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Padua - Canal
In the central area of the Venetian plain, where the lagoon, hills and Pre-alps are situated, lies the Province of Padua, a fascinating mixture of art, colours, flavours and traditions. This land is well worth a visit, with its various waterways, castles, villas, the charming fortified cities and wonderful natural landscapes.
The south-eastern area is occupied by the Euganei Hills, a treasure chest of wonders. There are green valleys and pretty hills with vineyards, made even more beautiful by the colours of spring or the warm atmosphere of autumn. The hills enclose the largest thermal area in Europe, internationally renowned for the healing properties of the waters, that after their long subterranean journey come to the surface in this area.
It is a land with many aspects to be explored –including an artistic one. An excellent way of doing this is a boat trip through the vast network of navigable waterways, a romantic trip passing the beautiful villas spread along the Canale Battaglia banks.
Between Padua and Venice there is another elegant artistic route: the Brenta river. A trip on the “burchielli” is an unforgettable experience, a step back into the past, like when the lords and aristocrats of Venice used these old boats to reach their summer residences, simple buildings transformed into wonderful architectural works by brilliant artists like Palladio, Preti and Scamozzi.
A tour of the fortified cities is another captivating , these towns are a sign of Padua’s long Medieval history.. A history that manifests itself in the art of good wine and good food local to the area. The origins of winegrowing are really old, though over the centuries the growing methods have improved too reach the high quality of today’s wines. The love of this people for their land, is expressed through their food and wine traditions, a love that can be tasted in the excellent wines of the Padua area.
Padua is like an aristocratic Venetian lady with an elegant dress and precious jewels, emblem of elegance and sophistication. It is a sober and calm city, repository of many artistic wonders. You can tour Padua by boat along its canals, or walking peacefully admiring the marvellous piazzas and bridges.
Starting from Piazza dei Signori which is always vibrant with life, you can find jewels like the San Clemente church and the Palazzo del Capitano with its imposing tower adorned by its famous Clock, which marks hours, and minutes, the month, the day, the phases of the moon and astrological information. Not far from here is Piazza del Duomo with its majestic cathedral, decorated with art works by Giandomenico Tiepolo, Giusto de’ Menabuoi and Jacopo Montagnana, and the annexed Baptistery dedicated to San Giovanni Battista. Next to the Cathedral is the Palazzo Vescovile, site of the Diocesan Museum since 2000.
Piazza delle Erbe, because of its market, has always been a place for people to gather together and meet socially as well as for trading, and because of this shows a cross section of the city’s life The Palazzo della Ragione, known as the “Salone”, towers over the square, and is considered the most important monument in Padua. It is a unique building containing a huge hanging room held up by 90 pillars. Another historical place of Padua is the famous Caffè Pedrocchi, built in the first years of the 19th century and commissioned by Carlo Pedrocchi who assigned the architect Giuseppe Jappelli to the restoration of some premises inherited by his father in order to realise “the most beautiful coffee bar on earth”. Palazzo Bo is a place of history and culture, it is the site of the prestigious University of Padua where Galileo Galilei taught.
The wonderful Piazza del Santo, with a monument dedicated to Gattamelata realised by Donatello at its centre, hosts important and impressive art works dedicated to the Patron Saint of the city. At the back of the square is the majestic Basilica di Sant’Antonio, a perfect harmony of Romanesque, gothic, Byzantine and Moresque styles, its interior is decorated by notable paintings and sculptures. Next to the Cathedral, the old Oratorio di San Giorgio and the adjacent Scoletta del Santo, whose famous Sala Priorale has superb frescoes by famous artists of that period.
Nearby is the oldest Botanical Garden in the world, now a Unesco heritage site, it was founded during the Serenissima period for the cultivation and study of plants. In the interior of the Chiesa degli Eremitani there are many remarkable art works such as the famous Cappella Ovetari. A tour in this city definitely needs a stop to visit the renowned Cappella degli Scrovegni, an absolute masterpiece by Giotto who reached the peak of his career with this building.
Throughout the Padua area there are wonderful examples of the huge artistic and cultural development which from Venice spread all over the area. Here are some examples: Villa Contarini, the biggest Venetian villa, surrounded by a wonderful park decorated by fish-ponds, lakes and tree-lined avenues; Villa Ramina known as the Colombina in the small village of Isola Mantegna (this small village is renowned because the famous artist Andrea Mantegna was born here); Villa Emo Capodilista that is an innovative building by the painter and architect Dario Varotari -follower of Paolo Veronese- who realised also the frescoes in the interior of the villa; Villa Barbarigo Ardemani immersed in an astonishing period garden with a 1500 linear metre box tree labyrinth; Ca’ Marcello is one of the most beautiful examples of Palladio’s architectural style, surrounded by a huge park.
The Province of Padua has always been a crossroad of peoples and culture, it is a land rich in treasures to explore, such as the fortified towns where impressive buildings have survived the passage of the centuries.
Cittadella, to the north of the capital, is surrounded by a strong walls with 32 watchtowers. Not far from each other, are Monselice, a small town with its majestic Fortress -built during Emperor Frederick’s dominion- towers over the area from a hill; Este with the Carraresi Castle and 12 towers that trace the route of the exterior walls; Montagnana, renowned for the excellent preservation of the group of walls complete with impressive towers, St. Zeno Castle and the Rocca degli Alberi.
The Colli Euganei hills, renowned for their thermal spring waters, are a real natural oasis where it is possible to relax and get spa treatments and practice many outdoor activities , in a pretty and welcoming environment. $$$For golf lovers there are plenty of well equipped courses, set in an outstanding natural environment, small lakes that dot the vast green fairways. The footpaths that penetrate the heart of the Regional Park are perfect for hiking, guided tours, mountain biking, or Nordic walking.
For those who want to delight the palate -not just the body- there is the “Strada del vino dei Colli Euganei”, a wine tasting itinerary that allows you to sample the excellent wines of these hills. After a work out, it is good to relax with a spa treatment to reactivate the circulation and relax the muscles, and restore the balance of mind and body.
In Padua it is also possible to book a balloon tour, in order to live a unique experience, and admire the wonders of this city from an unusual perspective.
The generosity of this land can also be found in the variety of the local specialities. Rice is one of the main ingredients and it is cooked in a variety of different ways: with peas, radicchio, with asparagus or bruscandoli (hop sprouts). Amongst the more well known are bìgoli, fat spaghetti made with the bigolaro (pasta-making machine).
Variations on the classic pasta are made with cuttlefish ink or whole-meal flour.
Obviously, there are also dishes with the main ingredient of Venetian food: polenta. The most famous is “fasoà”, made with lard. In Euganei Hills area the traditional courses are soups, risottos made with herbs and sprouts and stewed, roasted or fried snails. The musso (donkey meat) in ‘tecia’, fried or stewed frogs, and river crayfish.
The most important dish is, without a doubt, the “Corte Padovana” (game), with its famous Gallina Padovana (Paduan chicken), bred since ancient times and crossbreed with many races. The “Corte Padovana” can be prepared with goose, chicken, capon, guinea-fowl, duck or turkey. The delicious and rich Paduan boiled meat seasoned with sauces and mustard is a delicacy prepared with the meat of these birds.
In the area of the crenelated cities of Este and Montagnana, since pig farming is common, it is possible to taste appetising cold cuts such as the prosciutto berico euganeo (ham) and the soppressa (sausage flavoured with garlic).
As for typical cakes, there are the pazientina (with zabaglione cream), the fregolòtta or sbrisolona, the Paduan fugassa -one of the oldest desserts- and the figassa, with dried figs macerated in grappa. Since the Paduans are really devoted to St Anthony, there are even some typical pastries dedicated to the Saint: amarettoni, merletti, pan and dolce del Santo. These many delicious dishes should definitely be served with the excellent wines certificated by the consortium of Colli Euganei DOC, Merlara DOC, the DOC wines of Bagnoli and Corti Benedettine.
There are also excellent liqueurs, flavoured with herbs and fruit of the area. Then there is the renowned Spritz, an alcoholic cocktail made with white dry sparkling wine and water, served as an aperitif.
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