Venetian Riviera

Sinead Daly 10 August 2017
There are beach holidays and then there are city and cultural holidays, but this fantastic location happens to be both. This year we decided to have our family holiday on the beautiful Venetian Riviera.

We based ourselves in the fabulous 5* Camping Union Lido which is based in a small town called Cavallino Treporti. This was an ideal base for us as we wanted to explore Venice, Jesolo, Burano and Murano. My family love going to the campsites abroad as they offer so much in regards to entertainment, pools and slides and we love the outdoor living. This was one of the largest sites we have ever stayed at, and we’ve been to quite a few! Once we got our bearings, everything was a breeze. This campsite just has everything you can think of, 2 waterparks, wellness center, plenty of bars and restaurants, sports center, shops, markets and even a doggie camp. It is situated directly on a spotless beach, with beach bars and restaurants. Overall, I would find it hard to beat it.

The highlight of the trip for me was getting to visit Venice. It’s very easy to get to from the campsite, you just get the bus outside to Punta Sabbioni and from there you get the ferry across. Tickets are approx. €19 round trip. Once in Venice, it’s time to go exploring the many stunning canals and little cobbles side streets. Venice is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever been to whether you want to relax with a coffee in Piazza San Marco Square, take a Gonola ride or just wander around. No matter where you go you will find history, beauty and romance. Perfect ending to a perfect day is a Bellini in the famous Harry’s bar!

The island of Burano makes a fantastic day trip from Venice. My advice would be to get there as early as possible before the crowds arrive. It’s known for its brightly coloured fishermen’s houses and is famous for its lace-making. It is such a picturesque little fishing Island and would be any photographer’s dream. The boat trip does take over 30mins, but it is well worth the effort. This Island has such charming personality, I would love to go back again and spend more time here.

Most visitors to Venice tend to visit the larger Island of Murano. Murano is renowned for its long tradition of glass-making. If you intend on buying some Murano glass, make sure it is authentic Murano glass and not made in China – you will of course realise this when they tell you the price of it!! Whilst not as colourful or charming as Burano, I still found it very interesting to wander around. Murano, is actually a collection of 7 islands all connected together by bridges. The easiest way to get to the Islands is to use the Vaporetto service – these are literally “water buses” and they run frequently and efficiently.

We happened upon the tiny little island of Torcello purely by accident. This island was the first Venice island to be inhabited. The main attraction on this tiny island is the Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta dating back to 639AD. You will cover the entire Island in less than an hour, so I would only visit here if it was on the water bus stop.

I could go on forever about things to do and see but I am sure this will give you some idea or some inspiration, but for more, please feel free to call me.