Venice's Beaches: The Lowdown

Venice is known universally for being one of the most frequented cities by tourists. People from all over the world crowd around to visit La Basilica di San Marco, Piazza San Marco, San Giorgio, Rialto, the Jewish Quarter, Libreria Acqua Alta.... I could go on for days.

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However, Lido, a little island boasts lots of beaches you can visit. Myself, and my best friend, Erin, who came to visit for a week, decided to spend one of the hottest days we'd had in Italy since I arrived in February, at the beach.

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So, which beaches are there?

• Alberoni
• Blue Moon
• Albarella
• Bibione
• Rosolina

Or if you fancy going further?

Lido di Jesolo

What's each one like?

Alberoni is the furthest to get to, and the last beach on Lido. It's not the nicest one, but it's free and it's quite popular, so it's worth a visit. I wouldn't call it a place for umbrellas (in fact, I don't really think you can put them in the sand) so it's more a case of bring your own deck chairs and towels. It's best to stay in shallow water, as the water is mainly occuppied by boats. I'd recommend Alberoni for if you like to just dip your toes in the water, and feel a bit at one with nature (away from the constant touristy buzz at Venice).

Blue Moon is my favourite (the one I visited with my friend), and possibly the nicest free beach you can get in Venice. It's one of the closest from Venice mainland to get to, and less than 15 minutes along a straight road from the Vaporetto stop (Lido). There's plenty of gelaterias, bars, cafés and restaurants along the way, so you know that you can grab a bite to eat on the way there and back. The beach itself is lovely, the sand is nice, the water is incredibly clean considering its proximity to Venice, and (although there are jellyfish), you can go for a nice swim. There's an on-beach restaurant/bar, if you like to rest in the sun whilst indulging in pizzas or salads, and drinking cocktails and beers.

We saw a lot of Italians too, which is always a good sign - not great if there are thousands of tourists, and it wasn't too busy. I'd definitely pay it a visit again. I'm sure there's a pay beach too, if you prefer to be a little luxurious.

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Albarella is a private island, so this is probably for those who go with family, or have a bit more cash to splash. The island is a bit more nature-y, as it's a natural habitat of lots of different animals, from deer to pheasants. If you're looking for a place to get away from the buzz, and into nature and serenity, Albarella is for you. It can be a tad difficult to get to, as you'd have to get to Rosolina train station, and then book a taxi. Same goes for if you arrive by plane to Venice Treviso, Marco Polo, or if you arrive at any of the Venice stations (if you don't have a private boat or helicopter it can cost between 750-1000 euros for a week, for 2 people).

Bibione is to the Eastern side of the Veneto region, and it's not too hard to get there from Trieste (Latisana Station) or Venice (Portogruaro) + there's a coach that goes straight to the Bibione resort from Venice's Marco Polo and Treviso's airports. There's a spa resort, and the beach is renowned for its spectacularly clean beaches.

Rosolina is South of the Veneto region, and a favourite for tourists, like Albarella. There's a stretch of long beaches that go on for miles. Like Alberoni miles, there's a forest, making it a nice place to stop for a picnic or just somewhere to chill in the shade. There's a botanical garden nearby, and Albarella is a few kilometres away. The beach is nice, and the water is crystal clear. You can even go fishing there, and there's a pet-friendly area, too! If you visit in May, there's a kite-flying event called The Wind Festival, so if you're around Venice then, make sure to attend it!

Going a bit further

Jesolo is known as the 'Venetian Riviera' by many, and is super popular over the summer months. The beach is made up of over ten miles of beautiful, sandy beaches, and there's entertainment throughout the summer months, until the early hours of the morning, making it perfect for both adults, families, and young people wanting a bit of a party holiday. Good for students wanting a beach holiday, without the madness of Rimini - there's restaurants, bars, cafés, delis, gelaterias, and some little stores with clothing/beach stuff to buy. There are some free beaches, but the private beaches are a little nicer (they come with sunbeds, parasols and showers, as well as bathrooms and changing rooms). Make sure to stay for Ferragosto, the Italian festival when there's a huge firework display on the beach!

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