Padua is the heart of the Veneto region. Located between Venice and Verona, a stone’s throw from the Euganean Hills, it is a centre of great artistic and cultural traditions, an important university city, animated by a rich network of events: from cinema to theatre, from music to art, to sport.
It is a city to be discovered on foot, allowing yourself to be guided by your emotions and your desire to see the city’s many wonders.
At the gates of the city centre, the imposing church of Santa Giustina is an authentic masterpiece of Renaissance architecture, overlooking the large open space of Prato della Valle, it houses the relics of St Luke the Evangelist and St Justina.
Padua is also unmissable with its porticoes, where you can sit in refined restaurants, enjoy the atmosphere of the old osterias, or stop at a table in one of the historic bars. You can have lunch tasting the tasty Veneto Berico-Euganeo PDO ham and one of the many local wines, such as cabernet sauvignon and the traditional bigoli, the local pasta similar to spaghetti; the final dessert is Pan del Santo.
Abano Terme, the most important and oldest spa centre in Europe, is located in an enchanting position at the foot of the Euganean Hills: its thermal waters have ancient origins and here the hot water springs bubble up directly from the ground throughout the area. Inside the thermal centres are swimming pools with heated water, gyms, spas and curative areas for therapeutic cycles.
The Botanical Garden of the University of Padua houses two important collections: the library, containing more than 50000 volumes and manuscripts of historical and bibliographical importance, and the herbarium, the second largest in Italy (6000 plant species).
Relax in the spas around Padua or take a long walk through the Euganean Hills, the city and the whole province offer a varied programme for young and old.