Getting closer! Padova suggestion?

Visit Vicenza or , Bassano del Grappa.

Your hotel is near the Basilica which is ideal for visiting Padova. It’s about 2 km from the RR station. You can catch the tram on Via del Santo, a few minutes from your hotel and it’ll whisk you to and from the station.

Vicenza is great for a half day visit. Verona is only about an hour away. If you leave early in the morning, you could easily visit the main sites in both towns.

I liked Padova quite a lot, and think three nights would be fine. I also stayed at the Casa del Pellegrino - good choice! From there you can cross the street to St. Anthony's Basilica, which is magnificent inside and out, and go around the corner to the Orto Botanico, and to the Prato Delle Valle. It's not much of a walk to other points of interest. The do-not-miss, I would say, is the Scrovegni Chapel, which requires advance reservations.

We spent several pleasant days in Padova a few years back, but we took frequent daytrips too. Vicenza is about 20 minutes away by train, and Verona is about 45 minutes away as I recall. Both are beautiful and worthwhile in my book. Frequent trains made it easy. Padova has many sights on its own, but you could easily manage a day trip if and whenever you might decided to do so. We walked around the university, botanical gardens, Piazza delle Erbe, the Prato (pretty at night), incredible Scrovegni Chapel, St Anthony’s and more. I liked Padova a lot, perhaps because we weren’t maniacally running like we do in “blockbuster” tourist destinations. I’m a retired educator. One day I just stopped to chat for an hour or so with moms waiting for school to let out. We met up with roving bands of costumed, happy students roasting their friends’ new degrees. We walked along ordinary streets and talked to ordinary people. I liked it. We planned to take the bus to Venice airport for our morning flight but saw a brochure in the hotel lobby for private car and chose to splurge...no sweat day of departure.
I realize you mention a Hotel, but I want to plug my fave. I can’t help but think of the kindness we experienced at the Hotel Al Cason whenever I recall Padova. It is very near the station. I’m certain you’ll have a wonderful trip. Safe travels!.

I really enjoyed Padova and could have kicked myself that I didn't allow more time there before the Rick Steves Village Italy tour. I found so much to do that using 2.5 days would have been easy for me.

Scrovegni Chapel - you'll need tickets ahead for this. I am not much on frescos but these were wonderful and I wished I had had another go at them. You are restricted to 15 minutes in the chapel so if I were going back I'd book 2 sessions in different days. There is another historic church on the same property as the Chapel. Not sure if it is on the same entry ticket or if it is a no charge entry.

Basilica of Saint Anthony - interesting relics of St Anthony including his jaw bone, his tongue and his vocal cords!!

Botanical Garden - excellent with new-ish (from about 2014) greenhouses with different climate zones. I found this very interesting and ran out of time here.

Operating Theater - Galileo lectured here. You'll need a guided tour, I think, to get in.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/palazzo-del-bo

I'd see if the Tourist Information has a walking tour in English so you can get oriented. There are some really interesting market squares as well and I just enjoyed walking around the Centro Storico. I did not get in to any of the other churches in the area.

If you find that 3 days in Padova is too much, you can always take a day trip to Ferrara (about an hour away, lovely, and hardly touristed at all).

"This isn't a vacation for me, it's a life experience. Does anyone else feel like that when you go some place you've always wanted to see?"

Yes I have, but I also have a warning. Sometimes this can be a recipe for disappointment. I can think of one country in particular, which I had wanted to visit for decades. When I finally went, I had built it up so much in my head, the real country (which was fine), could not possibly compete.

I realize that, at this point, saying "don't expect too much from Italy" or "try not to have preconceptions of what Italy will be like" is a bit like saying "don't think about an elephant," which only makes you think "Elephants - Elephants - Elephants." But if you can try to put aside any pre-conceived ideas of what you'll fine, you'll probably have a better trip.

"Yes I have, but I also have a warning. Sometimes this can be a recipe for disappointment. I can think of one country in particular, which I had wanted to visit for decades. When I finally went, I had built it up so much in my head, the real country (which was fine), could not possibly compete.

I realize that, at this point, saying "don't expect too much from Italy" or "try not to have preconceptions of what Italy will be like" is a bit like saying "don't think about an elephant," which only makes you think "Elephants - Elephants - Elephants." But if you can try to put aside any pre-conceived ideas of what you'll fine, you'll probably have a better trip."

I completely agree with you. I have no preconceived ideas of what it will be like-the fact that I'm going is the "experience." Does that make sense? I'm doing something I've wanted to do since I was small and it's happening. That alone is thrilling beyond measure! I can't wait to feel and see all the good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly!

Did your grandparents emigrate from Padova? I ask because there might be a church that was connected to baptism/marriage for them or their parents and that might be fun to see.

My GG grandparents were from north of Milan and the family story was that GGpa walked from their small town to the big cathedral in Milan on Sundays. Now, looking at the mileage it's 25 miles so while he might have done this ONCE or on special occasions, in no way do I think this happened regularly. Still, seeing the Duomo in Milan, walking in the front doors and down the Nave, I was in awe that the young man from a small Italian town and I were looking at the same (or similar)things.

Harold, I love the elephant analogy!