Treviso Travel Guide

It is a peaceful and idyllic town full of romantic canals that is often overlooked beside its more glamorous neighbor, Venice (just 30km south). Treviso is an amiable provincial capital whose calm waterways, elegant bridges, and arcaded streets contrast Venice’s buzz. Great shopping, varied architecture, and excellent northern Italian food and wine make this a perfect part of a culinary vacation. It is also near to Prosecco wine country.

Begin your visit in the heart of the beautiful old city, the Piazza dei Signori, a busy square with cafés and imposing stone buildings, like the Palazzo dei Trecento (now the town hall). From here, you can head to the patchwork of architectural styles, the Duomo (Cathedral). Unfortunately, the plaza stretching out in front of it is used as a parking lot, which detracts from the façade’s allure. Also worth seeking out are the city’s churches – especially elaborately decorated ones like the Church of San Francesco – and palaces like those once owned by the Rinald family. No matter where you wander, you can enjoy the serene canals and effortlessly beautiful bridges that cross them.

Although this area was settled even in ancient days, Treviso only appeared on the map when the Romans dominated it in 89 BC. After the empire’s fall, the city languished in a period of decline and suffered at the hands of the Barbarians. Nevertheless, it escaped destruction and acquired some importance in the 6th century when a mint was established here.

During the Middle Ages, Treviso formed part of the Lombard League. The following centuries were marked by disputes between noble ruling families and the factions of papal loyalists (the Guelphs) and papal dissenters (the Ghibellines). Eventually, Treviso became part of the Republic of Venice, the Serenissima’s first mainland possession. Along with the rest of the Veneto, the city was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy in 1866. Much of the city was damaged during World War II bombings, but it has been restored to its former glory.

These days, Treviso is a prosperous manufacturing area and is the headquarters of firms like Benetton (which has a large store behind the central Palazzo dei Trecento) and DeLonghi. It offers excellent shopping opportunities, especially along the main drag, Via Calmaggiore, which runs between the central Piazza dei Signori and the cathedral, the Duomo. Treviso is featured in the best-selling book “The Broker” by John Grisham and is a must-read before visiting Treviso.