Treviso
We watched a standup show of an Indian comic and one of his jokes was about how he had signed up for the World Tiramisu Championship. The joke itself didn't land that well but we were intrigued about the championship venue. It was a city called Treviso, where Tiramisu was invented! Treviso is tantalizingly close to Venice but somehow isn't as popular. Venice is always a nightmare, we could sense this by just looking at their airport. It is a city we have saved for later in life when we will have more patience. So we took the rental and drove off to this city which was about 45 mins north of Venice airport. And it was such a pleasant surprise.
Unassuming cities have their own charm. Less flamboyant but more authentic. They had a riviera quarter which had canals - similar to Venice. And the city itself had some interesting places, like a Clockwork Orange-esque statue of a woman, a museum that explained the migrant crisis, and a nice cathedral at the center. I also tasted the best pasta I ever had at this small corner deli. And of course, the Tiramisu. We found the restaurant that supposedly invented the dish (although there are others who claim this), and it was very different from the ones I've had. So all in all, we enjoyed Treviso and would recommend that you check it out!