Aggiornamento: 19/02/2008
How to move around
Where to stay and how to move around town to make the most of your visit
In Padova there is a wide range of hotels ("alberghi") for all needs and convenience. In Italy hotels are rated with stars from 1, for a very simple accommodation, to luxury 5 stars. There are also many bed and breakfast spread around town, to allow tourist to accommodate in small flats or portions of family homes.
You can find the most suitable accommodation for your staying searching the "Hospitality" section of regional tourism
website (www.veneto.to) or into Padova Tourist Office's website (www.turismopadova.it) under the "Accomodation" section.
In Padova live slightly more than 210.000 inhabitants and it is the 14th largest city in Italy. Although the city is spread on a rather wide area, the city centre is quite small and can be easily walked through.
Most part of monuments and points of interest are located in the city centre, inside the Z.T.L. area (Limited Traffic Zone). Admittance within this area is allowed on foot, by bicycle and on motorbikes. To access this area by car, a special permit (temporary) must be requested in advance at City Police ("Polizia Municipale") Head office. For further information: ZTL Office, via Vicenza, 10a int. 1 - Padova phone +39 0498562438, fax +39 049723079 e-mail ztl@comune.padova.it Opening hours: monday to saturday from 9:00 to 12:00, except tuesdays from 10:00 to 14:00 Telephone enquiries monday to saturday from 8:00 to 9:00, except tuesdays from 8:00 to 10:00. Please note that not all personnel speaks english.
Moving around Padova is much easier using the wide net of local buses that reaches all areas of the town and the immediate surroundings. Urban buses are marked A.P.S. (Padova Service Company) and Aps tickets can be bought at many newsagents and tobacconists. There is an Aps kiosk right outside the train station, where many lines start their journey or stop. Most lines pass across the city centre, and stop close to main points of interest. Some lines run up until midnight, but after that time the only public transport is the taxi service (www.taxipadova.it). For further information on bus routes and timetable go to APS website: http://www.aps-holding.it/mobilita/index.asp (only in italian)
If you travel by car, there are many parking areas just outside the city centre. There are also parking spaces along roads: those marked in blue allow to park only on payment (usually payment machines are in the area), yellow lines indicate the space is reserved to residents, disabled people (a special permit must be shown on the windscreen) or delivery trucks, white lines mean it's possible to park for free, sometimes for a limited time. A full map of parking areas and information on fares are aavilable on http://www.aps-holding.it/parcheggi/index.asp (only in italian)
Many people in Padova use a bicycle to move around town. There is a bike rental service at the train station. For further information contact the Tourist Office or call the rental service at + 39 049 8759068 or +39 348 7016373
If you rent a bike you can easily access the city centre and ride through most areas along the cycling-pedestrian routes marked by signs on the ground. Please note that, for safety reasons, it is prohibited to cycle on some roads along the tram railway, so pay attention to street signs indicating forbidden routes.
To help visitors to make the most of the town, Padova Tourist Office issues Padovacard, a personal card that allows the holder to visit most museums and monuments, to travel on buses and to access other services such as parking for free or with a special discount. For further information on the card (price, duration, admittance on sites and other conditions) please visit the official website www.padovacard.it
