When is the best time to visit What to see in Pavia in 2 days?

The recommended time is April, May, June, September and October, when it is less crowded.

Is What to see in Pavia in 2 days crowded?

What to see in Pavia in 2 days is a very quiet destination compared with the more touristy ones.

Where is What to see in Pavia in 2 days?

What to see in Pavia in 2 days is located in Pavia, Lombardy, Italy.

What to see in Pavia in 2 days: itinerary through the Certosa, the university and the Ticino

Why visit Pavia in 2 days

Pavia is a city that walks quietly beside neighbouring Milan, yet it was the capital of the Lombard Kingdom and home to one of Europe's oldest universities (1361). The Certosa, 8 km from the centre, is one of the absolute masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance. Two days let you discover a lively university city rich in history, set on the green banks of the Ticino.

Day 1: the historic centre and the Ticino

Morning (3-4 hours)

Start at Piazza della Vittoria, the heart of Pavia with the Broletto (12th-century town hall) and the underground covered market. From here reach the Cathedral, with its imposing octagonal dome (Italy's third-largest) designed with input from Bramante and Leonardo.

Continue to the Basilica of San Michele Maggiore, Pavia's Romanesque masterpiece where emperors and kings were crowned. The golden sandstone facade with its sculptures is among the finest in Lombard Romanesque. Inside, the narrative capitals tell biblical and mythological stories.

Piazza della Vittoria and Broletto: 30 minutes
Cathedral: 30 minutes
San Michele Maggiore: 45 minutes
Walk through the medieval streets: 30 minutes

Afternoon (3 hours)

Head down to the Covered Bridge over the Ticino, Pavia's symbol. The current bridge is a post-war reconstruction but retains all the charm of the 14th-century original. Cross it to reach Borgo Ticino, the washerwomen and boatmen's quarter with its colourful houses overlooking the river.

Climbing back, visit the University of Pavia, with its Renaissance courtyards open to the public. The Courtyard of the Statues and the Courtyard of the Fallen are magnificent. Look for the civic tower and the three medieval towers in Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, testimony to Pavia as the city of a hundred towers.

Hidden gem: the Crypt of Sant'Eusebio, beneath the church of the same name in Piazza Leonardo, preserves 8th-century Lombard capitals in an evocative setting that almost nobody visits.

Evening

Dinner in Borgo Ticino or the streets around the university. Try zuppa pavese (the original with broth, egg and croutons), risotto alla certosina or torta paradiso, invented right here in Pavia.

Day 2: the Certosa and hidden Pavia

Morning (3-4 hours)

Devote the morning to the Certosa di Pavia, reachable by bus (line 175, 25 minutes) or by bicycle along the Naviglio Pavese. This Carthusian monastery founded in 1396 by the Visconti is one of Italy's most extraordinary monuments.

The marble facade is a lacework of Renaissance sculpture. The interior holds frescoes by Bergognone, the ivory triptych by Baldassarre degli Embriachi and the funerary monument of Gian Galeazzo Visconti. The monks (now Cistercian) offer free guided tours: leave a donation.

The small and great cloisters, the refectory and the historic pharmacy complete the visit (2 hours minimum).

Facade and church: 1 hour
Cloisters and monastic rooms: 45 minutes
Gardens and surroundings: 30 minutes

Afternoon (3 hours)

Back in town, visit the Visconti Castle, the Visconti residence that once rivalled the Sforzesco Castle in Milan for magnificence. Today it houses the Civic Museums with an archaeological section, an art gallery (Correggio, Giovanni Bellini) and the wooden model of the Cathedral.

Then explore Lombard Pavia: the Church of San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro holds the Ark of Saint Augustine, the marble funerary monument of the Church Father who died in Hippo in 430.

Hidden gem: a walk along the Ticino to the Confluente, where the Ticino meets the Naviglio. The path among poplars and sandy banks is perfect for a nature break steps from the centre.

Evening

Final dinner at an osteria in the historic centre. Fried frog legs and cured meats from the Oltrepo Pavese paired with a red Buttafuoco are the perfect farewell to this discreet and deep city.

Practical tips

Pavia is walkable in a few hours: the centre is small and flat. For the Certosa allow half a day. From Milan, Pavia is 25 minutes by train (S13 or regional). Free parking along the Ticino.