cycling in padua | Aussie in France

We set out on our bikes at 10.30 am after having a typical Italian breakfast at our B&B. A bit too high carb for cyclists. Our hostess spontaneously suggests eggs and cheese for tomorrow.

It’s a little muggy to start with but not at all cold. This time, when we get to the canal, we don’t cross the bridge as we did yesterday and discover a very different path – either gravel or asphalt the entire way.

We go past the Villa Giovanelli again but the view is better from the other side of the canal. It affords a close-up view of the statues though.

The bike path just before the second bridge

We also avoid the narrow passageway across the second bridge because we come out on the other side. Just before the bridge, we turn left until the zebra crossing then join the path on the other side.

We decide to keep going along the canal and enter the city of Padua from the entrance closest to Cappella degli Scrovegni so we can pick up our tickets. We go past Porta Ogni Santi also known as Portello, which is a meeting place for the students who frequent the nearby university.

The chapel is just next door to Arena park where we had our lunch yesterday. I get our tickets without even having to stand in line (we reserved yesterday for 2.30 pm today) and we head for Porta Specola. En route we stop for a cappuccino near Piazza della Fruta.

First cappuccino since our arrival in Italy

As we’re cycling along one of the little paved streets off the Piazza, I realise I must have a puncture. Jean Michel pumps it up (we always carry a puncture kit) and we go to a little square nearby so he can repair the puncture.

It turns out one of my tyres has a big tear in it. While Jean Michel’s repairing the inner tube a lady comes by walking her dog. I ask her if she knows where there is a bike shop to buy a new tyre. She phones her son and directs us to the Duomo – all in Italian! A young girl and her mother come by and ask if they can help. The other lady relays the message about the bike shop to the young girl who explains it to me in English adding that the shop will be closed during lunch time.

That’s OK. We’ll have lunch first, visit the chapel, then find the shop. So we set off for the old Observatory tower built in the 18th century to experiment with astronomic theories.

We then keep our eye open for somewhere to have lunch and I spy a little Trattoria under the arches of a gallery called Savonarola that looks just right. We order the pasta of the day – maccheroni al torchio alla norma which I later discover is a dish of Sicilian origin with a tomato sauce to which fried eggplant, ricotta and basil have been added.

The starry sky of the Cappella degli Scrovegni

At the chapel, we arrive with 10 minutes to spare. Only 25 people can enter at a time and prior reservation is compulsory. We watch a 20-minute video in Italian first, with subtitles in English and German. It explains the origin of the chapel and some of the frescoes. I’m a little disappointed in some of the paintings. Giotto finished only took 2 years to paint the entire chapel and I guess he rushed through some of the scenes …

Palazzo del Bo university founded in 1222.

Next stop is the duomo but no one has heard of a bike shop there so we go back to the tourist office where we are directed to another shop not far from our next stop, Saint Anthony’s basilica. L’Angolo del ciclo is on via Facciolatti, 22. We stop by the Palazzo del Bo on the way, but don’t have time to visit.

L'angolo ciclo bike shop — L’angolo del Ciclo bike shop

We soon have a new tyre and two bike locks because the one that Jean Michel uses to protect our bikes when they’re on the bike trailer takes quite a long time to attach. It’s better to have a faster system when you’re visiting a town centre by bike. He manages to put the tyre in one of the paniers and we start look for a gelateria.

The Byzantine cupolas at Saint Anthony's basilica — The Byzantine cupolas at Saint Anthony’s basilica

After our ice-creams, we visit the Basilica, which I consider is the most interesting monument in Padua. It is quite sumptuous. It has a Roman façade, Byzantine cupolas, a Gothic central tower and bell-towers and a late Renaissance chapel containing the tomb of Saint Anthony. Photos are not allowed inside.

Second set of cloisters at the Basilica di Sant'Antonio — Second set of cloisters at the Basilica di Sant’Antonio

We continue the visit with two cloisters offering wonderful views of the outside of the basilica.

By the time we get back to our bikes, it’s 5.40 pm. We debate about when Jean Michel will change the tire since it’s a bit cumbersome. However, the decision is out of our hands. My tyre is completely flat again. I am a bit worried about the time because we need a good 40 minutes to get back to our B&B and the sun sets at around 7.15 pm. We don’t have our lights with us. As it turns out, I needn’t have worried. We even have time to stop at the supermarket and bancomat.

The light as we cycle home is quite lovely.

We’ve really enjoyed our stay in Padua. It has a good feel to it and is very relaxing. Despite its popularity, it feels like a place where people live and not just a tourist attraction like Lake Garda. Visiting it by bike is perfect despite the puncture. Staying out of the main area is also a good solution as it has enabled us to see another part of the city.

A part of Padua we wouldn't have seen if we hadn't been cycling — A part of Padua we wouldn’t have seen if we hadn’t been cycling

Tomorrow, we’re moving to an appartment at Arqua Petrarca 25 kilometers away for three days of cycling – the Palladian villas, the fortified towns of Mnselice, Este and Montagnana, and the Euganei hills. Fine weather is forecast for Saturday and Monday, with a maximum of 25°C, but we might have a bit of rain on Sunday morning.

I’ve been wanting to visit Padua for a very long time. Many years ago, we toured northern Italy and got as far as Vicenza. We can’t remember why we didn’t go any further. Our Routard guidebook tells us that the best way to visit Padua is by bike. Jean Michel is a little dubious, especially after Lake Garda which is not really geared towards cyclists, even though we made the most of the bike paths that do exist, particularly on the eastern side.

Our first glimpse of the 18th century Prato della Valle, once the site of an immense Romain theatre

We’ve reserved a B&B seven kilometers from the centre and I’m hoping we’ll be able to cycle into the old town. The Routard also says that if we buy a Padova (Padua) Pass, we can park for free in the Rabin car park just outside the historical centre. The only catch is that you have to park first, then buy the pass at the tourist office.

A close-up of some of the 78 statues of famous men, philophers, writers, men of science and doctors.

It turns out that you enter your registration number in the ticket machine, then insert one euro. You pay the balance when you come back to get the car. We set off and are very impressed by the number of people on bikes. Most of the roads have a bike path on one side, though it is usually only separated from the road by a yellow line. It doesn’t seem to pose a problem.

The second monument we see - Basilica di Sant'Antonio built in the 13th century — The second monument we see – Basilica di Sant’Antonio built in the 13th century

We get to the pedestrian only area and see that everyone is wheeling their bike. I ask at the tourist office, which is just nearby, and the lady explains it only concerns the immediate vicinity (Piazza Cavour). Elsewhere, you can cycle wherever you want. You just have to watch the pedestrians. Which we do.

Our pass costs 16 euro for 2 days and also includes free public transport and free entrance to several monuments, the most important of which is the Scrovegni Chapel which already costs 13 euro so it’s worth it. The lady then reserves our entrance to the Chapel at 2.30 pm next day which seems to me a very civilised way of doing things.

We head off for the Parco dell’Arena to have our picnic lunch (it’s an intermittent fast day) and decide what to do next. Although the old town isn’t that big, having our bikes gives us a much better choice than if we reon foot.

The 13th century Palazzo della Ragione with its sundial

We visit the Piazza della Fruta and the Piazza delle herbe where they are starting to pack up after the daily market, including a visit upstairs.

The first-floor gallery of the Palazzo della Ragione

The 13th century Venetian-style building has both a clock and a sundial.

The "stone of shame" inside the Palazzo della Ragione on which insolvent debtors were exhibited with their pants down! — The “stone of shame” inside the Palazzo della Ragione on which insolvent debtors were exhibited in their underwear!

But the oldest clock in Italy is in the nearby Piazza dei Signori, unfortunately being restored.

The oldest clock in Italy (14th century) on the Venitian-style Piazza dei Signori

At the Piazza del Duomo, we visit the Baptistry next to the cathedral with its lovely frescoes. Entrance is covered by our Padova Pass.

The 12th cedntury Battisero della Cattedrale

We’ve had enough visiting for one day so head back to the car. I have to press the SOS button on the ticket machine and give the car registration number and Padova Pass number so we can get out the car park.

The B&B is in a residential area called Noventa Padovana and has a large garden. As soon as we’ve taken our things up to the room, we take our bikes off the tailer and, following our hostess’ instructions, cycle down to the canal. So far, so good. It seems we can take the path on either side. Not far along we see the most amazing building which turns out to be Villa Giovanelli, a Paladian villa built in the 17th century.

After that, the road narrows to a couple of deep ruts and we’re no longer sure if we chose the right bank. We eventually come out on a road and don’t know whether to turn left or right. I ask another cyclist for the centro historico and he sends me to the right. We go over a bridge and see the Brenta on our left. By now it’s about 5.30 pm and people are obviously coming home from work. We follow the path along the river hoping we’re going the right way.

I ask for directions again and am told to go left over the bridge and straight on. Jean Michel is his usual doubting-Thomas self but we eventually reach an intersection that he recognises. He then takes me back to Piazza dei Signori for a cold drink.