Padua is located on the Bacchiglione River and about 40km west of Venice. It's population is about 230,000 along with various tourists and people who make a pilgrimage to Padua. The story of Padua is that Antenore, Prince of Troy founded the Padua after escaping from his destroyed city. The exact origins are unclear, but the city has been populated since the 9th century. Many important artists, saints and others have passed through this city, leaving a magical trace of the past.

The main reason that there are many pilgrims flocking to Padua is for the Basilica di Sant' Antonio, rich in beautiful frescos and history. Also many go to see the Chapel of Scrovegni, which also has some spectacular frescoes adorning the walls. Other sights that are worth seeing would be the amphitheatre (Arena) where the foundation still remains and the botanical garden also known to the locals as Orto Botanico di Padova. Here, herbs attach to the universities facility of study of medicine. It is one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world, holding an important collection of rare plants.

The food in Padua is simple and fresh - you can expect the exact same care and appreciation for food and good dining as you’d find in the rest of Italy.

For the evening I would start out at Piazza dell'Erbe for strolling through some bars or just people watching. For a different area there are tea rooms where you can chat and eat little treats. There are various options for the later evening such as bars and clubs - expect a pretty lively scene, thanks to the large student population at Padua. Extra Extra on Via Ciamician and Limbo on Via San Fermo would be the dance clubs I’d recommend. However, if you want a quieter evening there's Opera and theatre at Teatro Verdi and concerts at various churches around town. Also try spending one night at the Fishmarket where there's often live music and tango.