Lido di Venezia (Gran Viale Beach)

Lido di Venezia is the long barrier island that separates the Venetian Lagoon from the Adriatic Sea, and its Adriatic shore is the closest proper sea beach to the historic centre of Venice in the Veneto region of Italy. The beach along Lungomare Guglielmo Marconi is fine, golden-grey sand that slopes gently into the water, which is generally shallow for a good distance out and is more green-brown than tropical blue because of the sediments carried by the northern Adriatic. Water quality is monitored each season and the shallow, calm conditions suit swimmers of all ages, although the sea can turn choppy when the scirocco or bora winds blow. The shoreline is open and straight rather than a cove, with wooden groynes and breakwaters in places, and exposure to the east means mornings are bright and afternoons are often breezy. The atmosphere is that of a classic Italian seaside resort: most of the frontage is divided into private bathing establishments (stabilimenti) that rent sunbeds, umbrellas and cabins, and that also run showers, changing rooms, restrooms, bars and restaurants, with lifeguards on duty in the summer season. Between them are free public sections (spiaggia libera) where visitors bring their own towels, though facilities there are more limited. Vibe is relaxed and family-oriented, with Venetians and day-trippers mixing with guests of the grand early twentieth-century hotels along the seafront. Getting there is simple: vaporetto lines 1, 5.1 and 5.2 run from San Marco, Zattere and the railway station area to Santa Maria Elisabetta, roughly 20 minutes from San Marco, and from the landing stage the beach is about a ten-minute walk along Gran Viale Santa Maria Elisabetta. Bicycles can be rented near the landing for the flat ride across the island, and ACTV buses also serve the seafront. Visitors typically combine the beach with lunch at a fish restaurant, a volleyball game or a cycle along the island. In peak weeks of July and August the establishments fill by late morning and rental prices rise, so weekday visits in June or September are quieter. Cars can be brought over by ferry but parking is limited and unnecessary for a beach day.