Fly to Cities

Venice is a beautiful Lagoon city, in the European nation of Italy with a very fascinating character. One of the most travelled cities in the world, in Venice, it is said that there are days when one tourists out-number locals. One of the greatest Medieval European mercantile powers, the city is host to hundreds of thousands of tourists every day. The great thing about Venice however is that, even if explored at leisure, the city can be covered in just about two to three days. But the fact is that while you can cover main-land Venice in the allotted 2-3 days, you certainly, do miss covering the areas around the city, which have so much to offer.

Sitting in the shadows of Venice, here are some of the most under-rated, under-explored regions that you can cover in just a day’s trip from Venice.

Verona

Widely considered to be the one of the most romantic cities of Italy, Verona is just 1.5 hours away from Venice by train. Verona has assumed the title of being a city of romance because Shakespeare’s epic Romance-Tragedy ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in supposedly based in the city of Verona. But that is not all that Verona offers. Built in the 1^st Century and at the centre of the city is The Verona Arena. The Arena is still very much in Use. If you happen to be in Verona in the summer months, you could witness an Opera in the 2000 year old open-air amphitheatre that is still very much in existence. While here, make sure you get a coffee at Piazza Bra and check out the Piazza Delle Erbe for its vibrant houses and some beautiful city churches.

Murrano, Burrano and Torcello

Now here are three little islands in the Venetian lagoon that can be covered in a day. Each one is different from the other. Murrano and Burrano are both famous for their traditional artisan crafts; Murrano is especially known for the centuries old traditional glass-blowing techniques and Burrano for its lace making techniques. Torcello, on the other hand is the island which is said to be home to the original Venetian settlers and houses one of the oldest churches in Italy. The best way to go about the three islands is by a vaporetto or a canal boat.

Ravenna

Ravenna is home to some of the some of the best Byzantine mosaics in Italy and any traveller who appreciates the works inside the St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, is sure to fall in love with Ravenna. Ravenna is an art lovers’ paradise where you will find some mosaics that date back more than 1500 years. In the Basilica Di San Vitale, one can find some of the most famous scenes of the Apostles. You can even visit the Mercato Coperto, The Piazza Del Popolo and the Gallia Placidia Mausoleum, which is one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Ravenna.

Treviso

Treviso is a medieval town that is at a distance of just thirty minutes by train.  Due to its centuries old defensive walls, its beautiful town gates and its old moat, Treviso has an old world charm in its character. This small city is an escapist’s paradise with its pleasant town life with brick walls and little coffee houses. Treviso is also the original producer of the Prosecco, a bubbly white wine and it is said Italians prefer the Prosecco to champagne. Also don’t forget to try a Tiramisu here, after all Treviso is said to be the birth place of this delectable dessert.

Trieste

In the neighbouring Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, at a distance of two hours by train lies Trieste, a pretty waterfront city. The city is located on the border of Italy and makes it a unique cultural destination. Literature lovers know it as the city of James Joyce, the author of Ulysses, who was said to have made Trieste his home for a decade. The influence of the Slavic and Anglo-Hungarian influencers is visible in the cuisine, language and even architecture of Trieste. From the Castello Di Miramare , the castle of Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, you can witness the most spectacular view of the sea. Trieste is also known as Italy’s unofficial coffee capital.

Padua

Padua is the oldest city in Northern Italy. Legend has it that this city was founded by the Trojans in as early as 12^th century B.C. The city is also home to the second oldest university in all of Italy. Galileo was said to be a professor at this university. At just a distance of thirty minutes from Venice, Padua, is today, known for its great art. The Basilica Di Sant’Antonio is a church here that claims to hold some remains of St. Mark. Here you can also see equestrian statue of Donatello. Also see the Scrovegni Chapel to check out frescoes Giotto which was completed in the early 14^th century.

Lake Garda

Take a break from cities on water and check out the one on the lake; the Sirmione Lago Di Garda or Lake Garda. Jutting into Lake Garda is Sirmione, a narrow peninsula. This unique town, at a distance of about 2 hours from Venice allows you to see the 13^th century Scaliger castle and 14^th century churches. The powerful Scaliger family of Italy built the Scaliger castle as a port fortification for their personal fleet of boats.

Dolomites

Another UNESCO World Heritage site in Northern Italy is the Dolomites Mountains with as many as 18 peaks found here. Dolomites feature some of the most beautiful mountain ranges seen anywhere in the world. Dolomites are great to visit at any time, whether you want to go hiking in summer or skiing in winter.

Vicenza

Not many know that you can make a day trip from Venice to Vicenza, probably because it is quite an underrated town.  Vicenza is home to some of the most beautiful architectural structures ever seen, designed by Andrea Palladio. Palladio’s Villa Rotunda is the highlight of Vicenza, while his Teatro Olimpico is his most famous work here. Other significant works of Pallido include the main Piazza of Vicenza, the Piazza Dei Signori, among the 23 buildings designed by him here. Vicenza has a historic character with its beautiful art galleries and museums.

People who are actually looking to explore the wider Veneto region realize that there are so many shades and hues to Venice, and ensure they spend nothing less than 10 days to see the entire Veneto region. So if you are planning to visit Italy anytime soon, make sure you make time for these day trips from Venice.