Lido di Jesolo Holidays

Bringing flocks of visitors every year, this seaside town close to Venice is one of the most popular chilled-out holiday spots in northern Italy. La Pineta Beach offers slow-paced sunbathing and quiet sands – the perfect prelude to a tour around the history museum, pumped-up shopping and beachside drinks at sunset.

The eastern section of Jesolo Beach hosts activities like beach rugby and sandcastle-building competitions, and you can hire a private boat to get out on the waves. Follow in the tracks of Formula 1 stars like Michael Schumacher by racing on the Pista Azzurra go-kart track, or go old-school with horse riding along the coast.

Lido di Jesolo's just a 90-minute boat ride from Venice, so the floating city can be done in a day. This magical network of canals is packed with sinking palaces, world-famous museums and lashings of wine. Be sure to try some cicchetti – that's tasty Venetian tapas – in the many bars around the main piazza.

Scream your way down the Spacemakers – one of the world’s tallest waterslides – at Aqualandia waterpark. Or, see the water from a different perspective at the Sea Life Centre. Culture hunters can check out any of the town's archaeological and scientific museums.