Basilica of St Anthony (il Santo)

Locals simply call it il Santo, the Saint, and for pilgrims from around the world it is one of the great destinations of the Catholic calendar. Anthony of Padua, the Portuguese-born Franciscan preacher, died near the city in 1231 and was declared a saint within a year. Construction of the basilica began soon afterwards, and the result is a distinctive blend of Romanesque, Gothic and Byzantine ideas: a pale stone facade, a cluster of domes that gives the skyline an almost eastern profile and a pair of slender minaret-like bell towers. Inside, the nave is tall and sober, but the side chapels and the area behind the high altar are crowded with art. Donatello worked here in the fifteenth century, and his bronze reliefs and the sculpted altar group are among the most admired Renaissance sculptures in Italy. The saint's tomb sits in a chapel on the left side, and pilgrims queue quietly to touch the marble and leave notes, candles and photographs. Another chapel preserves relics associated with the saint, displayed with great care, and the cloisters beside the church offer a calm break from the crowds. Out in the square, the equestrian statue of the condottiero Gattamelata, also by Donatello, was among the first large bronze equestrian monuments cast in Italy since antiquity and influenced sculptors for generations. Entry to the basilica is free, though donations are welcome, and the atmosphere changes from hour to hour as services, processions and tour groups flow through.

Treat the basilica as a living church first and a monument second. Dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered, and expect to be turned away at the door if you ignore the rule. Photography is restricted inside, silence is requested around the tomb and mobile phones should be muted. If you go on the saint's feast day in June, or on a major religious holiday, expect large crowds and a very different mood from a quiet weekday morning.

For sightseers, the best time to visit is early, shortly after opening, or in the last hour before closing, when the crowds thin and the light through the domes is softer.

A walk in this order works well: start in the square with the Gattamelata statue, enter through the main door and let your eyes adjust, then follow the pilgrim route to the tomb, pause at the Donatello altar, and finish in the cloisters. The surrounding district is full of small shops selling devotional items, plus cafes, and the Oratory of St George and the Scuola del Santo on the adjacent square hold superb fourteenth and sixteenth century paintings if you want more art.

Guided visits and audio guides explain the building's layers and the legends attached to the saint, and a day tour that covers the basilica and the Scrovegni Chapel is an efficient way to see both if time is short. Families do fine as long as children understand that this is a place of prayer, and the walk onward to Prato della Valle takes just a few minutes along a pleasant street.

If you enjoy details, look for the votive offerings that cover the walls near the tomb, the carved stonework of the Chapel of the Treasury and the quiet corners of the cloisters, where the noise of the square fades almost completely. Allow a few extra minutes to sit and watch pilgrims, which is as revealing as any plaque.