I love to visit cities that are not on top of a country’s must-see list. Earlier I was surprised by the beauty of Bologna (Italy) and the surrounding area of Emilia Romagna. When I had the opportunity to visit Padua (Padova) in Northern Italy, I immediately made use it. Only 30 minutes from Venice and 1 hour from Verona it does have some serious competition in attracting visitors. But still I went. And I loved it. Maybe not as much as Bologna, but also in Padua I was drawn by the raw, unpolished urban atmosphere (one of my favorite photography subjects).
Typical for me, I skipped Padua’s biggest tourist attraction (the Scrovegni Chapel with its Giotto frescoes) and just wandered around town to capture daily life in Padua. Of course, I took in some of the most popular spots and through my lens I could definitely see why some people call Padua a hidden gem. The many historic, arcaded streets, churches, street art and the youthful population (Padua University was founded in 1222, the second oldest in Italy) make it an interesting daytrip.
