Paderno del Grappa will always have a special place in my heart for being the city where my adventures abroad first began. Never heard of it? That’s because it has a population of around 2,000 people. Located about an hour north of Venice, it is a charming, peaceful town surrounded by mountains. The town is very laid-back and is a great place to experience some “real” Italian culture.

Paderno is located about an hour north of Venice.

Paderno is the city where my study abroad experience took place. At first I was a bit disappointed that the town was so small. However, I soon learned that it was great to be able to experience a different side of Italy than many other travelers. The school took us to several nearby towns, and we also had weekends free to travel (which was a huge benefit). While I certainly wanted to make the most of my time in Europe, I also wanted to explore Paderno itself. It seemed like every street was out of a movie set because everything was so picturesque. The town’s slow pace helped me to stop and remember to “smell the roses.”

A beautiful, quiet street in Paderno.

To be honest, there isn’t really too much to actually do in the town (from a tourist’s perspective). One really cool place to visit, however, is the nearby Mount Grappa. This mountain has beautiful views and was also the site of the Battle of Monte Grappa during World War I. There is a memorial at the top of the mountain dedicated to those who lost their lives during this battle.

Beautiful mountain view (even on a cloudy day)!

Another attraction in the town is paragliding off of the mountain. This is definitely more of a splurge item at $80, but it was so worth it! A man named Paolo was my guide, and he made the experience even more memorable. I don’t think there’s another feeling quite like running off the top of a mountain with nothing but a parachute attached to your back, especially when your guide is holding out a selfie stick during the experience. And if you’re anything like me and are afraid of skydiving for fear of the chute not opening, paragliding is a great alternative because the parachute is already open when you run off the mountain! I later learned that Paderno is actually a pretty popular paragliding destination. Indeed, if you look up in the sky on any given day you will likely see paragliders all over the place.

A selfie from my paragliding experience!

Overall, Paderno is a great place to visit if you have the chance, even if it’s only for a day or two. I had a great time experiencing Italy and am glad this was the city where I studied abroad. There’s something about living in a small town that makes the experience feel even more “authentic.”