Shopping for Shoes in Padova, Italy

Padova is a very old city with old bridges over canals and vine encrusted medieval city walls in the background. There are even some Roman ruins south of the train station. The city is situated along the Bachiglione River, between Verona and Venice. If you find yourself wandering about that train station (which can be a dangerous place) walk south immediately to the oldest part of the city.

Padova is an amazing place if you like 13th century architecture and art history. Its one of the Petrie dishes in which the Italian Renaissance was spawned. I recommend visiting the Palazzo della Ragione, built in 1285 by the architect Leonardo Bocaleca. Admission is four euros and there's many stairs to climb, but the upstairs bathrooms are probably the best in the city. Inside the great hall there's over two hundred early medieval paintings on all four walls. I'm not kidding - it's overwhelming. The exterior architecture is amazing too, yet the western side is pretty much eclipsed by the Volto della Corda which was a pillory where prisoners were sentenced to be punished by ropes.

On Saturday the biggest attraction for savvy tourists should probably be the trade fair that occurs in the town centre. The core of the city is an otherwise tranquil place filled with empty grass lawns, statues and fountains, but every Saturday morning its miraculously transformed into a cornucopia of commercial activity.

Veteran travelers know the best bargains are found in those places where the locals shop, and such places tend to be crowded. This is definitely true of the Padova Saturday Market near the old town centre.

Tents filled with high quality Italian shoes dominate the west side of this trade fair. The shoes are made in Italy, and they smell like new leather. The best shoes are found in the seventy to eighty euro range. I bought a pair of brown Lanciotti shoes for seventy five euros.

My girlfriend Ruth had a great time exploring the woman's shoes tents, which were endless, in the south western corner of the park. She said that almost all the shoes there were made in Italy, and the cheapest shoes were often the cutest. She bought two pair for less than eighty euro, and is now proud of her new pink Italian pumps.

As you know I'm fascinated with foam footwear and I try to find shoes similar to Holey Soles whenever I travel abroad. In Padova I found some Italian foam footwear clog that were very rigid and rather uncomfortable. The Saniflex light green colored clogs are for restaurant kitchens and hospitals while others arre designed for the beach.

A five piece brass band with a very versatile drummer serenades the park. As we approached they became musically aware of Ruth and I and changed their song to seduce us with the opening chords of an 18th century ballad featuring a series of horn solos. It was effective. Ruth was overwhelmed with the romance of this musical spectacle - she felt like the leading lady in an Italian movie. I was therefore compelled to deposit five euro into an open horn case, one for each of the artists.