Northern Italy boasts fabulous cities that see Brits flock to them every year. Milan, Bologna, Bergamo, Turin, Verona and, of course, Venice. The region, Italy’s wealthiest, is home to rustic architecture and a culinary culture to make the mouth water.

However, the north of Italy is home to plenty of other spots that offer just as much as the well-known destinations – minus the throngs of tourists.

Perhaps the best example of a lesser-known Italian paradise is the city of Padua. Padua, found just under 24 miles to the west of Venice, is everything a northern Italian city should be.

Want cobbled winding streets? Want authentic Italian tastes? Want easily accessible ancient architecture and historical sites? Padua has you covered.

The city, which has a claim to being the oldest in the region, is known as Padova in Italian and is said to have been founded in the 12th century BC by the Trojans.

Its university is one of the oldest on the continent, after being founded in 1222. Its Basilica di Sant’Antonio was founded in the 13th century and the striking elliptical square Prato della Valle has been drawing crowds for centuries too.

Visitors to Padua have glowed about their time there. One Tripadvisor reviewer wrote of the city’s Prato della Valle: “Pictures do not reflect the charm of this place, especially after dark. It is so mysterious, so dignified.”

Another said of the Basilica di Sant’Antonio: “The Basilica of St. Anthony is a majestic church complex. Worth a visit in its own right. And in a country that haven’t shortage of beautiful churches, this is a thumping endorsement.”

A second added of the Basilica: “This is a must visit in Padua, it’s a fascinating Basilica with much to recommend. Pilgrims will want to visit the tomb and shrine to St Mark (queues come and go so you don’t need to wait long) and the chapel of the relics.
Very interesting and beautiful church.”

What elevates Padua even further as a holiday option is that you won’t have to battle with other tourists for tables in restaurants and bars, or in queues for the city’s cultural sites – in stark contract to nearby Venice.

According to Statista, in 2022 1.6 million tourists travelled to Padua, compared to 8.9 million visitors colling up the canals of Venice.

In fact, such is Venice’s overcrowding problem that during peak times tourists are charged to enter the city’s old town.