Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
A BRIEF HISTORY OF PADUA
Padua has had plenty of time to build a reputation as an important center. The
Veneti tribe was settled here as early as the 6th century B . C ., and in 45 B . C ., the
Romans set up camp here. In 602 A . D ., when the Lombards marched across the
Veneto, Padua was completely destroyed; only the ruins of the amphitheater, a
few bridges, and parts of the city wall survive as reminders of Roman rule. Padua
slowly rebuilt, taking 5 centuries to recover. By the time the university was estab-
lished, in 1221, Padua had achieved political and economic stability.
Success made Padua desirable; in the early 14th century, the warring counts of
the Carrara clan stepped in with new plans to put the city on the international
map. A thriving city-state, Padua became a center of artistic and scientific excel-
lence, able to lure preeminent artists like Giotto. Soon, the Carraras' expansionist
passions inflamed the Venetian Republic, which was also seeking to make inland
gains. So at the start of the 15th century, Venice moved on the city and absorbed
it into the empire, of which it remained a part until the decline of La Serenissima,
under Napoleon. After a short spell as an Austrian possession in the 19th century,
Padua eventually became part of Italy in 1866.
LAY OF THE LAND
Of the trains leaving Venice each day, more than 80 stop in Padua, a mere 37km
(23 miles) away; it's a quick journey of about 30 minutes, and you can expect to
pay between
4.50. There are also trains connecting Verona (around
60 min.; from 2.50) and Milan (up to 3 hr.; from 11). You'll alight to find
local buses waiting in the busy Piazzale Stazione; those numbered 3, 4, 8, 12, 18,
A, M, and T (weekdays), or 8 and 32 (on the weekend) go downtown.
Less frequent, but equally affordable, are buses from Venice and Verona; these
arrive at the ACAP bus terminal (Via Trieste, 40; % 049-8241111; www.aps-online.
it), which is particularly useful if you're only in town for the day because you'll get
off close to the Scrovegni Chapel.
Padua's attractions are spread out, but are all generally within easy walking dis-
tance of one another; bus transport is free with the PadovaCard (p. 348).
ACCOMMODATIONS, BOTH STANDARD & NOT
If you're only in town for a short stay, I recommend staying in the center; you'll
be close to most of the attractions, and will easily find a good deal. Padua also has
a number of bed-and-breakfast options, and there's a hostel if you're on a very
tight budget. The nearest camping site is far out of town.
Bed & Breakfasts
€€
2.50 and
Padua was the first city in Italy to discover bed-and-breakfasts as an alter-
native to traditional hotels; if you don't mind staying outside of the historical cen-
ter, consider contacting the Koko Nor Association (Via Selva, 5; % 049-8643394;
www.bbkokonor.it; no credit cards), which has around 15 lodging options on its
books. Most of these are homey, with an emphasis on affordability and hospitality.
The great benefit is that you can use the kitchen to prepare meals, saving on hefty
restaurant prices. Most of these lodgings are quite a distance from the center of
Padua, however, and you'll need to consider the commute for sightseeing pur-
poses. Through this agency, I recently stayed in Tibetan House, a large suburban
Search WWH ::




Custom Search