The Lido, an island much loved by poets and writers, with its elegant Liberty villas, the historic village of Malamocco, the 18th century Murazzi and the golden sand beaches, is one of those places where one can still breathe an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. Equally picturesque, the nearby island of Pellestrina is a hidden corner of the lagoon, as fascinating as fragile, which requires that all those who land there opt for a slow, careful and non-invasive experience.
Beaches and natural areas
The beaches of Lido island, this year awarded with the Blue Flag, are appreciated both by Venetians and foreigners. The gentle slope of the seabed permits younger children to bathe in peace; in addition thanks to the total removal of architectural barriers everyone can enjoy the beach. For lovers of natural and wilder settings, there is the Alberoni Sand Dune Oasis, a unique environment used as stopover and winter habitat for numerous birds, such the Fratino and the Fraticello. At the North end of the island, another treasure of biodiversity is the Nature Reserve of San Nicolò area.
The island of Pellestrina boasts forty hectares of protected natural reserve. Ca’ Roman nature reserve, located at the south, is connected to Pellestrina by the artificial Murazzi dam: this reserve still preserves one of the most unspoilt habitat in the whole upper Adriatic area.
The Cycle Route of the islands
The best way to discover these two islands is with an easy and pleasant ride along the Ciclovia delle isole E5. Starting from the Lido you cross the island arriving to Malamocco (on crowded days the internal road route is preferable). Once at Alberoni, take ferry line 11 towards Santa Maria del Mare, at the eastern end of the North of Pellestrina. From here, continuing further south, you cross the villages of San Pietro in Volta and Portosecco.
To protect its extraordinary habitat, the Ca’ Roman reserve is not suitable for cycling. Before arriving at Caroman (Pellestrina Cimitero stop), you can take the vaporetto line 11 towards Chioggia (around 30 minutes). The number of bicycles allowed on board is at the discretion of the captain, for reasons of passenger safety. On Saturdays and holidays, until October 27th 2019, the line 11 service on the Chioggia – Pellestrina section is reinforced with dedicated rides for cyclists. Please note that only passengers and not cycles and motorcycles can be landed or loaded on Ca’ Roman.
Travel tips
To rent a bike, there are several shops on the Lido island that offer daily rates; moreover the public bike sharing service, VeNice in Bike, is available.