Venice--Staying in Lido

I'm soooo glad you asked. We did in 2011 exactly what you are thinking about doing. It was a HUGE mistake. Yes, we saved money on the hotel on the Lido, but we were penny-wise and pound-foolish. (We had stayed in Venice proper on two previous visits, so we did have those experiences to compare it with.) The Lido doesn't begin to have the same amount of charm that Venice has. And staying on the Lido didn't fit with our preferred way to do our days when we travel. We like to see sights in the morning and early afternoon, then go back to our room/apartment for a break in the late afternoon, then go out for dinner. When we did that during the Venice/Lido portion of our trip, we found it was just too much hassle to get back on the vaporetto for a loud, boring 30 minute ride in the early evening. (Plus, you have to add in the wait time at the vaporetto landings.) We will NEVER do that again. There's nothing like being able to step out of your room/apt and be right there in Venice. As far as the parking lots on the Lido, do you realize that you will have to take a car ferry to get your car there? Best practice would be to ditch the rental car while you're in Venice.

Two opinions: A coworker of mine stayed on the Lido as part of an escorted group tour. She liked it, and far preferred it to staying on Mestre (where her other group tours put her). I visited the Lido, but didn't stay there. I didn't like it. It's a bit dirty and run down, and completely lacking in the atmosphere of Venice. Staying there would mean complete dependence on the vaporetto - I'd feel like a commuter instead of a visitor.

Harold's co-worker may have preferred Lido to Mestre, but if the comparison had been with Venice itself, it would be no contest. Michael made an excellent case for staying in Venice rather than Lido. You have. 30 minute boat ride each way. Unless you want to spend 12 hours away from your hotel each day, you could be looking at two round trips a day, or two hours on the boat. And it not even all that ingesting a part of the lagoon. In 2011 the fare for a car on the ferry was 16 to 20 euros each way, plus 6,50 for each person, including the driver. So parking may be free, but you'll pay around 50 euros to get there and back, in addition to the rental cost. Why not turnin the car before your time in Venice? There are plenty of very nice hotels in Venice. Staying on Lido to get a "better hotel" for the money is false economy, as you will be spending much of your time away from what you came to see ( namely Venice).Even the Lido beach isn't all that nice.

Thanks, guys! I suspected it wasn't a good idea, and you convinced me.

Hi Gail, I have been lucky enough to visit Venice numerous times and have a different perspective. On my last 2 trips I chose to stay on the Lido (2010) and the Mestre (2012). I did so to get a feel for the area around Venice where Italians live and it's not over run with tourists. When I travel, I go out for the day, only returning to my room to sleep. I try to see as much 'local life' as I can. I enjoyed the Lido, went to the beach, found great restaurants and took a bus around the island. It is a short vaporetto ride from St. Marks. It was fun to zoom across the lagoon, seeing the boats and Venice from a different view. The Mestre was a short bus ride to Venice proper. I enjoyed being in the midst of locals, seeing dancing in the piazza, family & friends greeting each other, hearing spoken Italian, daily life as it unfolds. I spent time in Venice proper on both trips. I guess it depends on how you want to spend your time, as is the question with every vacation. Have fun whatever your choice is!!!

"Harold's co-worker may have preferred Lido to Mestre, but if the comparison had been with Venice itself, it would be no contest." Actually, no. She really didn't have any problem staying on the Lido vs staying in Venice itself (much to my dismay, shock, surprise, etc). She won't stay in Mestre again, but will gladly stay on the Lido. Different strokes and all that. As I said, I certainly don't share her taste, and agree with most of the other posters - don't stay on the Lido.