Venice and Padova

Venice is the kind of city which you can visit many times yet still discover something new. However, some things don’t change, it’s always heaving with tourists, it’s very easy to get lost and it’s eye wateringly expensive. But 3 million visitors a year can’t be wrong! Can they?

We hadn’t planned on going to Venice as we’d been there last year but this time we wanted to go to Padua or Padova as the Italians call it. Not far from Venice, about 25 miles, but so different.

Although it’s a busy city, it lacks the frenzy and frenetic pace of Venice, it has some beautiful architecture especially in the old central part of the city. It also has the oldest botanical garden in the world but we were there to see the famous Scrovegni Chapel and Giotto’s beautiful frescoes.

We ended up staying at a campsite in the wider Venice area, Camping Rialto (an unforgettable name) has plenty of camping pitches and about a hundred little huts (honestly they look like garden summerhouse/sheds) they each sleep 2 people, so I’m guessing an affordable places to stay if you’re on a budget, and there were loads of young people on organised tours using the facilities. Not that we really noticed them thankfully we weren’t near that area which was reminiscent of a cross between a Butlins holiday camp circa 1950 or a Stalag (prisoner of war camp)

The site has a new swimming pool and bar / back bar at one end and a restaurant by reception that also offered breakfast. The bus stop (No 5 bus from the airport into Venice bus station) stops right outside, and you can do the 5min journey for €1.50 (tickets are sold at reception)

On our first day we got the bus to the bus station then walked around to Venice’s train station, the customer service lady was very helpful and quickly produced 2 one way tickets to Padova for a mere €9.40, so we caught the Bologna train from platform 22 and enjoyed the 30 min air conditioned journey to Padova.

Alighting at Padova station we found the tourist info office and discovered there was a tram which stopped virtually outside and for €9 we bought a day tram ticket and caught the next tram down south of the centre to the 13th century Basilica of St Anthony, a very impressive Byzantine style church with multiple domes.

It’s home to the shrine to St Anthony and has many notable artwork and sculptures. Unfortunately cameras weren’t allowed inside so I couldn’t take photos (other than a few sneaky ones.)

There was a queue to touch his tomb and some people spent quite a few minutes praying to him. There is even a live stream so you can see what’s going on. Have a look.

I hadn’t realise he was the patron saint of lost things, it seems if you lose something you must say, “St Anthony, please look around; something is lost and must be found.”

I haven’t lost anything but I thought I’d ask him to look after my family so they don’t lose anything.

In a side chapel there were 3 display cases of relics in very ornate gold cases.

Again, no photos allowed, it’s very odd to see these body parts, etc but these have been the things which have drawn people in over the centuries.

Like St Anthony’s tongue (No 9), jawbone (No 10), vocal apparatus (No 11), skin from his head (12), hair from his head.(19), one of his fingers (18), a finger from St Lawrence (22) and a piece of cassock of St Bernadine (23). I found them gruesome yet fascinating.

From here we walked to the Cathedral via the fruit market, they were just starting to pack up for the day.

we saw some lovely buildings on the way.

Down some lovely cobbled streets with some very nice shops

Then we found the Cathedral, what a difference to the Basilica, it was very plain, almost empty in comparison. It made a nice change from all the gilt we’ve been seeing.

By this time we had to get a wriggle on to get to the Scrovegni Chapel as we had to book in half an hour before our tour time.

The chapel is set in a park area and we could see the chapel but we couldn’t find the entrance, all very frustrating but eventually, having back tracked we found it. We had to wait outside in the 34° heat before they let us in and then we had to sit in this glass box which was attached to the church.

This was like an ante chamber, it was very, very well air conditioned, the whole point was to stop us all going into the chapel and causing more damage to the paintings by being hot and sweaty. We watched a video which explained the history of the frescoes. (warning – this runs for about 4 mins but it is very interesting!)

We had the worst seats for watching the video but we were the first people to get into the chapel. Maybe St Anthony was helping me?

Wow it is breathtaking.

Look at that ceiling

The paintings show emotion, which was very unusual at the time. See how Mary is looking at her son and cradling him with care.

Bottom part of the panel is a depiction of people after death going to Heaven or Hell.

Hell is always more interesting

And why are those who end up in Hell always naked!!

The 15 mins we had were so not long enough to be able to take everything in. But we were unceremoniously ushered out as the next batch were cooling off in the glass anti chamber.

We really like Padova, such a shame the only camping there was in a large carpark with no facilities, and it couldn’t be used on a Wed or Sat as there were markets held there. It was worth the train journey to return to our Venician campsite and their on-site Trattoria, pool, etc (forgot to mention the washing machines and tumble dryers that were gas powered!)

The following day we went to Venice, well you can’t not do when you’re only 10 mins away, can you!

We enjoyed the views from the water buses….

Did Museum Correr (of course)….

Here are a couple of classic pictures that encapsulates Venice for me.

Of course you can’t come to Venice and not buy some over priced tat / souvenirs, my excuse was they were for my grandkids.

So arrivederci Venice, we’re off to Torino (Turin) next