Venice Lido holidays

Why put up with the hustle and the bustle around St Mark’s Square 24/7 when you can retreat to luxury and watch it all from afar? That’s what life on the Lido’s about. A go-slow feel, a gorgeous beach and regular boats back to San Marco – you’ve got two holidays in one here. And the views? Simply stunning.

Lights, camera, action

Across the lagoon from Venice’s sight-packed centre, this 11km-long sandbar shows off a slower pace of life, and just oozes luxury. We’re talking grand villas housing boutique hotels and botanical gardens, and vintage-style beach huts that wouldn’t look out of place in a black and white Fellini film. It also sees A-listers flock to its shores every September for the star-studded Film Festival, which only adds to the exclusivity. Oh, and did we mention the casino?

Ah, this is the life

How does a relaxing day at the beach sound? For pure decadence, it’s worth the small fee to stretch out with the jet set on the Hotel Excelsior’s private patch. Think chic cabanas, waiter service, the works. There are free bits of beach too – just head out early to bag a good spot. Horse riding, golf and cycling are popular pastimes if you want to work off all that pizza and pasta. Meanwhile, evenings are made for al fresco dining and eyeing up the gelato stalls along Gran Viale.

Getting to Venice

You’re in Venice, so it’s a safe bet you’ll want to tick off the top sights. Luckily, it’s super easy to get to San Marco from the Lido. Just swing by the Lido S.M.E. on Santa Maria Elisabetta to catch a waterbus – or vaporetto. Line 1 leaves every 10 to 15 minutes, and takes around 20 minutes to get to Piazza San Marco. You can even buy 24, 48 and 72hr travel cards. If you’re feeling flash, travel in style on a private water taxi, but be prepared to pay around €60 for a single trip.