Situated between Venice and Verona, Padua is known as the city of St Anthony. On this walking tour I’ll show you how the city has been able to preserve its artistic and cultural heritage, and why the city is famous for being hospitable. Even when the city was founded in 1222, its prestigious university welcomed students of any religion. And artists and scientists such as Donatello, Giotto, Galileo Galilei and others found a second home here too. The Jews fleeing persecution from Spain, Portugal and northern Europe also settled here, creating one of the most diverse and interesting Italian ghettos, still intact today. Highlights along our walk include: • Prato della Valle, the largest square in Italy • St Anthony Square with Donatello’s statue of Gattamelata • The Tomb of Antenor • Imposing Palazzo della Ragione with its large frescoes depicting an astrological cycle • Local markets • The Arch of the Rope where dishonest traders were punished • Torre dell'Orologio, one of the most beautiful clock towers ever built • The old Jewish ghetto with its small squares, narrow streets and three synagogues • The stumbling stones in the Jewish ghetto • Bo Palace, the seat of University of Padua, the second oldest in Italy, which houses Galileo's original desk Join me in following the paths of these artists and thinkers, and find yourself inspired by Padua’s timeless atmosphere.

Discover all the iconic places of Padua in a pleasant 1.5-hour walking tour with a local Italian and English-speaking guide, then relax in the refined atmosphere of historic Caffè Pedrocchi, where you can taste the typical Pedrocchi coffee with mint flavor, accompanied by some biscuits, and ask your guide any curiosity you might have about Padua, its history and its habits. Meet your guide at 10.30 am in front of Caffè Pedrocchi and start your walking itinerary covering the following must-see highlights: - Padua Squares: Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza della Frutta, the beating heart of the city with their markets and arcades bustling with bars and taverns, and Piazza dei Signori, with its famous 14th-century Clock Tower - Palazzo della Ragione, the ancient city court which houses the largest frescoed astrological cycle in the world, inserted in the frescoes of Unesco-site Padova Urbs Picta - The Jewish Ghetto with its narrow streets full of history, nowadays the slightly more ‘hipster’ part of the city with lots of wine bars and craft shops - Prato della Valle, the largest square in Europe, with its central elliptical island surrounded by a small canal on whose banks there is a double ring of magnificent statues - Basilica di Sant'Antonio, the destination of thousands of pilgrims who come here every year from all over the world and one of the major Padua tourist attractions. At approximately 12.00 pm you will get back to the starting point, Caffè Pedrocchi, where you will have about half an hour to try the typical Pedrocchi coffee with mint flavor, take some time to relax and ask the guide all your questions.

Discover Padua’s famous locations while playing the role of a supernatural traveler trying to uncover the use of magic in the city. As you solve challenges, the story unfolds and exact directions on your phone will guide you to the next location. After you book a game, you will receive an email with instructions on how to download and play the game on your phone. Head to Prato della Valle, where the game will start. It will take you between 2 and 3 hours to complete, but there’s no time limit, so feel free to explore and finish it at your own pace. Pause the game and resume at any time from the location where you paused it. You will finish the game at the famous Bo Palace. For larger groups, one person can purchase access for the entire group by selecting the number of people in the group. All group members will be able to download and play the city game on their phone. Alternatively, each person can make their own purchase. You can play on your own, in a large group or in several smaller groups that compete against each other and meet at the final stop of the game.

Home to one of the world’s oldest universities, the spectacular pilgrimage basilica of Saint Anthony and a landmark of Renaissance art in Giotto’s Scrovegni Chapel, Padua is a treasure trove of art, history and culture that you can’t afford to miss. In the company of an expert local guide you’ll wander through an atmospheric tangle of medieval streets, explore an incredible 800-year old covered market, discover a glittering array of sculptures, frescoes, architecture and much more. Just half an hour from Venice, Padua makes for a perfect day trip from the Serenissima. Historic Padua is one of the most beautiful cities in Italy. Our half-day Padua tour is the perfect way to get to grips with the city. We only work with expert local guides who know everything there is to know about the city and are passionate about sharing their hometown with you. At the heart of everything in Padua is its massive, dizzying cathedral, and the Basilica di San Antonio will be one of the highlights of our itinerary. Begun in 1233 just a year after the eponymous Anthony's death as a fitting burial place for the revered saint, the vast basilica is a fascinating mish-mash of architectural styles and cultural influences. Within, a maze-like array of chapels are home to some of Italy's finest artistic masterpieces. Among the highlights we'll see on our tour are the sculptural reliefs by Donatello on the church's high altar and a series of incredible medieval frescoes by local master Altichieri da Zevo. As the burial place of St. Antony, the basilica is also one of Italy's most important pilgrimage destinations. We'll also have a peek into the Cappella del Santo, where the saint's tomb is covered by requests for intercession from the faithful. The Renaissance sculptures portraying the life of St. Anthony by the Lombardi brothers here is another unmissable highlight. Wandering through the historic center of Padua we'll get the chance to stop by at the city's incredible covered market, which has been in continuous operation in the arches of looming Gothic Palazzo della Ragione for 800 years. The twin piazzas of Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza della Frutta to either side of the palace is the perfect spot to stop for a drink and watch the denizens of Padova go about their business in a ritual that seems little changed over the centuries. There's so much to see in Padua that we're happy to customise your tour to suit you. If you have some extra time in the city and would like to see more of its amazing artistic heritage, we can include a visit to the Ovetari Chapel in the church of the Eremtiani to admire Mantegna's masterful frescoes of St Christoper and St James - blown to smithereens by a World War II bomb but painstakingly restored over the last half a century. Other highlights that we can include on your tour are the city's magnificent Baptistery, where Giusto da Menabuoi's depictions of heaven are amongst the wackiest examples of Medieval cosmology anywhere.

Discover the best of Padova with your dedicated shopping guide. Whether you come with a long wish list or are in the mood to browse, your expert guide will show you charming artisanal boutiques and specialized shops of every sort. Your walk will begin as you meet with your guide in the centrally located Piazza delle Erbe. You will visit the hidden gems of shopping throughout the city, with your tour tailored to meet your interests. Your English-speaking guide will know the city inside and out, and will show you their favorite artisanal shops whilst helping you find something for everyone on your list, including yourself.