Sightseeing in Pavia - what to see. Complete travel guide

Ancient Ligurians were the first settlers in the area. They called this area Ticinum. In 476, Roman patrician Orestes completely destroyed the town during the fall of the West Roman Empire. Fourteen years later, King Theodoric built the first palace on the ruins of the old town. Soon after that, a theatre and baths appeared in Pavia. To protect the settlement from the enemy invasions, the town got thick fortress walls. However, this was not enough to save the town from the Byzantine commander Narses. In 572, Lombards became the new rulers in the town. They changed the settlement’s name to Pavia.
Certosa di Pavia is the most famous attraction of this Italian town. This is a Carthusian monastery complex situated eight kilometers from the city center. Before the monastery, there was an old church on this site. The church was built in the 14th century and was reconstructed and rebuilt several times afterward. At the end of the 15th century, in 1497, the church got the look that visitors can see today. The sacred building was consecrated even though inner works were not finished yet. The shrine became a national landmark in 1866.

Would you like to turn into an Italian duke for a short time? A beautiful palace named Castello Visconteo or Visconti Castle appeared in Pavia in the 60s of the 14th century. Initially, this was a fortress, the main purpose of which was to protect the territory of the settlement from enemy attacks. To make the fortress more impenetrable, it was decided to surround it with thick walls. In 1392, a smaller fortress was built inside the complex. This small fortress was the location of barracks for mercenaries. A moat filled with water separated the opposite sides. At a certain period, the fortress was turned into a prison. Many enemies captured during battles were then sent to this prison.

Pavia and Milan have a railway connection with trains moving between the two cities every half an hour. The distance is short so the journey time is roughly thirty minutes. If you enjoy looking at the surrounding nature on the go, consider buying tickets to a commuter train to Pavia. This train is significantly slower – the ride lasts one and a half hours. It is also possible to reach the university town by bus. There are many daily buses from Milan’s bus station to Pavia. The journey time is thirty to forty minutes in this case.
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City tours, excursions and tickets in Pavia and surroundings
Reference information
Survived castles around Pavia
♥ Castle 'Civic Tower of Pavia' Pavia, 0.4 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Visconti Castle' Pavia, 0.7 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Belgioioso Castle' Belgioioso, 12.4 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Rosate Castle' Rosate, 17 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Cigognola Castle' Cigognola, 18.1 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Civic Tower of Pavia' Pavia, 0.4 km from the center. On the map


♥ Castle 'Visconti Castle' Pavia, 0.7 km from the center. On the map


♥ Castle 'Belgioioso Castle' Belgioioso, 12.4 km from the center. On the map


♥ Castle 'Rosate Castle' Rosate, 17 km from the center. On the map


♥ Castle 'Cigognola Castle' Cigognola, 18.1 km from the center. On the map


National and city parks around Pavia
♥ World Heritage Site 'Monte San Giorgio' , 82.7 km from the center. On the map
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♥ National Park 'Parco nazionale della Val Grande' , 110.9 km from the center. On the map
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♥ National Park 'Parco nazionale delle Cinque Terre' , 125.4 km from the center. On the map
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♥ National Park 'Parco nazionale dell’Appennino Tosco-Emiliano' , 126.5 km from the center. On the map
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♥ World Heritage Site 'Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch' , 167.1 km from the center. On the map
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♥ World Heritage Site 'Monte San Giorgio' , 82.7 km from the center. On the map


♥ National Park 'Parco nazionale della Val Grande' , 110.9 km from the center. On the map


♥ National Park 'Parco nazionale delle Cinque Terre' , 125.4 km from the center. On the map


♥ National Park 'Parco nazionale dell’Appennino Tosco-Emiliano' , 126.5 km from the center. On the map


♥ World Heritage Site 'Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch' , 167.1 km from the center. On the map


Art galleries in Pavia and around
♥ Art museum 'Pinacoteca Ambrosiana' Milan, 31.1 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Art museum 'Museo del Novecento' Milan, 31.1 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Art museum 'Museo Poldi Pezzoli' Milan, 31.7 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Art museum 'Castello Sforzesco' Milan, 31.8 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Art museum 'Pinacoteca di Brera' Milan, 32 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Art museum 'Pinacoteca Ambrosiana' Milan, 31.1 km from the center. On the map


♥ Art museum 'Museo del Novecento' Milan, 31.1 km from the center. On the map


♥ Art museum 'Museo Poldi Pezzoli' Milan, 31.7 km from the center. On the map


♥ Art museum 'Castello Sforzesco' Milan, 31.8 km from the center. On the map


♥ Art museum 'Pinacoteca di Brera' Milan, 32 km from the center. On the map


Sights around Pavia from our guide 'Extreme places on Earth'
Mario Bellini House
From the series “Extravagant houses and apartments of designers”
Check on the map:
Distance from Pavia center - 32 km.
Mario Bellini was not engaged in the arrangement of his house on his own. He considers this approach extremely difficult and illogical. The architect believes that there should always be a desire to try something new in life. In his opinion, the arrangement of housing is an excellent chance to realize such an aspiration. The owner's caring attitude to the works of art and accessories in the style of the past years is visible in the interior of the house. There are wonderful Renaissance paintings and furniture made of dark wood here. …
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Sauna-Tram
From the series “Most Extraordinary Thermaes, Baths and Saunas in the World”
Check on the map:
Distance from Pavia center - 31.6 km.
Initially, the organizers wanted the sauna-tram to cruise the streets of the city, and its visitors could admire outstanding sights and the most beautiful streets of Milan. City authorities did not approve of such an initiative, and the sauna has been decided to be installed in one of the busiest districts of Milan, close to popular hotels and entertainment venues. …
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Saudi Arabia to Open 38 Hotels in Diriyah
Diriyah is one of the first mega projects in Saudi Arabia. Hotels and other infrastructure will start opening next year, and all works are expected to end in 2026. The first 18 restaurants in Bujairi Terrace will start operating already in early 2022.
Read this
25.09.2023
Diriyah is one of the first mega projects in Saudi Arabia. Hotels and other infrastructure will start opening next year, and all works are expected to end in 2026. The first 18 restaurants in Bujairi Terrace will start operating already in early 2022.

25.09.2023
Search touristic sites on the map of Pavia

