"Padua, Italy" Padova by mikelisaanna

Padua is a city of about 200,000 people in Northern Italy near Venice. It is home to one of Italy's oldest universities, and was also home to Saint Anthony, one of the more famous Catholic saints. The large basilica dedicated to St. Anthony is one of Padua's main tourist sites. Another famous church in Padua is the Scrovegni chapel, which is covered inside with frescoes painted in the 1300s by the artist Giotto.

We were in Padua for two days in August 2011. We saw the two famous churches (Scovegni chapel and St. Anthony basilica), as well as many other sights, including the municipal art museum, the Palazzo della Ragione, and the cathedral. We walked around the historic center of the town for hours, and enjoyed some great meals in the outdoor restaurants in the city's plazas.

Padua gets fewer tourists than nearby Verona and Venice, which are more compact and more famous. However, we found plenty to see and do in Padua, and were glad that we took the time to visit it.