Villa Valmarana ai Nani
12 March 2020Scrovegni Chapel and Giotto
12 March 2020Classical Padua – Tour Description
Guided walk in the historical city centre that starts at St. Anthony’s Basilica, with the tomb and the reliquary of the Saint, takes you through narrow streets right to the medieval heart of the city with its squares: Piazza delle Erbe, della Frutta, dei Signori. Here the tour guide will point out the finest and symbolic monuments to you. Palazzo della Ragione, also called “Salone” for its enormous hanging Hall, that for a long time was the biggest of its kind in the world, with its characteristic hull-shaped roof. This Palace hosted the court of justice in 1218, when it was built, right in the middle of the ancient city. Indeed it stands in the middle of a lively trade area. On its ground floor you will enjoy the covered market, where all the shops sell the typical products and food of the territory. This trade area is made up by the square of “the fruit” and the square of the “vegetables” namely “Piazze della Frutta and delle Erbe” with the stalls selling fruit and vegetables. The guided walk goes on to Piazza dei Signori, whose name refers to the Carraresi family residence, the family that ruled the city in the XIV c. On the western side rises up the Clock Tower, with its special clock mechanism.
Right opposite the Municipal Palace stands the XVI c. façade of the Palazzo del Bo, the ancient university seat, the oldest in Italy after Bologna, it was founded in 1222. It is worth a visit for the great Courtyard of Honour(middle XVI c.) by Andrea Moroni; the Hall of the Forty, the former Aula Magna, that holds the rather plain wooden desk from where, according to tradition, the great Galileo Galilei used to teach between 1592 and 1610; the Aula Magna has its walls completely covered with decorations and coat-of-arms, and the renowned Anatomical Theatre, the oldest in the world built in 1594. The building also houses the statue of the first woman in the world who graduated at Padua’s University – Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia.
Next to the “Bo” stands one of the most important European coffee-houses, the historical Caffè Pedrocchi, built during the 19th century, Here you can enjoy its famous and delicious Espresso with mint cream!
This walking tour is ideal for individuals, groups and students on a school trip.