9 Best Day Trips From Venice by Train Under 1 Hour

Looking for the best day trips from Venice under 1 hour by train? Here are 9 wonderful places you can visit easily from the Venetian capital.

The iconic gondolas faring on the equally iconic waterways… the impressive Gothic buildings, ornate bridges, and charming piazzas…

Really, there’s not much more left to say about this city that has for centuries ignited romance and inspired countless romantic declarations of excitement.

Venice is not only one of the world’s most beautiful destinations, it also one of the safest cities you can visit in Italy. However, today we are going to halt the praises and head on straight to other things you can do besides admire the captivating beauty of the Venetian capital. Day trips are some of them.

There are quite plenty of day trips from Venice by train, but we have narrowed our list down to the best places that only take under an hour on a train journey to assure ample time for exploring. Let’s hop in!

Best Day Trips From Venice Under 1 Hour By Train

Best Day Trips From Venice Under 1 Hour by Train

Here are the cities and towns for your best day trips from Venice by train in under an hour.

1. Treviso

Treviso - Best Day Trips From Venice, Italy
Rolling vineyards of Treviso

Distance: approx. 16 mi. (26 km.)
Fastest travel time: 22 mins.

Hands down the easiest of all day trips from Venice, Treviso has become a hub of art and culture in the Veneto region over the past years – with good reason. For starters, there’s the stunning 14th-century church of Santa Caterina, now Treviso’s Civic Museum, where you can view exquisite frescoes and paintings of famous Venetian artists, as well as fascinating collections of antiquities.

Treviso is also recognized as the original production area of Prosecco wine and Italian chicory (radicchio), and purportedly the birthplace of one of Italy’s most famous desserts – tiramisù.

Home to a large university and the headquarters of Italian fashion brands Geox and Benetton, bicycle maker Pinarello, and appliance maker De’Longhi, Treviso is also hailed by many as the friendliest town in all of Italy.

2. Jesolo

Jesolo - Best Day Trips From Venice, Italy
Lido Di Jesolo Beach

Distance: 18 mi. (29 km.)
Fastest travel time: 17 mins.

The city of fun! Jesolo offers just that – fun, fun, and more fun!

This is a city your whole family will enjoy because it has a bit of everything – from gelaterias to theme parks like New Jesolandia, Gommapiuma, Caribe Bay, and Tropicarium Park to fashion and jewelry shops… and the 80,000-sq.m. go-kart area. Not to mention the beach!

While most of Jesolo’s tourism is in the summer, this seaside resort city is fun to visit any season of the year for adults and children alike. Truly one of the must-not-miss day trips from Venice!

3. Padua

Padua - Best Day Trips from Venice, Italy
Prato della Valle, Padua

Distance: approx. 21 mi. (34 km.)
Fastest travel time: 15 mins.

Considered one of Italy’s main art cities (città d’arte), Padua boasts Roman ruins and medieval walls as well as Renaissance frescoes and Liberty style architecture.

It’s best to start your day tour at the city’s centro storico, which is a pastiche of these millenia-old styles of art and architecture that make this Italian city stand out from the rest.

It is worth noting that Italy’s most famous poet, Dante Alighieri, lived in Padua. The city is also the setting of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew.

4. Abano Terme

Abano Terme - Best Day Trips From Venice, Italy
Sunset in Abano Terme
© Luigi Mengato | Flickr

Distance: approx. 26 mi. (42 km.)
Fastest travel time: 25 mins.

With its hectares of luxurious natural parks and healing mud and hot springs, Abano Terme is a great destination for your ultimate relaxation goals. The town’s soothing thermal baths and Roman spas are believed to have curative mineral-rich waters from ancient springs.

In addition, this beautiful albeit small spa town is not short of interesting sights, art, and architecture.

A truly unique experience awaits you less than half an hour by train from Venice, so make sure to get a ticket to ride!

5. Portogruaro

Portogruaro - Best Day Trips From Venice, Italy
Portogruaro-Caorle Railway Station

Distance: approx. 34 mi. (54 km.)
Fastest travel time: 37 mins.

Portogruaro can be considered a small version of Venice, thanks to the architectural style of its palaces. It is an ancient little town, elegant and steeped in history – just like its big sister Venice.

While it is dubbed the “City of the Porticoes,” Portogruaro is better-known for a good number of wines produced here and exported all over the world.

This charming little town isn’t touristy, but it offers plenty of attractions, including its numerous medieval churches and palaces, as well as the popular seaside resorts found here.

Don’t miss this day trip from Venice!

ALSO READ: 14 Best Non-Touristy Cities And Towns In Italy You Must Visit Before They’re Crowded

6. Rovigo

Rovigo - Best Day Trips From Venice, Italy
Sanctuary of the Beata Vergine del Soccorso (“La Rotonda”), Rovigo
© Threecharlie | Wikimedia Commons

Distance: approx. 37 mi. (59 km.)
Fastest travel time: 33 mins

One of Italy’s most underrated cities and Veneto’s often overlooked destinations, Rovigo offers a lot more than you may think.

While they may not be the same treasure trove of attractions you will find in its fellow Venetian neighbors, this ancient little city offers an array of activities and places to visit that make it worthy of a day trip from Venice.

Rovigo boasts one of the best collections of paintings in the region, so checking out the local art gallery is an absolute must when in the city. Rovigo’s luxurious palaces, the Duomo, and the historic old town also warrant a visit.

7. Vicenza

Vicenza - Best Day Trips From Venice, Italy
Old town center, Vicenza

Distance: approx. 39 mi. (63 km.)
Fastest travel time: 29 mins.

Vicenza is a thriving cosmopolitan city, admired by many for its rich history and culture. It houses numerous museums and art galleries, elegant Renaissance palaces, villas, churches, and piazzas.

The city of Vicenza, along with its 23 Palladian buildings, was given a UNESCO World Heritage designation in 1994. These works of Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio are probably what make Vicenza so well-known. However, the city is also recognized for its trade in precious metals, hence the moniker “City of Gold.”

Vicenza is a charming small town worth exploring with its history, art, and architecture. Best souvenir to buy will be a piece of jewelry, with some of the best Italian jewelry brands headquartered here such as Roberto Coin, FOPE, and Marco Bicego.

8. Ferrara

Ferrara - Best Day Trips From Venice, Italy
Ferrara’s central square

Distance: 54 mi. (87 km.)
Fastest travel time: 45 mins.

Ferrara is best for walking around, with a well-preserved – and mostly car-free – historic center dating back to the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, including the old Jewish quarter.

A fantastic tourist destination located in the Emilia-Romagna region, Ferrara was a major reference point for artists, poets, and minstrels back in the day. It was the first modern city and one of the European capitals of culture, arts, politics, gastronomy.

The city is fairly easy to visit. Besides exploring on foot, you can also go biking on top of or alongside the city’s medieval walls.

A visit to Ferrara takes one to an authentic journey back in time. And any visit here is not complete without feasting on the mouth-watering local cuisine, so make sure to sample as many food as you can!

9. Verona

Verona

Distance: approx. 66 mi. (106 km.)
Fastest travel time: 55 mins.

Although famously known as the setting of Shakespeare’s Rome and Juliet, the city of Verona’s symbol is the Arena di Verona, a Roman amphitheatre that serves as a reminder of the city’s wealth of Roman antiquities. Verona is actually nicknamed “Little Rome.”

The city’s history, incredible art and architecture, and fantastic food make Verona truly one of the best day trips from Venice by train. And while you’re there, don’t forget to touch Juliet’s breast for some good luck!

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