Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
cloisters. The oldest (13th century) is the
Chiostro della Magnolia
, so called because of the
magnificent tree in its centre.
Oratorio di San Giorgio
& Scoletta del Santo
CHURCH
(Piazza del Santo; admission €4; 9am-12.30pm & 2.30-5pm Oct-Mar, to 7pm Apr-Sep)
Anywhere
else the fresco cycle of the Oratorio di San Giorgio and the paintings in the Scoletta del
Santo would be considered highlights, but in Padua they must contend with Giotto's
Scrovegni brilliance. This means you'll have Altichiero da Zevio and Jacopo Avanzi's
jewel-like, 14th-century frescoes of St George, St Lucy and St Catherine all to yourself,
while upstairs in the
scoletta
(confraternity house) Titian paintings are seldom viewed in
such tranquility.
Orto Botanico
GARDEN
( 049 827 21 19;
www.ortobotanico.unipd.it
; Via dell'Orto Botanico 15; adult/reduced €4/3;
9am-1pm & 3-7pm Apr-Oct, 9am-1pm Mon-Sat Nov-Mar)
South of Piazza del Santo, a Unesco
World Heritage Site is growing. Padua's Orto Botanico was planted in 1545 by Padua
University's medical faculty to study the medicinal properties of rare plants, and served as
a clandestine Resistance meeting headquarters in WWII. The oldest tree in here is nick-
named 'Goethe's palm'; it was planted in 1585 and mentioned by the great German writer
in his
Voyage in Italy
.
TO MARKET
One of the most enjoyable activities in Padua is browsing the markets in
Piazza delle Erbe
and
Piazza della Frutta
, which operate very much as they've done since the Middle Ages. Stalls in
Piazza delle Erbe are dedicated to fresh fruit and vegetables and are tiered in terms of quality. Those
with less choice products are on the outer perimeter, with better stalls nearer the Gothic
Palazzo della
9am-7pm Tue-Sun, to 6pm Nov-Jan) . Beneath the arcades, known locally as
Sotto il Salone
(
www.sottoilsalone.it
), specialist butchers, cheesemakers, fishmongers,
salumerie
(smallgoods shops)
and fresh pasta producers sell their wares, while on the other side of the
palazzo
(mansion), in Piazza
della Frutta, stalls with nonlocal produce - spices, nuts, dried fruits, herbs and grains - cluster.
The markets are open all day, every day except Sunday, although the best time to go is before mid-
day.