Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, Italy

[Liv4cruzin]

A friend & I are disembarking Oceania's Regatta in Venice this May. We have 2 days there onboard ship & 3 nights post cruise booked on our own. I'm interested in trying to see the Scravegni Chapel in Padua while I'm in the area. There is an Oceania shore excursion that visits Padua/Pisani; but the tour appears to only make stops at St. Antonio Church, the University & Villa Pisani. According to the D-K Eyewitness Guide, the Scravegni seems to be the most important attraction in Padua; & why this ship's tour skips it is a puzzle to me. For those of you who are familiar w/ the area........ would the ship's tour be a disappointment? OR is it REALLY worth the trouble for 2 (50+) women to try to arrange a day trip to Scravegni on our own while staying over in VEN? OR BETTER YET.... has anyone taken this Oceania excursion & can confirm that they really DO NOT visit Scravegni?

 

PS: I'll also be posting this over on the Europe Ports of Call Boards

[peggyann]

Giotto's frescos in the Scrovegni are fabulous, but the entrance is very limited. You really must reserve ahead and know that you can only stay in the Chapel for 30 minutes, actually about 25 before you are ushered out. You must arrive an hour or so ahead of your entrance time, and there is a very informative little museum to take in before you go into the Chapel.

 

The train trip from Venice to Padua is quick, maybe less than half an hour and easy, and from the train station to the chapel is about a five minute cab ride. My husband and I did this last year. I would imagine that the cruise ships would have a hard time getting the arrangements to include this. But if they do not mention that this is included, then it probably isn't.

 

A guide book will have the email address to reserve ahead. The St. Anthony church is very impressive, but you could include it in a half day trip on your own to Padua. If you really want to see the Scrovegni Chapel, the go on your own. But then you will miss that much time in Venice. Oh, the decisions.....

[Liv4cruzin]

Thanks for your response. Am I understanding that you feel the ride in & back including both chapels can be done in a 1/2 day tour? Also, since you didn't mention it, I assume you didn't get to Pisani & visit the Villa & Gardens. I'm sure to do it all would fill up a full day. We spent 3 days in VEN a few years ago; & will have a total of 5 this trip (including the 2 while still onboard the ship). So, using a full day for a side trip won't be taking too much away from our Venetian experience.

[peggyann]

You are right, we did not go to Pisani and the villa, don't know anything about it.

 

I guess the question is, how important is it to you to see the Scrovegni Chapel? I had taken a course in Rennaisance art and had studied it via the textbooks and was anxious to see it. As I said, it is easy to do it if you reserve ahead for a mid-morning time slot. We had lunch at nice restaurant "PenPen" near the square with Cafe Quadri, (I think that is the name of the famous cafe where writers would congregate, not 100% sure)

 

If the cruise tour does not include the Scrovegni, you still could take the tour and go another day to Padua for the Chapel. It is just not that hard to get to from Venice and you could do the chapel, have lunch (or not) and still be back by early afternoon. Or spend more time in Padua as it is very interesting in itself.