Here are 47 beaches and beach resorts in and near Venice in Italy with directions on how to get to them, a map of their locations, and a handful of practical tips.
“Can I go to the beach in Venice, Italy?” is a question I have been asked many times and in this blog post today I will distil what I have learned about Venice, beaches, and Italian beach life during my six years of living just up the road from Italy’s City of Canals.
To start, the simplest answer I can give you is this:
“No and yes! No, as there are no beaches in historic Venice itself. Yes, as you can go to the beach right next door to Venice.”
Add to this the fact that swimming in the Venetian canals and sunbathing in Venice’s public areas are strictly forbidden. However, if you know where to go, there are certain places in the City of Water where you can actually swim and sunbathe without offending the locals, running afoul of the law, and incurring a heavy fine.
Complicated?! Not at all!
Let me tell you how it works!
There are many options to go to the beach, swim, and sunbathe during a Venetian holiday. So, scroll down to find just the information that you need.
It will help you decide if you should pack your swimming costume and swimming cap when getting ready for a short trip to Venice. It will also make it clear how to organise fun beach days if you are planning a longer holiday in Italy’s City of Canals.
In a nutshell, I will cover the following topics:
- Where to go to the beach next door to Venice?
- Where to swim and sunbathe in historic Venice? (Is this possible at all?!)
- What are the best Italian beaches within a reasonable travel time from Venice?
There is a lot of first-hand tried and tested information for each. This way, you will know exactly what to expect and can book your accommodation in Venice accordingly so as to facilitate both sightseeing and sunbathing in just the right proportions for you.
Further down, I have also included maps showing the location of each beach and swimming place in and around Venice covered in this blog post. And to make your Venice beach planning as easy and smooth as possible, right at the end, there is a section with practical tips about beach rules in Italy, too.
I hope that all this information will come in very handy.
Have a look!
47 Beaches and Beach Resorts in and near Venice, Italy and How to Get to Them (With Maps and Practical Tips)
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Where to go to the beach next door to Venice?
There are many options to go to the beach a short distance by boat and/or bus away from Venice – Italy’s fabled City of Canals.
You can choose between exclusive private beaches where your every whim will be taken care of by the attentive staff, family-friendly beaches with all sorts of entertainment and facilities, and wild beaches where there is just sea and sand.
While it may take you a bit of time to get from historic Venice to a nearby beach, the effort is worth it. You will get to break your sightseeing with a fun day on the beach, enjoy first-hand the delights of Italian beach life, top up your vitamin D reserves, and just relax under the hot Italian sun.
You may also get a bit of a shock when seeing the tiny swimming costumes sported by Italian men but that’s all part of the beach experience here.
So, do give it a try!
Here is a nice and handy map showing you the locations of the nearest to Venice beaches. You can zoom in and out, calculate travel times, and get directions. You can also open the map in a separate window for ease of browsing.
In addition, further below, I have provided a short overview of each easy to reach from Venice beach and options to get to it by public transport.
To reach the nearest to Venice beaches, you will be using mainly the vaporetto (Venice’s water buses) and on occasion, the local buses or trains.
Have a look at this official website for the timetables and the itineraries covered by the different vaporetto lines in Venice. If you wish, you can buy a ticket for the vaporetto in Venice in advance, too. For a ticket from the airport to Lido di Venezia, have a look here.
Lido di Venezia – this is the long and thin island that serves as a barrier between the Adriatic Sea and the Venetian Lagoon. Lido (with the accent on the o) means a sandbar in Italian and you will see that many of the beach resorts covered in this blog post include the word lido in their names.
Lido di Venezia started life as a simple sandbar, however, nowadays it’s one of the islands in the Venetian Lagoon with the most refined hotels and restaurants. It’s also the place where the world’s oldest film festival – the renowned Venice Film Festival – takes place each September.
It is on Lido di Venezia that you will find some of the best and definitely the nearest to Venice beaches. The island is about 11 km long, so there is a huge choice of beaches along the edge that faces the Adriatic Sea.
You can easily reach Lido di Venezia from several points in Venice. Here is how it works:
- by vaporetto from Piazzale Roma – vaporetto line number 6 will take you across to Lido di Venezia in about 30 mins. Vaporetto line 5.1 takes about 40 mins.
- by vaporetto from Venezia Santa Lucia train station – vaporetto line 5.1 takes about 40 mins.
- by vaporetto along the Grand Canal – if you want to admire the stunning palaces flanking Venice’s Grand Canal and combine a beach day in Venice with a bit of sightseeing, then take vaporetto line 1. It starts from Piazzale Roma and the journey all the way to Lido di Venezia lasts around 70 mins in total. If you catch the vaporetto from Rialto, then you will travel around 45 mins. From St. Mark’s Square the crossing is only about 15 mins.
- by vaporetto from Venice Marco Polo airport – you can get directly to Lido di Venezia from the airport in about 50 mins.
- by traghetto (Venice’s car ferry) – you can actually drive on Lido di Venezia, so you can take your car there across the lagoon. The traghetto leaves from the island of Tronchetto – Venice’s large car park.
Here are some of the best beaches to enjoy on Lido di Venezia: Spiaggia Blue Moon, Spiaggia Paradiso, Excelsior Beach, Des Bains Beach, Pachuka Beach Club. While there are free beaches on Lido di Venezia, here you will also find some of the most expensive and exclusive beaches in all of Italy. Have a look at their respective websites to decide which one you would rather head to.
Alberoni Beach – for many Venetians, this is the best beach in Venice. It’s on the far end of the island of Lido di Venezia but it deserves its own entry on this list. Not least because there are two direct ferry lines that can take you there.
Expect a wide beach with fine golden sand and enchanting sea views. It’s brimmed by a lush pine forest. You can go for a little walk in it during the hottest hours of the day.
There are two easy and one slightly more complicated ways to reach Alberoni Beach, depending on where you are in Venice:
- get the direct ferry from Fondamenta delle Zattere in Venice to Alberoni Beach or the direct ferry from Fusina Ferry Terminal to Alberoni Beach. Click here for tickets and timetables.
- get the vaporetto to Lido di Venezia. Get off at vaporetto station Lido Santa Maria Elisabetta (customarily abbreviated as Lido S.M.E.). Then either get vaporetto 11 or a bus to Alberoni Faro Rochetta.
Pellestrina – just like Lido di Venezia, this is a thin long island that separates the Venetian Lagoon from the Adriatic Sea. Unlike, Lido di Venezia, however, Pellestrina is a very quiet place dotted with small fishing villages and lacking in large luxury hotels and amenities. Life here is very peaceful and slow.
The edge of the island that faces the Adriatic Sea offers a long beach strip with fine sand. It’s a nice, unpretentious place to spend a day at the beach and enjoy the fresh seafood in the local restaurants.
Pellestrina is very easy to reach from the town of Chioggia at the southern end of the Venetian Lagoon. There is a direct vaporetto which takes about 25 mins and stops at Ca’ Roman (see below) along the way.
To get to Pellestrina from Venice, you need to get a vaporetto to Lido di Venezia and then a bus. The bus travels the length of Lido, and then boards a small ferry to get across the water to Pellestrina. The ferry crossing lasts about ten minutes or so. Passengers can stay on the bus or walk around the ferry and enjoy the views of the Venetian Lagoon. Once the bus reaches Pellestrina, it travels the length of the island, so you can decide where to get off.
If you stay until the last stop Pellestrina Cimitero, then – as an added excitement to your beach day – you can walk the length of the Venetian murazzi. This is a long wall built by the historic Republic of Venice at the start of the 18th century to protect the Venetian Lagoon.
You will basically be walking along a tall wall of huge Istrian stones. You will have the lagoon on one side and the Adriatic Sea on the other. The path will take you to Ca’ Roman – a small island that is a nature preserve.
Ca’ Roman – this small island is connected to the island of Pellestrina via the historic murazzi and to the town of Chioggia via a regularly running vaporetto. A nature reserve, Ca’ Roman is rich in dune habitats that are home to over 200 species of birds.
It’s a secluded, peaceful place with a natural beach. Spend a beach day here to feel one with nature and to appreciate Venice from a completely different point of view – as an extraordinary natural environment.
You can easily reach Ca’ Roman on the vaporetto from Chioggia. Alternatively, follow the instructions above for the beach of Pellestrina. When you get off the bus at Pellestrina Cimitero, however, get the vaporetto to Ca’ Roman.
The effort to reach this unspoiled place is worth it!
Spiaggia del Bacan – this little known by the mass tourist beach is a place where the real Venetians head to on a hot summer day. You will find it on the island of Sant’Erasmo in the Venetian Lagoon. Sant’Erasmo is Venice’s orchard, vineyard, and vegetable garden. For example, it is here that the prized Venetian purple artichokes grow.
To reach Spiaggia del Bacan, you need to take vaporetto 13 from Fondamente Nove in Venice and get off at the Capannone stop once you reach the island of Sant’Erasmo. Next, you will need to walk for about one kilometre to the southernmost point of the island where the beach is.
Bring with you everything that you will need for your day at the beach as there are no amenities here.
Sottomarina Beach – this huge beach is around nine km long and up to 300 m wide. It stands next to the small town of Chioggia at the southern end of the Venetian Lagoon. The beach separates the lagoon from the Adriatic Sea and it stretches from the Fortress of San Felice to the mouth of the River Brenta. It then continues further to the mouth of the river Adige where the peaceful paradise of Isola Verde stands.
The Sottomarina Beach is absolutely stunning. One of the very first sea bathing establishments in Italy was built here over 150 years ago. Nowadays, the locals flock to the beach even during the low season for their daily walks. The sand here is incredibly fine and in the evening dusk it looks curiously dark, almost black. It is very rich in augite, quartz, silicates, and micaceous elements and as such the beach is ideal for sand bathing treatments.
Sottomarina has all the modern amenities you can expect from a beach – from a two km long sea promenade to playgrounds for the kids to happily run around. Not to mention the dozens of lively bars and gelaterias.
There are also lots of hotels and camping sites nearby if you would rather spend a couple of days on the beach from Venice.
To reach Sottomarina from Venice, make use of the seasonal vaporetto line 19. It usually runs from 1st June to 30 September. You can take it from St. Mark’s Square all the way to the Isola dell’Unione stop in Chioggia. Once there, it’s around 10 mins walk to the beach.
Cavallino – this is a 15 km long sandy beach. It has both paid-for sectors where you can rent sun loungers and an umbrella for the day and free sectors where you can simply stretch your towel on the sand and spend the day sunbathing and swimming.
You can get to Cavallino by vaporetto from Fondamente Nove in Venice. The crossing to Punta Sabbioni is over an hour. Then, you will need to take a bus (Line 23A) to Cavallino. The journey time is about 17 mins.
Lido di Jesolo – this is a huge sandy beach strip that stretches over 16 km and is flanked by numerous hotels, camping sites, playgrounds, water parks, bars, and gelaterias. It’s one of the main Italian beach resorts. Here you will find both paid for beaches with all sorts of amenities and free beaches where you may need to bring everything you will need for the day with you.
To get to Lido di Jesolo from Venice you can get the direct bus which leaves from Piazzale Roma. Alternatively, you can get a train to San Dona/Jesolo and then continue to Lido di Jesolo by bus.
Otherwise, you can get a vaporetto from Fondamente Nove in Venice to Punta Sabbioni and then continue to Lido di Jesolo by bus (Line 23A).
Where to swim and sunbathe in historic Venice? (Is this possible at all?!)
Venice is built on a cluster of islands in the Venetian Lagoon. Crisscrossed by teal canals and with buildings that seem to emerge from the water, it’s easy to think that swimming here would be the order of the day.
This might have been true 200 years ago when the eccentric English poet Lord Byron went swimming up the Grand Canal.
Nowadays, however, it is strictly forbidden to bathe or go for a dip in the Venetian canals. In addition, you cannot sunbathe in Venice’s public spaces like streets, quays (in Venetian, fondamenta), squares (in Venetian, campo), parks and so on.
Doing so will attract strong disapproval and, at the very least, a steep fine. You may even be banned from the city (which attracts another steep fine). As it happened to this very disrespectful tourist in fact.
Venice, after all, is a millennial city of history, culture, and art. Visitors to the City of Canals are expected to behave in a proper, respectable way at all times. For example, no matter how hot it gets here in summer, walking around in beachwear is definitely not allowed.
As the locals rightly point out, this is a living city, not a theme park. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site with countless landmarks, monuments, and hidden gems. Sitting, picnicking, or sunbathing in front of, on or near them is illegal and wrong on so many levels.
Venetian canals are also akin to roads in other cities around the world. Many of them maintain heavy traffic of motorised and rowing boats all throughout the day. It would be incredibly dangerous to have people splashing in the water next to them.
Plus, the quality of the water in the Venetian Lagoon is not the best. It’s a gorgeous colour that reflects beautifully the sunlight but it’s quite polluted, too.
I have sometimes seen tourists sitting on the edge of Venetian fondamente with their feet dipped in the water while enjoying an aperitivo and the views. Again, this is considered very disrespectful and you really don’t want the water anywhere on your skin.
Having said all this, however, there is one legal way to go swimming and/or sunbathing when in Venice.
You just need to head to a hotel in Venice with a swimming pool. There are not that many of them in the City of Canals but they all are quite exceptional to visit and stay at. Have a look at this map:
For some of these hotels, access to their swimming pool(s) is strictly for guests. Others allow non-guests to also use them by hiring a private poolside cabana for the day or accessing the on-site spa facilities.
So, if you think that the financial investment is worth it, you will get to swim and sunbathe in an elegant environment in addition to experiencing a different side of Venice. Take your pick:
Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel – Venice’s only Olympic swimming pool is for the use of the guests of this exclusive hotel on the island of Giudecca. That’s it unless you book a private cabana for the day for an experience to remember in the City of Water.
Hotel Giorgione – stay in this 4-star hotel a short walk away from the Rialto Bridge in order to enjoy access to Venice’s only courtyard with an emotional pool. Small, heated, open year-round, and with a salt-water whirlpool, it’s a delight to relax in it at the end of a long day of sightseeing. Access is strictly for guests of the hotel.
JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa – this stunning resort stands on its own island a short boat ride away from the historic centre of Venice. It has three pools, one of them on the hotel’s rooftop. If you are not staying at the resort, you can still pay to access the Vitality pool. The onsite spa is the largest in Venice.
Hilton Molino Stucky – the gorgeous rooftop swimming pool – the first of its kind in Venice and also the highest – is reserved for the guests of the hotel. You will want to stay here just to be able to swim in it with the Venetian skyline providing the stunning backdrop.
San Clemente Palace Kempinksi – an exceptional resort on its own island, here you will discover a heated pool that is 21.5 m long. Exlusive cabanas are dotted around it and can be rented with a service package for a fun and refined summer in Venice experience.
Alternatively, you can use one of Venice’s public swimming pools:
Piscina Sant’Alvise – in the sestiere of Cannaregio in Venice.
Piscina Sacca Fisola – on the island of Sacca Fisola just off the western tip of the island of Giudecca in Venice.
Obviously, there is no sunbathing here but a nice swim is always a great idea. Just make sure that you bring not just a swimming costume and a towel but also a swimming cap as these are, in principle, compulsory in swimming pools and most water parks in Italy.
If you are planning to go to Venice’s swimming pools only occasionally, then you will need to book a Nuoto Libero session. For regular users, there are memberships and different courses and activities.
If the topic of swimming in the canals of Venice interests you, I recommend this very well-researched article by Luisella Romeo – a licensed tour guide and one of the best people to introduce you to the beauty of the City of Canals:
What are the best Italian beaches within a reasonable travel time from Venice?
OK, now let’s talk about amazing beaches that are not really next door to Venice but are within a reasonable travel time either by bus, train or car from the City of Canals.
You may be planning a trip to Italy wanting to take in large cities and tourist magnets and then spend some relaxing time on the beach. This list will give you lots of ideas for Italian beach resorts and beach towns that are convenient to head to either before, during or after your visit to Venice.
To make things easy to follow, I have split these beaches into four groups:
- Beaches on the Adriatic coast to the north of Venice;
- Beaches in the Delta of the River Po;
- Beaches on the Adriatic coast to the south of Venice;
- Beaches on Lake Garda, Italy.
Some of these beaches near Venice can be visited as an exciting day trip. You can rely on both buses and trains to get you right next to them. Others would require a car to make them convenient to visit for a day.
Many of them, however, offer such a long list of activities, sports, and beautiful landscapes to enjoy that you can book a couple of days or a week to really see it all, do it all, and relax. This way you can have the perfect Italian beach holiday coupled with a visit to Venice as the highlight of your trip.
Where possible, I have included information on how to reach the beach destinations below from Venice by public transport. For information on how to check timetables, purchase bus and train tickets, and hire a car, please, scroll down to the section with practical tips at the end of this blog post.
Here is a handy map showing the locations of these beaches and beach resorts in relation to Venice. You can click on the map to check distances and get directions. You can also open the map in a new window to browse more easily:
Beaches on the Adriatic coast to the north of Venice
OK, let’s start by having a look at the best beaches just up the road from Venice. The Adriatic coast to the north of the City of Canals has many amazing beach destinations and resorts.
With countless hotels, camping sites, glamping accommodation, and even boats turned into luxury residences to choose from, you can have an amazing Italian beach holiday and combine it with a visit to Venice just down the road.
Here are some of the best beach towns and seaside resorts here to consider. Eraclea Mare, Caorle, and Bibione are in the Italian region of Veneto (of which Venice is the capital). Lignano Sabbiadoro and Grado are in the neighbouring region of Friuli Venezia-Giulia. All are easy to reach from Venice either by car (preferable if you are visiting just for the day) or by public transport (either by bus or a combination of train and bus).
Eraclea Mare – a top holiday destination, expect a wide long beach covered by fine sand with a lush pine forest serving as its backdrop. With 900 beach spaces equipped with sun loungers and beach umbrellas, here you will find all sorts of amenities and facilities to make your day in the sun an easy and enjoyable experience.
Eraclea Mare is about 52 km away from Venice. There are several buses that can take you from Piazzale Roma in Venice (or alternatively from Mestre and/or Venice Marco Polo Airport) to Eraclea Mare in about 1 h 20 mins or so.
Use the Timetable page on the official website of the local bus operator ATVO to research bus lines and timetables for travel specifically from Venice to Eraclea Mare.
Caorle – this is a very pretty seaside town just up the road from Venice. Originally a fishing village, nowadays it has a historic centre populated by bright and colourful houses and a long seaside promenade lined with boulders chiselled by international artists.
The real pride and joy of this small Venetian town, however, are its spacious sandy beaches. Plus, here you can practice many different water sports – from scuba diving and stand-up paddle to recreational fishing and even Venetian-style rowing.
It’s a great place to visit for a dose of sand, sea, and sun. You can either come here for the day from Venice or to stay for a longer holiday.
Caorle is about 80 km up the road from Venice. Ideally, come here by car (especially, if you are planning to visit just for the day). Otherwise, there are several buses that can take you from Piazzale Roma in Venice (or alternatively from Mestre and/or Venice Marco Polo Airport) to Caorle in about 2 h or so.
Use the Timetable page on the official website of the local bus operator ATVO to research bus lines and timetables for travel specifically from Venice to Caorle.
Alternatively, you can take a train from either Venezia Santa Lucia or Venezia Mestre train stations to Portogruaro-Caorle and once arrived, get the bus to Caorle itself. The total travel time is just over 2 h.
Bibione – this is an amazing place for a summer holiday or a day at the beach within a very reasonable travel time from Venice. It really has it all – absolutely gigantic beaches, lots and lots of facilities, cycling paths, a long list of sports amenities, all types of accommodation (from luxury to cheap and cheerful camping sites), amusement parks, and even gorgeous spas.
You can easily get here from Venice for a fun beach day but it’s so much better to stay for a little bit (or for the whole summer, if you can).
Bibione is just over 100 km up the road from Venice. Ideally, come here by car (especially, if you are planning to visit just for the day). Otherwise, there are several buses that can take you from Piazzale Roma in Venice (or alternatively from Mestre and/or Venice Marco Polo Airport) to Bibione in about 2 h to 3 h or so.
Use the Timetable page on the official website of the local bus operator ATVO to research bus lines and timetables for travel specifically from Venice to Caorle.
Alternatively, you can take a train from either Venezia Santa Lucia or Venezia Mestre train stations to Latisana-Lignano-Bibione and once arrived, get the bus to Bibione Spiagge. The total travel time starts from 1 h 49 mins.
Lignano Sabbiadoro – come here for the ultimate in Italian beach holiday. With a name that literally means ‘golden sand’ (in Italian, sabbia d’oro), you know exactly what to expect. Add to this lots of beach parties, family-friendly facilities, gorgeous beaches, all types of accommodation (including boats that function like luxury residences) and you will be spoilt for choice.
Lignano Sabbiadoro is about 103 km from Venice and just up the road from Bibione. Ideally, come here by car (especially, if you are planning to visit just for the day).
Otherwise, you can take a train from either Venezia Santa Lucia or Venezia Mestre train stations to Latisana-Lignano-Bibione and once arrived, get the bus to Lignano Sabbiadoro. The total travel time starts from 1 h 48 mins.
Grado – a lovely town with a history that spans over 1,600 years, Grado is set in a lagoon just like Venice. Unlike Venice though, Grado has a number of beaches adjacent to its historic centre. This way, you can have a lovely and relaxing holiday combining history, archaeology, and beach time.
Grado is about 135 km away from Venice and just across the Marano Lagoon from Lignano Sabbiadoro. If you are planning to visit just for the day, then having a car at your disposal could be the best option.
Otherwise, you can take a train from either Venezia Santa Lucia or Venezia Mestre train stations to Cervignano-Aquileia-Grado and once arrived, get the bus to Grado. The travel time by train is about 1 h 27 mins and then the bus journey takes about half an hour.
Beaches in the Delta of the river Po
Po is Italy’s longest river. It flows into the Adriatic Sea where its enormous delta spreads over 400 sq km. Two natural parks protect the land and the waters of the delta – home to hundreds of rare animals and plants. Flocks of pink flamingoes live here and the waters teem with fish, particularly eels which are a prized local delicacy.
16 seaside resorts and dozens of beaches of the finest white and golden sand brim the delta over more than 60 km of coastline. The starting point is near the town of Chioggia in the region of Veneto and then the wetlands of the delta stretch past the town of Comacchio down to the town of Ravenna in Emilia-Romagna.
The nearest to Venice beaches in the Delta of the river Po are only about 70 km down the road from the City of Canals.
You can spend a day or a week here enjoying the best of Italian beach life: from wide wild beaches to lively camping sites and exclusive resorts. There is something for every type of beach lover to choose from.
So, here are some of the best beaches in the Delta of the River Po near Venice, Italy. Some of them are wild and others are equipped with all sorts of modern beach facilities – from bars and gelaterias to large playgrounds for the kids to run around happily.
Some of them, you can visit on a day trip from Venice (however, it’s best to have a car or another type of private transport at your disposal). Others are further away and you may want to consider spending a few days or a week at them in order to take full advantage of the beach facilities and enjoy nature hikes and cultural visits in the area.
Rosolina Mare – a thin long promontory between the Delta of the River Po and the Adriatic Sea, this is a very lively place in summer. Expect hotels, a beach that stretches over eight km, and a beautiful pine forest. Next door, make sure that you visit the Porto Caleri Botanical Garden. It has its own beach with a beautiful wooden boardwalk. Rosolina Mare is about 70 km away from Venice.
Isola di Albarella – a private island in the bosom of nature come here for the beautiful beaches, the endless list of sport activities, and to relax completely in this green, lush environment. Isola di Albarella is about 80 km away from Venice.
Porto Tolle – near this small town in the Delta of the River Po you will discover many outstanding beaches with fine sand and lovely blue water. Spiaggia di Boccasette and Soleluna Spiaggia di Barricata come highly recommended and are between 100 and 108 km away from Venice.
Lidi di Comacchio (also sometimes referred to as Lidi Ferraresi) – near the towns of Ferrara and Comacchio, expect 26 km of wide sandy beaches, each catering to a particular type of traveller. For example, Lido delle Nazioni is particularly suitable for lovers of water sports, whilst Lido degli Scacchi and Lido di Pomposa are very family-friendly. If you are looking for fun and active nightlife, head to Lido degli Estensi and Lido di Spina. The beaches of Lidi di Comacchio are about 114 km from Venice.
Lidi Ravennati – 35 km of beaches are shared between nine seaside resorts. They all are right next door to the historic town of Ravenna famous for its Byzantine mosaics and as the final resting place of the great Italian poet Dante Alighieri. In terms of beaches here, Lido Adriano, Marina Romea, Lido di Classe, and Marina di Ravenna are among the most popular ones.
Beaches on the Adriatic coast to the south of Venice
Let’s head now even further south away from Venice and the Delta of the River Po. From the northern Italian region of Veneto of which Venice is the capital, we will cross into the regions of Emilia-Romagna and Marche.
The Adriatic coast here offers wide beaches covered with fine golden sand and a long string of coastal towns equipped with all sorts of beach facilities and entertainment options.
It is here that you will find several of Italy’s most renowned beach resorts. From Rimini attracting millions of foreign tourists each summer to Sirolo and Numana – two seaside towns that the Italians in the know head to – you will be spoilt for choice in terms of an amazing beach destination to easily combine with time spent in Venice.
Here is a shortlist of some of the best beaches and beach resorts further down south from Venice, Italy:
Rimini – once a powerful Renaissance city, nowadays Rimini is one of Italy’s most popular beach destinations. Wide sandy beaches with thousands of colourful umbrellas and sun loungers positioned in perfectly straight lines are the order of the day here. Hundreds of hotels cater to all requirements of the tourists that flock from all over Europe and further away. If you want to spend a few summer days sunbathing, taking it easy, and enjoying the nightlife, Rimini is an easy choice. Rimini is just over 260 km away from Venice.
Cattolica – just down the road from Rimini, expect more of the same – spacious sandy beaches perfectly equipped to keep happy beachgoers of any age and style. Plus, here you can visit the second-largest aquarium in Italy. Cattolica is about 280 km away from Venice.
Senigallia – crossing from Emilia-Romagna into the Central Italian region of the Marche, don’t miss a chance to spend time in the seaside resort of Senigallia. The beach here is 13 km long and it’s known as la spiaggia di velluto – velvet beach – on account of its fine golden sand. Senigallia is about 330 km away from Venice.
Riviera del Conero – Monte Conero is a 572 m tall rocky promontory on Italy’s Adritic. Interestingly enough, it’s the highest point along the coast from the city of Trieste all the way down to the region of Puglia. Monte Conero is also where you will find some of the best beaches in Italy. A string of 16 cute towns dot the coast. Several of them have must-see beaches and exciting local sights. I love the towns of Numana and Sirolo here for a relaxing beach break. The Due Sorelle Beach nearby is a very special place to sunbathe on. It can only be reached by boat! Rivera del Conero is about 375 km away from Venice.
Beaches on Lake Garda, Italy
Lake Garda is a great beach destination from Venice. You can travel there just for the day for a spot of sightseeing, sunbathing, and swimming in the lake’s limpid waters. Or you can stay for a few days and try to tick as many of the lake’s beaches off your list. There are over a hundred of them after all!
Known as Lago di Garda in Italian, Lake Garda is Italy’s largest lake. By high-speed train, you can reach two of its major towns in about an hour and a half from Venice. By fast regional train, travel times start from 1 h 45 mins.
Have a look at this blog post for a detailed overview of travel options:
Lake Garda is dotted with beaches – mostly pebbly but some grassy and sandy, too. They are usually small, surrounded by lush nature, and affording splendid lake views.
Even better, a large number of Lake Garda beaches are adjacent to the historic towns on its shores. In other words, you can visit a medieval castle, shop in small independent boutiques along cobbled streets, and then sun yourself on a cute little beach right next to them.
The easiest way to get from Venice to a Lake Garda beach is to take the train from either Venezia Santa Lucia or Venezia Mestre railway stations to Desenzano del Garda. This is Lake Garda’s largest town. It’s right on the lakefront and has a number of beaches right next to its historic centre. Spiaggia di Rivoltella and Desenzanino are particularly popular but there are several other easily accessible beaches here, too.
Alternatively, you can take a ferry from Desenzano del Garda for the 20-minute crossing to the town of Sirmione and then spend time on the very beautiful and very popular Giamaica beach. This is where you can lie on flat rocks that emerge from the lake in the shadow of the ruins of a monumental Roman villa. If Giamaica Beach is too busy, head to the Lido delle Bionde or Spiaggia del Prete on Sirmione.
Have a look at these two blog posts for more first-hand tried and tested tips about going to the beach around Lake Garda, Italy:
- Lake Garda Beaches – 16 Tops Tips for a Great Day at The Beach at Italy’s Largest Lake
- 3 Unmissable Beaches to Sun Yourself On This Summer in Italy
Practical Tips about Going to the Beach in Venice, Italy
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Here are a few practical tips to make your visit to the beach near Venice an easy to organise and pleasant experience.
1. First, here are some Italian beach words you may find useful to know in advance:
spiaggia – beach, spiaggia attrezzata – beach with facilities, lido – sand bar or strand, mare – sea, nuoto – swimming, costume da bagno – swimsuit, occhiali da sole – sunglasses, sedia a sdraio (also called lettino) – sun lounger, ombrellone – beach umbrella, abbronzare – to tan, infradito – flipflops, bagnino – lifeguard, marea – tide, protezione solare – sunscreen, telo da mare – beach towel.
If you are planning to go to a water park or a swimming pool, then you may be asked to wear a cuffia da nuoto (or cuffia piscina) – swimming cap.
2. Bring a hat, sunglasses, and a high SPF sunscreen. The Italian summer sun is very strong. Protect your head, eyes, and skin at all times.
3. Bring plenty of water, especially if you are planning to spend the day at a wild beach with no amenities. You need to keep hydrated, as the temperatures can easily reach 40 degrees Celsius in summer.
4. Follow the lead of the locals. You may notice that they rarely spend the whole day at the beach and avoid sunbathing during the hottest hours of the day. You don’t want to burn to a crisp on the first day of your holiday, after all!
5. Bring cash for the day as the nearest ATM may be miles away. You will want to have enough for a sun lounger, beach umbrella, gelato, cold drink, some fun activities, and the bus fare back to Venice.
6. Exercise caution when swimming, especially if the beach doesn’t have a lifeguard. While most beaches around Venice have shallow waters and sandy bottoms, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
7. Lots of people head to the beaches near and around Venice on a hot summer day. If you are relying on public transport to get to the beach, make sure that you arrive at the bus stop or ferry station with plenty of time to spare in order to claim a place ahead of the crowd.
Forming an orderly queue is not the strongest trait of the locals. You don’t want to be pushed away by more assertive beachgoers.
8. Even if you are headed to the beach, you cannot walk around historic Venice just in your beachwear. Decorum is expected at all times here. So, make sure that shoulders, knees, and bellies are kept covered.
9. Be prepared that you may need to walk a bit from the parking lot or the bus/train station to the actual beach. Then, most beaches here are very wide (and the sand gets very hot during the day), so invest in comfortable footwear to get you pleasantly from your hotel to your sun lounger.
If you are planning to head to a Lake Garda beach, then bring water shoes (I love the Hot Tuna brand) as most of the beaches there are shingly and very uncomfortable to traverse with bare feet.
10. No matter how pretty they may look, don’t collect and take shells away from Italian beaches. This is against the legislation and fines are very steep.
11. If you need to rent a car for your trip to the beach near Venice, have a look at Europcar’s rates to get an idea of prices for the time of your visit. If you are planning to travel by train, I use Omio to check travel times and prices in advance. If you travel by bus, it’s usually possible to buy your ticket directly from the driver. Alternatively, you can get your tickets online. To travel by ferry from Fusina Ferry Terminal to Alberoni Beach or from Venezia Zattere to Alberoni Beach, have a look at the official website.
In Conclusion
Here they are – the very best 47 beaches and beach resorts near Venice in Italy.
From posh beaches with luxury amenities to wild beaches where you can feel at one with nature, there are many beach destinations to head to from Venice.
No matter what you are after – a fun day at the beach right next door to Venice, a spot of swimming and sunbathing in the historic City of Canals or a longer beach holiday within a reasonable travel time from Venice, you’ve got it all here in this blog post.
I hope that all the first-hand tried and tested information about the beaches in and around Venice I’ve shared with you herewith will come in very handy during the research stage of your Venice plus beach Italian holiday.
Have a wonderful time sightseeing and sunbathing!
And enjoy your Italian summer on the beaches of Venice!
Now, get ready quick for your visit to Venice in Italy!
- Consult these guidebooks.
- Buy plane tickets to Italy.
- Book train tickets, bus tickets or rent a car.
- Research accommodation.
- Select tours and activities.
More Helpful Venice Info for You
Venice: Essential Tips, Major Landmarks, Hidden Gems, How to Navigate Venice, Venice in a Day for Art Lovers, Train Stations, Nearest Airports, Best Tours, Quotes about Venice, Boats in Venice, Haunted Venice, Day Trips from Venice, Arco del Paradiso
Venice Videos: Grand Canal, St. Mark’s Square at Carnival, St. Mark’s Square, View from Rialto Bridge, View from Accademia Bridge, Venetian gondolas, Historical Regatta, Squero di San Trovaso, Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, Fondazione Querini Stampalia, Palazzo Grimani, Rialto Fish Market, Ca’ Macana, Festa della Madonna della Salute
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