Hi from Italy

Hello from Italy!

We live in Italy, Europe. You can find it in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, it looks like a long boot with a high heel.

Italy Italy is a very long country: it goes from the Alps to Sicily, very near to Africa, so northern regions are quite different from southern regions. On the North side, Alps mountain range goes from West to East. Some of the highest mountains in Europe are here. Italy is a peninsula, surrounded on three sides by three seas:Tyrrhenian, Ionian and Adriatic. Along the peninsula, the Appennines mountain range goes from North to South in Sicily. There is only a large plain in Italy, the Po Valley that continues into Veneto Valley. Po is the longest italian river. In South Italy there are many big volcanoes.

The two biggest mediterranean islands Sicily and Sardinia are italian.

Sardinia, coast Monte Bianco, glacier

River Po

The volcano Etna The volcano Etna

River Po,

Veneto, an italian region Italy has got 20 regions; one of them is Veneto, our region: it’s in North-East Italy.

Veneto has got famous mountains, the Dolomiti, many famous towns like Venice,Verona or Padua and long sandy beaches.

Lignano

Dolomiti Venice

Lignano

Padua

The Arena, Verona

Padua, the province The territory of the province is usually divided in the capital city, Padua, its hinterland and the Colli Euganei (Euganei hills) south-west of the city. The Euganei hills are a Natural Park and the only heights of the entire province, the other parts being totally plain.The province of Padua is rich in touristic sites, such as Medieval and Renaissance masterpieces, Medieval city walls, ancient and beautiful villas, few of them from Palladio.

Euganei Hills

Euganei Hills

Montagnana, medieval walls

Valsanzibio, Villa

Piazzola, Villa Contarini

Padua, the town Padua stands on the river Bacchiglione. It hosts the renowned University of Padua, almost 800 years old and famous, among other things, for having had Galileo Galilei among its lecturers.The city is picturesque, with a dense network of arcaded streets opening into large communal piazze ( places).

Prato della Valle

The City Hall

Piazza delle Erbe, Market

Palazzo della Ragione Scrovegni Chapel Loggia della Gran Guardia

Santa Sofia church

Do you know it?

Botanical Garden of Padua is the world's first

botanical garden and it was created in 1545. It still preserves its original layout – a circular central plot, symbolizing the world, surrounded by a ring of water. It continues to serve its original purpose as a centre for scientific research.

Botanical Garden

Botanical Garden, map

A common saying tells that Padua is

• the meadow without grass • the cafè with no doors • the saint with no name.

Padua, the meadow without grass Prato della Valle means Meadow of the Valley.

It is one of the largest squares in Europe and the principal square of the town: it is a square not a meadow with grass.

In the centre is a wide garden surrounded by a ditch, which is lined by 78 statues portraying famous citizens.

Padua, the cafè with no doors Cafè Pedrocchi,an historical european cafè, built in 1831 is a little jewel of history and art for a café open for almost two centuries. For many years, it was always open, night and day, so it never had closed doors.

Pedrocchi Cafè, by day

Pedrocchi Cafè, by night

Padua, the saint with no name Sant’Antonio of Padua was Portuguese.He was born in Lisbon and raised in a wealthy family.He became a catholic priest and friar of the Franciscan Order. He died in Padua.His body is buried in a chapel within the basilica build to honour him.The church and the saint itself are so famous that people call them simply: il Santo or the Saint, without any other name.