Venice > Lido di Venezia

Lido di Venezia - Venice Lido

In summer, Venice's Lido is a popular Adriatic beach resort, but it's a convenient (and inexpensive) place to stay at any time of year.

ABOVE: On a warm Saturday in May, tourists and locals enjoy pizza on the Lido di Venezia's Blue Moon Beach.

By Durant Imboden

The Lido di Venezia--or simply the "Lido," in local parlance--is a barrier island that separates the Venetian Lagoon from the Adriatic Sea. By vaporetto or public water bus, it's only a few minutes from Venice's historic center, which makes it popular as a dormitory suburb of Venice and a summer resort for tourists.

As a visitor, you may find the Lido appealing for several reasons:

• Hotels on the Lido tend to be cheaper than hotels in Venice's centro storico. (At the same time, the Lido is more attractive and convenient to Venice's tourist sights than the mainland suburb of Mestre.)

• In the warmer months (say, from mid-May to mid-October), you may prefer the resort ambiance of the Lido to the more crowded urban landscape of Venice's city center--especially if you're traveling with children who might appreciate a villa hotel with a large garden or a day at the beach.

• If you're arriving or departing by cruise ship, the Lido can be a convenient place to spend a few days before or after your cruise. (Alilaguna airport boats run frequently between Venice's Marco Polo Airport, the Lido, and the Marittima ship basin.)

In this guide, we'll cover the Lido's high points and offer advice on topics such as hotels, transportation, and what to do during your stay.

To get started, go to page 2, where we'll give you an overview of the Lido di Venezia and its location in the Venetian Lagoon.

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