Everyone’s heard of Venice, with its charming waterways, famous gondolas and beautiful buildings.
But the Italian city’s often overrun with tourists, taking away from its authentic ambience.
If you’re prepared to venture just a little off-the-beaten-track, though, you could be in for a treat.
Treviso, the home of tiramisu and Prosecco, is a quiet alternative that’s often overlooked by travellers seeking to visit better-known cities.
Only 45 minutes from Venice by car or train, Treviso promises all the same beauty and quintessentially Italian features – just without the crowds.
Treviso has been crowned Europe’s Green Leaf City 2025, which recognises the efforts it has made to promote sustainability.
Unlike Venice, which has been criticised for its overtourism and pollution, Treviso has a quieter and greener appeal.
Treviso turned an abandoned landfill into a solar park, transformed its canal system to improve water quality and launched biodiversity projects to clean its air, the BBC reported.
Treviso (pictured), the home of tiramisu and Prosecco, is a quiet alternative that’s often overlooked by travellers seeking to visit bigger name cities including Venice
Only 45 minutes from Venice by car or train, Treviso (pictured) promises all the same beauty and quintessentially Italian features – just without the crowds
Since launching its sustainable mission seven years ago, Treviso has built new bike lanes, implemented school recycling programmes and planted 6,000 additional trees.
Aside from its eco-friendly mission, the city has lots to offer in terms of tourism. The city centre is more than 2,000 years old, giving it huge historical appeal.
Given its abundance of waterways and canals, it’s no surprise many have nicknamed Treviso ‘little Venice’.
Anywhere you go in Treviso, you’ll see flowerpots on balconies and all the decorated homes – just like in Venice.
Its allure extends beyond beauty and nature, too.
Treviso is said to be the home of many Italian delicacies, most famous of all being tiramisu. As such, it’s easy to find the famous dessert on menus in restaurants across the city.
Additionally, the region’s rolling Prosecco Hills are home to the popular beverage – which is, again, easy to find anywhere in the city.
There’s plenty to do as well as eating and drinking in Treviso.
Treviso has been crowned Europe’s Green Leaf City 2025, which recognises the efforts it has made to promote sustainability
Piazza dei Signori is the most famous square in Treviso, and promises all the allure one can expect from an Italian city – restaurants, cafes, a vibrant atmosphere.
The 500-year-old walls that surround the city centre are also an impressive historical sight.
Walking tours are also popular in the city, as well as renting bikes to explore the ins and outs of the canals and streets.
You can also take a day trip to the Prosecco Hills region to find the Prosecco vending machine.
