Padova is a city that notes its heritage but, I think crucially, is not bound by it. The historic city center is not preserved in aspic, and there’s a certain ease I found there which allows for the new and old to mingle in a way where the design of the old still stands strong. I came to Padova because of a good friend who lived there, and left feeling like I had been lucky to be here than a more well-known location, because it felt less like a tourist visit and more like a temporary home.