Venice is gorgeous. The problem is everyone else in the world seems to think so too. In recent years, its issues with overtourism have become so desperate that it has introduced an entrance fee for day trippers in an effort to reduce visitor numbers. So a day or two of complete contrast – a trip to a tranquil, traditional Italian town stuffed with cultural treasures, and where tourists are a rarity – can add another delightful dimension to a Venetian break.

The beautiful medieval town of Asolo, 40 miles from Venice, takes less than an hour to reach if you go by car and has previous when it comes to admirers. Prominent Victorian poet and playwright Robert Browning, Italian actor Eleonora Duse, and celebrated explorer and travel writer Freya Stark, who died and is buried in the town, no less.