Saonara
Saonara lies in the south-eastern belt around Padua, a flat area crossed by waterways and canals that have historically supported...
Updated 12 July 2026
The story
The story of Saonara
A town in Padua's urban belt
Saonara stretches along the route that leads from Padua toward the Brenta Riviera, in a flat area long since absorbed into the capital's urban system. The landscape, once dominated by cultivated fields, today shows a mix of residential districts, small craft businesses and areas still given over to farming, a configuration typical of the towns in Padua's inner belt.
Villa Valmarana and its garden
Villa Valmarana is the most significant surviving trace of Saonara's noble past. The park surrounding it, laid out in the romantic taste of the nineteenth century, is attributed to Giuseppe Jappelli, the Paduan architect known for the Caffè Pedrocchi and for other historic gardens in the Euganean area. Tree-lined paths, ornamental water features and garden follies form a landscape designed for strolling and contemplation.
The nursery-growing tradition
The Saonara area is known for numerous nursery businesses specialising in ornamental, garden and potted plants. This vocation, developed over the course of the twentieth century, exists alongside the market-garden crops of the plain and today represents one of the most distinctive strands of the local economy.
The countryside and its waterways
The municipal territory is crossed by canals and channels drawn from Padua's water system, which over the centuries allowed the irrigation of fields and powered small mills. The areas still under cultivation offer glimpses of Venetian countryside a short distance from city traffic, and can be explored by bicycle along the minor roads.
Saonara as a stop toward Padua
Thanks to its proximity to the provincial capital, Saonara works well as a base or a stop for visitors to Padua who wish to combine the city with an excursion into the surrounding countryside. Connections to central Padua are quick, making the town a suitable choice for more affordable stays than the historic centre.
Experiences not to miss
- A visit to the romantic garden of Villa Valmarana
- A walk among the nurseries and ornamental plant crops of the area
- A bike ride along the canals and channels of the countryside
- A short excursion from Padua, just a few kilometres from the centre
To see
What to see in Saonara
Routes · Trovido Route
