the next day to fly home from Milan, visions of Giotto’s exquisitely rendered figures still danced in my head.
Buy Tickets for the Scrovegni Chapel in Advance
As soon as you know the date you plan to be in Padua, buy your tickets for the Scrovegni Chapel, the earlier the better.
Don’t wait until the last minute! The chapel was sold out weeks in advance of my November visit. Same-day tickets are not available.
Here’s the link to purchase tickets from the official site. If tickets are sold out on the official site you may be able to get a ticket by signing up for a tour through GetYourGuide. Here’s an option:
Once you’ve booked your ticket, just show up at your appointed time and prepare to be blown away.
Starting Your Scrovegni Chapel Visit
Your visit starts with a walk through beautifully landscaped gardens from the visitor center to the chapel. Since everyone who visits the chapel must book in advance, you pretty much have the place to yourself apart from the thirty or so people who will be in your viewing group.
You arrive outside the hermetically sealed doors that separate you from a specially built anteroom adjacent to the chapel.
Make sure you arrive a good ten minutes early. The visits are timed very precisely with no provisions made for latecomers.
At your appointed time–not a second too early or too late–the automatic doors swish open. You glimpse the party who visited the chapel before you leaving from another door as you file into the anteroom and take a seat.
Here you will watch a fascinating video (English subtitles) about Giotto’s world-famous frescoes.
I’m partial to 14th Century Italian art and as such, I’m a bit of a Giotto fan girl. I thoroughly enjoyed the description of the fresco cycle. The work is considered one of Giotto’s greatest masterpieces, and is a wonderful example of the artistic revolution that Giotto brought to Western art.
Giotto completed the frescoes in just two years, between 1303 and 1305. The frescoes cover the entire interior of the Chapel and narrate the History of Salvation.
Entering the Chapel
After the film, you are invited to stand. Seconds later, another automatic door swishes open and finally, you file into the chapel itself. Gasps of wonder fill the air as each individual quietly takes in the awe-inspiring frescoes.
Guides are prohibited so the only sounds are whispers and the muted blips of cell phones and cameras (no flashes allowed, of course) making futile attempts to capture the majesty of the space.
It’s impossible. Pictures don’t do it justice, but here are a few of mine, to give you an idea of what you’ll see.
Why Giotto?
The big deal about Giotto is the naturalism of his figures–a major departure from the stiff, 2D figures common at the time. Giotto’s figures look like real people wearing clothes that drape naturally over real bodies.
You get precisely 15 minutes to enjoy the chapel before the automatic doors again swish open and you file out.
On your way, you see the next group preparing to enter, and envy them their first glimpse of the chapel interior. All you have now are your pictures and your memories.
Musei Civici Eremitani
After visiting the Chapel, you can visit the Musei Civici Eremitani (#2), which contains the Archaeological Museum of Padua and the Museum of Medieval and Modern Art. Both are worth checking out.
Archaeological Museum of Padua
Padua is one of the oldest cities in Italy, which becomes abundantly clear when you visit the Archaeological Museum.
Here, you’ll find a fascinating collection from the pre-Roman era (8th-3rd century BC), decorated vases from the third Atestine period (6th-5th century BC), Paleo-Venetian steles, votive objects, Etruscan, Italic and Paleo-Venetian bronzes, Egyptian art, and an extensive Roman section.
If you like ancient artifacts, this museum is definitely worth a visit.
Museum of Medieval and Modern Art
The museum contains around 3000 paintings from the 14th to the 19th centuries, including works by such luminaries as Giorgione, Tiziano Vecellio, Giotto, Tintoretto, Veronese, Canova, Tiepolo, and Bellini, among many others.
Anatomical Theater in the Palazzo Bo
My cousin, who is a physician, advised me to visit the anatomical theater (#3) in the Palazzo Bo at the University of Padua, and I’m very glad I did.
It’s accessible only via an entertaining guided tour given in English by a student at the prestigious University of Padua.
In addition to visiting the famous anatomical theater, you’ll view some of the ornately decorated public rooms in the Palazzo Bo, which is part of one of Europe’s oldest universities.
You’ll also learn that Galileo Galilei was a professor at the University of Padua from 1592 to 1610.
Tour of the Palazzo Po
I very much enjoyed the tour of the Palazzo Bo that included these striking murals of some of the university’s most illustrious students over the centuries.
Anatomical Theater at Padua University
Inaugurated in 1595, the anatomical theater at the University of Padua is the world’s first permanent anatomical theater. According to Fabio Zampieri, an associate professor at the university: “To build a permanent theater for anatomy was in some sense revolutionary because it meant to place anatomy as the foundation of medical studies.”
At the time, the Church wasn’t keen on dissecting bodies, so having a purpose-built anatomical theater was kind of a big deal in the evolution of medical knowledge.
The theater is surprisingly tiny and cramped. Back in the day, up to 250 students and professors crowded into the tiered space to look down at the dissection of a human cadaver far below.
Most of the cadavers had belonged either to executed criminals or deceased hospital patients.
With its six elliptical rings circling skyward, the theater seems to mimic the shape of an eye or telescope. Under the main entrance to the theater, a 16th-century Latin inscription reads, “This is a place where the dead are pleased to help the living.”
Cheerful stuff.
As part of the tour, I ducked under a low door to enter the bottom of the theater where the cadaver would be laid out for the professor to dissect.
It was exceedingly creepy to stand in the narrow space and look up at the six tiers where the spectators would stand.
According to the guide, the railing encircling each tier was just high enough to prevent an observer from toppling forward when they fainted.
Apparently, people frequently fainted in the confined–and likely very pungent–space. I shuddered and was happy to move on to the rest of the tour.
First Woman to Earn a Degree
A highlight at the end of the tour was the statue of Elena Lucrezia Cornora, the first woman in the world to receive a university degree.
The daughter of a wealthy Venetian family, she originally wanted to receive a degree in Theology. The bishop of Padua wouldn’t allow that, but did allow her to get a degree in Philosophy in 1678. Big of him.
Palazzo della Ragione
Built in the 13th century, the Palazzo della Ragione ( is located in the Piazza delle Erbe (#6) and resembles a huge upturned ship. Until the fall of the Republic of Venice in 1797, the Palazzo functioned as the town hall and palace of justice.
On the second floor is the Great Hall, believed to be one of the largest medieval halls still existing. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the walls of the Great Hall are completely frescoed. It’s a pretty impressive place!
Piazza dei Signori
Piazza dei Signori (#5) is a picturesque public square often filled with a market and features Padua’s landmark clock tower. Hang out at one of the cafes and admire the many architectural gems from different periods.
You won’t find many tourists and can blend in with the locals enjoying life.
Pratto delle Valle
The Pratto delle Valle (#7) has to be one of the most beautiful public spaces in Europe. It’s an oval-shaped island encircled by a canal in the center of a grand piazza.
On a brilliantly sunny day in November, it was a delightful place to wander around. Here are two views of the Pratto dell Valle, mercifully uncrowded in mid-morning.
I visited twice–once when it was empty and the second time when it was packed with one of the largest outdoor markets I’ve seen in Europe.
You could buy just about anything you wanted, from clothing to gloves to food to flowers to Christmas decorations. I picked up gloves to ward off the November chill and I treated myself to yet another new purse.
Italy is such a great place to buy purses!
Botanical Gardens
Created in 1545, the botanical garden (Orto Botanico #8) in Padua is the world’s first botanical garden and is a surprising highlight, even in November.
The garden still preserves its original layout: a circular central plot, symbolizing the world, surrounded by a ring of water. Most of the plants were dormant, but a few trees were still decked out in their autumnal glory.
I particularly enjoyed the new exhibition center (inaugurated in February 2023) that is part of the gardens. A series of well laid out displays, many of them interactive (English and Italian), showcase the history of the botanical garden, its plants, and the people who collected them.
Padua Cathedral & Baptistery
The main attraction at Padua Cathedral (#9) is the 14th century fresco cycle adorning the baptistery next door. Executed by Giuso de’ Menabuoi, the frescoes are part of the UNSECO World Heritage Site for padua’s frescos that includes seven other reglisious and secular building complexes within Padua’s city walls that house fresco cycles painted between 1302 and 1397 (including the Scrovegni Chapel).
The frescoes are incredible! Take the time to study the scenes with the help of the audioguide you can purchase as part of a visit to the Baptistery and Museum of the Diocese.
Basilica of St. Anthony
This imposing Basilica of St. Anthony (#10) is renowned for its eclectic architectural style that includes eight domes, two bell towers, and a rose window. The basilica is a major pilgrimmage site dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua.
Walking Trail with ClueGo
While in Padua, consider taking a ClueGo self-guided walking tour. At your own pace, you’ll follow a trail of stories and riddles that take you beyond the treasures of Padua such as the Scrovengi Chapel and the Palazzo Bo to discover a world of hidden gems and curiosities.
The trail starts at the Ponte Giuseppe Garibaldi and ends at the Museum La Specola and includes ten stops and ten riddles. The cost is 17.99€/group with 1-5 players per group. Hidden gems include:
- The “mathematical” sidewalks of Padua
- The original Indiana Jones
- The site of the first lunar teleportation
- The vertebra of Galileo Galilei
Full disclosure: I have not yet taken ClueGo’s Padua trail myself but I think it sounds intriguing and worth trying. If you click on the link to purchase the trail, I get a small commission. Thank you.
Day Trips from Padua
Thanks to an excellent rail system, Padua is a great home base to make day trips throughout the Veneto region. During my week in Padua, I visited Vicenza and Venice.
If you have the time, you could also visit nearby Verona.
Vicenza Day Trip
Many years ago when I was student studying for a Master’s degree in Drama at the University of Toronto, I had a professor who waxed lyrical about the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza.
She described how she arrived at the building housing the 16th-century theater just before closing and was denied entry. Apparently, she burst into tears, so intent was she to see this masterpiece of Palladian and theatrical architecture. Fortunately, the guard took pity on her and let her in.
Ever since then, I’ve longed to visit Vicenza’a Teatro Olimpico.
The pretty town of Vicenza is just a short train ride from Padua, so I set off on a blue sky day to check it out.
Visit to the Teatro Olimpico
Located in the Piazza Matteotti, a short taxi ride from the train station, the Teatro Olimpico is the world’s first indoor theater constructed with interiors made of wood, stucco and plaster.
The great architect Andrea Palladio built the theater between 1580 and 1585. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The design of the theater is inspired by ancient Roman theaters and features an elliptical terraced auditorium, framed by a colonnade, and a frieze topped by statues.
The rectangular stage is bound by a massive proscenium with two orders of architecture and consisting of three arcades that are divided by half-columns. As you sit in the steeply tiered auditorium, you peer into the arcades to see shadowy streets curving into darkness.
Sound and Light Show at the Teatro Olimpico
At regular intervals, visitors to the Teatro Olimpico are treated to a rousing sound and light show where a myriad of colored spotlights plays across the proscenium to the accompaniment of stirring music.
It’s pretty over-the-top and yet a fitting tribute to the breathtaking beauty of Palladio’s structure.
Here are some glimpses through the archways into a masterpiece of perspective.
Even if theater history isn’t your thing, a visit to the Teatre Olimpico is a must.
After visiting the theater, I spent a few hours wandering around Vicenza, which I found to be a charming northern Italian town that’s worth an afternoon of your time.
Day Trip to Venice
Venice is only about 30 minutes by train from Padua and so it seemed foolish to not take a day trip there. As mentioned, I’ve visited Venice several times, but Venice never disappoints.
The minute I stepped off the train and walked to the edge of the Grand Canal, Venice again worked its magic on me.
I spent the day–a gloriously sunny one–walking and walking and walking.
I decided not to take a trip on the vaporetto, opting instead to stroll form the train station through the Carneggio district to Piazza San Marco.
From there, I crossed the Grand Canal on the Accademia Bridge and sauntered back through the labyrinth of calm canals and peaceful side streets to the train station.
Visit to Saint Mark’s Basilica in Venice
Even in November, Venice was crowded, but a lot less crowded than I’ve seen it at warmer times of the year. For the first time ever, the line-up to get into Saint Mark’s Basilica was short enough to be worth the wait, so finally I got to see inside.
Wow!
The interior of Saint Mark’s Basilica is one giant glitterfest with sparkling golden mosaics covering every available surface. You’ll get a sore neck looking up, but it’s worth it.
I took it all in with awestruck wonder before returning to the Piazzo San Marco to spend an hour or so sitting in the sun and watching the world go by.
For much more about what I recommend you see and do in Venice, check out my post 3 Days in Venice: Best Itinerary for First-Time Visitors.
Art Exhibition in Padua
During our week in Padua, I also attended the opening of Gregg’s exhibition at the Queen Art Gallery.
While Padua has several worthy tourist sites, it’s not a particularly touristy town. The vast majority of people out on the streets are locals, and many are students from the university which gives the town a youthful, vibrant feel.
It’s an easy town to walk around with plenty to look at along the way.
Home Away From Home in Padua
Gregg and I stayed in a two-bedroom apartment not far from the train station in Padua. While the neighborhood was, admittedly, a bit nondescript, it included plenty of food shops, fast-food joints and restaurants, and was within walking distance of the train station and the center of Padua.
Here’s a shot of a typical canal side scene that I passed pass on my way from the apartment into Padua’s historic center.
I chose the apartment for its location near the edge of Padua because we were driving and did not want to try navigating the medieval streets of old Padua. The apartment came with a parking place, which turned out to be accessible via a car elevator.
Here’s a shot of us retrieving our car at the end of our eight-night stay.
I highly recommend this apartment if you’re looking for comfortable accommodations that won’t break your budget.
The map below shows many other options for hotels and apartments in Padua.
Tours and Tickets in Padua
Here are some options for tours and tickets in Padua from Tiqets.com
Padua FAQs
Here are some of the questions I’ve been asked about Padua.
Definitely! Not only does Padua offer world-class art, beautiful piazzas, and a vibrant university atmosphere, it’s virtually tourist-free. Go there to experience an Italian city steeped in history that is mostly inhabited by Italians going about their daily lives.
Yes. Timed-entry reservations are mandatory and often sell out weeks and even months ahead. Go to the official ticket site to book your visit.
One full day is ideal, but you can see highlights (Scrovegni Chapel and walk through old Padua to Prato delle Valle) in a structured half-day. And if you have longer, stay for a few nights and settle in to this most walkable and livable of northern Italian cities.
Padua is a 25–30 minute train ride from Venice Santa Lucia; the center is walkable from the station or take a taxi or a bus.
Giotto’s incredible frescoes at the Scrovegni Chapel, the Basilica of Saint Anthony, the anatomical theater at the University of Padua (one of Europe’s oldest universities), and Italy’s oldest botanical garden.
Conclusion
Have you visited Padua? What sites do you recommend? Let other Artsy Travelers know your thoughts in the comments below.
To view all my posts about Italy, visit my Visiting Italy page. Here are some posts about other destinations in Northern Italy:
- Beyond Romeo and Juliet: What to See in Verona, Italy
- Peaceful Piacenza: Why Visit and What To See
- 3 Days in Venice: Best Itinerary for First-Time Visitors
- Experience the Magic of a Night in Sirmione on Lake Garda
- One Week in Northern Italy: Recommendations for an Artsy Itinerary
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