Hi everyone!
After flying from Brussels Charleroi to Venice Treviso and taking the bus to Padova, I  arrived in Padova on Sunday, February 25. It was already late and I was pretty tired from the long and emotional day, so I went straight to my cute AirBnB to get some sleep.

The Duomo of Padova

Since the Welcome days would start on Tuesday, I was free on Monday. I  had to arrange some stuff for uni, which I combined with wandering through the city. My first impression? I don't mind living here for the upcoming months! The architecture in this city is so pretty, so many old buildings and colourful houses, love it!
At first, when I stood at the back of this church, I thought it was the San Antonio (more about this church later), but I was wrong. I was confused because this church also has a blue dome like the San Antonio, but apparently, that is just a typical thing of the churches in Padova. I actually am still a bit surprised that this is the cathedral of Padova. Normally, the biggest and most impressive church in a city is the cathedral, but this one is small compared to other churches in Padova. It is still very pretty though and worth a visit, but I expected more of it.

Piazza dei Signori

Piazza dei Signori is the place to have a drink at night. It is a square near the Duomo with a lot of bars and restaurants. In the summer, according to the tour guide, a lot of students are hanging out here. I really love the big clock at this square which shows all the Zodiac signs, except for one, the sign of Libra. The popular story is that the artist of the clock did this on purpose since he did not get the amount of money he wanted.

Palazzo della Ragione

This huge building can be found in the centre of Padova. It separates the two squares Piazza della Frutta (Square of Fruits) and Piazza delle Erbe (Square of herbs). The squares look quite similar and it may be hard to distinguish them, but Piazza delle Erbe has a fountain and Piazza della Frutta not! On the ground floor of Palazzo della Ragione, different food shops can be found. The upper level is a sight you have to see in Padova. The walls are covered with beautiful frescoes by servers of the famous fresco painter Giotto. One of the most famous works of Giotto can also be found in Padova, in the Scrovegni Chapel, but I will tell about this chapel another time.

Look how cute the streets are here in Padova! I love the fact that a lot of houses have these arches. It just looks so Italian and it is very useful when it is raining and you don't have an umbrella haha.

Basilica di Sant'Antonio di Padova

Now, let's talk about the church that is one of the main sights in Padova, the Basilica of Sant'Antonio. Well, actually, it is not a property of Padova, but it is a non-extraterritorial property of the Vatican. I definitely understand why people travel to Padova specifically for this church. It is so impressive. Another reason why a lot of people visit this church are the relics of Saint Anthony. In the basilica, you can find the tongue, vocal chords and mandible of this saint, so be prepared haha.
I have visited the church once now, but I will definitely visit it again in the upcoming months!

Prato della Valle