Istrana
Istrana is a municipality on the Treviso plain, about twelve kilometres west of Treviso and thirty-five from Venice, made up of th...
Updated 12 July 2026
The story
The story of Istrana
History and origins
The earliest place-name references to the area date to the tenth century: Pezzan and Sala are mentioned in documents from 996, Ospedaletto in 997, Villanova in 1014, while Istrana appears later in the 1152 papal bull Justis fratrum among the parish churches of the Treviso diocese. Under the Republic of Venice the territory was central to the interests of the Venetian aristocracy, which encouraged its agricultural development. The best-known chapter of local history, however, dates to the First World War: in the phase following the retreat of Caporetto, Istrana lay behind the Piave front line, with a military infirmary and an airfield at Sala linked to the name of flying ace Francesco Baracca, the setting on 26 December 1917 for what is remembered as the first major aerial battle in history.
What to see, main places
The municipal territory is made up of the main town and the hamlets of Sala, Pezzan, Ospedaletto and Villanova, each with its own parish church and rural core. Istrana's military airport, still in use and home to the 51st Wing, remains the most recognisable landmark of the municipality, though it cannot be freely visited as it is an active Armed Forces facility. The agricultural landscape, with its rural farmsteads and irrigation canals, is the element that most characterises a visit to Istrana, better suited to those seeking authentic Treviso countryside than grand monuments.
Nature and surroundings
The countryside around Istrana is typical of the lower Treviso plain, with cultivated plots, tree-lined lanes and a dense network of farm roads suited to cycling. The area lies a short distance both from Treviso, with its historic centre and walls, and from the Sile river, which flows a little further east and offers some of the province's most popular cycling and nature routes. Its proximity to Venice also makes Istrana a quiet base for visiting the lagoon while avoiding the prices and crowds of the city centre.
Food and local produce
Istrana's agricultural economy produces cereals, forage crops and fruit and vegetables typical of the Treviso plain, grown on the farms scattered across the municipal territory. Local cuisine follows the Venetian farming tradition, with dishes based on polenta, seasonal vegetables and locally raised meat, without a single signature dish of its own but very much in keeping with the simple, genuine food of the Treviso countryside.
Events and traditions
The event most rooted in the local calendar is the Festa dell'Agricoltura, held at the parish sports centre in the hamlet of Sala, which in recent years has reached numerous editions, a sign of the persistence of a community identity tied to the rural world. Alongside it, the patronal festivals of each village mark the year, offering the kind of social gatherings typical of the Treviso province.
How to get there and location
Istrana lies about twelve kilometres west of Treviso, along the road connecting the provincial capital to the plain toward Castelfranco Veneto, and is easily reached by car from the Treviso ring road. It has no railway station of its own; the nearest are Treviso and Castelfranco Veneto, both linked to Venice and Padua. Its central position on the Treviso plain makes it a convenient base for visiting the province away from the more crowded tourist centres.
Local life and economy
With a population of just over nine thousand across roughly twenty-six square kilometres, Istrana retains a residential and agricultural profile, with the military air base as the main non-agricultural element of the local economy. Proximity to Treviso has over the years also given it a residential role for people working in the provincial capital, in a balance between cultivated countryside and small settlements typical of towns in Treviso's inner commuter belt.
Experiences not to miss
- Ripercorrere la storia della battaglia aerea del 26 dicembre 1917 nei cieli di Istrana
- Trace the history of the 26 December 1917 aerial battle over Istrana's skies
To see
What to see in Istrana
Routes · Trovido Route
Routes in Istrana
Jobs · JobFlow
