San Giorgio Maggiore
Venice, Italy
The Lido, Venice
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Photo: Kasa Fue, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Free; paid lidos in season
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Hours
- Open any time; swimming season June to September
- Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 3 h
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Getting there
- Vaporetto 1, 2, 5.1 to Lido S.M.E. ≈ 15 min
- Beaches
- ≈ 11 km of Adriatic sand
- Film festival
- Late August to early September
- Time needed
- Half a day by the sea
- Getting around
- Buses and bike hire
Key facts
≈ 11 kmlength of the island and its beaches
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English Wikipedia1932the first Venice Film Festival was held here
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English WikipediaAdriaticthe Lido separates the lagoon from the open sea
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English WikipediaCarsunlike central Venice, cars drive here
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English WikipediaMalamoccoan old village at the island's south end
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English WikipediaAbout the Lido
The Lido is a sandy barrier island about 11 km long that, with its neighbours, shields the Venetian lagoon from the open Adriatic. One side faces the calm lagoon and the city; the other has broad beaches and sea waves. The Italian word "lido" for a bathing beach comes from here.
Around 1900 it became one of Europe's first fashionable seaside resorts, with the Moorish-style Excelsior and the Des Bains hotels and streets of Art Nouveau (Liberty) villas. Unlike central Venice, cars and buses run here, so it feels like a quiet seaside town of some fifteen thousand people.
The beaches
Beaches line almost the whole sea shore. Most are paid bathing establishments (stabilimenti) with rows of wooden cabins, umbrellas and loungers by the day or season, but there are free public beaches (spiaggia libera) too, such as in the north at San Nicolò and in the centre at the end of the main street. The sand is fine and the water shelves gently — good for children.
The season runs June to September, when Venetians themselves come to swim, so it's calmer than the centre. In the far south, at Alberoni, there are dunes, pine woods and a near-wild beach, easy to reach by bike or bus.
What to see
- Adriatic beaches — paid lidos and free stretches.
- Gran Viale — the main street from the landing to the sea.
- Palazzo del Cinema — home of the film festival.
- Hotel Excelsior — Moorish style by the sea.
- Art Nouveau villas — on quiet streets.
- Malamocco village — old, with bridges and canals.
The Venice Film Festival
Since 1932 the Lido has hosted the Venice Film Festival, the world's oldest. Every late August and early September, directors and stars walk the red carpet at the Palazzo del Cinema on the Lungomare Marconi, competing for the Golden Lion. Some screenings are open to the public with ordinary tickets; the rest of the year it's a pleasant seafront walk.
How to get there
Step-by-step directions are below; the map shows where you arrive.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
More tips
- Vaporetto 1, 2 or 5.1 from San Zaccaria to Lido S.M.E., about 15 minutes.
- San Zaccaria is by the Doge's Palace and Bridge of Sighs.
- From the landing to the sea, 10 minutes along the Gran Viale.
- Buses and bikes get you around the island.
Is the Lido worth it?
Yes, if you're in Venice in summer and want a swim or a break from the crowds: it's the only big beach near the city, reached on an ordinary water bus. It's especially easy with children thanks to the sand and gentle shallows, and out of season it's lovely for a bike ride past villas and sea. The ride back offers a fine view of San Marco from the lagoon.
Before you go
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Venice on the water: compare and choose
Islands, canals and beaches in Venice rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| Bridge of Sighs | 57 | 15 min | Free | 3.0 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rialto Bridge | 56 | 20 min | Free | 3.6 km |
| Grand Canal | 49 | 1 h | Free | 4.4 km |
| Gondola ride | 48 | 40 min | Paid, per boat | 3.3 km |
| Accademia Bridge | 44 | 15 min | Free | 3.7 km |
| San Giorgio Maggiore | 43 | 1 h | Free | 42 min walk |
| Murano | 42 | 3 h | Free | 4.6 km |
| Giudecca | 41 | 1 h 30 min | Free | 3.4 km |
| Lido di Veneziayou are here | 39 | 3 h | Free | — |
| Peggy Guggenheim Collection | 39 | 1 h 30 min | Paid | 3.4 km |
| Ca' d'Oro | 38 | 1 h | Paid | 3.9 km |
| Burano | 34 | 3 h | Free | 8.4 km |
| Torcello | 30 | 2 h | Free | 9.7 km |
A day by the sea
The Doge's Palace in the morning, the water bus to the Lido, beach and bikes, then San Giorgio Maggiore at sunset.
- Doge's Palace2 h · Paid
- 52 min walk from the previous stopLido di Veneziayou are here3 h · Free
- 42 min walk from the previous stopSan Giorgio Maggiore1 h · Free; tower paid
3 places · about 7 h 34 min with walks · 94 min on foot in total
Nearby and on the way
How to do it right
- 15 minutes by water bus.
- Free beaches exist.
- Bikes are the best way round.
- Film festival in late summer.
Questions
How do I get to the Lido from Venice?
Vaporetto 1, 2 or 5.1 from San Zaccaria to Lido S.M.E., about 15 minutes.
Are there free beaches on the Lido?
Yes, public stretches in the north at San Nicolò and in the centre.
When is swimming season on the Lido?
June to September.
When is the Venice Film Festival?
Late August to early September, at the Palazzo del Cinema on the Lido.
Can you cycle on the Lido?
Yes — hire bikes by the landing and ride the flat paths.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- English Wikipedia, Venice Lido; Venice Film Festival
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