Hello my dear readers,
How is your week going? August is almost over….can you imagine? Times really fly…make sure you don’t waste it 😉
As promised in my last post, today I’ll take you almost in my home backyard, let’s discover Padua.
At the center of the Venetian lowland, between the lagoon, the hills and the Prealps, is the province of Padua, a rich set of art, culture, flavors and traditions.
Padua is one of the oldest and at the same time most dynamic cities in Italy. Founded over 3000 years ago in a bend of the Brenta river, it is today a modern and cosmopolitan city, particularly renowned for its historic and glorious university and for its countless works of art.
Visiting the province of Padua means discovering a land surprisingly rich in history, culture, vitality and ingenuity, characterized by a great variety of places to see, flavors to be tasted, people to meet. A territory where industrious people have always known how to renew the historical and cultural tradition.
In the heart of the province is Padua, a dynamic and vital city, with a vast historical and monumental heritage, and surrounded by so many places to discover: the Euganean Spas, the largest thermal basin in Europe, known internationally for the precious healing properties of water, and today also used in the most modern wellness, beauty and fitness treatments, the Euganean Hills, a treasure chest of wonders, green valleys and rolling hills of extraordinary botanical richness with an ideal micro-climate for the cultivation of vineyards and olive groves, and other naturalistic oases, the picturesque medieval walled cities, the castles, the villas, the dense network of expanses countryside and waterways that descend to the east until they reach the lagoon.
A land to live in all its forms, even navigating along the vast network of rivers. Between Padua and Venice along the charming Brenta river, a trip is an unforgettable experience, a journey into the past, when the lords and nobles of Venice used these typical boats to reach their holiday residences, simple buildings transformed in magnificent architectural works from the genius of artists such as Palladio, Preti and Scamozzi.
A tour of the walled cities is also striking, a sign of the long medieval history lived by Padua and its lands. Cittadella, Este, Monselice and Montagnana are ideal places to relive the atmosphere of the past, the palios and the rides that animate these ancient towns every year.
A millenary history that is also found in the art of good wine and good food. Here the origins of viticulture are very ancient. The cultivation techniques were then refined over the centuries to reach the high levels of quality of our days. I guess you all heard about the wines from Veneto region right?
The ideal way to visit the historic center of Padua is by walking along the arcaded streets and crossing the beautiful squares and ancient bridges.
A perfect starting point are the squares, Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza dei Frutti, which for centuries have been home to the daily fruit and vegetable market, offering a cross-section of city life dedicated to commerce but also to opportunities for meeting and socializing. I love having a stroll in these squares, buying local and fresh fruits and vegetables and enjoying a good tramezzino with a Spritz in good company.
Overlooking the two squares, one of the symbolic monuments of Padua, the Palazzo della Ragione known as the “Salone”, a unique work of its kind: a succession of typical shops on the ground floor with typical food and a huge hanging room completely decorated with an extraordinary cycle of astrological theme on the upper floor.
A short distance away is Piazza dei Signori, an elegant square with a Renaissance touch, surrounded by famous monuments such as the Church of S. Clemente, the Palazzo del Capitanio and the imposing Tower adorned by the famous Astrario Clock designed in the 14th century to mark the hours and minutes, but also the month, the day, the phases of the moon and the astrological “place”.
Not far away, Piazza del Duomo is dominated by the majestic Cathedral and the ancient Baptistery dedicated to San Giovanni Battista, entirely decorated with a splendid cycle of frescoes by Giusto de ’Menabuoi. Next to the Cathedral rises the Palazzo Vescovile which became the seat of the Diocesan Museum in 2000: inside you can admire splendid works of art and the majestic Salone dei Vescovi.
Another symbolic place of Padua is the famous Caffè Pedrocchi, born in the early nineteenth century at the will of Antonio Pedrocchi and designed by the architect Giuseppe Jappelli, it is still a place loved by Paduans and home to exhibitions and cultural events of great appeal. Opposite it is Palazzo Bo, home of the prestigious University of Padua, the second oldest in Italy, where taught the great Galileo Galilei, the place par excellence for science and culture. Here you can see the oldest stable anatomical theater in the world.
The visit of this beautiful city must absolutely include the famous Scrovegni Chapel, the undisputed masterpiece of the great Giotto, who with this work reached the highest point of his artistic expression.
The splendid Piazza del Santo, with the Donatello monument dedicated to Gattamelata in the center, houses important monumental works dedicated to one of the most loved Saints in the world: St. Anthony. At the bottom, the majestic Basilica of Sant’Antonio, a harmonious balance between Romanesque, Gothic, Byzantine and Moorish, with interiors beautifully decorated with prestigious paintings and sculptures.
Nearby is the oldest Botanical Garden in the world, a UNESCO site, founded at the time of the Serenissima for the cultivation and study of medicinal plants.
Something that you cannot miss is Prato della Valle, another one of the symbols of Padua, is a large elliptical square that, in addition to being the largest square in Padua, is one of the largest in Europe (88620 square meters), second only to Moscow’s Red Square. It is very famous for the New Year celebrations and fireworks and its weekly market, and is made unique by its 78 statues and the elegant buildings that surround it.
Find your perfect place with Booking.com
For those who do not reach Padua by car but for example by train, or in any case not willing to drive, deciding to stay in the historic center is the ideal solution.
Besides being beautiful and rich in art, it is small and you can easily walk around. The night lights up and is wonderful. It is in this area that the major cultural attractions to be seen are gathered and there are lots of delicious restaurants, bars, cafes and clubs that are filled at spritz time. It is also a safe area to turn.
If you decide to stay in the center, look for something close to Piazza dei Signori, della Frutta or delle Erbe and Prato della Valle.
Padua has a typical sub-continental climate typical of the area, slightly mitigated by the proximity of the Adriatic Sea. The temperatures usually fluctuate between 6 degrees Celsius in the winter and 28 degrees Celsius in the summer months, although in the last few years the phenomenon of global warming has increased, with values that in summer are higher than those of the rest of the province.
Padua is beautiful in every season but in my opinion, the best period to visit it, is spring. With the appearance of the first beautiful days of spring, it is very pleasant to walk around the city in bloom, or if you don’t mind the cold, you can visit in winter time too. In December, Padua’s streets are full of stalls with the most delicious food you have ever tasted.
With a great variety of seasonal products, the Paduan cuisine combines the high quality of the ingredients with the tradition, enhanced by the professionalism of chefs who know how to preserve the ancient flavors, revisiting them according to the most modern gastronomic sensibility.
The generosity of this fertile land is found in the richness of the products that make up the typical local dishes. Rice is one of the main ingredients of first courses and is offered in many variations and with great imagination in combinations: with peas (risi e bisi), with radicchio, with asparagus or with bruscandoli.
Among the first courses, pasta and beans are famous, the great variety of maridae soups and bìgoli, similar to large spaghetti, obtained from the processing of pasta with a pasta machine called bigolaro. Other than classic dough, there are those flavored with cuttlefish ink which is black or mixed with whole wheat flour.
In the area of the traditional Euganean Hills there are soups and delicious risottos made with herbs and snails that can be proposed stewed, roasted or fried.
But the strength of the local cuisine is certainly the “Corte Padovana” or the Padovan court, where the famous Padovan hen reigns, bred since ancient times and born from the crossing of different races.
Goose, chicken, capon, guinea fowl, duck and turkey complete the Court. One of the delicacies prepared with the meat of these birds is the tasty and rich Paduan boiled meat flavored with sauces, fruit mustard or mustard.
In the area of Este and Montagnana cities, breeding of pigs is very widespread, from which tasty salamis and sausages are obtained, such as Veneto Berico-Euganeo ham, better known as Montagnana sweet ham.
And of course, you cannot miss the queen of Venetian cuisine: polenta.
Among the typical cakes we find la pazientina, with zabaione cream, la fregolòtta most known as sbrisolona, the fugassa padovana one of the oldest sweets and the figassa with dried figs macerated in grappa.
Yes, that’s la pazientina cake for our grandma’s birthday, 96 years old 🙂
So many delicious foods can only be generously accompanied by the excellent wines guaranteed by the Colli Euganei DOC, Merlara DOC, DOC wines of Bagnoli and Corti Benedettine. There are also excellent distillates and liqueurs often flavored with local herbs and fruits.
And to start, the famous Spritz, based on dry white wine, sparkling water, a good dose of Aperol and orange slice.
If you have the chance, don’t think twice! Padua will amaze you!
Have a wonderful trip!
Join me next time and enjoy a good, easy and fast zucchini au gratin 😉
Photo credit Google Images & Pixabay edited by Popsicle Society
I miss my birth Country all the time and the beauty of all of the beautiful places. Un saluto dalla Florida e la foto e’ bellissima. Grazie
Grazie mille! 😊 I can understand you! Italy is such a nice country! Good food, beautiful places, awesome fashion, amazing history! Has everything! 😉😊
Hope you go and visit it sometimes 😉
Thank you for stopping by!
Beautiful photos! ♥
Thank you 😊
Padua looks so beautiful and serene, if I ever get the opportunity to go I’ll definitely take it! Lovely post 😊
Thank you very much 😊 Yes, definitely deserves a visit 😉
Yeah Ribana, time really flies. What a speed!!!😰 Unbelievable. Informative post. Loved the attractive photographs❣️👍😊
Unfortunately yes 😢 Thank you Olivia! I’m glad you like it! 💕😉
Wow! Thanks for taking me a virtual tour to this beautiful place.
Thank you Megala for stopping by! I’m glad you like it 😉😊🌸
Lovely photos
Thank you Sophie! 💕🌸
Very beautifully described
I could literary Imagine the beauty of the place reading it.Thanks for sharing.
Thank you very much for your kind words! Is really a wonderful city! I’m glad you like it 😊
What a beautiful country! 😍
It really is 😊 Thank you Winnie!
You’re welcome! 🤗
It sounds and looks like such a beautiful place to visit!!
It really is a wonderful city! Thank you Michelle 😊🌸
I DEFINITELY want to go there. Beautiful and delicious! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Jeanne! I’m sure you’ll like it 😊😉 It has a lot of good and delicious food 😋😊
Sign me up!!!!! 🙂
😉
If this your backyard I can only imagine your castle then 😌😌
This is my face in the first Gif realizing that summer is about to end! :/
What a lovely Padua! 3000 years old! Wow a great and rich history indeed! Plus it’s also old and dynamic which is great quality 😊 wherever I look in the pictures there’s beauty and class and great heritage as well! (to not mention the food and wine!!)
And I was interested by Euganean hills and Spas, the largest thermal basin in Europe? Wow amazing! Worth a visit maybe I can heal there haha
Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza dei Frutti! These piazzas are really great and I’m sure it’s enjoyable having a walk and buying fresh vegetables and fruits 😊 What you were having in this café huh? The prices are really good considering alcoholic drinks! 😉 tramezzino with a Spritz 😉 this is seems yummy!
All these beautiful monuments….the Palazzo della Ragione, the majestic Cathedral, Palazzo Vescovile, Caffè Pedrocchi,, Palazzo BO…University of Padua: Galileo Galilei and oldest stable theater in the world! Piazza dei Signori all monuments, the chapel and the cathedral….Prato della Valle and the Botanical garden…
It’s really overwhelming to see all this history in one place! You feel you’re in the middle of a great story… it’s just glorious and amazing!
A trip in a boat between Venice to Padua, can it get more perfect 😊
So you recommend us to go in Spring so you can have all the most delicious food you have ever tasted from stalls in Winter, right? 😂😂
Of course la pazientina cake is my favorite among the food and no wonder 96 birthday, I mean when you eat all this food and drink this wine you must live forever right? 😋😊
Viticulture and Wine from Veneto! Oh yes I was ignorant until few months ago haha and so happy I was introduced to this wine but of course I need to taste all these mentioned drinks and mostly the Spritz 😀
Well I feel like I just came back from Padua 😊 I really hope I will have the chance to visit it, I love it through your post so you did a great job introducing your home in a perfect way 😊
I will be disappointed if it’s you in the last Gif 😂😂😂😂
Hope your day is great and hope I’ll be able to read more of your posts as well 😊 weekend almost here for you! So enjoy it! 🤗🤗🤗💕💕💕🧸🧸🧸🤗🤗🧸🧸
Wow, can I guess you liked my backyard? 😉🤪
Planning a visit? I’ll make you taste all these delicious food, wines and drinks from the pictures and not only 😉😊
Yes, when I was back home in winter time we used to go to these thermal spas to chill out…pretty cool…you are outside in the winter time but you’re not cold because you’re in the hot water…😉
Yes, my favorite part of Padua I guess are these squares where you can buy fresh veggies and fruits from the farmers and you can enjoy great aperitivi 😉🥂 tramezzino with a Spritz is a must 😉😋 you’ll love it! Only thinking of it my mouth is watering…luckily I do it here too 😉🤪
It is really an impressive city with beautiful old buildings and rich in history…you cannot get bored in Padua 😉😊
Usually ferragosto or 15 of August and new year celebration we used to go in Pratto della Valle for the fireworks! They are so awesome! Very, very special!
I recommend you to go in spring but in winter too 🤪 are 2 beautiful seasons and very diverse 😉😊
Yes, the grandma or nonna is pretty tough at her age 😉😊 I always tell my husband I hope he has her genes and live forever 🤪😉
I’m glad you’ve discovered Veneto wine 🍷 😉🥂 Quite a good selection of wines especially Prosecco 😉🥂
Ah no, not me in the last gif..I’m even not able to open a bottle of Prosecco 🤪🤪🤪
I really appreciate your time to read my post especially now with so little time available and I appreciate your every single world! It means really a lot! 🤗🤗🤗💕💕💕
I wish you’ll be able to see it one day and at the same time I wish I’ll have the honor to be your host and guide 😉🤗💕
Day is over finally 😉
Wish you a great afternoon and try to sleep a little bit this evening eh 🤪🤗🤗🤗💕💕💕🌸🌸🌸🧸🧸🧸
What do you think ?? 😎😎 it’s an amazing place!
Well I just wish to visit and see all this beauty and taste all this food and wine 😁 it will be a dream coming true 😊
Oh yes hot water is great in winter 🥶
Mmmm I must start to memorize these food and drinks 🍹 who knows when I need it 😌
I can’t imagine being bored, I guess each place needs an entire day to really see and visit 😊
Ferragosto (mother of names 😂) well if I go in spring I will stay until winter (🤫 this is the part where I shred my passport and run 😂) I told Jess I will do this in Norway and she was afraid to invite me 😂😎😎
Well your husband should have her genes right? I mean they are called genes for a reason 😁
Oh no! I thought you’re a pro in opening the bottle so it is you in the last pic if you try to 😂😂
Prosecco is so easy to open ! Well at least for me 😌🥂🥂
It’s always a great pleasure and hope I will be back soon and not leave completely day after day
Well I don’t know how circumstances and things happen, maybe I will go and you will not be there and maybe I’ll be honored and be your guest 😊💕 and then I’ll so annoy haha by being a so picky tourist 😂😂 (I know you already moved for good after this news😂)
Have a great weekend which is obviously great so far haha 🍔 😂
I slept from 8 pm hahah I was tired and down a bit
Weekend mode on and I’m OFF on Monday because I have a wedding on Sunday and to not go tired to work next day! I hate weddings 😣)
À bientôt 😊
🤗🤗🤗💕💕💕🥂🥂🥂🥂🧸🧸🧸🧸🍷🍷🍔🍔🍔🍔
😂😂😂😂😂 If you go there and you’ll shred your passport, no problem, they are very hospital people 😉 You know they even give money and homes to immigrants 😉🤪
Oh Jess, why is she afraid of? She’ll have someone to laugh with 😉
Oh yes, he should have her gens 😉
Nope, not a pro in opening bottles for this reason I even don’t try it 🤪🤪🤪 and Prosecco is the most difficult to open 🤪🤪🤪🤪
We never know what will happen but we can still hope that one day we’ll have the chance to meet…in Italy or somewhere else in the world, doesn’t matte 😉🤪
I’m sure you’ll be too amazed to be a picky tourist 😉
Again? Slept from 8pm? Something is not right 🤨😟🤔🤔
I hope you are ok 🤗🤗🤗 have a good care of you my dear 🤗🤗💕💕
So many weddings….I guess is like this when you have a big family 🤪 I know you hate them but try to enjoy it!
Better you’re off on Monday, so that you can celebrate 🎉 🎊 😉😉
You take care of yourself and have a great weekend 🤗🤗🤗🤗🧸🧸🧸🧸💕💕💕💕🤗🤗🤗🤗🌸🌸🌸
Oh well she’s a chicken as I told her hahaha and anyway they should be grateful to have a citizen like me 😁😁😁😁
Well you should learn to open that bottle I say 😌😌
Let’s hope for the best always for and hopefully the upcoming days will be better and that day will come where we can have a glass I mean a bottle of Prosecco 😁😁
Have a great week ahead 🤗🤗🤗💕💕🧸🧸🧸🧸
Oh, look who’s here 🤗🤗🧸🧸 thank you my dear, I’m really grateful 💕🤗🧸
Oh yes, every country should be grateful to have a citizen like you 😉 She doesn’t know what she looses 😂
Always for the best my dear! Oh yes, that day will come for sure 😉 and nobody can take us that bottle of Prosecco 😉
Thank you again my dear 🤗🤗🤗
Wish you a wonderful day 🤗🤗💕💕🌸🌸🧸🧸
Oh yes they should right?? 😁😁 anyway this world is so big, doesn’t have to be Norway! I will find some place 🌎
Hope you will be having a great week ahead and it’s always a great pleasure 🤗🤗🤗💕💕💕🧸🧸🧸🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂
Definitely! But don’t worry, when you are a tourist forever, you are a citizen of the world 🙂
Thank you my dear! I’m glad you’re here 🙂
I hope your week will be ok too 🤗🤗🤗💕💕💕🧸🧸🧸🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂
🤗🤗🤗💕💕🧸🧸🧸🥂🥂🥂🥂
3000 years old Padua is now metropolitan city and it has many historical experience and monuments that is great! 😊
The pics of cathedral and city are amazing and food also! 💕I always love the spring season! 🌸Have a great day my dear friend! 😊💙
Yes, a really amazing city full of history and wonderful places to see 😉 History and culture is mixing pretty well in Padua 😉 Food is wonderful! Simple but so delicious 😋
I love spring too, everything comes back to life 🌸🌸
Thank you Suni for your kind words! I’m glad you like it! Very appreciated! 😉🌸💕🌸
Ribana you beautifully wrote it down and still you are in Padua! 💙Your words are tempting me to go there!😁
Enjoy your evening! 🌸💕
Thank you Suni 😊🌸 Padua is my home but now I’m far away from home 🤪 but I’m gladly go back wherever I can 😉🌸🌸
Have a wonderful day 😊🌸🌸🤗💕
Oh that is great to know!🌸 💙🙏
Beautiful and very interesting post
Thank you very much! I’m glad you like it!
How beautiful! I would love to visit there.
Really wonderful city 😉