The main part of old Treviso dates back to the period when the city was under the rule of Venice. The architecture has many Venetian-like elements, the city is built on canals, but turn the other way and instead of Venetian windows you see Tuscan architecture. Therefore, to call Treviso «the second Venice», as travelers often do in romantic photo reviews, is a very big assumption.
The city is very quiet, not rich in sights. Few people come here on purpose, there are few tourists even in high season, and the city lives its own life. But in the city there is an airport Treviso A.Canova, where a huge number of low-cost flights arrive. And if you are flying to this airport, it is a good idea to see Treviso on the way.
Piazza dei Signori (Signoria Square)
All roads in Treviso lead to this central square of the city. The main building in the square is the provincial council, the Palazzo dei Trecento (Palace of the Three Hundred).
The square is small and not very crowded at any time of day. In the restaurants around the perimeter you can relax with a glass of wine or a cup of espresso.
Fontana delle Tette (Fountain of Tette)
A stone’s throw from Piazza Signoria, in the courtyard of the Casa da Noal building, lies perhaps Treviso’s most famous and unusual attraction: a fountain in the form of a female figure with water pouring from her bosom. Urban legend claims that from the time the fountain was installed until the fall of the Venetian Republic, every time a new mayor was appointed, white and red wine poured from the bust of the lady for three days.
St. Caterina Complex (Il complesso di Santa Caterina)
The church of St. Catherine and the Monastery of the Servants of Mary are combined into a single complex, which is now occupied by the Musei Civici di Treviso. The archaeological collection is sparse, but there are frescoes by Tommaso da Modena in the room itself.
- Hours of operation are 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., with Monday off.
- Admission: adults — 6 €, students and schoolchildren — 4 €. Under 18 years of age, admission is free.
- Official website of the museum
Loggia dei Cavaglieri (Knights' Loggia)
This structure of roof and outer walls on columns was once a meeting place for the city’s nobility. The Knights' Lodge was where the worthiest of the worthy citizens gathered to discuss politics and simply relax.
Church of St. Francis (Chiesa di San Francesco)
The church is famous primarily for containing the tombs of Petrarch’s daughter and Dante’s son. The interior is worth a look: it preserves ancient frescoes from the late 13th century and paintings by Tommaso da Modena.
- Hours of operation are 7:00 am to 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm.
- Admission: free of charge.
- Website of the monastery
St. Thomas Gate (Porta San Tomaso)
The Gate of St. Thomas is the furthest landmark of Treviso from the train station. It is noteworthy that different variations of the name are placed on the two sides of the gate, which was built in the 16th century. On the outside, it is written with the local dialect in mind, while the townspeople see it in Latin. This unusual move was explained by the desire to mark the difference between the villagers coming to Treviso and the aristocracy.
Pescheria Treviso (Isola della Pescheria)
The fish market has become one of the hallmarks of Treviso. At one time fish was traded right on the main Piazza della Signoria, but later, thinking about sanitation, the market was moved to a separate, specially created artificial island. The market is open from 7:00 to 13:00 daily, except Mondays.
Pescheria is surrounded by canals, with the facades of old houses and a sculpture of a mermaid in the canal. Guidebooks often write that the surrounding waterfront is built up with restaurants and the place is almost the center of social and nightlife. Actually, no: there are a few bars and establishments in the nearby buildings, but only a few, and they work on a regular schedule, with a break for siesta. There are no nightlife establishments in the neighborhood.
Museum of Contemporary Art (Museo nazionale Collezione Salce)
A small museum to visit if you like contemporary art or have already seen the city and the surrounding area. The contemporary collections of Peggy Guggenheim and other famous gallerists are exhibited here. The museum’s courtyard is decorated with sculptures and offers a superb view of the Grand Canal.
- Hours of operation: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (weekends: Monday, Tuesday).
- Admission: adults — 8 €, children under 18 free of charge.
- Official site
Peter the Apostle Cathedral (Duomo di Treviso, Cattedrale di San Pietro Apostol)
Treviso Cathedral is not the most interesting building in the city, it got into this review only because of its status as a cathedral. Once on this place were ancient Roman buildings, theater, baths, then in the VI century here in the first appeared a Christian church, which increased in 5 centuries. And in the XVIII–XIX centuries the building was demolished, leaving only the crypt as a memorial, and erected this neoclassical construction, which looks like a provincial house of culture.
The most interesting thing about the cathedral is its Venetian-style bell tower. As was customary at the time, the construction of the bell tower was stopped by the Venetian government so that it would not surpass the height of the bell tower of San Marco Cathedral in Venice. Therefore, the bell tower remained unfinished.
Useful links
- Treviso City Tourist Site
