Venice
 

First time to Venice. Should I stay in Venice or Venice Lido? I have no idea what the difference is?

Venice proper! by all means! <BR> <BR>The Lido is a separate island - cars are allowed. I understand it is about 10 minutes or so by ferry? (correct me please?) <BR> <BR>I didn't make it there this past trip, but, can't imagine why anyone would want to visit Venice but not stay there. (unless you have no choice re: hotels being booked, etc.)

Hi <BR>Venice consists of a group of islands, but the main part has had landfill over the centuries so you can walk through it, crossing many bridges along the way, or take vaporettos (water buses) and taxis to get from one location on a major canal to another. <BR>The Lido is a sandbar in the lagoon just off the main part of Venice. Some people like staying there because it is out of the tourist crush of San Marco <BR>(the piazza which is the heart of Venice <BR>for sightseeing and tourism). If you are going in the summer, most of Venice will be crowded, including the Lido. <BR>Some of the hotels on the Lido run their own "shuttles" (boats) back and forth to <BR>San Marco and there is of course public transportation for the smaller hotels and the other areas of the Lido. <BR>I have not stayed there but the idea <BR>of having to shuttle back and forth does not appeal to me. I prefer to be able to return to my hotel or walk to other locations whenever I want, and for me that means I choose a more central location (closer to San Marco), but people have differing feelings on this subject. I also have not visited Venice in the height of summer,thankfully, so <BR>the crowd issue might make me more interested in being a little further away. <BR>I have a file on Venice which includes many websites and sightseeing info; if you'd like to see it, email me

Tim: <BR>I would say Venice, definitely. We were there two years ago, stayed at the Europa & Regina on the Grand Canal, and were able to walk all around Venice and really get to see everything. The Lido is nice, you can get there by launch in about 10 minutes. Our hotel had reciprocal rights with The Excelsior Hotel on the Lido, so we were able to go over there and use their pool and facilities, which was a nice benefit. However, the Lido itself is nothing compared to Venice proper.

I did stay on the Lido this past October, and while not bad, gives a different look and perspective, I thought on Venice. Much slower pace, not so many tourists, and things really close up early, no night life to speak of. As a last resort, yes, but try and stay on the mainland of Venice, much more convenient. <BR>