Padua packs more artistic and historical weight into its compact center than almost any other See our Padua weather by month for more detailed information. Italian city its size. The Scrovegni Chapel alone justifies a trip, but the university, basilicas, squares, and botanical garden make a strong case for 2 to 3 full days. Here are the essential things to do in Padua, organized by category. See our Padua travel guide for climate overviews and seasonal advice.
Things to Do in Padua: Art and Masterpieces
Scrovegni Chapel (Cappella degli Scrovegni)
Giotto’s fresco cycle from 1303 to 1305 covers every interior wall with scenes from the lives of Mary and Christ, culminating in the famous blue-starred ceiling and the Last Judgment on the entrance wall. It is widely considered the most important pre-Renaissance artwork in Europe. You must book a timed 15-minute slot online at cappelladegliscrovegni.it. Tickets cost 14 EUR (full price) or 10 EUR (reduced). Slots sell out days in advance from April through October, so book at least a week ahead See our best time to visit Padua for more detailed information.. The chapel is climate-controlled: you spend 15 minutes in an acclimatization room before entering the chapel itself. Photography is not permitted inside. Located at Piazza Eremitani 8, a 10-minute walk from Padova Centrale See our Padua travel tips for more detailed information. station.
Palazzo della Ragione
The Palazzo della Ragione was Padua’s medieval law court, built in 1218 and expanded in 1306. Its main hall (Il Salone) is one of the largest unsupported roof spans in Europe at 81 meters long and 27 meters wide. The walls are covered with a 15th-century fresco cycle of astrological and religious scenes. The ground floor houses a covered food market that has operated continuously since the Middle Ages. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM (closes 6:00 PM in winter). Admission is 6 EUR. The building separates Piazza delle Erbe (fruit and vegetable market) from Piazza della Frutta, both lively squares with cafes.
Eremitani Church and Museum (Museo degli Eremitani)
This 13th-century Augustinian church sits next to the Scrovegni Chapel and houses an important art museum. The church itself contains frescoes by Guariento and Mantegna (the Ovetari Chapel, partially destroyed by Allied bombing in 1944 but restored). The museum’s collection spans Roman archaeological finds through Renaissance paintings, including works by Giotto, Bellini, and Tintoretto. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Combined ticket with Scrovegni Chapel See our where to stay in Padua for more detailed information. costs 18 EUR. Budget 60 to 90 minutes for the museum alone. Via degli Eremitani 8.
Things to Do in Padua: Religious Sites
Basilica of Saint Anthony See our events and festivals in Padua for more detailed information. (Basilica di Sant’Antonio)
The Basilica of Saint Anthony is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the Catholic world, drawing over 5 million visitors annually. Built between 1232 and 1310, it blends Romanesque, Gothic, and Byzantine architectural styles with eight distinctive domes. Inside, the saint’s tomb in the Cappella dell’Arca is the focal point; pilgrims touch the tomb’s marble surface, which has been worn smooth by centuries of hands. The Chapel of the Relics contains Saint Anthony’s tongue, jawbone, and vocal cords. Entry is free. Open daily from 6:20 AM to 7:00 PM (closes 6:45 PM in winter). Dress modestly: shoulders and knees covered. The Donatello bronze statues on the high altar (1443-1450) are exceptional. Piazza del Santo.
Padua Cathedral and Baptistery (Duomo di Padova)
The cathedral itself is a 16th-century reconstruction with a Michelangelo-inspired design, but the real draw is the 12th-century Baptistery next door. The interior is covered floor to ceiling with a fresco cycle by Giusto de’ Menabuoi (1376-1378), depicting scenes from Genesis, the life of Christ, and the Apocalypse in vivid colors. It contains one of the largest and best-preserved medieval fresco cycles in Italy. Admission to the Baptistery is 3 EUR. Open daily from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The cathedral is free and open from 7:30 AM to 12:00 PM and 3:30 PM to 7:00 PM. Piazza Duomo.
Things to Do in Padua: University and Science
Palazzo Bo (University of Padua)
The University of Padua, founded in 1222, is the second-oldest university in Italy after Bologna. Galileo Galilei taught here from 1592 to 1610, and his wooden lectern is preserved in the Aula Magna. The guided tour (45 minutes) covers the anatomical theater (the world’s oldest surviving, built in 1594), the Aula Magna with Galileo’s lectern, and the Hall of the Forty (Sala dei Quaranta) decorated with portraits of the university’s most distinguished scholars. Tours run Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at set times; book online at unipd.it/palazzo-bo. Tickets cost 8 EUR. The university also hosted the first female graduate (Elena Cornaro Piscopia, 1678) and the first anatomy theater. Via VIII Febbraio 2.
Orto Botanico (Botanical Garden of Padua)
Founded in 1545 by the Venetian Republic, this is the world’s oldest academic botanical garden still in its original location. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, it contains over 6,000 plant species across 2.2 hectares. The garden’s centerpiece is a palm planted in 1585, known as Goethe’s Palm; the German writer studied it in 1786 and it influenced his botanical theories. The Biodiversity Garden (opened 2014) is a modern greenhouse complex with five climate zones. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM (shorter hours in winter). Admission is 12 EUR. Via Orto Botanico 15. Budget 90 minutes to 2 hours.
Things to Do in Padua: Squares and Outdoors
Prato della Valle
At 90,000 square meters, Prato della Valle is the largest square in Italy and one of the largest in Europe. It is an elliptical island (Isola Memmia) surrounded by a canal and lined with 78 statues of notable figures from Padua’s history. The square hosts a large Saturday market (antiques, clothing, food) from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The Basilica of Santa Giustina, with its massive dome, anchors the south side. The square is a 15-minute walk from the city center. Perfect for an early morning or late afternoon stroll. Several cafes with outdoor seating line the perimeter.
Piazza dei Signori and Piazza delle Erbe See our neighborhoods in Padua for more detailed information.
These twin squares form the historic heart of Padua, separated by the Palazzo della Ragione. Piazza delle Erbe hosts a daily fruit and vegetable market (Monday to Saturday, 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM), while Piazza dei Signori is the civic center with the clock tower (Torre dell’Orologio) and the Loggia della Gran Guardia. Both squares are lined with cafes and restaurants. The aperitivo scene here from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM is excellent: a spritz and snacks typically cost 5 to 8 EUR. Caffe Pedrocchi, opened in 1831 and known as the “cafe without doors” (it was open 24/7 until 1916), sits just off Piazza dei Signori on Via VIII Febbraio.
