A Proper Italian Job

The Venetian Riviera is the perfect holiday location for the whole family.

It’s one of the world’s most beautiful and romantic cities. And now, thanks to the growing popularity of the beach resorts surrounding Venice, you don’t have to book an expensive hotel to enjoy its historic splendour -and your kids will love it too.

The spectacular Basilica San Marco and the grand Bridge of Sighs nearby are musts, but

"Ponte dei sospiri bridge of sighs venice" by Mfield, Matthew Field, http://www.photography.mattfield.com - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ponte_dei_sospiri_bridge_of_sighs_venice.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Ponte_dei_sospiri_bridge_of_sighs_venice.jpg — “Ponte dei sospiri bridge of sighs venice” by Mfield, Matthew Field, http://www.photography.mattfield.com

the further away from San Marco you get; the more the real Venice reveals itself. Its lanes and canals are a picturesque joy.

The Venetian Riviera is a rare treasure -and if you get fed up with culture, you can just lie back and enjoy the beaches!

What to do in Venice

Eat out …

Venice offers a huge range of restaurants. But beware, some of the prices around San Marco can border on the ridiculous. Plenty of bars and cafes serve great savouries, cakes, coffee and drinks, too. In Marina di Venezia, the restaurant and pizzeria is great value, with pizzas at around six euros. Our accommodation had its own barbecue, so you can head off to Venice’s famous Rialto market for delicious fresh fish -the swordfish is wonderful. A mobile fishmonger also visits the park most days.

Hop on a gondola

You can take a ride with an opera-singing gondolier, but it’s pretty expensive. The city of Venice sets official rates for gondola rides, which start at 62 euros for 50 minutes. Additional 25-minute periods are 31 euros. After 8pm, the base rate climbs to 77.50 euros. Up to six people can share a boat without paying a supplement. Still, it pays to make sure that you’ve agreed the rate before you head off.

Best time to go

In peak season Venice is flooded with tourists. The great thing about staying outside the city is that you can escape to your resort.

Getting around

There are no cars in Venice. Make sure you use the official Actv water buses. They run to Lido, then Venice, San Marco, every 30 minutes. Each water bus journey costs five euros. Hiring a car lets you explore the surrounding area -Lake Garda and Verona are just three hours away.