If you’re heading toward Venice (Venezia), veer a little north to the charming town of Treviso (Tray-vee-zo). A canal-town much like Venice, inland and smaller scale, Treviso is not overrun with tourists so you get more of the flavor of small-town Italy. Wander around the walled historic center, grab a bite to eat on the main piazza, stroll the large outdoor markets, watch the locals walk by. It’s simply real life going on at an Italian pace.
For a $4 train ticket, it was just a 20 minute ride north from the Venice Mestre (mainland) train station. Prices for meals and hotels in Treviso are much better than Venice, too!
Journal Entry – 4 June – Treviso
Treviso is small and charming, worth an overnight, certainly, from Venice. It’s a model for how citizens can (and should) get around town. There are almost as many bikes as there are cars… maybe there are! And the narrow streets are free-for-all passages… cyclists, pedestrians and motorists going where they will, watchful of the others. Toddlers on training wheels learn to navigate this “system” that seems to lack a system. And somehow it all appears to work. The whole historic center of the city is and “area pedonale” (pedestrian area) and walking/biking certainly seem most efficient for getting around. I’m envious. I want to live in such a place.
In no particular order, here are some photos from my wanderings around Treviso: frescoes, archways and porticos, piazze, signage from long ago, tucked-in waterways, narrow passages and grand promenades, mosaics and layers of history. Take a look and be charmed. Then add it to your next trip in northern Italy.
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Just the hint of an old meat shop sign, “Macelleria”.
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Look UP, and you’ll see things you might not otherwise notice.
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What’s left of an old mosaic, protected and accommodated with this walk-around path.
Balcony and sign at the Piazza del Duomo.
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Care for something sweet?
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Remnants of patterned stucco.
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Look at the wear on the stone pavers. It speaks of years of passages.
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The “Palazzo dei Trecento” after the bombing on 1 April 1944.
The Palazzo was rebuilt/repaired after the bombing. (They apparently continue to work on it; a “lift” held workers up high repairing around the upper windows.)
Caponata! I’ve GOT to figure out a good recipe for this delicious dish!
Notice where they’re trying out different paint colors?
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One of the residences toward the outer edge of the historic center.
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Monument to the fallen from all the wars.
Everyone by bike.
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Why don’t WE have beautiful pavement?! (Answer: Cost of labor and liability.)
I wasn’t aware that there’s an “Apple” variety of Bananas.
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Bike by day. Bike by night.
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Click on the following panoramas to view them at a larger size.
Canal view from one of the rooms at Hotel Il Focolare, Piazza Ancilotto 4. Ask for room 30, 31 or 34.
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While waiting for the train ride home to Milano, I was standing on platform #6, looking across to the passengers waiting for their train to Bologna.
Countryside, with grapevines, whizzed by my train window, with a lovely going-home sunset.
i’m always curious and charmed by the way foreign people look at my native places. i’m glad you like Treviso, and shared a little piece of it in such a lovely way 🙂
Ciao, Silvia. I don’t look for the “tourist experience”, but rather, a glimpse of a town in its daily life. And I try to broaden the American view of who Italy is by introducing other places, foods and people. Thanks for writing.
i like your approach. maureen! it’s very similar to what i’m trying to do on my blog. if you want to, i’d love you to visit it, and hear your opinion about it! since you’re american an interested in italian small towns, food, etc, i hope you’ll like it 🙂
have a nice weekend
What wonderful pictures of a charming place. Based on your observations and pictures I’ll add Treviso to my “must see” list whence I’m next in Italy. Thanks so much for sharing.