Venice was supposed to be the highlight of our trip to Italy, but it was so crowded, expensive, and touristy, and we were so relieved when we stumbled upon Treviso, a quaint little town tucked away just a train ride away.
Full of crowds
We’d pictured ourselves leisurely strolling down Venice’s scenic canals and cute little streets. In reality, we spent most of our time dodging tourists with our shoulders literally brushing against thousands of other travelers. This occurred most frequently around the city’s main attractions like St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge. We even started to feel like we were just shuffling through a herd of humans instead of actually exploring an ancient city.
Sure, there were some less crowded backstreets, but you had to dodge the busiest parts of Venice just to get there. And instead of relaxing, we often felt worn-out.
Dissapointing Gondola ride
Gondola rides were at the top of our list of things we wanted to do. We had looked forward to spending an hour or so lazily drifting down canals and taking it all in. In reality, our gondola spent most of its time stopped in traffic jams behind the other gondolas. Our ride also ended up being much shorter than we anticipated, not to mention expensive.
Don’t get me wrong, it was nice, and we got some good pictures, but it definitely wasn’t as magical as we expected. Looking back, I’m not sure it was worth the price either.
Overpriced food
We came to Venice expecting real Italian food, but the food was too expensive, disappointing, and clearly catered to tourists. The menus were in multiple languages, and the food was impersonal and standardized.
We were even given microwaved lasagna at one restaurant (yes, we could tell the difference!). It was tragic that we were not enjoying the depth of flavors that Italy is renowned for.
No real connection
Venice was missing its heart & soul. Everything was very commercialized: the stores, the restaurants, & the experiences. Locals were hard to find. In fact, it felt as though the city was only a place for the tourists. It was pretty, no doubt, but it didn’t seem real.
Exhaustion, not inspiration
After two days of fighting the traffic, avoiding the tourist traps, and struggling to find authenticity, we decided Venice was not for us. Rather than being inspired by the beauty and history, we were tired and ready to quit.
Venice might be famous, but we wished it had been more genu
Treviso: the hidden gem we loved instead
We were so tempted to skip Treviso after our horrible experience in Venice, but we’re glad we didn’t. Treviso is only a short train ride from Venice and the atmosphere changed as soon as we arrived. Forget swarms of tourists shoving past you in the street and souvenir shops on every corner. Treviso had charming canals, serene piazzas, and regular people going about their daily business. We really felt like we could slow down and soak in our surroundings.
Our favourite thing to do was stroll around town with no agenda. We crossed little bridges and stumbled upon adorable streets with no hint of tourist traps or commercialism. We enjoyed people-watching from a cute cafe alongside a canal, sipping on coffee. Those little moments made more of an impact on us than most of the sites we visited in Venice.
Even the food seemed more authentic and affordable. We stopped for lunch at a local trattoria and indulged in tasty pasta. Of course we had to try tiramisu before we left since it originated in Treviso. By the time dinner rolled around, we both agreed that Treviso had given us that authentic feel for Italy we were looking for in Venice.
