Portobuffole

Portobuffole is a small comune and town located in the Veneto region in northern Italy. The town is located in the province of Treviso and is located close to the cities of Treviso and Venice. Portobuffole is spread over an area of just 5 sq km and has a population of approximately 824. The town was originally known as Settimo based on the name given to the settlement by the Romans until 1000. The medieval town was first inhabited by the Romans and the ancient castle of the town had first appeared in a document in 997 AD.

Portobuffole is quite a small town, often referred to as village but in the recent years it has experienced a rise in tourism since many tourists visit the region to experience the true Italian medieval village lifestyle.

Getting to Portobuffole

Portobuffole is located in close proximity to the cities of Treviso and Venice so it is easy to reach the town. Visitors coming from other countries or other parts of Italy can reach Venice by train or flight and then travel to Portobuffole. The easiest way to reach the town is to drive down from Venice or Treviso. Treviso is located 30 km from Portobuffole and Venice is 50 km from the town so driving down is quite comfortable. Visitors can also travel by the state buses that depart every few hours from the main bus stations in Venice, Treviso and from the other smaller towns of the province.

Moving Around the Town

The only way to explore Portobuffole is on foot. The town has an area of just 5 sq km so visitors can easily explore the entire town in an hour or two on foot. There are only a few locations and sight seeing attractions located within the town so walking around is the easiest way to do it. Also, the town is characterized by several narrow streets and hidden alleys around which it is not possible to navigate cars and parking can be quite a lot of problem. On weekends and on evenings most locals can be seen strolling around the streets of the town at leisurely pace.

Attractions in Portobuffole

Casa Gaia

Casa Gaia is located close to Piazza Beccaro which is the main piazza of Portobuffole. Casa Gaia is a beautiful palace that was built in 14^th century as a private residence. Gaia da Camino had lived in the residence until her death in 1311. The palace was originally a tower house which was converted to a palace. The façade of the palace has beautiful columns with lotus flowers and lancet windows. Inside the palace are beautiful frescoes on the first floor and have been well preserved. The frescoes on the first floor depict various cultural figures while the ones on second floor depict castles, drawbridges, palaces and fortified cities.

The Municipal Tower

The municipal tower is one of the oldest monuments in the town. The tower was built in the 10^th century along with the seven towers of the castle, out of which this is the only remaining tower. The tower is 28 meters high and is constructed in brick. The tower used to once be a prison and there was an opening at the clock from where the prisoners used to be lowered into the prison. The building which is located at the foot of the tower was the Palazzo Del Governo which was built in 1187.

The Duomo

The Duomo of Portobuffole is quite an interesting place to visit. The building was originally a Jewish synagogue before it was converted into a Christian church. The cathedral had been consecrated in 1559 and has been restored several times over the centuries. The cathedral has a large German wooden crucifix and a beautiful wooden altar made in red walnut. There is a beautiful 18^th century organ made by a famous Venetian organ maker and some art work. During the restoration work several letters in Jewish alphabet and a stone with Jewish menorah were found from the location.

Church of San Rocco

The church of San Rocco is located a little away from the village but is definitely worth a visit. The church was consecrated in the 16^th century and has a beautiful architecture which has been renovated a few times over the years. Inside the church are various art works, the most noteworthy being the precious Madonna della Seggiola.

Stay and Accommodation

Portobuffole is a very small town and there are only a few places to visit in the town. With an area of just 5 sq km there aren’t many options for visitors to choose from when it comes to accommodation. Most visitors drive down to Portobuffole as a day excursion form Venice and Treviso and generally prefer to stay in the city since there are many accommodation options available there. There are only one or two hotels in Portobuffole, which are managed by the local families and are converted to hotels from old villas. Rooms are comfortable but not very luxurious. One of the hotels in Portobuffole is the hotel Villa Giustinian Srl.

Eating in Portobuffole

There aren’t many options for visitors for dining out in Portobuffole. There are only one or two restaurants in the town where the locals like to eat. The restaurants in the town serve local specialties like Gnochheti with duck sauce, pigeon risotto, veal kidney, salted and dried cod, tripe, zuppa matta which is a soup made from bread, milk, mushrooms and pumpkin and some local desserts and pastries. Good wine is available throughout the town in most wine shops.

Shopping in Portobuffole

Portobuffole has picturesque ancient market streets that are lined with small shops selling local produce and locally made products. Locals can be seen shopping on most days at leisurely pace. Visitors can purchase a variety of local fruits and food produce like cheese and salami from the town. Portobuffole is well known for its excellent red wines from the Alto Livenza region, squash and honey so visitors can purchase these at any food stores or wine shops.