Venice Guide and Boat
Lido, Giudecca and Sant’Erasmo: The Quiet Islands of the Venetian Lagoon
Most visitors know the lagoon through three names: Venice, Murano and Burano. Yet the lagoon holds many more islands, and three of them offer something quite different from the postcard Venice: a seaside island with a film-festival past, a residential island facing Venice across the water, and a flat farming island where the city’s prized spring artichokes grow.
This guide introduces the Lido, the Giudecca and Sant’Erasmo: what each one is, what to see, and how to choose between them. It sticks to history and places that stay true year after year, so check timetables and opening hours locally before you go.
| Lido | Giudecca | Sant’Erasmo | |
| Character | Seaside resort, villas, beaches, cinema history | Quiet, residential, Palladian churches, views of Venice | Farmland, market gardens, lagoon shores |
| Best for | A beach day, cycling, history and film lovers | Architecture and a slow stroll | Cycling, nature, seasonal food |
| Getting there | By ACTV vaporetto to Santa Maria Elisabetta; roughly 10–20 minutes depending on where you start | A short vaporetto crossing of the Giudecca Canal | ACTV line 13 from Fondamente Nove; roughly 30–40 minutes; less frequent service |
| Suggested time | Half a day to a full day | A couple of hours | Half a day to a full day |
Vaporetto line numbers and frequencies change, so always check the current ACTV timetable before you travel.
The Lido: Venice’s Seaside
What it is
The Lido is a long, narrow barrier island, about 11 km from end to end, lying between the Venetian Lagoon and the Adriatic Sea. It is one of the two barrier islands that protect the lagoon, the other being Pellestrina to the south. Roughly 20,000 people live here, mostly in the town of Lido at the northern end, with the village of Malamocco further south and the dunes of Alberoni at the far end.
A short history of the Lido
For centuries the Lido was a place of defence and passage. In the 19th century it reinvented itself as a bathing resort, and in the 20th it became the stage for cinema.
| Date | What happened |
| 1116 | A storm surge submerges Metamaucum, the early settlement near Malamocco that had served as the second seat of the Venetian dukes |
| 1389 | Burials begin in the Jewish cemetery near San Nicolò, on land the Republic had granted to the Jewish community in 1386 |
| 1816–1821 | Lord Byron lives in Venice and rides his horses along the Lido |
| 1872 | The Società Civile Bagni Lido, a bathing society, is founded as the island develops into a seaside resort |
| 1900 | The Grand Hotel des Bains opens |
| 1908 | The Hotel Excelsior opens |
| 1912 | Thomas Mann’s novella Death in Venice, set partly at the Grand Hotel des Bains, is published |
| 1932 | The Venice Film Festival, the world’s oldest, starts; it still takes place on the Lido in late summer |
| 1937 | The Palazzo del Cinema, the festival’s main venue, opens on Lungomare Marconi |
What to see and do on the Lido
- Gran Viale Santa Maria Elisabetta. The main avenue is about 700 m long and 27 m wide. It runs straight from the lagoon-side landing stage to the beach, a walk of roughly ten minutes, past early 20th-century Liberty villas on the side streets.
- The seafront and the Palazzo del Cinema. The festival palace faces the sea on Lungomare Marconi. Outside festival days you can walk the seafront in front of it. Near the Excelsior and the Grand Hotel des Bains the central beach belongs mainly to hotels and beach clubs.
- Public beaches. The large public beaches lie at the northern and southern ends of the island. San Nicolò, at the northern tip near the church, is the best-known free beach.
- San Nicolò and the Jewish cemetery. The northern end holds the Benedictine abbey of San Nicolò, which keeps the relics of Saint Nicholas, and the old Jewish cemetery, which has been restored and can be visited.
- Malamocco. This small village on the lagoon side, with its central square and narrow lanes, feels like a different world from the resort town.
- Alberoni. At the southern end you find sand dunes, pine woods, a nature oasis and a golf course. This is also where the ferry to Pellestrina leaves.
- By bike. Cycling is allowed on the Lido, which is unusual in the lagoon. Rental shops stand near the Santa Maria Elisabetta landing, and bike paths link the town, the beaches, San Nicolò, Malamocco and Alberoni.
| Planning around the Film Festival The Venice Film Festival takes place on the Lido in late August and early September, so the area around the Palazzo del Cinema is at its busiest then. If you want the island at its calmest, choose another time of year. |
The Giudecca: Venice Seen from Across the Canal
What it is
The Giudecca lies immediately south of Venice’s central islands, separated from them by the Giudecca Canal, and belongs to the Dorsoduro district. The island of San Giorgio Maggiore sits just off its eastern tip. It is traditionally described as a chain of eight small islands joined together.
Where the name comes from is still debated. An old name for the island was Spinalunga, “long thorn”. One theory links Giudecca to a Jewish community that settled here in the Middle Ages; another connects it to the Venetian word for “judged”. Neither is certain.
From noble gardens to factories to quiet streets
Historically the Giudecca was an area of large palaces with gardens, and of convents and vegetable plots. In the early 20th century it became an industrial zone, with shipyards, factories and even a film studio. Much of that industry declined after the Second World War.
The most striking relic is the Molino Stucky, a huge flour mill built between 1884 and 1895 for Giovanni Stucky, now converted into a hotel and apartments. Today the Giudecca is mainly a quiet residential island, with working-class housing alongside some elegant apartments and houses.
What to see on the Giudecca
| Sight | Why it matters |
| Il Redentore | A votive church designed by Andrea Palladio, vowed after the plague of 1575–1576 and consecrated in 1592. Among the paintings inside are works by Veronese and the Bassano family. |
| Le Zitelle | A church on the waterfront associated with Palladio and built in the 1580s as part of a charitable complex for young women without dowries. |
| Sant’Eufemia | One of the island’s oldest churches, with Venetian-Byzantine origins and heavy 18th-century restoration. |
| Casa dei Tre Oci | A distinctive house designed in 1913 by the painter Mario De Maria, later used for exhibitions, especially photography. |
| Molino Stucky | The 19th-century mill that dominates the western end of the island and still defines its skyline. |
| The waterfront | A long promenade facing Venice, where the view back across the canal is the main attraction. |
| The Festa del Redentore Every year on the third Sunday of July, Venice celebrates the end of the plague that led to the Redentore’s construction. The evening before, fireworks light the Giudecca Canal. The next day, a procession crosses a temporary pontoon bridge from the Zattere to the Giudecca. Historically the doge and senators walked this bridge each year to attend Mass at the church. |
Sant’Erasmo: The Lagoon’s Market Garden
What it is
Sant’Erasmo lies north-east of the Lido and east of Venice, with Murano to the west and Burano and Torcello to the north. It is flat, open and mostly farmed, a landscape of fields, orchards and quiet lagoon shores. The island is known for market gardening, and its artichokes are served in Venetian restaurants and bacari.
A frontier island
Sant’Erasmo was a port attached to Murano as early as the 8th century, and forts have stood on it since the 16th century. After the fall of the Republic, the French built a stronghold here between 1811 and 1814.
The island’s best-known landmark is the Torre Massimiliana, a polygonal tower about 25 m across, surrounded by a ditch, whose upper floor could hold up to 13 cannons. It was built in 1843–1844 under Austrian rule by Archduke Maximilian of Austria-Este, and the Italian army was still using it during the First World War. The tower has been restored in recent decades and hosts events from time to time, so check before you go whether it is open.
The violet artichoke and the castraura
Sant’Erasmo is famous for its violet artichoke, the carciofo violetto di Sant’Erasmo. The most prized part is the castraura, the first, central bud of each plant. Growers remove it to encourage the plant to produce side shoots, which is why it is small, tender and so sought after.
Castraure are a spring product. The harvest runs from roughly late April to early June, and a violet artichoke festival is held on the island in spring. In Venice they are eaten raw, thinly sliced and dressed with olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper, or lightly cooked in dishes such as risotto. You will often find them on the menus of bacari and osterie across the city in season.
Cycling, nature and quiet
- Cycling. The island is flat, has very little traffic, and many routes are unpaved tracks between fields. Bikes can be rented near the ferry landing.
- Lagoon shores. The undeveloped edges are good for walking and birdwatching, especially during spring and autumn migration.
- Spiaggia del Bacan. At the southern tip, this simple beach is popular with Venetians in summer. There are no beach clubs.
- Farm stands. In season, vegetables and other local produce are sold directly by growers.
- Come prepared. Services are limited and shops or cafés are not always open, so bring water and a picnic from Venice.
Getting there
ACTV line 13 runs from Fondamente Nove, via Murano, Vignole and Lazzaretto Nuovo, to Sant’Erasmo, and continues to Treporti. The trip from Fondamente Nove takes roughly 30 to 40 minutes. Service is less frequent than on Venice’s main lines, so look at the timetable carefully and plan your return trip before you set off.
Which Island Is Right for You?
| If you want… | Choose |
| A beach day, cycling and Belle Époque hotels | The Lido |
| Film history and Thomas Mann’s Venice | The Lido |
| Palladian architecture and a view back to Venice | The Giudecca |
| A short, easy trip with little planning | The Giudecca |
| Farmland, birdlife and open lagoon landscapes | Sant’Erasmo |
| A seasonal food experience in spring | Sant’Erasmo |
| A quiet escape from the crowds | Sant’Erasmo or the Giudecca |
Seeing the Islands by Boat
Each of these islands can be reached by public vaporetto, but they sit on different routes, and the Sant’Erasmo line in particular runs less often. A private boat is one way to link them without depending on timetables, and to see the lagoon from the water the way the Venetians always have.
If you would like to include one of these islands in a private lagoon tour with Venice Guide and Boat, get in touch and we will talk through what is possible. For more islands, read our guides to Murano, Burano and Torcello and Venice Hidden Places.
Practical Tips
- Check ACTV before you go. Lines, stops and frequencies change from season to season.
- Plan your return on Sant’Erasmo. With fewer boats, a missed departure can mean a long wait.
- Visit Sant’Erasmo in spring if you want to taste castraure and see the island green.
- Avoid the festival crush on the Lido in late August and early September, unless the festival is why you are going.
- Pair the Giudecca with Palladio. It is easy to combine the Redentore with the Zattere and San Giorgio Maggiore on the same outing.
- Bring essentials. Water, sun protection and a picnic make a big difference on Sant’Erasmo and in the quieter parts of the Lido.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Lido di Venezia?
The Lido is an 11 km barrier island between the Venetian Lagoon and the Adriatic Sea. It is known for its beaches, Liberty-style villas and the Venice Film Festival, which has taken place there since 1932.
Is the Giudecca worth visiting?
Yes, especially for Palladio’s Redentore church, the long waterfront with its view back to Venice, and the island’s quiet residential atmosphere. It makes an easy short trip.
How do I get to Sant’Erasmo?
Take ACTV line 13 from Fondamente Nove via Murano and Vignole. The trip takes roughly 30 to 40 minutes and service is less frequent than on main lines, so check the timetable.
What are castraure?
Castraure are the first, central buds of the violet artichokes grown on Sant’Erasmo. They are cut to encourage side shoots, and are prized as a spring delicacy, usually available from about late April to early June.
Are there public beaches on the Lido?
Yes. Large public beaches lie at the northern and southern ends of the island, while much of the central seafront belongs to hotels and beach clubs.
Can you cycle on the Lido?
Yes. Cycling is allowed, bikes can be rented near the Santa Maria Elisabetta landing, and bike paths connect the town, San Nicolò, Malamocco and Alberoni.
What is the Festa del Redentore?
It is a Venetian festival held on the third Sunday of July, with fireworks the evening before and a pontoon bridge across the Giudecca Canal, commemorating the end of the plague of 1575–1576.
| Before you travel Timetables, opening hours and access arrangements change. For vaporetto information, use the official ACTV site (actv.avmspa.it); for the Lido, the island’s visitor site (visitlido.it) is a useful starting point. |
