A trip to the Lido in Venice. Lido Island is a beautiful island near Venice! Where to stay in Lido di Venezia

A long string of islands stretches along the Adriatic Sea, providing reliable protection for Venice. The 12-kilometer-long sandbar is a rescue barrier created by nature itself. Lido Beach in Venice is the longest beach in Agai Bay. Actions aimed at lowering inland waters were not in vain - the beach is not being washed away. In the northern part of the island it is the cleanest and most well-groomed; most likely, the maximum concentration of hotels in this area contributes to the cleanliness and prosperity of the beach. About 500,000 people visit Lido Beach in Venice every year.

History of origin.

The history of Lido Beach in Venice begins in the 19th century, when it was founded. Perhaps it was because of this beautiful beach that such literary geniuses as Byron and Shelley loved to relax on the island. Over time, the once wild beach acquired a huge number of places for swimming, was “ennobled” with cabins and sun loungers, and became a popular vacation spot for movie stars, which made it one of the most popular vacation spots in Europe.

Architecture.

The popularity of Lido Beach in Venice arose due to its fine sand and unusually clear water and, although the water is not so clear in modern times, the beach is crowded with holidaymakers, a place where you can relax from the dusty and hot city. Rocks are scattered along the coastal area, dividing the huge territory of Lido Beach into many small ones.

Neighborhood.

The Westin Excelsior and Des Bains hotels are located on Venice's Lido Beach. Numerous shops and cafes, children's playgrounds will be at your service. Depending on the chosen holiday destination, the cost of using the beach varies and in some places it may even be absent. Walking to the northeast of Lido Beach, the San Nicolo fortress stands on the way. A curious and gambling traveler may also be interested in the Venice City Casino. Hikers can go to the Alberoni lighthouse. You can play golf there. The Palazzo del Cinema has hosted the annual Venice Film Festival in September since 1935. In the south of the island there is the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady (Santa Maria Assunta), a golf course and the Palazzo del Podesta.

Tourist on note.

Despite the fact that Lido Beach in Venice is no longer such a prestigious holiday destination as it used to be, you can get a lot of pleasure there: if you are a fan of water skiing - in this place such entertainment is quite possible and do not be afraid of drowning - qualified lifeguards will undoubtedly help you; To escape the sun, you don’t have to take an umbrella with you; you can rent one, like a sun lounger, although this can be quite expensive, especially at the height of the season. Shower and toilet available. If you are traveling around Italy by car, this is not a problem; you can always use the parking provided here. If you have a pet, it is better to leave it at home, as visiting with animals is strictly prohibited. People who prefer night swimming should take into account the ban on using the municipal beach from 01:00 to 05:00 in the morning. This is enshrined in law and the police patrol has the right to fine those who disobey in the amount of about 150 euros. It is better not to relax on the Lido beach in Venice in August, or in July either - at this time it is crowded. You can visit it in June or September. These four months constitute the main holiday season.

And gondolas, we headed to the island of Lido - the ancient outpost of Venice. Numerous merchant ships came here in the old days, and international ships and liners still arrive here today. From Lido you can get to Marco Polo Airport or go on a cruise.

Lido was an island of sailors and was once called the island of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors. There was a Benedictine abbey here, whose monks guarded the remains of the saint.

Later, the ruler of Venice, Doge Alberoni, established his residence on this island. There are not many historical sites on the island. This is a church from the 12th – 15th centuries. Santa Maria Assunta, Gothic palace Pallazo del Podesta, Malamocco historical district.

Monument to Coffee Cups

Since the end of the 18th century, Lido Island has become a seaside resort. The events in Thomas Mann's novel “Death in Venice” take place on one of the Lido beaches.

There is an ancient Jewish cemetery on the island. It is of cultural value. Open to the public. It's worth visiting.

Now the island of Lido is famous for its hotels, top class hotels, and villas surrounded by greenery.

There is a casino, a golf course, restaurants, trattorias, and many places created specifically for tourist recreation. The entire coastline is an area of ​​beautiful beaches. They belong to the hotel territory, so they are paid. There are two city beaches, but we didn’t like them at all. A bit dirty.

Lido is not suitable for families with children, but a group of young people will not be bored here. Expensive hotels are designed for wealthy tourists.

The Lido is the only place in Venice with ground transportation. Lots of cyclists.

The Venice Film Festival, which takes place here every year in September, has won particular fame for the island.

How to get from Venice to Lido Island

We devoted the morning to excursions and a walk around Venice. During siesta we hid in our cool apartment, had lunch, and read the notes to see if we had missed anything important. We went to Lido Island in the afternoon.

Piazza San Marco. View from Vaparetto

There is a stop in Piazza San Marco, near where we lived. We showed our pass, jumped on board and after 12 minutes of a wonderful boat ride we were on Lido Island.

We walked along the shady streets.

I really liked The Sounding House. Around him the air rang with the noise of birds. Why? I don’t know, maybe the owner breeds birds, or maybe the birds have chosen a green place. The feeling is cool, ringing.

Local shop.

Walk through O The Lido line is over. Already at dusk we boarded the vaporetto and returned to San Marco. On this day we wanted to take another walk around Venice at night.

Best regards, and

The Italian land is rich in historical sites and tourist resorts. Rarely a traveler has not heard of ancient Rome, the magical island of Capri, bustling Rimini and, of course, unique Venice. Often it is the latter that is the main and only point on a tourist’s map. But few people know that just 15 minutes from the city on the water there is a chain of small islands separating the pearl of Italy from the Adriatic Sea. The most notable of them is the Lido Island, which will become a real outlet for those who have become fed up with the atmosphere of the overly touristic Venice. Against the background of the latter, Lido looks like a modern town that can offer tourists shops, restaurants, golden sand and comfortable hotels.

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Despite the ancient church containing the relics of St. Nicholas, the island of Lido is not often mentioned in historical Venetian records. Geographically, it has always been considered the most important part of the defense against enemy forces. For a long time, its sandy beaches served as a mooring place for warships and the quartering of military units. In the Middle Ages, the Lido was better known by the name of St. Nicholas, as he was considered the patron saint of sailors.

Among the most significant events from a historical point of view that occurred on the territory of the Lido are the following:

  1. In 1177, Emperor Frederick Barbarossa and Pope Alexander III signed the Treaty of Venice following Frederick's defeat at the Battle of Legnano.
  2. In 1202, several tens of thousands of crusaders were stationed on the island, who were locked up by the Venetian authorities due to the inability to pay for Italian shipping vessels.
  3. In the first half of the twentieth century, Lido earned scandalous fame thanks to the huge number of establishments providing services to women of easy virtue.

There were Protestant and Jewish cemeteries on the island. The latter is still open to the public today. The Protestant cemetery was dismantled and a small airport was built in its place; some of the tombstones were moved to the Jewish one. Once upon a time, Byron and Shelley took a horseback ride along the long sandy beaches of the Lido, but after some ten years, they could not recognize the usual places. The passion of the upper classes for summer holidays at the sea lured hotel developers to the Lido, followed by wealthy vacationers.

Over time, the island became a popular tourist destination, as well as a development area for rich people's villas and residential buildings that offered better living conditions than the old buildings of Venice. In the 60s of the twentieth century, many Venetians moved to the Lido in search of a better life. Today, most of these private mansions have been destroyed, along with many hotels. However, there are a couple of establishments on the island that have retained their former luster and grandeur. These days, the Lido attracts guests primarily by hosting large-scale cultural events, including the famous Venice Film Festival.

Attractions

A tourist who has had time to walk along the canal-divided streets of Venice will be pleased to once again set foot on the solid ground of the Lido, along which one can move in the usual way. The island cannot be called a treasure trove of cultural heritage, but it definitely deserves attention due to its developed infrastructure. In addition, the island will be especially appreciated by those travelers who want to stay away from Russian compatriots and the ubiquitous Chinese tourists. Peace and tranquility reign here.

Places worth visiting on Lido Island include the following:

  1. Central Street: a place of daytime and nightlife entertainment. This is a real paradise for lovers of shopping, cozy cafes and clubs that work until the last customer. Particularly pleasing are the prices, which are two times lower than in neighboring Venice. Closer to the sea line, you can visit the cozy pizzeria Fabio’s, where, according to many travelers, they prepare one of the best pizzas in Italy. And nearby they sell delicious “gelatto” (Italian ice cream).
  2. Beaches. The Lido may not have gained fame as a popular resort in the modern world, but this does not detract from the beauty of its golden beaches. Most of them belong to hotels or private owners, are equipped with sun loungers and umbrellas and are carefully cleaned. Of course, entrance to them is paid (or included in the price of your hotel stay), but for those who want to save money, there is also a free beach called “spiaggia libera”.

The natural reserve and sand dunes of Alberoni, protected by the World Wildlife Fund, are considered unique on the island. This is more than a hundred hectares of golden sand framed by a beautiful pine forest.

  1. Architecture. The Lido buildings are the brightest embodiment of Italian Art Nouveau called "Liberty". The most impressive of them are the casino (now closed), the Grand Hotel Excelsior and the Grand Hotel des Bains.
  2. Every year the Lido hosts the famous Venice Film Festival, which has been held since the thirties of the 20th century. At this time, on the streets of the island you can meet many famous actors and directors seeking recognition from masters of cinema.

Relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

One of the oldest and most important attractions of the Lido is the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, built at the beginning of the 11th century, where the relics of the Saint are kept. Their path to Italy was not easy. It is no secret that the Venetians participated and sponsored the Crusades. During one of them, they broke into the Basilica of St. Nicholas, but did not find the relics, even after dismantling the tomb into stones. Just before sailing, the Venetians found out that the service was sometimes held in one of the chapels, where they opened the floor of the altar. According to legend, the Italians felt a wonderful fragrance, and a few moments later they discovered the remains of the Saint.

Initially, they wanted to name the famous San Marco Cathedral on the square of the same name in Venice in honor of St. Nicholas, or, in extreme cases, designate the building as double-altared. However, the participants in the campaign, even before setting out on it, made a sacred vow that they would certainly bring the relics of the Saint to the Lido Church. Since the island is a natural barrier that protected Venice from sea invaders, they considered that it would be right to leave St. Nicholas to guard the island, and thereby Venice. Since ancient times, Venetian ships, before sailing and upon arriving home, stopped at the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker to ask for his blessing on the long journey and to thank him for a happy return. Many travelers still follow this good tradition.



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