Getting There
By Train -- The main train station is at Piazza Stazione (tel. 049-875-1800; www.trenitalia.it), in the northern part of town, just outside the 16th-century walls. Padua is well connected by frequent train service to points directly west and east: Verona (1 hr.), Venice (30 min.), Vicenza (25 min.), and Milan (2 1/2 hr.).
By Bus -- The main ACAP bus station is located behind (east of) the Scrovegni Chapel and the Arena Gardens area on Via Trieste 40 (near Piazza Boschetti; tel. 049-824-1111; www.aps-online.it). Frequent bus service to Venice and Verona costs approximately the same as train tickets, though tourists and locals alike seem to use this station principally for the smaller outlying cities such as Bassano del Grappa.
By Car -- Padua is located directly on the principal Autostrada A4 that links Venice with Milan. All the points of interest listed below are located in the city's historic center, which is closed to traffic. When booking at your hotel, ask about the closest parking lot. Hotels usually have an agreement with their neighborhood parking lot and pass those savings along to hotel guests.
Visitor Information
The tourist office is in the train station (tel. 049-875-2077; fax 049-875-5008; www.padovanet.it or www.turismopadova.it). April to October, it's open Monday to Saturday 9am to 7pm and Sunday 9am to noon; November to March, hours are Monday to Saturday 9:20am to 5:45pm and Sunday 9am to noon. From the train station, bus nos. 3 and 8 head downtown (as do nos. 12 and 18 Mon-Sat and no. 32 Sun). There's another office at the cathedral on Piazza del Santo (tel. 049-875-3087). It's open daily in summer, 10am to 1pm and 3 to 6pm, and, in winter, 10am to 1pm and 2 to 5pm. You can also visit the APT office at Riviera Mugnai 8 (tel. 049-876-7911) for information.
City Layout
Pick up a map from the tourist office and plan your attack. The train station marks the city's northernmost point, and the Prato delle Valle and Basilica di Sant'Antonio mark the southernmost. The following sites of interest can be organized into three clusters and are all within walking distance of one other: the Cappella degli Scrovegni (also called the Arena Chapel) and the adjacent Museo Civico are across a small piazza from the Eremitani Church; the Caffè Pedrocchi can be found near the Palazzo della Ragione in the Piazza Cavour area (the Piazza della Frutta sits to the north and Piazza delle Erbe just to the south of the palazzo, with the Piazza degli Signori bringing up the west); and the Basilica di Sant'Antonio caps the southern end of town with the enormous Piazza Prato delle Valle just beyond.
Getting Around
Hotels, restaurants, and major points of interest all fall inside the historic center and can be reached on foot. Public buses service many of the center's streets, which are otherwise limited to traffic (pick up a bus map from the tourist office). Single tickets cost 1€ ($1.30) and are valid for 75 minutes; a family ticket is 2€ ($2.60). March through October, a sightseeing bus runs about every hour with a midday break (9:50 and 11am, noon, 2:45, 4, 5, and 6pm); it departs in front of the Basilica di Sant'Antonio, costs 13€ ($17), and includes a small discount at museums. Look for the red double-decker buses.
Cumulative Tickets -- If you plan on taking in all the sights of Padua during a short visit -- or even if you plan on visiting the Scrovegni Chapel and only one other sight -- a PadovaCard is a worthwhile investment. In addition to free use of the city's buses and free parking in some areas, the 14€ ($18) card gets you admission to the Cappella degli Scrovegni (you must call to make reservations), Musei Civici Eremitani, the Palazzo della Ragione, and other sites in Padua and the province as well as a seat in Caffè Pedrocchi. The card is valid for 48 hours and can be shared by both an adult and a child younger than 12. You'll find the card for sale at tourist offices and at sites at which you can use the card.
