Hotel/Travel
Conference Location: NH Padova, Padua Italy
Please note: The button above only allows you to book for the nights of the conference (check in October 8th through checkout October 12th). Please click the button below to book any additional dates you wish to stay before and after the conference dates such as checking in on October 6th or 7th or October 12th or 13th (if not going on the post-conference tour).
Via Niccolò Tommaseo, 61, 35131 Padova PD, Italy
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Click here to download the pdf version
By air
Padua can be easily reached from three airports (Venice VCE, Treviso TSF, Verona VRN).
The nearest airport is Venice Marco Polo (60 Km) where many national and international airlines operate.
The airports of Treviso (70 Km) and Verona (80 Km) are also close enough and provide easy access.
Connections from Venice airport to Padova:
Bus
You can reach Padua city centre by FSBusitalia bus.
Bus + train
Take ACTV line 15 bus or the ATVO MESTRE EXPRESS shuttle to Venezia Mestre railway station,
then take a train to Padova (visit Trenitalia or Italo Treno websites).
Car rental
A car rental service is available in the airport.
Taxi
The taxi service is provided by Cooperativa Artigiana Radiotaxi. For info and bookings Tel. +39 041 59
64 (24-hour service).
Shuttle Bus
AIRSERVICE - You can book your collective taxi service from Venice “Marco Polo” airport to Padova in
advance on https://www.airservicepadova.it/en/
One way fare: 44 euro
Contacts: Email: booking@airservicepadova.it
from Monday to Friday (15:30- 19:30) - Tel: +39 049 8704425
Saturday and Sunday: closed
LANDOMAS – You can book your collective taxi service from Venice “Marco Polo” airport to Padova in
advance on http://www.landomas.it/en/rates-for-venezia-airport/
Please note: For departure before 7 am or arrival after 10,30 pm: only individual service
One way fare from Venice apt: 34 euro
One way fare from Treviso apt: 47 euro
Contacts: Email: landomas@landomas.it
from Monday to Friday (08:30-13:00 - 15:00- 19:30) - Tel: 0039 049 8600382 – 00 39 335 8417474
Saturday and Sunday: closed
TREVISO “Antonio Canova” airport
Connections from Treviso airport to Padova:
Bus + train
Take the bus service Treviso airlink to reach Treviso railway station, then take a train to
Padova (visit Trenitalia or Italo Treno websites).
Taxi
The service is provided by the company Radio Taxi Treviso.
For info and bookings: Tel: +39 0422 431515 - Text: +39 338 844 2000
Verona “Valerio Catullo” airport
Bus + train
Take the bus service Verona airlink to reach Verona Porta Nuova railway station, then take a
train to Padova (visit Trenitalia or Italo Treno websites).
Taxi
The taxi rank can be found at the exit of the Arrivals Terminal.
UNIONE RADIO TAXI: +39 045 532666
TAXI & AUTO BLU SOC. COOP.: +39 045 8581403
RADIOTAXI CATULLO: +39 045 2223525
By train
Padova is at a key point on the Turin-Trieste and Venice-Rome rail routes and is consequently well served
by the rail network. It is about two hours from Milan, 1 hour from Bologna and 30 minutes from Venice and
Verona.
Useful links:
By car
From the A4 Torino-Trieste motorway, take the Padova Est exit, whether coming from Milan (west) or
from Venice (east); from here follow the signs to the centre of Padova.
From the A13 Bologna-Padova motorway, take the Padova Sud exit, then follow the signs to the centre
of Padova.
Getting around Padua
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Bus and tram services in Padua are provided by FSBusItalia.
The price of a single 75-minute ticket is €1.30 at the ticket office or €2.50 on board; a 24h ticket costs
€3.60.
TAXI
Cooperativa Radio Taxi Padova is a 24-hour radio taxi service. Taxi rank in the centre of Padua Train Station
square.
Telephone 049 651333 - For further information: www.taxipadova.it
It is also possible to request the taxi service, specifying the address where the taxi will arrive, by sending a
text message to 0039 338 8442000.
Cooperativa Serenissima Taxi Service is a 24-hour radio taxi service.
Phone 049 490 6001 - “ItTaxi” app - For further information: www.padova-taxi.it
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Click here to download the pdf version
PADUA
An ancient city, cradle of universities and trade, located in the Veneto region in north-eastern Italy, Padua has always had a focus on art, culture and science.
A city to be discovered on foot or by bicycle, with slowness and curiosity. A city with numerous attractions that are often little known: because apart from the Scrovegni Chapel, where Giotto painted one of his masterpieces, few people know all the museums, gardens, churches and monuments that Padua offers. This is why setting out to discover it can be a pleasant surprise. Here are some highlights:
The Scrovegni Chapel in Padua
A distracted visitor passing in front of the building housing the Scrovegni Chapel could easily walk straight away thinking that there is nothing exceptional worth going in for. In reality, that 'simple building' as Giotto himself called it, houses the most important cycle of frescoes in the world.
Marvel as you admire the starry sky under which the episodes from the life of Joachim and Anne (panels 1-6), those from the life of Mary (panels 7-13) and the episodes from the life and death of Christ unfold.
Be a little more astonished when you think that it took Giotto only two years to complete it all. In 1303 he received the commission from Enrico Scrovegni and by 1305 he had already finished. Enrico wanted to build the Chapel in suffrage of the soul of his father, Reginaldo Scrovegni, who had much to be forgiven for. A banker and usurer, he was so famous and feared that he was placed by Dante in the inferno of the Divine Comedy. With the Scrovegni Chapel, Giotto began the revolution of modern painting.
Opening hours: all year round from 9.00 am to 7.00 pm.
Closed: Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
Ticket price: full price € 14. This ticket also gives access to the Civic Museums and Palazzo Zuckermann.
Entrance from Musei Civici, piazza Eremitani 8.
Official website: Scrovegni Chapel
Please note: visits are to be reserved in advance, same day reservations cannot be made!
The University
Padua is home to one of the oldest universities in the world, which since the 13th century has seen a constant flow of eminent professors from the scientific world, such as Pietro d’Abano, Nicolò Copernico, William Harvey, Andrea Vesalio, Gabriele Falloppio, Galileo Galilei, Fabrizio d’Acquapendente and Giovan Battista Morgagni, to mention just a few.
The University of Padua takes pride in having established the first European botanical garden, the “Orto dei Semplici” (1545), the first permanent anatomical theatre in the world, the “Teatro Anatomico”(1595), and the first Italian University Library, the “Sala dei Giganti” (1629). Moreover, in 1678 the “Sacro Collegio dei filosofi e medici” (Holy University College of Philosophers and Physicians) awarded the first university degree in the world to a woman, the noble Venetian Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia.
The Anatomical Theatre, conceived by the famous pathologist Girolamo Fabrici d’Acquapendente, is preserved at Palazzo Bo, the ancient site of the University of Padua, where one can also visit the Aula Magna. In the nearby Sala dei Quaranta, so named for the forty portraits of foreign students, is the wooden chair from which Galileo taught mathematics and physics from 1592 to 1610.
Opening hours and ticket prices for Palazzo Bo
From Monday to Friday the "Palazzo Bo - Historical tour" is available, with a guided tour of the Courtyards of the "anatomical kitchen" and the Anatomical Theatre.
The Aula Magna Galileo Galilei, the Sala dei Quaranta, the Sala di Medicina and the Sala di Giurisprudenza can also be visited.
On Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, the "Palazzo Bo and Gio Ponti's 1900s" tour is available, which includes guided tours of the Rector's Courtyards, the Ancient Archives, the "Anatomical Kitchen" and the Anatomical Theatre. The Basilica, the Aula Magna Galileo Galilei, the Sala dei Quaranta and the Sala di Medicina can also be visited.
Ticket price: 7 € historical tour; 12 € Giò Ponti's '900.
Official website of Palazzo Bo
The town centre is an attractive place to explore, with many historic streets to wander where you will find some beautiful medieval squares and buildings:
Piazza delle Erbe e della Frutta in Padua
For centuries, Piazza delle Erbe has been the place in Padua designated for the market. The names used in time to define this large space have always indicated its origin and commercial function: 'Piazza della Biada' (“Fodder square”) 'Piazza Del Vino' (Wine square). Actually, even the names of the streets surrounding the square betray their commercial function: innkeepers, butchers, greengrocers, each corner had a specialisation. Behind Piazza delle Erbe, divided by Palazzo della Ragione, is the other commercial square in Padua: Piazza della Frutta. Again, the name betrays its original origin and function
(Fruit square), although it now houses a market where clothes are almost exclusively sold.
The two squares are joined by the 'Volto della Corda' or 'Canton delle busie', a covered passageway so called because here liars, bankrupts, cheaters and debtors were hit on the back with a rope. The ropes always hung from five stone rings embedded in the wall as a warning. The corner below the 'Face of the Rope' is called 'Canton delle busie' (corner of lies) because this is where merchants held their negotiations. Still visible today are the white stones with the ancient Paduan measures, a reference to prevent vendors from cheating customers.
Other places of special interest are the medieval Hall of Justice (Palazzo della Ragione), the Basilica of St. Anthony, Prato della Valle, the biggest square in Europe built in the XVII century with a unique elliptical conformation, and the Botanical Garden.
Palazzo della Ragione (Hall of Justice)
The most imposing palace and symbol of Padua overlooks Piazza delle Erbe: it is Palazzo della Ragione, which for centuries was the seat of the Court, from which it takes its name. The building, with its great hall on the upper floor, is reputed to have the largest roof unsupported by columns in Europe; the hall is nearly rectangular, its length 81.5m, its breadth 27m, and its height 24 m. The walls are covered with allegorical frescoes: the pictorial cycle inside the palace is one of the largest in the world: zodiacal, astrological, religious and animal motifs follow one another, symbolizing the activities of the city at different times of the year and the intervention of the palace judges to settle matters; the building stands upon arches, and the upper story is surrounded by an open loggia. The Palazzo was begun in 1172 and finished in 1219. The hall on the upper floor can seat up to 1500 people.
The Basilica of St. Anthony
Paduans call St Anthony 'The Saint', without adding a name. This makes one realize not only the affection but also the importance for Padua of the Basilica that houses St Anthony's relics.
The destination of a non-stop pilgrimage that culminates with the procession on 13 June, the Basilica di Sant'Antonio is also worth a visit for the presence of many masterpieces of Italian art. The first thing one notices is the coexistence of different styles due to successive interventions: the Romanesque façade, the Gothic ambulatory with its seven chapels, the Byzantine domes and the Moorish bell towers. Inside, starting from the right, there is the Chapel of Gattamelata and the Chapel of St James frescoed in 1300 by Andriolo de Santi, one of the greatest Venetian architects and sculptors of the time. Next is the Chapel of the Crucifixion and then
the Chapter House, with a fragment of the Crucifixion attributed to Giotto. The 'Treasure of the Basilica' with the Saint's relics is in the centre of the Deambulatory. In the square in front of the basilica, not to be missed is the equestrian monument to Gattamelata, a bronze statue by Donatello, an authentic revolution in the history of art: it was the first large equestrian statue to be detached from other architectural elements.
Opening hours: 6.20 am - 7.45 pm Saturday and Sunday it always closes at 7.45 pm, after the last Mass.
Ticket price: free of charge.
How to get there: Piazza del Santo. From Prato della Valle it's a 10 minute walk.
Official website of the Basilica di Sant'Antonio
Prato della Valle
Prato della Valle (88620 square metres) is second in total size only to Moscow's Red Square. To understand how big it actually is, one only has to think that it is formed by a central, completely green island, called Isola Memmia in honour of the podestà who commissioned the work.
Surrounding the island is a canal about 1.5 km in circumference, surrounded by a double row of numbered statues (78) of famous people from the past.
Prato della Valle has always been the centre of life in Padua: here there was a large Roman theatre and a circus for horse racing. Two of the city's four patron saints, St Justina and St Daniel, were martyred here. In the Middle Ages, fairs, jousts and public festivals were held here. Today in Prato della Valle tourists and Paduans stroll, cycle, sunbathe in the summer or stay up late at night. After years of neglect, the Piazza has finally regained its centrality in the life of Padua.
The Botanical Garden
Few people know that Padua has played a fundamental role in the study of medicinal plants and the introduction of many exotic plants to Europe.
The Botanical Garden of Padua was established in 1545 for the cultivation of medicinal plants, which then constituted the vast majority of 'simples', i.e. medicines that came directly from nature.
At the time, there were no medicines, and those plants were so precious that thefts occurred every night despite the penalty of imprisonment or exile for those who committed them. This made it necessary to build a circular wall that still today identifies the botanical garden of Padua as a circular closed garden. Most of the herbs and plants were important to the powerful Venetian Republic, which had trade relations with all the then known countries. A number of illustrious professors who had studied and translated the Greek medical works of Theophrastus, Aristotle and Galen put the use of these herbs into practice.
A centuries-old tradition culminated in 1997 with the inclusion of the Botanical Garden of Padua in the UNESCO World Heritage list. Today there are around 6,000 specimens of 3,500 botanical species and four wonderful greenhouses that reproduce different climates with the aim of preserving many of the world's plants.
Opening hours and ticket prices for the Botanical Garden
April to September
Tuesday - Sunday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. (last admission 6.15 p.m.)
Closed: Monday weekdays-
Cost of ticket: 10 €
Official website of the Botanical Garden
Weather in Padua
You can expect very pleasant temperatures during the day in October. The average maximum daytime temperature in Padova in October lies at 18.6°C (65.48°F). The average minimum temperature goes down to around 10.3°C (50.54°F) (often the minimum temperature is noted at night).
Rainfall during October is high with an average of 102mm (4.0 inchec). This makes it the wettest month of the year. There are generally around 12 rainy days. The sun will show itself now and again, with 126 hours of sunshine during the entire month.
The eight sites of Urbs Picta, Giotto’s Padua, which in 2021 became part of the Unesco Heritage, can be visited with just one single ticket. They include Giotto’s Scrovegni Chapel fresco cycle, considered to have marked the beginning of a revolutionary development in the history of mural painting, as well as other fresco cycles of different artists, namely Guariento di Arpo, Giusto de’ Menabuoi, Altichiero da Zevio, Jacopo Avanzi and Jacopo da Verona. The ticket can be purchased online at the dedicated website, or in paper copy at the various IAT points throughout the municipality.
NEW URBS PICTA APP
And to be guided in your visit to discover the frescoed cycles of the fourteenth century is now available a new application, conveniently downloadable on your mobile phone.
Padova Urbs Picta is the official smartphone app of the Municipality of Padua, which accompanies citizens and visitors to the sites of the World Heritage site, offering a rich experience of knowledge and fun to discover the masterpieces of Giotto and other artists of the fourteenth century. Thanks to the interaction of images, texts, maps, stories and music, the app can be a tool for enriching and guiding between the frescoed masterpieces and the places in the city that preserve them.
Other useful links:
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1623
https://booking.turismopadova.it/#/experiences
http://www.cappelladegliscrovegni.it/index.php/en/information/biglietti-e-riduzioni
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1. Will we have a code or something to notify the hotel we are with the conference when making reservations?
The hotel will generate a link to be provided to guests for hotel bookings; therefore, they will have no further codes.
https://www.nh-hotels.com/event/iufro
2. Will the hotel require full payment at the time of reservation?
Full payment will be required of each guest at the Hotel at check-in, along with the amount of city tax.A credit card is required to guarantee the balance with an authorization to charge in the event of non-payment or partial payment, cancellations in excess of allowed, unpaid extras, late check out and early check in, late arrival, early departure and no show.
3. Is there an additional cost for breakfast?
Rates are per room per night and are inclusive of buffet breakfast, service and 10% VAT. The NH Hotel is reserving rooms for us at a discounted rate until August 18. The room cost at NHHotel is 109 euros/night for Oct 8 and 9 and 149 euros/night for Oct 10 and 11. The rates have been created specifically for this occasion and can only be applied for nights booked in conjunction with this event and will not be applicable for individual reservations.
4. Is the rate different for single or double occupancy?
The rate is per room for single occupancy, with 2 people the cost is 30-40 euro more per room.
Below is a non-exhaustive list of hotels near the one where we will hold the classroom sessions (NH Hotel Padova), so individually you have to check prices and availability
- http://www.hotelgranditalia.it/
5. Why can’t I book additional days at the conference facility? For example, I will be traveling overseas to this event and will need to arrive on October 7th and will need to stay until the 13th due to international travel schedules.
Due to the nature of the booking and event, we are only able to provide conference rates for the dates of the meeting. Please visit the following link to add additional dates to your stay.
https://www.nh-hotels.it/hotel/nh-padova
For other needs please tell us, otherwise we will update you when we have more details.