Cities in Europe including, Venice are not what they once were with overtourism and rising charges.
Fortunately, a 40-mile journey from populated Venice,you can find an alluring medieval town where tourists are a rarity but delights are plenty.
Travelling less than an hour by car takes an explorer to the beautiful town of Asolo, offering tranquility and Italian tradition throughout.
Here you will find a host of cultural treasures with the region’s stunning beauty that inspired prominent Victorian poet and playwright Robert Browning.
A step into the dazzling town and you’re immediately met with a calm atmosphere with far less crowds than most other European spots.
Instead you will be met with a cornucopia of cobbled streets, quaint and inviting cafes, a scattering of Renaissance villas and far fewer tourists.
And with the nickname “city of a hundred horizons”, you know you’ll be in for a real treat when it comes to those breathtaking Italian landscapes.
The region has been described as the town of artists and creatives with celebrated explorer and travel writer Freya Stark declaring her love for Asolo.
In fact, Ms Stark is even buried in the town.
Poet Robert Browning was so encapsulated by the town he even wrote his novel “Asolando” which mentions his experiences living in the city.
This little town is nestled on a wooded hillside under a fortress close to the Dolomites with magic found down each of its arcaded streets.
Visitors can enjoy romantic strolls soaking up the sights of jumbled rooftops, faded frescoes and even an impressive citadel of a Renaissance queen as church bells ring in the distance.
Must visit sights in the Italian town of Asolo include the Civic Tower offering a panoramic 360-degree view stretching from the fortress above the town to the stunning Monte Grappa.
Other noteworthy spots to visit include Asolo’s museum, the Museo Civico, the Santa Maria Assunta cathedral and Rocca – a stone fortress dating to the 12th century.
The town of Asolo’s other claim to fame is its handy location nearby the Prosecco Superiore Hills with the region’s renowned prosecco wine well worth a sample.
To reach Asolo you can take a 30-minute train from Venezia Santa Lucia to Treviso Centrale or a 55-minute car drive.
One wrote of Asolo on TripAdvisor and said: “This town is a gem and has this typical Italian flair.
Very peaceful and quiet and has many eating places around the piazza.
“Interesting was also the one way entry and exit to the old town as the roads are too small for cars to pass.”
With another adding: “Asolo is a lovely town, very elegant, it was so nice to walk around, Garibaldi square is very cozy as well as the shops along the arcades.”
