Between art exhibitions, cultural events, special openings, food festivals, local fairs and walks through the Euganean Hills, autumn is an ideal season to discover Padua and its surroundings.
Are you planning a weekend in Padua in autumn 2026, perhaps staying in one of our apartments, conveniently located both for reaching the city centre on foot and for taking the road towards the Euganean Hills?
Then keep an eye on the calendar of events we have selected here and choose the one that interests you most: the city and its surroundings really have a lot to offer.
Events in Padua in Autumn 2026: Exhibitions, Festivals, Local Fairs and Day Trips
In autumn 2026 Padua will include a lot of events dedicated to art, culture, history and local flavours. It is an ideal season to visit the city and its surroundings, combining art exhibitions, cultural events, food and wine festivals and walks among the autumn colours of the Euganean Hills.
If you are planning a stay in Padua in autumn, here are some of the events not to be missed, both in and outside the city.
- Max Pechstein at Palazzo Zabarella: the major Expressionist exhibition
- “On the Future of the Body” at the Galleria Civica Cavour
- FAI Autumn Days in Padua
- “Autumn Flavours“ in Prato della Valle
- What to see around Padua: the small fortified town of Monselice and the Sanctuary of the Seven Churches
- Walking among the autumn foliage of the Euganean Hills
- Autumn fairs and festivals in the Euganean Hills
Max Pechstein at Palazzo Zabarella: The Major Expressionist Exhibition
One of the most important cultural events of autumn 2026 in Padua will be the exhibition dedicated to Max Pechstein (1881–1955), one of the leading figures of German Expressionism.
The exhibition “Max Pechstein. Expressionism of the Soul ”(from 24 October 2026 to 14 March 2027) brings together over 120 works, including paintings, drawings, watercolours, photographs and personal objects, offering a journey through more than five decades of the artist’s career.
Pechstein was one of the members of “Die Brücke” (The Bridge), one of the key movements of Expressionism. His energetic brushstrokes, vivid colours and essential forms reveal an art capable of giving voice to the deepest emotions.
While he inherited emotional intensity from Munch, he shared with Gauguin the fascination of dreams of distant and exotic places: these two elements merge into an explosion of colour that led Expressionism towards new horizons.
If you love modern art and major exhibitions, this is one of the events to mark on your calendar during your trip to Padua.
“On the Future of the Body” at the Galleria Civica Cavour
Among the cultural events in Padua in autumn 2026 there is the exhibition “On the Future of the Body”, at the Galleria Civica Cavour from 5 September to 4 October 2026.
Seventeen artists explore the theme of the body, interpreted as a place of identity and memory, a living and relational presence, and a witness to the cultural and social changes of the present day.
It is an interesting choice for anyone wishing to pair Padua’s more traditional sights with an exhibition dedicated to contemporary art.
FAI Autumn Days in Padua
On 10 and 11 October 2026, the FAI Autumn Days return, a much-loved event for anyone wishing to discover places that are normally closed to the public.
During the weekend, special openings of palaces, buildings and sites of historical and artistic interest will be organised in Padua and throughout the province.
It is a unique opportunity to discover the area’s cultural heritage from a different perspective, entering places that are often excluded from the usual tourist itineraries.
If you stay in Padua, the FAI Autumn Days can therefore be the perfect opportunity to dedicate a day to discovering the city and its surroundings, with their art and history.
“Autumn Flavours“ in Prato della Valle
In November, it will be time also for “Autumn Flavours”, an event dedicated to local gastronomy and seasonal products.
From 14 to 16 November 2026, Prato della Valle will host the “Village of Flavours”: three days dedicated to discovering and promoting local excellence.
Around 40 local farms will take part, offering products to discover, to taste and to buy. The same products will also be used to prepare the dishes in the food area.
From the Land to the Lagoon. The 2026 edition will also feature a new area dedicated to the flavours of the sea and lagoon.
On Friday and Saturday, from 6 to 7 pm, visitors will be able to enjoy a fish-based aperitif paired with wines from the Euganean Hills.
An original way to discover the variety of Venetian cuisine through the meeting of products from the land and the lagoon.
What to See Around Padua: the small fortified town of Monselice and the Sanctuary of the Seven Churches
If you stay in Padua in autumn, you can dedicate a day to Monselice, a beautiful fortified town at the foot of the Euganean Hills.
Here you will find the Sanctuary of the Seven Churches, which ranks among the top places in the FAI’s national “Places of the Heart” list.
This unique complex consists of six chapels and the small Church of San Giorgio, arranged along a slope which starts from the central Piazza Mazzini. Poet Gian Antonio Cibotto described it as one of the most beautiful walks in the Veneto region. The route ends at the panoramic terrace of Villa Duodo, the historic residence of a noble Venetian family.
Inside the chapels are works by artists such as Palma il Giovane (1548–1628) and the Bavarian painter Johann Carl Loth (1632–1698), as well as the relics of numerous Christian martyrs, preserved in the Church of San Giorgio.
A visit to Monselice can easily be combined with an itinerary through the Euganean Hills, especially during the autumn foliage season.
Walking Among the Autumn Foliage of the Euganean Hills
If you stay in Padua for a long weekend, the Euganean Hills will offer you the opportunity of a wonderful excursion outside the city.
Autumn is one of the best times to admire the hills. The woods turn red, yellow and orange, offering numerous trails for walks surrounded by colourful foliage.
A day out can also become a small food and wine itinerary: after a walk through the woods, you can stop at a winery to taste the wine from the Euganean Hills and sample the local food specialities.
Autumn Fairs and Festivals in the Euganean Hills
Autumn is not only the season of exhibitions and cultural events. The villages around Padua also host numerous local festivals dedicated to traditional products and autumn flavours.
Among the events worth keeping an eye on are:
- Chestnut Festival in Teolo, dedicated to chestnuts and traditional local products;
- Pumpkin Festival in Luvigliano di Torreglia;
- Festival of Autumn Colours and Flavours in Monselice.
These are therefore perfect opportunities to discover local products, to taste traditional Venetian specialities and visit the small towns of the Euganean Hills in the particularly atmospheric setting of autumn.
Photo credits:
zabarella.it
fabulaviva.it
fondoambiente.it
venetosecrets.com
mattinopadova.it
prolocoteolo.it