Exploring Padua: A Journey Through History, Culture, and Hidden Gems

Hello dear friends!

Yesterday, I couldn’t post here in the community because my work trip took me to Veneto. It had been quite a while since I last visited this region, but I have a very important client here, and from time to time, we need to meet in person to go over certain things; otherwise, we often handle everything through video calls.

Since the meeting was scheduled for the afternoon, I naturally wanted to take a nice walk around the city of Padua, where our meeting was held. As it had been a long time since I last explored this city, I decided to wander around and invest some time in exploring Padua, which is a very important city and certainly holds its own compared to other Italian cities.

The first tourist spot I visited was the Church of the Eremitani, a beautiful medieval church, a stunning Catholic place of worship that dates back to the 1200s. In my opinion, the most interesting thing about it is that inside, you can see the early frescoes by a young painter named Andrea Mantegna. Unfortunately, the church had to be rebuilt because it was damaged by Anglo-American air raids during World War II. Since 2021, it has been included in UNESCO’s World Heritage list, which is truly wonderful.

Then, while strolling through Padua’s streets, I noticed several historical palaces and buildings, some completely closed up. I wonder what stories lie behind these places. I always imagine the stories connected to these locations that must have been central to life in the past.

Eventually, while walking, I arrived at Prato della Valle, one of Padua’s largest and most important squares, featuring a central elliptical island. From what I understood, it was likely named this way because, since ancient Roman times, it has been a place of lively trade. This area was probably once covered in grass due to its marshy nature. Now, it’s a beautiful place where you can relax and escape a bit from the city’s hustle and bustle.

There was also a small market with a few fruit and vegetable stalls, but it seems that once a week, a larger market is held here where you can find a bit of everything.

Continuing my walk, I reached the Basilica of Saint Anthony, one of the main Catholic sites in the city of Padua and even globally, as pilgrims from all over the world come here to honor this saint, who is greatly revered. Inside this church, you can find his tomb with his relics.

This place, too, has been included in UNESCO’s World Heritage list since 2021. It had been some time since I last entered this church, and I was truly impressed by the details in the frescoes and every intricate element within the basilica—it always leaves you speechless.

I didn’t spend too much time inside the church because I didn’t have much time to spare, so I continued walking until I reached Piazza dei Signori and Piazza delle Erbe in the very heart of Padua’s historic center, where there’s still so much life and activity.

From there, I headed to Café Pedrocchi, a historic café that’s almost 200 years old, as I had to wait for my client there, and it’s our usual meeting spot.

If you ever find yourselves in Padua, I think you must have the experience—yes, I’d call it an experience—of having a coffee inside this historic café. Many intellectuals, writers, and artists have passed through here, and the beauty of this place is truly in its architecture, with its three main rooms on the ground floor and these unique Doric columns. Sure, the coffee may be a bit pricey, but it’s always a deeply exciting experience to enjoy it in such a setting.

I hope you found my story interesting. I also hope you enjoyed the photos I shared. I’ll see you in my next post, and I wish you all a wonderful day.