The 2nd day of our stay in Venice, it was finally time to do what we came for! Biking in Venice with our Local Jack from Wanderjack!
By noon we took the boat to Lido Island. What a relief when we arrived at S. Maria Elisabetta Docks. Wide roads, far less tourists and a nice atmosphere. After the hustle and bustle of the old town, it was great to have a rest.
We went for a walk and looked for a terrace to have lunch and just relax before the nice bike ride that was waiting for us. The pizza at Ristorante Gran Viale da Claudio e Luciano are delicious.
Before taking you along the most beautiful spots of this island, I will provide you with some general info.
Lido di Venezia, Lido for short, consists of three parts:
• Lido, in the north, is the classy seaside town and home of the annual Film Festival. Here you will find the beautiful Grand Hotel Excelsior. With a private transfer, they literally bring you to the front door. The casino is also located in this part of the island.
- Malamocco,in the middle of the island, was the first part to be built and was once the venue of the Doge of Venice.
- Alberoni , in the south, is the only golf course in Venice. Nice, but for real golfers there are more fun destinations in Italy.
Biking!
Maura from Wanderjack was waiting for us at the dock. She introduced us to our local Jack, Fabio. Then we picked up our bikes and were off!
After a few minutes we left the road and passed the concrete road, Via Murazzi, right next to the beach. Undisturbed white sand and a beautiful blue sea. The weather was great so we really enjoyed it. Here and there we saw wooden constructions where locals enjoyed a cozy afternoon with friends. Apparently, they build covered terraces every year with coiled material. Everybody can make use of it, but as soon as the builder arrives, they make way for him.
Then we left to the other side of Malamocco, the first inhabited part of the island.
The next stop took us to Punta Alberoni. This is the last part of the island, with another beautiful beach. You almost always cycle along the water and often have sight of the surrounding islands. Our Local Jack kept telling us about the life on these islands, the wonderful things to see, the delicious food they serve here, ...
At the extreme northeastern tip of the island is the lighthouse Alberoni Rochetta, from which you have a beautiful view of the lagoon and Pellestrina Island.
A few kilometers further, we park our bikes on the edge of the WWF Nature Reserve 'Dune degli Alberoni'. From there we leave for a walk. First through the woods, and then passing some dunes to end up on the most beautiful piece of beach. There is a super cozy beach bar, Macondo, where we enjoy a delicious Italian Prosecco. Not too much, because we need to get on the bike again.
Fun with our Local Jack, Fabio from Wanderjack.
After a tour of almost five hours, we arrive back at the starting point.
We really enjoyed the trip. In any case, I do know when I visit Venice again, I will not stay in the center. Lido is a much better choice.
The biking tour with Wanderjack was really the highlight of our trip. You feel that the people behind this young travel organization have a passion for their job. In addition to a cycling tour in Venice, they offer a host of other activities. What about a visit to a gondola builder or a flight over Venice? Meanwhile, they have expanded their activities and offer 'experiences' in Verona, Padua and Treviso. I'm sure I will book more experiences with Wanderjack in the future. If the Local Jacks are just as awesome as our Fabio, you're guaranteed a fun day.
On these two maps you will see the route of our cycling tour.
Deel 1 van S. Maria Elisabetta docks naar Punta Alberoni
Deel 2 van Punta Alberoni naar Bar Macondo
