Visit to the medieval walls:

The tour can begin at the Castle of Padua (where you can find the Piazzetta Delia car park), located at the southern end of the river island within the city. The castle, which is now partly occupied by the university and was formerly a prison, can be visited upon reservation to see the tower of the Astronomical Observatory, which was built in 1767 on top of the 13th-century Torlonga. Cross the bridge from the square to the Ponte di S. Agostino (lit. St. Augustine’s Bridge) to enjoy a panoramic view of the castle. As you continue along the Albertino Mussato riverside, you will encounter sections of the city walls, which are over ten metres high and more than three metres wide. Of the 19 medieval gates, four were main gates, two of which have been preserved. You will then arrive at Ponte dei Tadi (lit. Tadis’ Bridge) and the iron footbridge of St. Benedetto, followed by the Ponte di S. Leonardo (lit. St. Leonard’s Bridge) and the Porta dei Molini (lit. Mills’ Gate), where you can admire Ezzelino’s watchtower. Via Dante leads to Piazza dei Signori (lit. Sirs’ Square). Enter the area of the Carrarese Royal Palace through the Palazzo del Capitaniato (lit. Captain’s Palace) gate, where you will find the Sala dei Giganti (lit. Giants’ Room) in the Liviano Palace and the Carrarese Loggia on Via Accademia. In Piazza Duomo (lit. Duomo’s Square), you can visit the cathedral complex, including the baptistery and the Monte di Pietà (the ancient pawnshop), and then the Palazzo della Ragione (lit. the Reason Palace) and Porta Altinate (lit. Altinate’s Gate).

Visit to the 16th-century walls:

The 11 km-long bastioned front takes half a day to visit, and it is best to go by bicycle so that you can stop frequently. Guided tours are organised by the Comitato Mura di Padova (lit. the Padua Walls Committee). The route can start at the Portello Nuovo (lit. New Gate) staircase in front of Porta Ognissanti (lit. All Saints Gate). Following the cycle path alongside the Piovego and Via Trieste, you will pass many other bastions, named Bastion Piccolo, Puntone di Porciglia, Bastione dell’Arena, as well as the Cappella degli Scrovegni (the Scrovegni Chapel), the Museo Civico degli Eremitani (lit. the Civic Museum of the Eremitani), the Ponte dei Carmini (lit. Carmini’s Bridge) and the Torrione Codalunga (lit. Codalunga Tower). The bastions named Moro I and II, Impossibile, Savonarola, St. Prosdocimo and St. Giovanni are located along the ring road, as are the gates of Falconetto. Continue towards Bastione della Saracinesca (lit. Portcullis Bastion), Torre della Catena (lit Chain Tower), Bastione Ghirlanda (lit. Ghirlanda Bastion), Torrione Alicorno (lit. Alicorno Tower), Piazzale S. Croce (lit. St. Cross Square) and Porta S. Croce (lit. St. Cross Gate). The outer ring road then leads to the S. Giustina towers and Ponte Corvo (lit. Corvo Bridge), Porta Liviana (lit. Liviana Gate) behind the Basilica of St. Antonio, and Via Cornaro to the Cornaro del Sanmicheli Bastion. The tour ends at Portello after passing the Torrione Buovo (lit. Buovo Tower) and Castelnuovo with its water gate.