Island Lido di Venezia | Venice is one of the most beautiful and unique cities in the world. The Italian coastal town on the Adriatic coast and its sophisticated seaside resort Lido di Venezia with its impressive buildings exude their own charm and expressive character.
Anyone who has ever visited this city has certainly been drawn into its almost magical spell. A very special place to visit is the so-called ‘Lido di Venezia’, thus the small strip of islands with its beaches and hotels that separates the world-famous lagoon of Venice from the open sea.
Something about the history of the Lido
For a long time, the Lido di Venezia was not a very popular destination for tourists or locals. Due to its distance to the city center, only very few tourists came to the narrow strip of sand and the population rate was dwindling.
Over time, however, the people have recognized the peculiarity of the interesting island strip and turned it into a really worth seeing place. Today, the beautiful sandy strip has become a popular and very fashionable seaside resort, which has great sandy beaches to offer and allows holidaymakers not far from the world-famous city some rest and tranquility.
Location & Surroundings
The Lido di Venezia is about 11 km long and has an area of about 4 km². It is located directly in the middle part of the Venetian lagoon and is, therefore, a kind of separation from the open Adriatic Sea. The largest town on the island is called Lido and currently has almost 17,000 inhabitants.
Lido is also the venue of the annual Venice International Film Festival. The other places on the island are Alberoni and Malamocco. The latter is the oldest inhabited part of the island.
Lido and its striking architecture
The architecture on the Lido is strongly influenced by the Venetian architectural style. In addition to the carefully managed beaches and seaside resorts on the island strip, many trades point to the venue of the important film festival, so that the design of the place has been strongly oriented towards this.
There are only a few cafés and restaurants on the Lido, all of which are very cosy and inviting.
Popular island for tourists
The Lido di Venezia offers some excellent, extremely luxurious hotels as for example the ‘Grand Hotel Excelsior‘ or the ‘Grand Hotel de Bains’, which has meanwhile closed its doors. Especially during the annual film festival, many prominent faces cavort on the fine sand strip. Many buildings offer wonderful views of the Adriatic Sea and are very exclusive and accordingly expensive. The whole island strip is kept in the typical Venetian style and offers a lot of interesting sights such as churches or extravagant villas.
Just as in the city of Venice itself, there are also numerous small canals and winding alleys on the Lido, which are navigated by boats and boats. In contrast to the Venetian city centre, which is known to be completely free of any vehicles, these are allowed on the island and can be found all over the island. Nevertheless, it is noticeable that most of the inhabitants prefer to cycle, which is why visitors are recommended to rent a bike and explore the island with all its secret places or of course typically Italian with the scooter.
How to get to the Lido di Venezia?
► By car – If you want to travel by car, it’s very easy to do so. As already mentioned, the Lido is not car-free and very popular with overnight guests. As soon as you reach Venice via the Ponte della Libertà, keep right and follow the signs Tronchetto “Ferry Lido”. The car ferry no. 17 departs at least once per hour and takes about 35 minutes to the Lido. Prices for a normal car are about 13,00 € per way. People pay about 7,00 €. In the season you have to reckon with waiting times.
Alternatively, you can take the car ferry from Punta Sabbioni. For this, please read my detailed article Punta Sabbioni in City Tours.
► Public transport and airport – The best way to get there by public transport is with the main lines 1 and 2 of the water buses. If you leave the train station or the Piazzale Roma, you will need some time, but you will also pass through the entire impressive Canal Grande. Single tickets are expensive, so it is always best to buy the day or multi-day tickets of the public transport companies. Further information can be found in Transport. In the category under airport transfer, one also finds the possibility to arrive directly to the Lido with the Alilaguna boats.
► Another option is the direct boat service for Mestre to Lido di Venezia.
A beautiful island with a fascinating view
The Lido di Venezia is well worth a visit. The narrow strip of the island alone is impressive because of its unique location and the breathtaking view of the sea. In addition, there is a special Venetian flair, which is reflected in the buildings of the island.
A visit is particularly suitable for relaxed, cosy days by the sea. A small island is also an ideal option to avoid the often overcrowded trouble in Venice’s city centre and to take a short break in peace and quiet.
Overnight stay in Lido di Venezia
The Lido di Venezia is also a trendy place for overnight stays due to its unique mixture of beach holidays and city sightseeing. Of course, it is not cheap to stay here during the summer months, but the fascinating experience Lido di Venezia compensates for a lot. But those who prefer an overnight stay in the romantic centre of the historical Venice will find my tips in Top 10 Hotels Venice. There are cheaper accommodations rather in Mestre that are in my hotel recommendations for hotels outside the centre of Venice.
For the Lido di Venezia, these are my tips for accommodation:
► Hotel Villa Laguna
The exclusive Hotel Villa Laguna offers 19 suites and a standard room. Here you will be welcomed with a familiar and warm ambience. Enjoy either the magnificent view of the lagoon or the Adriatic Sea. The island of Lido is a peaceful oasis from which you can quickly and easily experience the colourful hustle and bustle of Venice.
- Address: Via Sandro Gallo, 6, 30126 Venezia Lido, Venezia VE, 20 Zi, double room from approx. 170 €
Book your room in Hotel Villa Laguna online
► B&B Villa Ines
This accommodation is only 1250 m away from the university and impresses with its Art Nouveau architecture. The Piazza San Marco and the public beach of Lido di Venezia can also be reached quickly and easily from here. Thanks to the bus stop you benefit from excellent transport connections. The bathrooms have a bathtub, a shower and a Jacuzzi. All public areas are air-conditioned.
- Address: Via Lazzaro Mocenigo 10, 30126 Lido di Venezia, B&B, double room from approx. 100 €
Book your room in B&B Villa Ines online
► Hotel Atlanta Augustus
The 3-star hotel was completely renovated in 2008 and is delighted by its impressive façade, which is covered by original friezes and ornaments and make this jewellery hotel absolutely unique. The charming building is surrounded by a small garden. The historic Art Nouveau villa also impresses with its convenient location and a huge Italian breakfast buffet. All 37 rooms are differently furnished and equipped with free Internet. Enjoy the spacious sun terrace with a view of the lagoon and relax with a hydro-massage bath.
- Address: Via Lepanto 15, 30126 Lido di Venezia, 37 rooms, double room from approx. 80 €
Book your room in Hotel Atlanta Augustus online
► B&B La Bragadina
The B&B La Bragadina is located in the pedestrian area of the central Lido di Venezia. From here you can easily reach Viale Santa Maria Elisabetta at 50 metres, the boat dock at 250 metres and the beach at 300 metres. The B&B is on the first floor. All rooms are equipped with a private bathroom with shower, air conditioning and a flat-screen TV. A real treat is the generous breakfast buffet with homemade Italian cakes.
- Address: Via Lepanto 8/E 8/E, 30126 Lido di Venezia, B&B, double room from approx. 100 €
Book your room in B&B La Bragadina online
► Hotel la Pergola di Venezia
The Hotel La Pergola di Venezia is a family-run hotel that enjoys great popularity thanks to its central and strategic location. Here you can relax and enjoy the peace and quiet, far away from the hustle and bustle of tourists and only 300 metres from the sea. This 4-star hotel offers you all the comforts to make your stay as special as possible. Enjoy the large sun terrace and the lush garden.
- Address: Via Cipro 15, 30126 Lido di Venezia,13 rooms, double room from approx. 60 €
Book your room in Hotel la Pergola di Venezia online
► Hotel Villa Tiziana
The pretty hotel has just been renovated and is managed directly by the friendly owners. You are in an exclusive and quiet location only 300 metres from the sea. If you want to refresh yourself in the cool water, you can simply jump into the beautiful pool with waterfall and hydromassage or look for a shady spot in the garden. Those who want to explore the surroundings have the possibility to rent a bicycle.
- Address: Via A Gritti, 3, Lido, Venice, VE, 30126, 13 rooms, starting from approx. 90 €.
Book your room in Hotel Villa Tiziana online
► Hotel Villa delle Palme
The attractive hotel “Villa delle Palme” was designed with great attention to detail and is located directly on the outskirts of the picturesque village of Cannobio in one of the most beautiful locations on romantic Lake Maggiore. The 3-star hotel offers its guests exclusive access to the private beach and also inspires inside with an upscale atmosphere as well as the charming bright rooms. Deck chairs for sunbathing are included in the price.
- Address: Via Enrico Dandolo 12, 30126 Lido di Venezia, 11 rooms, double room from approx. 130 €
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► Hotel Villa Venice Movie
This Bed & Breakfast is not only beautiful, but also very cheap. The original rooms are from famous faces of cinema like Audrey Hepburn and were named after famous movie stars. Furthermore, the rooms are distinguished by a dominant basic colour such as blue, red or yellow. This hotel is located directly behind the Film-Palais and the Kongress-Palais and is very popular with visitors thanks to its favourable location on the canal.
- Address: Via Lorenzo Marcello 26B, 30126 Lido di Venezia, 6 rooms, double room from approx. 100 €
Book your room in Hotel Venice Movie online
► Top Tip: Hotel Best Western Biasutti, Via E. Dandolo 29, 30126 Lido di Venezia, 69 rooms, from approx. 100 €
Book your room in Hotel Biasutti online
