SHARRYLAND
A trip to Cittadella
Unmissable Wonders inside and outside the ring of medieval walls
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Best European Destination 2023!
800 years and counting! Cittadella with its unusual ring-shaped walls was founded in 1220 as a military outpost of Padua against enemies from the North. The lords of Padua left their "signature" in plain sight on the walls. Do you see the big red coat of arms that stands out on the two main towers? Four wheels, a chariot... Of course, there's the signature: the Carraresi!
Here we go!
So we enter from the north, from the Bassano Gates, the most imposing with their 5 orders of defense. 3 flags fly overhead: the Italian, the Venetian, the European. And here is immediately the first hard choice: do we want to first walk the two main roads that draw a cross inside the circle of the walls? Or do we want to go up immediately on the magnificent patrol walkway and take a roundabout tour from above around the city? But why choose? Let's do both! So from the Bassano gates let's go up to the Captain's House (which also houses the Tourist Office) and begin our Walk through History.
5 things to see and do inside the Walls of Cittadella.
- The complete tour of the walls along the patrol walkway (at a height of 15 meters) with great views of the Grappa massif and the Vicenza hills. A must stop at the austere Tower of Malta-an ancient prison with belvedere-and its small archaeological museum.
- A walk under the arcades. Don't just look at the showcases: on the vaults and columns there are still traces of the 13th-century frescoes! How many are there?
- A spritz in one of the many bars in the center.
- A visit to the Duomo and the small Museum of Sacred Art, which holds a precious Supper at Emmaus by Jacopo da Ponte.
- A detour to the Teatro Sociale toward Porta Vicenza (here the visit is by reservation: ask at the tourist office!).
- Bonus: stop right at the crossroads near the Duomo: from here you can admire the four gates at the four cardinal points.
Experience Cittadella "like a local"
There are often temporary exhibitions at the Praetorian Palace (near Treviso Gate) and the Church of the Torresino (near Padua Gate), and summer is enlivened by outdoor shows and concerts at Campo della Marta (near Vicenza Gate). The streets of the center are lined with a couple of historic stores, where you can find the best delicacies from Veneto and Cittadella's typical sweet, with its very secret recipe: the "polentina." On Monday mornings there is the merry bustle of the market, and on Thursday mornings the square is reserved for the local farmers' market. But the main festival is undoubtedly the Fiera Franca, and has been since 1231! It is held on the last Sunday in October and the following Monday, complete with a fireworks display and "burning of the castle."
And outside the walls of Cittadella?
More surprises await you. Grab a bike and go exploring! Here are some suggestions:
- Outside Porta Padova: Villa Ca' Nave with the Oratory of the Savior and a little further on the Pieve di San Donato
- Outside Porta Treviso: the Austro-Hungarian cemetery.
- Toward the Brenta: the frescoes in the little church of Santa Lucia in the hamlet of Santa Croce Bigolina and, of course, the Caribbean beaches of the Brenta.
A smart tip, actually two
It's a good idea to buy the "Cittadella Card," a cumulative ticket valid for one year that gives access to the city's 5 main monuments: the Ronda walkway, the Social Theater, the Praetorian Palace, the Cathedral Museum and the Oratory: ask at the Tourist Office! And don't forget to ask for confirmation on opening hours.
Another good idea is to stay a few more days to explore the surroundings: Piazzola sul Brenta, Castelfranco Veneto, Bassano del Grappa, Asolo, Marostica... Between grappa, walls, ceramics and history... there is no way to get bored!
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