International Links - Padua, Italy

Padua, Italy - Twinned 2019

Padua is one of the oldest cities in Northern Italy, founded around 1183 BC.

A short train ride from Venice, Padua boasts elegant architecture, Roman ruins, medieval palaces, St Anthony's Basilica and the Giotto frescoes of the Scrovegni chapel. The cobbled streets and piazzas of the medieval centre are lined with shops, cafés, and restaurants, and, with plenty of students and cyclists, the city has a relaxed friendly atmosphere.

Padua shares many similarities with Oxford. It is home to the University of Padua (1222), the second oldest university in Italy and the Botanical Garden, created in 1545, the world’s first Botanical Garden. In the city centre, on the ground floor of the Palazzo della Ragione (1219), is the oldest covered market in Europe.

There are strong university connections between Oxford and Padua. The Oxford-Padova link organises events and activities connecting the two cities.

For more information, please contact: Oxford-Padova.