Oderzo - 2 km
Oderzo was the city of the first Veneti, constructed a millennium before the birth of Rome, and its ancient name of Opitergium betrays both its origin and function: "Opi" was the Venetian goddess of the harvest and "terg" means market – accordingly, Oderzo was (and remains to this day) a farmers’ market town. In addition, Oderzo is also renowned for the presence of the Knights Templar (who built a temple at nearby Ormelle).

After 1312, the Order of the Templars was assigned by Philip the Beautiful to the Order of the Knights of Malta.The presence of these multifarious influences in Oderzo, as well as the town's status as a trading hub and its ancient links to the sea through the “Old Piave” (the modern-day River Piavon) and the Monticano-Livenza rivers, all combined to make the local culinary traditions immensely rich and varied.

Caorle - 50 km
The roots of Caorle stretch back to the 1st century BC (the name derives from the Latin Caprulae, due to the wild goats that grazed there), as evinced by the numerous Roman-era remains that have been uncovered. The fate of Caorle was linked for centuries with that of the Venetian Republic: Caorle was part of the Dogado (or dukedom of Venice) and was one of the 9 districts into which the dukedom was sub-divided. Each of the districts was governed by a podestà (or local administrator).

Of particular interest are the duomo (or cathedral), which dates from 1038 (and remained the bishop’s seat until 1807), and the cylindrical bell tower, which is surmounted by a Romanesque conical spire dating from the same period. On the coast, there is the Sanctuary of the Madonna dell’Angelo, built in the 17th century on the site of an existing church with a basilica-style plan.

The Prosecco hillsides - 45 km
Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene DOC is produced exclusively in the Treviso area, and specifically on the hillsides between Vittorio Veneto and Valdobbiadene. The DOC (Controlled Denomination of Origin) district includes 15 municipalities: Conegliano, Susegana, San Vendemiano, Colle Umberto, Vittorio Veneto, Cison di Valmarino, San Pietro di Feletto, Refrontolo, Pieve di Soligo, Farra di Soligo and Valdobbiadene.

Conegliano is the starting point for the 'wine road' known as the Strada del Prosecco e Vini dei Colli Conegliano Valdobbiadene, which meanders through the Quartier del Piave area before reaching Valdobbiadene. The ‘red wine road’ also starts in Conegliano.

Treviso - 30 km
Documents have been discovered that attest to the origins of Treviso as a paleovenetian village that was established in the pre-Roman era on three plains located close to a bend in the Sile River, in an area rich in water resources. In the year 1000, Treviso became a municipality and underwent substantial development and expansion. It was embellished by numerous monuments and palaces, which resulted in it being given the moniker of urbs picta (painted town). Treviso became synonymous with the good things in life.

At the end of the 1300s, after years of battles among adversarial factions that sought to control the city, Treviso became part of the Republic of Venice. The sites of particular interest include the Church of San Francesco, the Loggia dei Cavalieri, the Piazza dei Signori and the Palazzo dei Trecento.

Pordenone - 30 km
Pordenone was founded in the Roman era and developed rapidly due to the presence of fluvial courses. Its vocation as a port was clear in its Roman name: Portus Naonis (Latin for ‘Port on the [River] Naone [Noncello]). For centuries, it remained under the domain of the Republic of Venice, and then, in the mid 19th century, it began to industrialise thanks to the establishment of numerous cotton mills and paper mills. The jewel in the city’s crown today is a major conference centre.

Pordenone – upcoming expos:
September: FIERA CAMPIONARIA
October: SICAM 2009
November: RISO E CONFETTI
January:
    MOSTRA MERCATO NAZIONALE dell’ANTIQUARIATO
    DOMUS ARREDA
    TENDENZA MOSAICO
    FIERA del DISCO
February: SAMUMETAL
March: ORTOGIARDINO
April: RADIOAMATORE HI-FI CAR
May: NAONISCON.

San Daniele del Friuli, home of fine prosciutto - 75 km
San Daniele del Friuli is renowned around the world for the production of the eponymous prosciutto crudo (ham). This area is blessed with very special air currents that endow the locally produced hams with a unique, unmistakable flavour that is appreciated across the globe. Just a short distance from the San Daniele hillsides, the limpid waters of the Tagliamento river are the natural home of the local trout, which is raised and processed by hand.

San Daniele is recognised by the Friulians as the capital of the Friulian language, since it is the place in which the most perfect Friulian is spoken – for this reason, San Daniele is known as 'the Siena of Friuli'.

Villa Manin - 57 km
Villa Manin di Passariano is a Venetian villa located in Passariano di Codroipo (in the province of Udine). It was the residence of the last Doge of Venice, Ludovico Manin.

On the night of August 27, 1797, the villa played host to Napoleon Bonaparte and Josephine Beauharnais, and it was here that the Treaty of Campoformio (1797) was signed by France and Austria.

Alongside its architectural virtues, the villa is considered important for the 18th-century works of art that adorn the walls and for its museum area, which plays host to permanent exhibitions including a collection of ancient carriages and a well-stocked armoury. In 2004, Villa Manin became a Centre for Contemporary Art, and exhibitions by artists from all over the world are regularly staged there.

Aquileia, historic city with a wealth of mosaics - 90 km
A Roman colony founded in 181 B.C., Aquileia was the capital of the 10th Augustan Region and a metropolis of the Christian church. It is the most important and prestigious archaeological site in northern Italy. From the later stages of the Roman Republic and throughout almost the entire Imperial era, Aquileia constituted one of the nerve centres of the Roman Empire. It was renowned as a centre for the arts thanks to the richness of its patrons and the intensity of the traffic passing through it.

Despite various subsequent interventions, the Basilica of Aquileia retains its original 11th-century form. It features an extraordinary mosaic floor dating from the early 4th century, depicting scenes from the Old Testament.

Grado, beautiful coastline - 100 km
Grado is an important tourist resort and spa town that was established in around 452 A.D., when large numbers sought refuge on the island to escape the Hunnish hordes led by Atila. After the seat of the Patriarchate of Aquileia was transferred there in 568, Grado's population increased and the town acquired a high-profile political and religious role, as evinced by the construction of the Basilicas of Santa Eufemia and Santa Maria delle Grazie.

The emergence of Venice as the dominant centre in this part of the peninsula marked the slow decline of the island. However, at the end of the 19th century, Grado started to garner a reputation as a seaside resort, and in the early 20th century was visited by such illustrious figures as Sigmund Freud and Luigi Pirandello.

Venice - 70 km
Legend has it that some of the inhabitants of the Venetian hinterland sought refuge on a number of small islands in the lagoon following the various barbarian invasions that began in the 5th century. This explains the creation of the first settlement on the island of Rivo Alto (which would later become known as Rialto). Over the years, this island grew in importance thanks to its trade links with the Orient, and it is classed as one of the so-called Maritime Republics along with Genoa, Pisa and Amalfi.

The heart of the city of Venice is St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco), which is by definition the only real 'square' on the island, the others being referred to as 'campi' or 'campielli'. The gilded St. Mark's Basilica – embellished by mosaics that recount the history of Venice – is located at the centre of the square. The Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale) is sited next to the Basilica: built in the 15th century from Istrian marble, it was the seat of the Venetian government.

Padua - 90 km
The site of an ancient, prestigious university, Padua retains numerous traces of its glorious cultural and artistic past, which make it a favoured destination of tourists from around the world. Today, it is a prominent economic centre and one of the most important European hubs for intermodal transport (including transport by river). Padua plays host to one of the most extraordinary and revolutionary masterpieces of mediaeval art, the Scrovegni Chapel, which was painted in the early 14th century by Giotto.

Padua is universally recognised as the city of Saint Anthony, the famous Portuguese Franciscan monk. Born in Lisbon in 1195, he lived in Padua for several years before dying there on June 13, 1231. The remains of the Saint are housed in the Basilica di Sant'Antonio, a place of pilgrimage for Christians from across the world and one of the city's main monuments.

Verona - 165 km
The city of Verona has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to its urban structure and architecture: Verona is a wonderful example of a city that has gradually developed over the course of two thousand years, integrating high-quality artistic elements through the centuries. It is an exceptional example of a city that has been progressively fortified across various stages of European history.


Verona is visited every year by hundreds of thousands of tourists, many from outside Italy, who are drawn there by its artistic and archaeological riches (including its most famous monuments – the Roman Arena and Juliet's House) and by its numerous festivals (including the opera season at the Arena and the summer theatre season).

Vicenza - 115 km
Vicenza is known as the city of Andrea Palladio – the architect designed many of the city's most celebrated buildings – and as one of Italy's leading artistic centres. It is hot spot for cultural tourism that attracts visitors from throughout Italy and beyond. Thanks to the work of Palladio, the city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. Moreover, the Palladian villas throughout the Veneto region were awarded the same status in 1996.

Vicenza is also an important industrial and economic hub, lying at the heart of a province that plays host to a wealth of small and medium-sized enterprises. In 2007, the province was Italy's third-largest exporter in terms of turnover – its economic success driven, above all, by the metalworking and mechanical engineering, textile and jewellery sectors.

Trieste - 120 km
Since the 2nd millennium B.C., the area that today constitutes the province of Trieste was the site of important protohistoric hill forts located on high ground and protected by stone fortifications, whose inhabitants were probably of Illyrian origin and Indo-European stock. Trieste prospered during the time of the Roman Empire (when it was called 'Tergeste'), asserting its position as one of the most important ports on the upper Adriatic coast, along the Via Popilia-Annia.

In the 12th century, Trieste became a Free Municipality and, in 1382, after centuries of battles against its rival Venice, the city put itself under the protection of the Duke of Austria but retained considerable autonomy until the 17th century. Some of Trieste's most interesting sights include the Piazza Unità d'Italia, the Palazzo del Municipio, the Teatro Romano and the Castello di Miramare.

Cortina d'Ampezzo, the Queen Pearl of the Dolomites-120km
Cortina d'Ampezzo is the largest and most famous of the 18 municipalities that form Ladinia, the exclusive winter tourist resort that staged the 1956 Winter Olympics. The area continues to provide the backdrop for numerous international sporting events. Cortina d'Ampezzo was already a favoured destination for tourists at the end of the 19th century, when it was discovered by the Austro-German nobility and the British, French and American upper classes.

The winter tourists soon began to ski down the freshly covered pistes. Shortly thereafter, Cortina d'Ampezzo's international reputation as the 'Pearl of the Dolomites' and the 'Queen of the Alps' was sealed.
On August 25, 2009, Auronzo di Cadore provided the venue for the event celebrating the declaration of the Dolomites as a UNESCO World Heritage Site..