Venice Destination Guide

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Lido

The Lido forms the main land barrier between Venice and the open sea. For many years a succession of Doges made their way out to the shallow waters of the Lido to celebrate the Ceremony of Venice's marriage to the sea by dropping a ring into the waters. Acknowledging the important role the sea has played in the history of Venice, and illuminating how Venice depends on the mercy of the sea for its continued survival.

The main attraction for many to the Lido is the famous beach celebrated in Thomas Mann's “Death in Venice”, and frequently mentioned in many publications (mainly Venetian) as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The public beach is not well-maintained and quite often covered in litter from the large numbers of both locals and tourists that use the beach in the summer months. The water is also very polluted and typical of the beaches that line the Adriatic coast of North-East Italy you have to walk quite some distance into the sea until the water reaches an ideal level to swim and relax.

An alternative to the public beach is to hire a cabana or a post on one of the private beaches attached to some of the more prestigious hotels of the Lido. As a cheaper and probably more enjoyable alternative we would recommend either traveling out to Sant' Erasmo, a small idyllic island with a well maintained beach, or perhaps catching a water-bus from the Lido to visit Pellestrina.
Pellestrina is another long and narrow piece of land similar to the Lido in its physical character, but a lot less commercial where you find a stretch of beach waiting to be discovered. As always try to avoid visiting the beaches at the weekend when they are often crowded by the locals as well as the tourist hordes.

For fans of Golf, the Lido boasts the only golf-course in Venice. Also, it's the only Island that allows cars and mopeds on its roads. The long roads that seem that follow the islands coast are ideal for cyclist and bikes can be rented on the Island near the main water-bus station coming from central Venice.

The Lido continues to be a popular destination for holiday makers as its hotels offer great value for money to visitors vacationing in Venice. Only twenty minutes by water-bus from St. .Marks (water-buses operate 24 hrs a day), the money you'll save staying at a hotel on the Lido will make up for the hassle of having to travel in and out of Venice by boat. Also, if you are traveling with kids, many hotels on the Lido boast swimming pools and in the warmer summer months provide a pleasant compromise for parents who want to introduce their children to the history and culture of Venice.

The Lido is at its most popular during the first week of September when it hosts the famous Venetian film festival. During this time the whole island is besieged by Hollywood and film-makes and press from around the globe. Amongst the famous movie stars that make their annual homage to Venice for the film festival are Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, George Clooney, Johnny Depp, and a host of other stars who make Venice their home during the week.

How to get to the Lido:
A number of water-buses service the Lido, from Venice you can take either the 1, 6, 11, 52 or 82. And from the Lido you can catch a boat to continue your journey down to Chioggia, via the wild beaches of Pellestrina.
 

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