The City of the Saint: Exploring Padua’s Historical Centre and Old Jewish Ghetto

(97 reviews)

Padua audio tour: The City of the Saint: Exploring Padua’s Historical Centre and Old Jewish Ghetto

This is a 1.7mi walking tour

It takes an average of 90 mins to complete.

Padua

Italy

$14.99

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About the Tour

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.

Tour Producer

Mariacristina Pozza

3 tours

I was born in Verona, but my spirit is a citizen of the world as I grew up in different Italian regions . This life journey has given me an intercultural sensitivity that is now my added value in the field of tourism.
After graduating in Languages and Art History, I decided to turn my passion for beauty into a profession. For about 30 years, I have been working as a licensed tour guide in Veneto region, putting my experience at the service of those who want to discover the authentic soul of Italy.
Today I live in Verona. I dedicate my experience not only to guiding visitors, but also to helping agencies design innovative and tailor-made tours. I believe that the Veneto region is an infinite treasure chest: my goal is to create ever-new itineraries that combine the great history of art with the pleasure of food and wine discovery, another of my great passions that I love to share and experience.
I decided to design and write audio tours to offer travellers the opportunity to explore at their own pace, without time constraints, but with the narrative rigour of an expert guide always in their pocket.
Each tour draws on unpublished information and rare curiosities gathered over more than 30 years of field research, archival studies and conversations with the custodians of local memory. These are the details that cannot be found in textbooks, but which make a place unforgettable.

Preview Location

Location 40

Palazzo Bo

On the right, at number 7 is the entrance of the University, Palazzo Bo.
Please stop here for a few moments.

The university was founded in 1222, immediately after the unversity of Bologna, making it the second oldest university in Europe. Since its foundation the universit... Read More

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Major Landmarks

Prato della Valle
Statue of Galileo Galilei
Oratory of Saint George
The Basilica of St. Anthony
Museo di Geografia
Museo di Palazzo Santo Stefano
Ragione Palace
Via San Martino e Solferino
University of Padua
Pedrocchi Café

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Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
Prato della Valle, 35141 Padova PD, Italy
Total distance

3km
Final location
Via VIII Febbraio, 15, 35122 Padova PD, Italy
Distance back to start location

1km

Directions to Starting Point

The tour starts in Prato della Valle in front of the church of Santa Giustina. Very close, on Piazza Isaac Rabin, there is a confortable car parking space. If you arrive by train, just outside the train station there are buses nr 12, 14, 16, or tramway to reach the starting point.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

The colorful window of the Preti Store to, St Antony church, the inner of Palazzo della Ragione with its astrological cycle: it's open Tue-Sun 9h00 to19h00. Entrance fee. Have an aperitiv in Piazza delle Erbe. Visit the markets in piazza della Frutta e dei Signori. Have lunch or dinner in one of the many taverns and locals near Piazza dei Frutti or in the Jewish ghetto. Pay a visit to the inner of University. Stop at the Caffè Pedrocchi and try the special mint coffee.

Best time of day

Any time of the day. If you love open markets, Padua has beautiful markets in the morning. On Saturday a good one in Prato della Valle, the starting point of your vist.

Precautions

Keep an eye to your belongings. Don't leave your bags unattended. Don't walk on the rails of the tramway.

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“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”