Oct 10, 2014
Postcards: In search of Padua (IT)
I imagine this could qualify as what the French would say, “jamais deux sans trois“? We spent a couple of hours in Florence in transit, then a couple of hours in Parma also in transit, so why not spare two hours in Padua in transit too? We managed to locate a left luggage at the train station, so we could pretty much move freely in that time.
The only time I was in Padua previously, I was hosted by a friend and was driven and guided everywhere. We got around easily and I didn’t need to figure out where I was or the distance between places. Everything seemed so doable. I was optimistic that F and I could see a good bit of the city, like we did when we were in Florence, before hopping on the train to Bassano del Grappa.
Boy was I wrong. The train station is located slightly to the north of the city centre, and the sights are rather dispersed around town. We were grateful for the tourist information panels and clear signposting that we found along the way, but when it took so long to get anywhere at all, our visiting time was effectively cut by nearly half because we needed relatively equal amount of time to get back to the train station. Tough choices had to be made, and we opted to go in the direction of the Basilica of Saint Anthony, the Saint of Lost Things/People.
We did find the Basilica, a good half an hour walk away from the train station, more if you stop for photos and gelati along the way… the patron Saint must had wanted us to find it because past Piazza dell’herbe, we were unsure as to where to go, just walking in its general direction! The Basilica is opulent and lavishly decorated, a mixed of Byzantine and Romanesque architecture with traces of Gothic elements.
I had wanted to initially see the Cappella degli Scrovegni but I had no luck booking a spot to visit it. The scenes within the chapel was something I’ve learned in an European art class that I took a few years ago, so it would have been nice to see it in person. Another time. (Something I say for goodness knows how many places now, eh?)
All posts in this series:
Italy: Postcards: Centro Storico di Roma | Flickr Photoset
Italy: Postcards: 2-hours in Florence | Flickr Photoset
Italy: The walled city of Lucca | Flickr Photoset
Italy: Dining in Lu.C.C.A – L’Imbuto
Italy: Sunsets of Cinque Terre
Italy: The villages of Cinque Terre | Flickr Photoset
Italy: Postcards: Lost in Parma
Italy: Bologna: the city of a gazillion porticoes | Flickr Photoset
Italy: The Sanctuary of Madonna di San Luca
Italy: Verona: a lot more than a Shakespearean drama | Flickr Photoset
Italy: Postcards: In search of Padua
Italy: A very picturesque Bassano del Grappa | Flickr Photoset
Super productive for a 2 hour stopover eh ;) better than just lazying around holding a smartphone hehehe
We definitely tried to make the best of 2-hour stopovers that we had, didn’t we? ;)