Hotel Belludi 37

Charming Hotel Belludi is right in the historic centre 

An ideal base for a stay in Padova is the area between the beautiful Basilica di Sant’Antonio and the city’s main square Prato della Valle.

The Hotel Belludi 37 is about halfway between these two main sights in a converted palazzo in Via Beato Belludi. It is in a perfect location for people wishing to explore the city on foot with most of the ‘must see’ attractions within a short walk of the hotel.

The entrance to Hotel Belludi 37

Despite its traditional façade the Hotel Belludi 37 is very modern on the inside with a simple contemporary décor and modern furniture in all the guest rooms.

The reception desk just inside the entrance hallway is always manned by very friendly and helpful staff and a staircase with ornate wrought iron balustrading leads up to the guest rooms and the breakfast room.

The hotel offers free wireless internet and the use of bicycles for getting around Padova. It is in an area well off for bars and restaurants but is close to tram and bus stops if you want to travel further afield.

Many guests have commented after their stay that the Belludi 37 feels more like a four star than a two star hotel. Some have said that they appreciated the friendly service so much they returned to Hotel Belludi on their next visit to Padova.

For more information, to check prices and make a reservation, visit our hotel bookings partner www.venere.com

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Visit the tomb of St Luke at Santa Giustina in Padova

The Basilica di Santa Giustina

Just a short walk from the Basilica del Santo, dedicated to Sant’Antonio, lies another very important church in Padova.

The vast Basilica di Santa Giustina, with its eight domes, is in Prato della Valle, one of Padova’s principal squares.

Santa Giustina is the ninth largest Christian church in the world and houses the relics of many revered saints.

The 16th century basilica is at the south-east corner of Prato della Valle where it is joined by Via Avazzano and Via Ferrari. The church contains the remains of Santa Giustina, a devout young woman who was martyred in 304. At the back of the Presbytery, a magnificent altarpiece painted by Paolo Veronese in 1575 depicts the moment of her death.

Santa Giustina is also home to the tomb containing the body of St Luke the Evangelist, who was credited with writing the Gospel according to St Luke.

Next door to the basilica there is a Benedictine monastery with frescoed cloisters and a famous library that can be visited by arrangement.

Admission to Basilica Santa Giustina is free. Opening hours: 7.30 to 12.00 and 15.00 to 18.30; Sunday 7.30 to 19.30.

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Padova prepares to celebrate Christmas

Christmas tree in Padova

The lights and trimmings are up in Padova as the city marks the official beginning of the festive season.

Il giorno dell’immacolata concezione (the day of the immaculate conception) has been celebrated for centuries in Italy on 8 December.

It is an official festa (feast day) when the immaculate conception of Jesus is celebrated in the Christian calendar. But most of the shops in Padova are open as usual and do a brisk trade as people do their Christmas shopping.

As in many other countries across the world, Christmas shopping actually begins earlier than 8 December in Italy, with Christmas trees, lights and decorations starting to go up during November.

But Padova’s two famous market squares, Piazza della Frutta and Piazza delle Erbe will be even busier than usual from now until Christmas Eve.

Buona Festa!

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Look out for Vino Novello in Padova

A display of Vino Novello in a Padova supermarket

November is a good time to visit Padova when Vino Novello goes on sale.
The light, fruity, new wine is enjoyable to drink and a bargain buy to take home with you.
Vino Novello is similar in taste, body and colour to the French Beaujolais Nouveau, which is exported to other countries after its release.
Like Beaujolais Nouveau, Italy's new wine should be drunk quickly after the bottle is opened. Unopened bottles should be kept for only a few months.
Italy's Vino Novello 2012 was launched on 6 November, ten days ahead of Beaujolais Nouveau and you will see it on sale in many supermarkets, wine shops and bars.
The Veneto is a major area for production, with the merlot grape being the one most used.
Whereas 100 per cent carbonic maceration is used to produce Beaujolais Nouveau, only 30 per cent is required for Vino Novello.
However, one Italian Vino Novello produced using 100 per cent carbonic maceration is Bardolino Novello, made in the area around the resort of Bardolino on Lake Garda in the Veneto.
The Bardolino wine consortium say they use 100 per cent carbonic maceration in order to produce an excellent wine.
So take any opportunity to taste Bardolino Novello while on holiday in Padova. Salute!

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Feast your eyes on Padova’s famous market squares

Bar under the porticos of Palazzo della Ragione

Foodies will love exploring the two squares on either side of Padova’s  Palazzo della Ragione, which are the sites for large markets selling fruit, vegetables and other goods.

The Piazza della Frutta and the Piazza delle Erbe have been at the heart of the commercial centre of Padova since the 13th century.

If you can’t find what you are looking for on any of the hundreds of market stalls that fill both squares, there are shops selling meat, cheese, fish and specialist ingredients for cooking under the porticos on either side of the Palazzo.

It is pleasant to sit at one of the bars and have a drink and a snack while observing the lively scenes taking place in the squares or you can buy food to eat on the move from some of the stalls or vans that have come to do business there.

Stall in Piazza delle Erbe

The huge Palazzo della Ragione was built to serve as Padova’s law court and council chamber in 1218 and the markets quickly became established on both sides of the building.

From Via 8 Febbraio you can reach the Piazza della Frutta by turning down Via Oberdan or to get to Piazza delle Erbe go down Via Municipio.

 

What to eat and drink in Padova

Free guide to restaurants in Padova

There are many good restaurants in Padova serving fine Italian food and visitors will have no difficulty finding places to eat.

The tourist offices in the city give out the publication Gustare Padova, a free guide to recommended restaurants, if requested.

While in Padova there is a unique opportunity to try some of the local specialities rather than just sticking to tried and trusted favourite dishes.

Cucina padovana (Padovan cooking) is similar to that of Venice but with a few traditions all of its own.

Look out for risotto ricco alla padovana which is served with duck and chicken and risotto with radicchio, a vegetable grown locally.

Popular pasta dishes include tortelli di zucca dolce (sweet pumpkin stuffed ravioli) and bigoli con ragu d’anatra (little strings of pasta with a duck sauce).

Various cuts of chicken and duck, served with a variety of different sauces and vegetable accompaniments, feature strongly among secondi piatti in most restaurants.  

It is good to sample the wines produced in the area and in Padova you will see Pinot Bianco and Soave among the white wines on many menus.

If you like red wine you will be spoilt for choice as Merlot, Bardolino and Valpolicella are all produced in the Veneto .

And if you fancy something sparkling make sure you sample some light, refreshing Prosecco while in Padova.

Not far from the city is the so called strada del Prosecco, the road between Valdobbiadene and Conegliano, which is lined with wineries producing Prosecco DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata), the stamp of quality given to the best Italian wines.

Spend the day in Venice

A gondola glides down the Grand Canal

From Padova it is quick and easy to get to Venice by train, meaning you can enjoy a full day out in one of the most popular cities in the world at relatively little cost.
There are frequent, direct trains from Padova to the Santa Lucia railway station in Venice. The more expensive Eurostar express trains take about 15 minutes but you can also make the journey on one of the local regionale services in about 35 minutes for as little as €3 for a single ticket.

When you arrive at Santa Lucia and come out of the station you will be greeted by the magnificent sight of the Grand Canal in front of you.

You could choose to sail down to Piazza San Marco in style on a vaporetto or to walk down Lista di Spagna and through fascinating back streets in the direction of the Rialto bridge and Piazza San Marco.

You could also cross the Ponte degli Scalzi bridge over the Grand Canal and walk through the narrow streets of the Santa Croce area towards the Rialto .

You can explore alleyways and squares, occasionally crossing little bridges, to your heart’s content, knowing whichever route you take will bring you to the Rialto in the end.

It is impossible to get lost because at the end of each alleyway there are signs for either Rialto and San Marco or Ferrovia and Piazzale Roma, the railway station and bus station.

The area between the railway station and Rialto is well off for shops, bars and restaurants, with prices tending to be lower than those charged by establishments closer to Piazza San Marco.

Walking through the Santa Croce area in the direction of the Rialto will bring you to the Campo della Pescheria and Venice’s famous fish market, which has recently been developed into a vibrant area with bars and restaurants where you can eat outside looking out over the Grand Canal.

There is now a new water bus stop for this area called Rialto Mercato.

Local specialities to try: Sample sarde in saor (sardines served with an Italian  sweet and sour sauce), fegato alla veneziana (tender calf’s liver cooked on a bed of onions) or zuppa di cozze (mussels with white wine, garlic and parsley).

Local wines to taste: White: Soave, which is so well known internationally, is made from grapes grown in the vineyards around the nearby hilltop town of Soave. Also look out for Tocai and Bianco di Custoza on Venice restaurant menus.

Red: Valpolicella is a pleasant, light, fruity wine made in the area between Verona and Lake Garda.

Frizzante: If you fancy something sparkling try Prosecco, a lovely wine produced around the areas of Valdobbiadene and Conegliano in the Veneto. Prosecco is an ideal aperitivo before lunch and dinner and a refreshing drink to order in a bar when you are having a break from sight seeing.

Travel Tip: A single ticket for the vaporetto is €7 so it is worth buying a travel card for your time in Venice for use on both water and land transport. At €18 for 12 hours you will need to use the vaporetto just three times to make a saving.

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