Top Rated Attractions in Padua

This basilica, the most important of the city, has been dedicated to main saint of Padua, San Antonio. It was built 8 centuries ago and from then on, it became one of the most important spiritual places of the Christian world. Antonio chose Padua as his permanent home in the period in which he was travelling all over Italy. The church is owned by the Vatican and it houses the tongue of the saint, an important holy relic.

Together, with the Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Palazzo della Ragione is a symbol of the city. Built in 1288, it is called the Salone, or lounge, because of its large room with its wooden vaulted ceiling (destroyed and rebuilt many times over the centuries), making it the largest undivided hall in the world. The piazza and the bustling daily market are dominated by its loggia. It was a real layman's center in the city. Justice was carried out in the upper rooms, adorned with frescoes of astrological depictions (perhaps even by Giotto). If the sentence was serious, the accused would be taken to one of the local prisons. The building also houses a large wooden horse that Annibale Capodilista had made for a merry-go-round and then donated to the city. On the ground floor, traditional commercial activities took place, as they still do today.

Home to the university since the 16th Century, the building dates back to the same time, and was then renovated in the 20th Century. The best preserved area is the interior courtyard, with its porticoes decorated with coats of arms of the noble families, to which the students belonged. It housed the first anatomical theater in the world (1594) and the desk of Galileo Galilei, teacher of mathematics. Hours vary as per season.

One of the most prominent squares in Padua is Piazza dei Signori. Surrounded by medieval houses on all sides, this rectangular Piazza provides great insight into the Renaissance era architecture. However, the main attraction here is the clock tower, which can be called the crowning jewel of this famous square.

Within the old Hospital of San Francesco lies a unique museum, dedicated to medical science. Museum of the History of Medicine of Padua or MUSME in short, showcases through its exhibits the history of medical practices that were used back when the hospital was still functional. Highly informative, the exhibits are also closely linked to the University of Padua.

Prato della Valle is a square located in the city of Padova, Italy. Spread over a vast area of 90,000 meters (2,95,276 foot), the oval shaped square is the largest in the country. The square came into existence in the year 1635, when a temporary theater was built here. Thereafter, in the year 1775, the entire area was re-constructed to give the square it's current appearance. The square is beautifully designed with an island of grass in the center, surrounded by a ring of water. A total of 78 statues are placed at each side of the water ring. Today, the square forms an ideal meeting place with large number of people visiting the square to take a walk, skate or study. Festivals too are celebrated at the square.