Storyline: Virtual Itinerary
After overcrowded Venice it was refreshing to spent a week in charming Padua. It was much cheaper there, and we could do day trips to other cities nearby. We had a really nice hotel with a huge room on a higher floor, buffet breakfast to die for and panoramic view from the restaurant on the top floor. It was strategically located between the train station and the centre of the city, about 10 to 15 min walking.
We enjoyed the quietness of this University city, which in general does not attract many tourists, although it offers a glimpse into the rich history of what once was a powerful commune. Established in 1222, it is home to the second oldest University in Italy , where Galileo Galilei was later a lecturer, where Giotto’s frescoes from 1303–05 are still to be seen and admired in its Scrovegni Chapel and is overlooked by the vast 13th-century Basilica of St. Anthony.
Our path to the old town was over a bridge crossing the Bacchiglione river, with a farmers’ market on the old town side.
We enjoyed the vivacious atmosphere of this picturesque university town, with its arcaded streets and lively piazzas full of cafes, bars and small restaurants. It rained a lot at that time of the year.
My poncho had been in use since the first day of rain in Venice. It was quite handy in Padua where we had the place to ourselves during the downpours, and also later throughout our Italian adventure.
The best six euros per person (seniors’ discount of course) spent on museums and culture was in the Arts museum of Padua. In addition to the permanent exhibition, it included visiting exhibits of Donatello and Tintoretto. And then an evening visit to the Scrovegni Chapel with Giotto’s frescos.
We just about had the art museum for ourselves and had some quality time with art that is rarely so accessible these days.
For Giotto’s frescos we had a reserved time, and together with a group of about 20 people had to sit for 15 minutes in a special room to acclimatise before we were let in. We then had 15 minutes in the chapel to try to absorb it all, although we could have admired it for days.
And of course, we didn’t miss the Basilica of St. Anthony which houses the tomb of Saint Anthony, patron saint of the city. It was a quite interesting experience, especially when we reached the relics of the Saint. I am not sure I wanted to see his tongue and other body parts – such “holy” relics, often of dubious provenance, are a bit grotesque for my taste.
One day we skirted the downpour in Padua by visiting Verona, a medieval city built on the meandering river Adige and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It was beautiful, the weather and the city, which is known for its setting for Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.”
A 14th-century residence with a tiny balcony overlooking a courtyard is said be “Juliet’s House.” The tiny courtyard was crowded with tourists.
Every 5 minutes a girl would show on the balcony and a guy would pop his head out from the adjacent window to take a photo of the girl, his Juliet I assumed.
We visited the ancient Roman amphitheater, enjoyed the picturesque piazzas,
walked on Ponte di Castelvecchio, a beautiful brick and marble bridge built in the 14th century, that provides fantastic views down the river.
And of course, visited the impressive Castle Vecchio and its museum.
Another day we just tried to avoid as much of the rain as possible by heading south to Ferrara – a beautiful town with a UNESCO-designated medieval center. Unfortunately, the downpour was unavoidable.
From the train station we walked streets lined with linden trees, their heady aroma accompanying us. This is something I grew up with, and something unknown in Canada, where the linden trees don’t really have much fragrance.
We managed to have some semi-dry time in the city, then had to run for cover when water started dumping from the sky. We, as many, ran into the San Giorgio Cathedral just across from the Ferrara City Hall on the main square, Piazza Trento.
The Piazza was full of restaurants, bars and cafes and we eventually moved to one of them. We had lunch watching the world go by, or sooner the world hiding by in every possible corner, restaurant, café or bar.
Then managed to walk through the moated Castello Estense with a drawbridge and four towers.
After a week spent in relative quiet it was time to take the train to Florence. See you there.
If you are new to the “Virtual Itinerary” storyline: All the stories here are real, although from the past, some from a quite distant past. It covers travels to countries and places we had in our real Spring 2020 itinerary. If not for Covid-19 we’d be traveling right now.
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