Why go now?

Treviso is the hidden secret of the Veneto, just half an hour from Venice, but much less touristy and expensive. Right now, it is hosting a mega-exhibition by one of the Serenissima's greatest painters, Canaletto. Running until 5 April, "Canaletto, Venice and its Splendours" (Casa dei Carraresi, Via Palestro 33), features 30 works by the master plus a big selection by Guardi, and a host of 18th-century artists who specialised in Venetian landscapes.

Checking in

There is no need to spend a fortune on accommodation here, as Treviso has some excellent small, reasonably-priced hotels and B&Bs. Best bet is Albergo Il Focolare (Piazza Ancillotto 4; 00 39 0422 56601; www.albergoilfocolare.net; €90), a recently renovated 14-room hotel, with cosy furnishings and copious breakfast buffet. B&B Borgo Cavour (Borgo Cavour 19; 00 39 0422 419415; www.designbedandbreakfast.it; €80) is a friendly, cool bed and breakfast, while B&B Madam (Via Risorgimento 10; 00 39 0422 580229; €60) is decorated in kitsch Seventies style. What is new though, is Maison Matilda (Via Riccati 44; 00 39 0422 582212; www.maisonmatilda.com; €240), an elegantly designed mansion with the extra pluses of breakfast/brunch served till 2pm and free tickets for the Canaletto show.

Hit the streets

Treviso is not a "museum city", and there really isn't much to see in its museums or churches, apart from some lovely 14th-century frescoes in the Chiesa di San Nicolò. What is a delight is just to get lost in the maze of backstreets and romantic canals. The prettiest canal is Buranelli, lined with pastel palaces and wrought-iron bridges. And Treviso is so small, you can walk round the entire medieval city wall in around an hour.

Coffee break

The place everyone wants to be seen sipping cappuccino is Caffé Andrea Zanin (Portico Scuro 9), a new hi-tech locale with plasma TV screens and lounge music. Otherwise, the vast arched salon of Caffé Beltrame (Piazza dei Signori 27) is the big early-evening meeting place in Treviso, while Casa del Caffé (Via Palestro 36) has hundreds of chocolates and caramels.

Neighbourhood watch

Since last year Treviso has had a new neighbourhood in the centre of town, an old hospital complex transformed into an urban centre, part university, part luxury mall. Known as the Quartiere Latino, the mood is more chic than bohemian. Begin with a drink at Vineria and go for dinner at the contemporary restaurant, Corte Sconta

Retail therapy

Treviso is not know as "Benettonville" for nothing, as this is one of the fashion capitals of Italy, with nearby factories producing designs for Diesel, Replay and Sisley. You'll find every designer brand imaginable in the chic boutiques on Via Calmaggiore, but with the strong euro, finding bargains is difficult. Best bet is to hit the Saturday morning market at Porta San Tomaso. Ask for the stall called Vintage, where branded outfits go for just €2 a piece.

Worked up an appetite

Treviso is simply brilliant for eating out - delicious food, big portions and reasonable prices. At Antica Osteria Carraresi (Via Palestro 12), you can feast on a three-course lunch for €11 but if you just want a sandwich, head for Dai Naneti (Vicolo Broli 2), where a crusty panino stuffed with mortadella, prosciutto or roast pork only costs €3. Two traditional osterie worth tracking down are Osteria Muscoli's (Via Pescheria 23), who serve a tasty fritto misto and Osteria Arman (Via Manzoni 27). For more gourmet cuisine, reserve at Toni del Spin (Via Inferiore 7; 00 39 0422 543829) which specialises in local dishes such as faraona alla peverada, guinea fowl served with a sweet pomegranate sauce.

Party town

Treviso is a party town, and the evening kicks off around 6.30pm with sharply dressed locals drinking Spritz al bitter at bars such as Cantinetta Venegazzu (Piazza Ancilloto 3) and White Lady (Via Palestro 3). Be warned that the Spritz is a lethal concoction of white wine, Campari and soda, costs less than €2 a glass, and can get you drunk very quickly. Best to move on for some food, at either a traditional eatery such as Hostaria due Torri (Via Palestro 8; 00 39 0422 56249) or the fun Piola (Via Carlo Alberto 11), a psychedelic pizzeria with excellent music. The best place to finish is by the Porta San Tomaso, where two great bars are open to 2am, Osteria Al Bottegon and Mamamia, a smart cocktail lounge.

Getting there

Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) flies direct to Treviso from Liverpool and Stansted from around £52.