Things to Do in Treviso in One Day: A Walking Itinerary

You can easily plan your best activities for a day in Treviso, as the city's historic center has been enclosed within defensive walls since the sixteenth century and can be explored on foot by walking through the area in a few hours. The main piazza, Duomo, canals which gave Treviso its nickname "Little Venice," and sections of wall from which you get great views of the water are all reachable in one day. This itinerary includes an extended walk that covers each of the key points without requiring you to backtrack; then, in the afternoon, it extends toward the country and the Ville Venete (Venetian villas) nearby.

In brief

• Treviso's centre can be visited on foot in half a day: the distances are tiny.
• The heart of the city: Piazza dei Signori with the Palazzo dei Trecento and the Loggia dei Cavalieri.
• The most photographed spot is the Canale dei Buranelli and the Isola della Pescheria (the fish-market island).
• With a free afternoon, it is well worth extending the trip to the Ville Venete of the Treviso countryside.
• One day is enough for the city, plus half a day more for the surroundings.

Morning: the heart of Treviso

The first stop has to be Piazza dei Signori – the heart of Treviso - where you can find the brick Town Hall from the thirteenth century (Palazzo dei Trecento) and the Civic Tower (Torre Civica). Just a couple of steps away is the Loggia dei Cavalieri, an elegant open-air space dating back to the thirteenth century. It used to be a meeting point for the local nobility. From there it will take just a couple of minutes to get to Duomo di San Pietro (St Peter’s Cathedral) with its domes and its beautiful frescoed Malchiostro Chapel. Square, Palace and Cathedral show us all what Treviso was in Medieval and Renaissance time.

Photo: Didier Descouens / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 4.0

Around the square open the arcaded streets of the centre, perfect for an unhurried stroll. Treviso is a city of porticoes and water: it takes only a few steps to pass from the monumental centre to the canals that shape its urban landscape.

Midday: canals, the Buranelli and the Pescheria

The most memorable portion of your visit will be along the waterway. The Canale dei Buranelli is the corner alone worthy of the trip; this waterway has homes right on top of it and arched bridges crossing over it. The name was due to merchants from Burano who had their warehouses here; just down the way is where a branch of the Cagnan forms Isola della Pescheria or Fish Market - an artificially created island within a canal, making for a one-of-a-kind location that can be lively during the morning hours and quaint at all other times.

Photo: Didier Descouens / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 4.0

It's time to take a break, Treviso is home to Radicchio rosso and Tiramisù; the center has lots of great Trattoria places to eat lunch between canals. Both Isola della Pescheria & Sile River bank are photo opportunities.

Photo: Nicola Quirico / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 4.0

Early afternoon: the walls and the Sile

After lunch it's a good idea to complete the circuit of the 16th century walls, this is the Venetian defensive wall that encircles the city and has been preserved in great shape; you will be able to see the monumental gates of San Tomaso and Santi Quaranta. The walkway hugs the water and the Sile river, which surrounds the city, where you can find beautiful gardens and panoramic walkways. It is also one of the most peaceful parts of your day’s excursion and an excellent way to take a breather before returning from town.

The itinerary at a glance

Here are the main stops in order, with rough timings for an unhurried walking visit.

Afternoon: an extension to the Ville Venete

In addition to exploring the city itself, anyone who has some extra time on their hands can venture outside the walls of Treviso and be surprised by the other side of this area: The Treviso Countryside has numerous Ville Venete or Country Estates owned by the nobles of the Republic of Venice (the Serenissima). Within a few kilometers from the center you will see many frescoed manor houses as well as arcaded barchesse (the villas' service wings) and forested park areas that tell us about the lives of farming, ceremonies etc. over so many years ago. This would make an excellent ending to your day; contrasting water town with a peaceful rural setting.

To get some orientation, we recommend you take a look at our guide to the Ville Venete of the Treviso area and also browse through our list of the Ville Venete to visit in the Veneto region. Of course there are many other inhabited homes located throughout this beautiful area that are certainly worth exploring as well. For example, Villa Loredan Valier Perocco di Meduna is one such home found in Vascon di Carbonera, just a short distance from Treviso; It was built during the Seventeenth Century and Eighteenth Centuries and contains two barchesse, an Oratory (a chapel) and a frescoed room surrounded by a park fed by spring water. You can arrange a visit by appointment.

FAQ

Is one day enough to visit Treviso? Yes. Because the historic center is small and completely surrounded by walls, in a single day you can visit all of the most important places by walking from one stop to another; this includes: Piazza dei Signori, the Duomo, the Buranelli canals, Isola della Pescheria and the walls. If you have an additional 1/2 day available, you can also include some of the Ville Venete that are located just outside of Treviso proper.

What can you see in Treviso in just a few hours? If time is short, focus on Piazza dei Signori with the Palazzo dei Trecento, the Canale dei Buranelli and the Isola della Pescheria: these are the most iconic places, and they lie just a few minutes' walk from one another.

Is Treviso better on foot or by car? The historic centre is best explored strictly on foot: the distances are short and many areas are pedestrianised or have restricted traffic. A car is only needed to reach the Ville Venete and the surroundings in the afternoon.

In summary

To find the best things to do in Treviso during a day of travel, all you need to do is follow the water from the historic Piazza dei Signori to the Buranelli canals, then from the Isola della Pescheria to the Venetian walls by Sile River. The route is very short and can be done entirely on foot; for those who may have some time remaining (half-day) they could visit some Treviso country side including their "Ville Venete" that would be an excellent transition into ending your journey at a slower pace.

Sources: Marca Treviso — official tourism, Comune di Treviso, Istituto Regionale per le Ville Venete (IRVV). Opening times and hours are indicative: always check the official sources before your visit.