A trip to Padua

Beautiful like Venice, smart like Bologna - what city and where do they say so? Such sayings circulate in the Veneto region (Veneto), and refer to Padua, picturesquely situated on the Bacchiglione River, in the Po plain, in north-eastern Italy.

Tourist attractions of Padua

Thanks to its location, Padua is a great starting point for exploring the attractions of the region. Famous Venice, the city of gondolas, is 40 km away, so you can easily go on a day trip to the capital of Veneto . But Padua itself is unlikely to bore anyone. It is an old center (founded in the 4th century BC), during its long history it has experienced severe damage several times, being an independent republic, attacks by the French and Austrians, and finally joining the Kingdom of Italy. Many traces of a turbulent past remain in it. The patron saint of the city is St. Justyna, the most eminent virgin of Padua. A chapel was built on her grave, and then a church. In the 16th century, as a result of an earthquake, the temple was completely destroyed. In the following years, the monumental building Basilica di Santa Giustina , which is today a symbol of Padua, was erected on the ruins.

The dimensions of the cathedral can be overwhelming - the building is 122 meters high and 83 meters wide. Near the temple there is a place with a Polish accent, Prato della Valle square. There are 78 statues of distinguished men, among whom we can see Stefan Batory and Jan III Sobieski. In the past, fairs were held here, today the area is surrounded by a moat along which there are statues. The central part of the square is a grassy island called Memmia. You cannot visit Padua and not see its pride and pride - Orto Botanico di Padova , the world's oldest botanical garden. It was established in 1545 as a base for medical students of the University of Padua, designed to familiarize them with the properties of plants. The garden has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1997.

Vacation with science in the background

Padua is not only culture, it is also science. It is here, in 1222, on the initiative of a group of students and professors of the University of Bologna, the university was established for centuries as one of the most outstanding in the world. The University of Padua , one of the oldest in Europe, currently has a dozen or so departments operating in the Bologna system located throughout the city. Its walls hosted the greatest minds - among the students of the university were, among others Dante, Petrarka, Jan Kochanowski and Mikołaj Kopernik or Jan Zamoyski. Universitas Studii Paduani is also the first center in the world to award a diploma to a woman. In 1678, the Italian mathematician and philosopher Helena Lucrezia was awarded the title of doctor of science.

Camping on the Adriatic Sea

About 45 km south-east of Padua is the friendly family- run Camping Miramare , welcoming guests since the early 1970s. The grandchildren spend their holidays here with their grandparents, and they remember very well how they spent their next holidays here. The next generations have a chance to find out that this is the perfect place for a vacation on the Adriatic Sea . The campsite is located about 50 km from Venice, so its location is another advantage. It has spacious grassy lots, each with a water connection and 6A electricity connection, as well as the possibility of sewage disposal. Vacationers can stay on one of them with their camper, they can sleep in a trailer, and if they do not have their own vehicle, the camping offers rental of a mobile home or a trailer. The camping is friendly for families with children - it has a playground, there is also a team of animators at your disposal to ensure the well-being of little guests. On the premises of the facility there are, among others restaurant, pizzeria, bar and grocery store and supermarket. People who like active rest can relax in the swimming pool or on one of the sports fields, they can also play table tennis or beach volleyball.