25+ Incredible Things to do in Treviso, Italy

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Just a quick train ride north of Venice, you’ll find the stunning city of Treviso.

Although it was once its own city-state, it was ruled by the Venetian Republic for more than 400 years.

With some of the city’s medieval architecture still standing today, the old buildings and narrow streets are full of charm. 

You can spend hours discovering the city’s historic center by taking a scenic walk along the canals or the ancient city walls, passing art galleries, museums, churches, and restaurants as you go.

If you’re interested in taking a day trip from Venice or adding this beautiful city to your Italy itinerary, there are so many things to do in Treviso that you’re sure to enjoy your day!

The Best Things to do in Treviso, Italy

Thinking about what to do in Treviso?

Take a walk along the canals, go shopping at the local Treviso fish market, enjoy a meal or dessert at one of the Italian city’s top-notch restaurants, try Prosecco in the nearby hills, and so much more.

1. Explore inside the Cathedral of Treviso

The Cattedrale di San Pietro Apostolo stands in the center of Treviso, and if you’re not looking for it, you might just walk right by.

The Cathedral you’ll see in Piazza del Duomo today was built in the 18th century, replacing the church built in the 6th century. 

The exterior is simple and unassuming, and the first time I visited Treviso, I didn’t realize I had just passed the Duomo! 

However, the interior is stunning, with numerous paintings and sculptures throughout the space. 

There are many beautiful things to see in Treviso inside the Cathedral, including the remaining Crypt from the original 6th-century church, an urn with a relic from 4th-century Saint Liberalis of Treviso, and the painting Malchiostro Annunciation by Venetian Renaissance painter Titian.

2. Walk around the ancient le Mura di Treviso

Although Treviso is an ancient city, its city walls date back to the Middle Ages.

After coming under Venetian rule in the 14th century, massive defensive walls and ramparts were built around the city to protect it from attacks.  

The city walls circled the entire length of the old town and are an excellent example of modern fortifications.

Within the walls are two gates around the city of Treviso–Porta San Tommasino and Porta Santi Quarantina. 

Today, the walls stand about 5 km around and are a great area to walk around to enjoy part of your day.

And in the summer, you might run into an outdoor event hosted by the town along your walk on the walls.

3. Walk along the beautiful canals

Along with walking along Treviso’s ancient walls, one of the best things to do in Treviso is walk along its beautiful canals when you’re visiting this beautiful city.

While Venice is far more famous for its network of canals, Treviso also has several canals that course through its historic city center. 

In particular, the man-made Canal of the Buranelli is a stunning area to explore.

Up until World War II, local women would come to its sloped banks where the current is slower to wash their laundry.

Fun Fact: A 16th-century building still standing used to house merchants that came to Treviso from the Venetian island of Burano. The Buranelli canal is named after this colorful island!

4. Taste Tiramisù in the city where it was invented

I’m sure you’ve heard of the iconic Italian dessert, tiramisù? Did you know–this delicious dessert originates in Treviso! 

Although several accounts claim the fame, the most widely accepted history for the sweet treat starts at Le Beccherie restaurant in Treviso in the 1970s. 

Owner Ado Campeol and his wife developed the dessert’s modern version, using only creamy mascarpone cheese, eggs, sugar, ladyfinger sponges, coffee, and cocoa powder dusted on top.

This obviously means that one of the most important Treviso things to do is to taste true tiramisù!

You can still find the iconic dessert on the menu at Le Beccherie or any of the city’s restaurants to enjoy after dinner.

5. Visit the Pescheria

Like every ancient city on a body of water, Treviso has its own fresh fish market.

The Isola della Pescheria, which translates to “fish market island,” is found in the city’s center, connected by a bridge on either side.

Here, you can watch locals buy their daily catch and bargain for the best price, and beautiful mermaid and fish sculptures decorate the area.

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6. See the Fontana delle Tette

If you enter a small courtyard off of C. del Podestà, you’ll find the incredible Fontana delle Tette.

Commissioned in 1559 by the mayor of Treviso, the fountain features a marble sculpture of a woman squeezing her bosom while water pours out of its center.

In fact, the word “tette” derives from the Italian word for breasts.

Fun Fact: Throughout Venetian rule, when the new Doge was appointed, the original statue had a stream of wine flowing for three days instead of its usual water. One side would provide red wine, and the other would give white wine.

Across from the statue, you can spot a pulley system used to secure water from the cistern below.

7. Visit the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore

This beautiful brick church and bell tower are dedicated to the Madona Granda.

Initially founded in 780, the church was rebuilt in 1475 in the late Gothic style, while the chapels were built in the Renaissance style about 50 years later.

Inside the church, you can see Renaissance frescos by L. Fiumicelli and G.P. Meloni and works by Pozzoserrato and Bambaia.

8. Admire the Monumento ai Caduti

Officially named Gloria, the stunning sculpture depicts sixteen bronze men carrying a fallen fellow soldier, and the women represent grieving mothers. 

Molise sculptor Arturo Stagliano created work housed in Piazza Vittoria in 1931 to honor the 630 soldiers from Treviso who died in World War I. 

Take a moment to remember the lost lives and admire the imposing sculpture.

9. Check out tons of advertising graphics at the Museo Nazionale Collezione Salce

At the National Salce Collection Museum, you’ll find the most extensive collection of advertising graphics in Italy.

Donated by local accountant Ferdinando Salce, the museum makes up more than four floors of rotating exhibits to highlight the more than 25,000 pieces in its collection.  

You can also find paintings by Pozzoserrato and an 18th-century organ constructed by Gaetano Callido.

Check out the museum’s hours and ticket pricing on their website.

10. See the city on a private walking tour

One of my favorite ways to get to know a new city is on a walking tour.

This 2.5-hour private guided walking tour takes you all over the city with a local to learn all about the historic city centre.

Hear the history of some of the city’s most famous landmarks, like Piazza dei Signori and the medieval walls, while exploring the historic city neighborhoods.

11. Learn to make fresh pasta and tiramisù in a cooking class

You’re not just in Italy, surrounded by excellent food–you’re in Treviso, the home of tiramisù!

If you want to make this delicious dessert, why not take a cooking class?

Share in your love of pasta with this small-group Pasta and Tiramisu class.

You’ll spend a few hours learning how to make two different types of fresh pasta by hand and the city’s famous tiramisù.

12. Enjoy a performance at the Teatro Mario Del Monaco

Operated by the Teatro Stabile dal Veneto, the same company that runs Teatro Verdi in Padua and Teatro Goldini in Venice, this theater is Treviso’s municipal opera house.

It originally opened in 1692 under the name Teatro Onigo and is named after the famous tenor Mario Del Monaco who lived in Treviso for close to a decade before his death in 1982. 

Today, the theater offers concerts, plays, and dance performances; you can check out its current production schedule on its website.

13. Explore the Museo Diocesano

The Museo Diocesano is home to artifacts and other items of significance from the Diocese of Treviso.

Here, you can find ancient sculptures and other embellishments that were initially displayed on the medieval version of the city’s Cathedral. 

They also have collections dedicated to sacred goldsmith works, fabrics, frescos, and paintings.

If you want to visit the museum, you need to contact them in advance by calling or emailing.

They also offer a guided museum tour on the first Friday of the month, but you must confirm your attendance in advance. 

14. Visit the Chiesa di San Vito e Santa Lucia

Chiesa di San Vito e Santa Lucia is a fascinating church tucked into Treviso’s city center.

The structure was built in the late 1300s for various uses.

The Church of San Vito was there first, while the space dedicated to Santa Lucia wasn’t established until more than 300 years later.

In 1561, renovations to the buildings of the two churches with the chapel of Santa Maria delle Carceri became the sacristy that connected the two. 

Inside, you can see several preserved pieces from the 14th and 15th centuries in Istrian stone, which comes from around Pula in the Istria region of Croatia. 

15. Check out a temporary exhibit at Gallerie delle Prigioni

Found in the center of Treviso, the Gallerie delle Prigioni is located in what was once a 19th-century Habsburg-era prison.

The city used it for about 100 years before the town’s prison was moved elsewhere. 

Although the historic building was severely neglected, it was restored over several years, starting in 2017.

Restoration work preserved as much attention to the details of its history as possible. 

Since it’s a temporary exhibition space, the Gallerie is only sometimes open.

You can check their website to find out if there’s an installation there when you want to visit and visiting hours if it is open. 

16. Visit the Museo Luigi Bailo

Treviso’s Museo Luigi Bailo is located inside the Renaissance monastic complex of the former Discalced Carmelites (Carmelitani Scalzi).

In collaboration with Museo di Santa Caterina and Casa Robegan, this museum preserves the city’s history through its collections.

This museum is dedicated to the memory of Luigi Bailo, whose collection of local works of art helped preserve the city’s art and history.

17. Explore the Museo Santa Caterina

Although you can now find the Museo Santa Caterina occupying this historic palazzo, one of its early owners was immortalized in The Divine Comedy.

When Dante Alighieri was exiled from Florence in 1302, the feudal lord of Treviso invited the poet to stay at this palace.

Later used as a monastery and barracks, the building underwent extensive restoration to become the museum it is today.

Now it’s ​​home to an archaeological exhibit and art from the Middle Ages to the 18th century.

18. Check out the Chiesa di San Francesco

In 1216, Saint Francis of Assisi sent a group of his friars to Treviso to establish an order.

The beautiful Chiesa di San Francesco was completed in 1270; all of the most prominent families in the city had their own chapel here.

Inside, you can see Byzantine-era frescos from Tommaso da Modena and his students.

19. Admire the Palazzo dei Trecento

The Palazzo dei Trecento is the city’s town hall.

Also known as Palazzo della Ragione, it was designed between the 13th and 14th centuries and decorated with Venetian frescos.

Although an Allied bomb heavily damaged the building during World War II, the city saved the historic structure from demolition due to its surviving frescos.

20. Stand under the Loggia dei Cavalieri

Right on the site where historians believe the town’s Roman forum once stood, you can see the Loggia dei Cavalieri.

The Lodge of Knights was built for knights and other community members to meet for discussions, exchanges, and recreational games. 

Today, you can admire the historic space on a momentary break from the sunshine, rain, or snow. 

21. Go shopping in the city center

If you’re looking for fun things to do in Treviso, you have to go shopping! 

The city has excellent fashion stores if you want to refresh your wardrobe.

From name-brand stores like H&M and Zara to smaller boutiques and a few vintage shops, you can find something that fits your style.

And, if you love United Colors of Benetton, you’ll find their flagship location in town; the Benetton family is from Treviso.

22. Learn about outer space at the College Pio X Planetarium

If you’re still thinking of what to see in Treviso, check out the city’s planetarium!

The incredible Planetario del Collegio Pio X is home to two planetariums–an older one and a new one.

The older planetarium recreates the natural movement of the Earth, Moon, Mercury, and Venus, the apparent motion of the Sun in relation to the Zodiac, and several other different space phases.

You can also see old telescope models and other astrological instruments. 

In the modern planetarium, you can observe about a thousand stars and a projector that can display slides with imagery from modern telescopes. 

If you’re interested in visiting yourself, the planetarium is open on schooldays or through appointment. You can contact them in advance for more information.   

23. Explore the Le Riviere neighborhood

One of the best outdoor activities in Treviso is walking along the Sile River. Found right when you exit the train station, you’ll follow along the fairly flat footpath as you walk into the city center.

Also, be sure to spot a few of the landmarks nearby, like Ponte Dante. The footbridge, named after Dante Alighieri, was mentioned in the author’s Divine Comedy. 

In this area, you can also see the Bastione San Paolo, Altinia Gate, Sphere of Toni Benetton, and the Church of Saint Margherita.

24. Take the train for a day trip from Treviso

As you can see, there are so many museums and activities in Treviso! However, it’s also a great town to base yourself in for day trips around the Veneto region. 

Venice

If you’ve been looking around here at The Purposely Lost, you’ll know that I love Venice.

The incredible Lagoon City has been around for over 1,000 years, and it’s filled with some of the most fantastic art and architecture you can find in Italy.

Take a look at my guides on the best things to do in Venice and how to spend 2 days in Venice if you’re interested in planning a stop in this beautiful city.

Padua

Padua, Italy, is another stunning city in the Veneto region, making it a highly desirable destination for day-trippers from Treviso.

You can wind your way around the city’s cobblestone streets and admire the impressive frescoes and sculptures of the city’s major landmarks like the Scrovegni Chapel, the Basilica of Saint Anthony, and Prato della Valle.

A visit to Padua’s Botanical Garden is also a must for those looking to get out in nature.

25. Head out for the day into the Prosecco hills

Here in the Veneto, less than an hour north of Treviso, lies the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Prosecco region. 

Although it’s similar in style to Champagne, it uses a different method and can only be produced in this region of Italy. 

From Treviso, you can easily tour the beautiful capital of Prosecco countryside on your own by car or with a guided tour.

You’ll see the rolling hills, lush green valleys, and quaint villages of this stunning region.

Many of the excursions listed will pick you up from Treviso and drop you back off in the city at the end of the day.

This is the top Processo tour that leaves from Treviso! You’ll send a full day visiting two wineries, exploring the countryside, enjoying excellent views, and tasting wine and other local products.

If you want to read more about the different guided tours into the Prosecco hills, check out my selection of the best wine tours from Venice.

What to do in Treviso, Italy: FAQs

What to see in Treviso, Italy: Wrap-UP

Whether you’re taking a day trip here from Venice or plan to spend several days in the region, there are plenty of things to do in Treviso!

Lyndsay

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