Padua is a vibrant city, with a young university population that gets about by bicycle and keeps the city’s piazzas and cafes alive. The historical hub of town is still very evocative of the days when the city and its university flourished in the late Middle Ages and Renaissance as a center of learning and art.
The most important sites in Padua are Giotto’s magnificent, not-to-be-missed frescoes in the Scrovegni Chapel (fully restored between 1999 and 2001) and the revered pilgrimage site of the eightdomed Basilica of Sant’Antonio di Padova, whose important equestrian statue by Donatello stands in the piazza before it.
Padua is the first producer both of the white and green asparagus and during its short springtime appearance, the asparagus is an often used ingredient of very simple, yet much widespread recipes. Boiled eggs and asparagus, or the delicate risotto with asparaguses are always on the restaurant menus.
Like the rest of the Veneto region, Padua is well known for its species of vines. DOC wines are produced in five areas and are the topic of several events and exhibition that are usually organized in spring and in autumn.
Typical to northern Italy, Padua’s weather is humid throughout the year with a mild subtropical climate and temperatures rarely fall below 8°C. There are really only two distinct seasons which are cool (November to March) and warm (May to September). In between (May and October), Padua weather remains more temperate and rain is frequent throughout the year round with the heaviest months being June and November.
