Venice & Padua (5 nights)

Description

Venice is beautiful that words are not enough to describe it. It is one of the most charming and romantic places in all world and once in a life it has to be visited, but at the heart of the Veneto Region, there is Padova (or Padua)- a lovely town, famous for its university, one of the oldest in the world, and for Saint Anthony, the Portuguese friar who lived there for many years. It is also the place where Galileo Galilei made his most important discoveries and where William Shakespeare set his Taming of the Shrew.

DAY 1: Arrival in Venice
Arrive in Venice on your own or on request private boat transfer to your hotel.
Check-in to your hotel. Enjoy the afternoon/evening strolling through one of the most romantic cities in the world, including a typical gondola ride.
… Apartment in Venice

DAY 2: Guided tour in Venice City
After breakfast, meet your English-speaking guide for a 3-hour-tour in the heart of this beautiful city. You will visit Palazzo Ducale, Bell Tower, Clock Tower, Marco Polo’s House, Basilica San Marco (with priority entrance) and its wonderful square - with a complete historical overview.
Afternoon at leisure. We suggest you to walk through the “calli” (narrow streets) and cross the larger and smaller canals using the dozens of bridges available, it will be a great opportunity to see how life in Venice works, as everything is done by boat!
Option to visit the famous Guggenheim Museum or the National Archeological Museum or any other Museum you are interested to. Contact us, we have plenty of options!
… Apartment in Venice

DAY 3: Murano, Burano and Torcello
After breakfast, take the "vaporetto" (water bus) and you first stop is in the island of Murano. Visit one of the most historic furnaces of Murano- where you’ll watch a glass blower creating beautiful pieces of glassware, a Murano tradition that dates back to 1291. Next stop, is the island of Torcello, an island established between the 5th and 6th centuries, to see its ornate palaces and churches. Highlights include the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, founded in the 7th century. Then head to your last stop, Burano, an island known for its lace production, which dates back to the 16th century. While you visit local shops and the museum to admire high quality lace on display, admire the island’s brightly colored fishermen’s houses. Your tour then ends with the return boat ride to Venice.
… Apartment in Venice

DAY 4: Padua
In the morning, take a train from Venezia/S. Lucia to the beautiful city of Padova (Padua). As you arrive, start by walking towards the city centre along the main avenue.
In the afternoon, meet your local English guide for a 4 hours tour of Padova : you will visit the Scrovegni Chapel, with its precious 14th-century Giotto frescoes, the most famous squares of Padua- Piazza delle Erbe, Piazza della Frutta and at the nearby Piazza dei Signori, surrounded by the elegant Loggia del Consiglio, also called della Guardia (1496-1553) and the Palazzo del Capitanio (1605), whose façade includes the triumphal arch (1532), also called dell'Orologio. The University of Padua, one of the oldest in the world (Palazzo Bo and the Anatomical Theater). The Basilica of St. Anthony, locally called the Saint (il Santo). It is dedicated to Saint Anthony, the Patron of the poor and his relics are here preserved, that’s why it is visited each year by millions of pilgrims
Not far from the Basilica is the Botanical Garden, recognized as a UNESCO Heritage Site, it was established in 1545 by the Faculty of Medicine, and it still has an exceptional collection of rare endangered plants.
...B&B/Apartment in Padua

DAY 5: Padua
Today, enjoy visiting the city by foot. Start from one of Padua’s iconic places: Prato della Valle- an elliptical square of 88.620 square meters- where the main events of the city take place. It is one of the largest squares in Europe, it is surrounded by a canal, and decorated with a double ring of 78 (originally 87) statues of notable people in the history of Padua. Nearby, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, which was designed by Michelangelo in 1551.
While in the city center, stop in the historical café Caffè Pedrocchi (18^th) and have a caffè Pedrocchi which is a special coffee, served in a medium size cup with a mint flavoured cream and a sprinkle of cocoa powder. It was the meeting point for many intellectuals and artists such as Lord Byron and Stendhal and it became famous as the "coffee-house without doors", because for many years it was open 24 hours to provide hospitality to travelers, locals and anyone who happened by.
Finally, take some time to do shopping, Padua offers lots of food markets, antique shops and designer boutiques.
...B&B/Apartment in Padua

DAY 6: Padua
Departure on your own or private transfer on request.
Option to add one of our trip extensions to Verona, Vicenza or other cities on request!
B, ….