In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Italy
Pavia
Spend a half‑day in Pavia to see the Visconti Castle, the Cathedral and the 3 university towers; add a quick visit to Certosa di Pavia if you have extra time.
Pavia is a compact historic city just 30 km south of Milan. Its main sights cluster around the old centre and are reachable on foot in 2–3 hours, making a half‑day enough for the highlights. A full day allows a relaxed pace and a trip to the nearby Certosa monastery.
- Country
- Italy
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot, thunderstorms)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Cards and contactless are widely accepted in cities; small cafés, markets and rural places may prefer cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget €55 · Mid €85 · High €130 (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- TIM, Vodafone, WindTre and Iliad sell prepaid SIMs in shops and at airports; a passport and an Italian tax code (codice fiscale, issued in-store) are needed.
- Emergency
- Police 112 · Fire 115 · Ambulance 118
- Plugs
- Types C, F, L · 230 V · 50 Hz · Italian type L plugs have three pins in a row; most sockets also take two-pin Europlugs (C), and bivalent sockets take Schuko (F).
- Tipping
- Bar: Leave €0.10–0.20 of change on the counter if you like.; Restaurant: Coperto or service may already be on the bill; leave €1–2 a person or round up for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day.
- Water
- Tap water is safe unless signed otherwise; Rome's nasoni fountains run all day. Restaurants serve bottled water (naturale or frizzante) unless you ask for tap (acqua del rubinetto).
- Toilets
- Few public toilets; use bars (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee in a café | €1–2 |
| Pizza slice | €3–5 |
| Cappuccino | €1.5–2.5 |
| Regional train ticket Milan–Pavia | €8–12 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- MXP · Milan Malpensa
- Malpensa Express to Milano Centrale (50 min), then regional train to Pavia (30 min); total about 1.5 h
- LIN · Milan Linate
- Bus 73 to San Babila, then metro to Milano Centrale; regional train to Pavia; total about 1 h
- BGY · Milan Bergamo (Orio al Serio)
- Bus to Milano Centrale (1 h), then regional train to Pavia (30 min); total about 2 h
Typical fares
- Milan → Pavia (regional train)
- about €10 one‑way, 30 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
From Milan take a regional train (Trenitalia or Trenord) to Pavia – about 30 min. Within the town walk or use local buses; most attractions are within a 10‑minute walk from the station.
See and do
Known for
- Visconti Castle (Musei Civici)
- University of Pavia – 3 medieval towers
- Pavia Cathedral
- Basilica di San Michele Maggiore
- Certosa di Pavia monastery (nearby)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Certosa di Pavia | Train to Certosa di Pavia station (8 km (5 mi) north), then 200 m walkTrain to Certosa di Pavia station (5 mi (8 km) north), then 200 m walk | ≈45 min total |
Sleep
- MiniHotel Viale Golgi
- Budget option near the university, 5‑minute walk to the centre.
- Aurora Hotel
- Mid‑range, 10 min by bus from Pavia station.
- Excelsior Hotel
- Similar price range, close to the railway station.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Mi scusi |
| Thank you | Grazie |
| How much is it? | Quanto costa? |
| Where is the train station? | Dove è la stazione? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say buongiorno (until mid-afternoon) or buonasera on entering shops and bars; avoid: Walking in and pointing without a greeting
- Cheek kisses: Two kisses, right cheek first, among friends; follow their lead; avoid: Kissing strangers or in business settings
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders and knees in churches; avoid: Beachwear, bare chests and flip-flops away from the beach
- Queues: At delis and pharmacies take a number (numerino); avoid: Assuming the crowd at a bar counter is chaos — pay at the till first where asked
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated and ask for the bill; avoid: Splitting a bill item by item with a large group
- Conversation: Food, football and family are safe openers; avoid: Mafia jokes and north–south stereotypes
- Dinner at a home: Bring pastries, wine or flowers (not chrysanthemums, which are for funerals); avoid: Refusing seconds too firmly
Scams and watch-outs
- Winter fog can reduce visibility around canals; dress warmly.
- Check opening hours of museums in winter; some close early (see IAT info).
Pavia is generally safe; stay aware of pickpockets on trains and keep an eye on traffic near the canals.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Pavia yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Visconti Castle (Musei Civici)
- University of Pavia – 3 medieval towers
- Pavia Cathedral
- Basilica di San Michele Maggiore
- Certosa di Pavia monastery (nearby)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Pavia, revision 5195293 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5195293
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/pavia). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.