2 Best Sights in Padua, The Veneto and Friuli–Venezia Giulia

The Venetian Republic ordered the creation of Padua's botanical garden in 1545 to supply the university with medicinal plants, and it retains its original layout. You can stroll the arboretum—still part of the university—and wander through hothouses and beds of plants that were introduced to Italy in this late-Renaissance garden. A St. Peter's palm, planted in 1585, inspired Goethe to write his 1790 essay, "The Metamorphosis of Plants." The wonderful museum opened here in 2023, contains fascinating botanical collections and multimedia displays that explore the garden's history and evolution of plant use in medicine.

Extensive grounds with rare trees, ornamental fountains, and garden follies surround this extraordinary palace in Stra, 13 km (8 miles) southeast of Padua. Built in 1721 for the Venetian doge Alvise Pisani, it recalls Versailles more than a Veneto villa. This was one of the last and grandest of many stately residences constructed along the Brenta River from the 16th to 18th centuries by wealthy Venetians. Gianbattista Tiepolo's (1696–1770) spectacular fresco on the ballroom ceiling, The Apotheosis of the Pisani Family (1761), alone is worth the visit. For a relaxing afternoon, explore the gorgeous park and maze.