When we first moved here the Venice Film Festival was ongoing but we had no idea where it was. Eventually we found out it was on one of the other islands called Lido which is a 11 kilometre strip of land which is basically all sand. So as soon as we found this out what did us Brits who hardly ever see sunshine think? Beach days of course! So after that it became a weekly thing for the first few weeks to spend time there soaking up the sun haha. It was so strange at first because Lido has, wait for it... Roads and cars! and after being surrounded by just water and boats it was a big deal. The picture above is one I took of the sunset one evening there. We sat on the docks for ages trying to get the perfect picture of it as it really was something.
Lido seems to be a lot more residential and is only a ten minute boat to mainland Venice, maybe not even that. I think tourists do stay at hotels on Lido though because it is so much cheaper.
The beach itself is lovely, nice and clean with a clear ocean, another thing I'm not used to seeing! We mainly used the beach right next to the main entrance as it has a bar and restaurant there with showers and toilets. So the most convenient really. Although be warned they charge you a few euros just to use the toilet if you are not a customer. Up and down the beach you will find guys trying to sell you stuff, whether it's sunglasses, bracelets or beach towels they have it! I saw they were selling these massive beach blankets with really cool patterns all over them. I said to my friend if they have one with suns and moons on I'll have to get it (I am obsessed) then they wacked out one didn't they, so after my housemate did some bartering for me I got one for 12 euro and it is well worth it, I love it!
It seemed to be a meeting point for a lot of Erasmus students for a short while as I met so many of my friends there who come from all over the world. One day we all brought food and had a picnic and stayed there until the sunset singing along to the kooks, which everyone from everywhere knows very well haha.
This is some of the people I have met here all on Erasmus! Everyone is so lovely and speak fluent English. It really does put England's education system to shame because we are never forced to learn a language as children but everywhere else is. I just feel really rude sometimes because I can only speak English, although my Italian is coming along. But some of these guys can speak more then two languages and I just think it's so wonderful I am so jealous but thankful at the same time because if they didn't know English I wouldn't have met them!
We have spent a lot of time on Lido as it was where the majority of nights out or parties were as they were all on the beach. I want to write a post on the night life here so I will tell all sooooon. But now the temperature has dropped we don't visit it as much. But it just makes me so excited for being here until July because I really will see the best of the weather which of course means more beach days!
*All photos are my own.
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