Padova, or Padua as it was historically known, has been the setting for some major literary works including Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of Venice’. With its beautiful buildings and impressive architecture, it is easy to see why. Located along the A4 road, it is very well connected to both Venice and Milan.

Some of the extremely impressive sites include the Scrovegni Chapel and the Padua Synagogue – an interesting glimpse into its past and the problems Italy faced with opposing organized religions. The City Hall is another particularly memorable building, and you should hope to spend several hours wandering around this area of town. Fairs and markets occur throughout the year and provide an interesting indicator of the culture of the area. You can try some of the local pizza too, which is another fine example of some of the best tasting food in the region.