Discovering the Lagoon by bicycle

Besides being crossed by canals, just like Venice, it is also one of the few islands in the lagoon with a network of road. They aren’t too busy and are easy to navigate, even for novices, always immersed in the green of the avenues and gardens or the blue of the sea. It is particularly pleasant to cycle around the Lido during the spring, when the temperature is perfect for a ride by bike.

To visit the whole area easily, we recommend a simple and panoramic route that starts from Santa Maria Elisabetta square, the vaporetto dock, and reaches Alberoni, the southernmost point of the Lido.

From Santa Maria Elisabetta you can immediately take the Granviale Santa Maria Elisabetta to cross over to the opposite seafront, where you’ll find, one after the other, the Palazzo dell’Ex Casinò and the Palazzo del Cinema – the beating heart of the Venice International Film Festival – and the majestic and elegant Hotel Excelsior.
You continue alongside the beaches and the colourful cabins by the sea on the Lungomare d’Annunzio: from here, we recommend getting lost among the streets that start left of this one, immersing yourself in the island’s most markedly Art Nouveau neighbourhood.

Continuing the bike tour of Venice Lido, following the canal then takes you back to the Lagoon where you can resume Via San Gallo. This road is the backbone of the Lido and the most frequented one, running across the island from north to south.

After a little more than 1 km, just past a bridge, turning right into Via Domenico Salva, you reach the lungo-laguna on a quiet minor road to follow for about 800 metres, enjoying the view with the islands of  San Lazzaro degli Armeni and the Lazzaretto Vecchio in the foreground.
Then, taking Via Sansovino or Via Diedo on the left, which flank both sides of a closed canal surrounded by plants and flowers, you return to the main road of Via Sandro Gallo, now bordered by two rows of large trees.

Continue for about 3.5 km, during which you can stop to enjoy the view of the lagoon that opens up to the right every time you cross a bridge. A curve overlooking the flat expanse of the lagoon heralds your arrival at the village of Malamocco.
As you cross through the centre of the small village, with its unspoilt and typically Venetian appearance, you’ll experience a totally different ambiance light years away from the chaos of St Mark’s and Rialto. This is the best place to recharge your batteries with a spot of gastronomy, stopping for a plate of cod with polenta and some sarda in saor, accompanied by an “ombra” of wine.

Once your taste buds are satisfied, head towards the bottom of the village, to the point where Via del Forte becomes Via del Cimitero and the latter forks into a dirt road. This leads to the Murazzi, one of the most unique points of the entire island: the fortifications erected by La Serenissima to protect the Lido from being eroded by the sea, which start at Ca’ Bianca and end close to Alberoni.

From this point, you travel about 3.5 km along the marble wall: a work of engineering that today, with the cycle and pedestrian path that runs alongside it, has become the backdrop for long walks and summer bathing.

Ending the bike tour of Venice Lido, the walls and the cycle path end at Alberoni Beach, where you can end your tour with a visit to the WWF natural oasis or continue to the pier and go up to Alberoni Lighthouse.