How to Spend One Day in Padua, Italy

In a country like Italy with so many amazing cities to explore, time is precious. Day trips are a great idea, and taking the time to spend one day in Padua will always be a great choice! It’s easy to reach from nearby northern cities like Venice and Verona, has plenty to fill a day exploring and is a little quieter than the nearby big tourist hotspots.

What to See in Padua in One Day

There’s plenty to do in Padua on a day trip to the city, from charming squares to enjoying a relaxed coffee, to soaking up the gorgeous architecture as you wander around the city. Here are some of the top sights to see in Padua, and a must for anyone’s visit list.

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Palazzo Della Ragione

This two-storey building takes pride of place in the centre of Padua. It separates two central squares, Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza del Frutti, both of which play host to markets. Visitors can wander through the stone archways on the ground floor of Palazzo della Ragione to check out yet another market. These market stalls are permanent stalls unlike those in the markets in the squares either side.

The top floor of the building has historically been reserved for official business. The Salone upstairs is now one huge hall, but previously was divided into different rooms, used to settle town business and administration. You’ll find a giant wooden horse at one end of the hall, while the walls are covered in the 14th century frescoes that have pride of place on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Markets

The city centre is full of markets, with three main ones taking place around the Palazzo della Ragione. There are the permanent stalls on the ground floor of Palazzo della Ragione, which historically would have sold clothes, food and spices. These days there are a lot of food stalls to check out. Always yum!

Step out into the squares either side of Palazzo della Ragione, Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza del Frutti, and you’ll find more markets. These are the kind with temporary stalls, erected and removed each day. Here you’ll be treated to clothes, food, souvenirs and household goods. It’s a great balance with the markets on the ground floor of Palazzo della Ragione and the goods on offer in the markets either side too.

By the town’s clock tower, Piazza del Signori has a market most days of the week, though you’re not likely to find food stalls here. Instead, this is the place to visit if you’re looking for clothes, flowers and household pieces.

Further south in the city, in the square next to Prato della Valle, another market fills the space. In the week you’ll find fruit and vegetable stalls, but come the weekend the stalls are a real mixed bag with food, clothes, flowers, household items…pretty much anything you could want to find at a market. And once a month, there’s an antiques market here.

Churches

The city is home to a number of stunning churches and cathedrals. If you’ve got just one day in Padua, there are 3 that should make the top of your visit list:

• The Cathedral Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta: This is the most important church in Padua being the city’s cathedral, and is close to the centre of the city making it an easy one to visit.
• The Basilica of St. Anthony: One of the most popular places to visit in Padua, this large Catholic church is home to noted artworks and relics of Saint Anthony who is the patron saint of Padua.
• The Scrovegni Chapel: A 14th-century chapel that features frescoes by the Italian painter Giotto di Bondone, and is considered one of the most important works of Western art.

If you’ve got more than a day in Padua or just really love exploring churches, there are plenty more to stumble upon as you wander the city, as well as religious buildings of other faiths like the Synagogue in the old Jewish ghetto.

Padua Ghetto

There’s a small area of Padua that was previously known as the Jewish Ghetto. Dating back far beyond the times we most associate with Jewish ghettos in Europe, Padua’s ghetto was established in 1603. Surrounded by walls and accessed by gates, the area was cramped, conditions weren’t great and this remained for nearly 200 years until the French arrived in 1797 and abolished the ghetto.

As most of the Jewish shops and synagogues were already in this area, many Jewish residents chose to stay despite having the freedom to then move around the city. These days it’s a charming area of the city full of narrow streets, Jewish shops, synangogues and opportunities to learn about the Jewish residents of Padua.

Prato Della Valle

A spacious square located in the historic centre of Padua, Prato della Valle is one of the largest public squares in Europe. It’s a popular destination for visitors in the city, partly due to its size, and partly due to the canal surrounding the central park. Yep, a canal.

In the middle of the square, an elliptical park is surrounded by the shallow canal, with four bridges giving access to the central area. You’ll find a number of statues, fountains, and gardens, and it’s a lovely spot to take a seat to enjoy the mostly peaceful surroundings.

Prato della Valle was designed in the late 18th century and construction was completed in 1815. Fun fact: the central island in the square was once used as a cemetery. Thankfully these days it has a much livelier vibe and is a popular gathering place for locals and visitors alike, often used for concerts, festivals, and other public events.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

You’ve got the chance to visit two UNESCO World Heritage sites in Padua. One is the serene botanical gardens, and the other is a collection of frescoes dating back to the 14th century. You can see these around the city, but if you also visit the Palazzo della Ragione it’s a great place to see them too.

Visit the University of Padua

Just as with the rest of Padua, the University of Padua is historic, having had roots in the city since 1222. It’s one of the five oldest universities in the world, and has seen hundreds of thousands of students grace the classrooms over the centuries, including notable alumni like Galileo Galilei.

Although there are limitations to where you can access if you’re not a student and you shouldn’t disrupt the learning of the students there, it’s also a stunning place to explore. The history of the institution is immense, and even just popping your head in to some of the buildings is worth it.

Is Padua Worth Visiting?

Yes, absolutely! It’s full of gorgeous architecture, and is the perfect choice for a day trip from Venice or Verona. There’s enough to see to spend one day in Padua, and it’s not as busy with tourists as some of the other bigger cities in the region.

What’s the Link Between Shakespeare and Padua?

Padua attracts fans of Shakespeare’s work who want to visit a city that one of his plays was based in. In this case, Padua was the setting for The Taming of the Shrew. There aren’t any specific buildings to visit that are mentioned in the play, but fans of The Taming of the Shrew will enjoy strolling around the city centre with the stunning, traditional architecture, being able to walk the same streets the characters of the book would have.

Where is Padua?

Padua is a small city in the Veneto region in northern Italy. It’s about half an hour from nearby Venice or 45 minutes from Verona and is perfect for a day trip from both Venice and Verona. It’s easy to reach by car and public transport.

How to Get Around Padua

The city centre of Padua is compact enough to walk around if you have good mobility. The cobble stones might put some people off wandering around, but there’s a tourist hop-on-hop-off bus offering an easier way for tourists to see the sights in Padua. The full route can take 40-60 minutes, giving visitors an easy way to see the best of Padua in one day.

How to Get to Padua

Padua is easy to reach by public transport, with it being quicker to get the train from Venice to Padua and from Verona to Padua than it is to drive.

From Venice to Padua by train it’s just 26 minutes. It’s quicker and more convenient than travelling by car as the train station in Padua is just a short walk from the city centre.

From nearby Verona to Padua by train it’s 45 minutes. To drive, it’d take about an hour, but with the train stations in both cities being quite central it’s easier to jump on the train.

If you’re flying to Italy to visit Padua, the nearest airports are Venice or Verona airport.

How About a Bit of Padua History?

Italy is a country stuffed to the brim with history, and Padua is no different. The city was founded in 1183BC, claiming to be the oldest city in Northern Italy. In fact, it’s even older than Rome which was founded in 753BC.

The University of Padua is one of the oldest universities in the world, and since it was founded in 1222 has hosted some pretty notable students, including Galileo Galilei. These days roughly 65,000 students grace the academic hallways each year.

Over the years since the city was founded it has of course been involved in a number of battles and wars. Due to its location it has been claimed as part of different empires over the years before finding its way back to Italy. During World War 1, the city was chosen as the base of the Italian army. The King of Italy and the chief commander of the army made Padua their home for a portion of the war, and despite being close to the enemy lines the city flourished during the war with their industry expansion and development.

The Second World War also affected Padua, unsurprisingly. There was a real power struggle, but after the war and the many bombings the city endured, it came back with strength. In fact, it went from being one of the poorest regions in northern Italy to one of the most wealthy.

If you’re looking for cities nearby to base yourself in, check out Verona, Bergamo and Venice.