More Padova

Saturday 7 September - still

After breakfast we caught up on blogging, emails, etc. (after being without wi-fi overnight).

Walked into the Prato where a huge market filled the entire perimeter - what a sight, but apart from fruit and veg stalls, full of rubbish.

Walked on to where we were originally aiming for - the Orto Botanico, the oldest botanical garden in Europe (laid out in 1545). We spent a long time here looking at medicinal plants, some lovely ponds with water lilies & some huge trees including a mighty tulip tree, a Judas tree, a cedar planted in 1828, a 100-year old sequoia, a huge magnolia grandiflora (said to be the oldest in Italy), and a very old gingko tree (1750).

By now it was very hot. We called in to see the Basilica di Sant'Antonio, the burial site of the city's patron saint and a great attraction for pilgrims as demonstrated by the long queues inside.

We called in once more to the nice salumeria/enoteca at which we had bought produce for dinner our first night and again stocked up on nice cheese, bread rolls, prosciutto for lunch. We headed back to our B&B for a rest, lunch & an escape from the hot sun.

Will wait for things to cool down before heading off into town this evening to see the Duomo.

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Later...

My Friend wants to rest so I set off about 4.00 p.m. for the Duomo in town. Still hot but bearable. I call into the immense Oratorio di San Giorgio near the Prato - as it is on my way. It was built as a funerary chapel or family mausoleum in 1377 - but seriously, I'm a bit underwhelmed.

I walk in further to the tram stop and am grateful for the shelter from the hot sun. Arrive in the centre of town which was very busy indeed and the market was still in full swing; I found the Duomo - the building of which began in 1552 using sketches from Michelangelo - again underwhelming.

However, the attached Baptistry completely upstages the Duomo itself; the Baptistry has a wonderful cycle of frescoes dating from the 14th century by Giusto de'Menabuoi which depict more than a hundred scenes from Genesis, the apocalypse and the life of John the Baptist to whom the baptistery is dedicated.

I arrive back at our B&B about 6.00 p.m. to collect My Friend and we set off into our local neighbourhood for a pleasant meal at the trattoria and then to bed early (10.30 p.m.?). 

We need to be up before 6.30 a.m. tomorrow!