Practical Information for visiting Abano Terme

Abano has no railway station of its own; the nearest is Terme Euganee-Abano-Montegrotto at Montegrotto Terme, two kilometres away, on the Padua-Bologna line.

Padua is 10 kilometres away, reached in about 20 minutes by frequent bus, and Padua is 25 minutes from Venice by train -- which makes Abano a practical base for both.

Venice Marco Polo airport is about 50 minutes by road; Venice itself about an hour.

The town is flat and walkable, laid out on wide avenues, and most hotels are within twenty minutes on foot of the centre. Hotels commonly run shuttles.

The Euganean Hills need a car or a bicycle; the terrain is hilly but the distances are short, and the park has marked cycling and walking routes.

Mobile coverage is complete in the town and good across the Euganean Hills, with occasional weak spots in the wooded valleys between the cones.

EU visitors roam on their own plans; others can buy a prepaid SIM in Abano or Padua, with a passport for registration. Wi-Fi is standard in every hotel, and generally good -- this is a town whose guests stay for a fortnight.

Abano is a very safe, quiet town with an older visitor profile, and crime is not a practical concern.

• Thermal water is a medical matter. Temperatures reach 35-38 degrees in the pools and the mud is applied hotter. It is contraindicated for some heart conditions, in pregnancy, and with certain medications -- consult the hotel's doctor, which is what they are there for.
• Dehydration and dizziness after mud or a long soak are the routine incidents here; go slowly and drink water.
• Summer heat and humidity on the plain compound the effect of thermal treatment.
• Winter fog can make driving on the plain genuinely dangerous.
• Walking in the Euganean Hills is straightforward but the paths are steep and stony, and there are ticks in the wooded areas.

Abano is exceptionally well provided for medically, because that is its business: most hotels have a resident doctor and treatment department, and the town has pharmacies, physiotherapists and specialist clinics out of proportion to its size.

The nearest hospitals with emergency departments are at Padua -- one of Italy's major teaching hospitals -- about twenty minutes away, and at Piove di Sacco and Schiavonia.

EU visitors with a valid EHIC are treated on the same terms as residents; non-EU visitors should carry travel health insurance. Note that thermal treatment cycles are prescribed and medically supervised: bring any relevant medical history with you.

Tap water is safe to drink -- and is not the thermal water, which is not for drinking.

Single emergency number: 112, free from any phone, covering police, fire and ambulance.

Nearest emergency department: the Azienda Ospedale-Università di Padova, about 20 minutes away, with smaller hospitals at Schiavonia and Piove di Sacco.

In the hotel: most thermal establishments have a doctor on call, which is the first point of contact for anything treatment-related.

Police: Polizia and Carabinieri both maintain a presence in town; a formal denuncia is required for insurance claims.

Lost passport: contact your own country's embassy or consulate, most of which are in Rome or Milan.