Has anyone stayed in Lido? We are looking to relax a bit at this stop with two girls 11&14 and don't mind being out of the way a bit. There is a Westin ($$$) that sounds good. Is it hassle getting back and forth to Venice proper? <BR>Thanks <BR>Glenn

I've never been to Lido but Venice is such a great place i think you'd have to stay in Venice-proper to really enjoy it's charm. The girls will love it too.

Glenn, <BR> <BR>I have stayed on the Lido and on the Lido Jesolo. Both are great. Venice is easily accessed by water taxi at a very nominal charge. If I remember right it is about 6000 Lire. These lidos are great because they have access to beaches and give you some time away from busy busy Venice. I highly recommend the Lido de Jesolo, though.

I agree with m. I've been to Venice three times, and did a day trip to the Lido on one of them. It was nice, and I guess if you want to do the beach and swim thing then it might be good to stay there. But you will have to take the vaporetto back and forth to Venice, though I don't think this is too big a deal. But I don't think you need the Lido to relax; Venice itself is conducive to relaxation. It's not a fast paced big city like Rome or Milan, and even when it's crowded, you can still take your time. You don't have to rush around to see everything because it's so different from every place else that just being there is a great experience. For me, the most stressful part of an Italian vacation is always dealing with the traffic. Even walking on the street, you're constantly aware of the traffic all around, and this includes the allegedly car-free districts of places like Lucca or Cortona (well, you don't have traffic all around in Lucca or Cortona, but you still have to be alert, and every once in a while, people have to move to the sides of the street to let a car go through). Venice is truly car-free, and this is part of what makes it special, but the Lido is not car-free -- there are plenty of cars and traffic on the Lido.

Westin offers a free shuttle service between Lido and Venice via motor boat. The schedule is about once an hour. Having said that, I would stay in Venice proper, Westin has several properties in Venice.