Home to one of the oldest universities in the world, Padua is a city deserving an entire day’s sightseeing. Among the list of things to do, top sights include the Scrovegni Chapel, Giotto’s masterpiece, but also the famous Church of Sant’Antonio, a pilgrimage site and the burial place of St.Anthony of Padua (1193–1231).
The city is also home to the oldest botanical gardens in the world, planted in 1545 by Padua’s University medical faculty to study the medicinal properties of rare plants. A new area dedicated to bio-diversity was also recently added, opening up new prospects for the future.
In terms of gastronomy, local specialties include a variety of cold cuts and the city’s signature dish “gallina padovana”. La Folperia in Piazza della Frutta is an absolute must for an aperitivo. It’s a simple kiosk selling local fish specialties and is the king of street food par excellence.
