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Background to Venice's
The Lido
The Lido is by far the most glamorous of the lagoon
islands, one that has lent its name to countless bathing establishments
and clubs all over the world. On its eight miles of beaches,
poets, potentates and plutocrats at the turn of the century,
spent their holidays making the lido the pinnacle of Belle
Epoque fashion. But style doesn't come for free: most
of the beaches are private except for Venice's one free beach,
Spiaggia Comunale, which is on the north part of the
island, a fifteen minute walk from the vaporetto (boat) stop.
The Lido forms a land barrier between the lagoon and
the Adriatic Sea. For centuries the Venetians made
an annual pilgrimage here to carry out Venice's Sposalizio
del Mar (Wedding with the Sea) ceremony by dropping a
ring into the shallows, celebrating the city's relationship
with the tides.
Things to see and do in
The Lido
Today it is both Venice's seaside resort and city suburb.
At the turn of the century the Lido was a playground for the
rich and famous, but nowadays you're more likely to find a
more serene suburban lifestyle. However, fans of Art Nouveau
and Art Deco can still be treated to some turn-of-the-century
opulence. On Gran Viale there are two gems: the tiled
façade of the Hungaria Hotel (formerly the Ausonia
Palace) with its nymphs - reminiscent of Aubrey Beardsley,
the illustrator of Oscar Wilde's Salome - and Villa
Monplaisir with Art Deco designs dating from 1906.
International Film Festival
@ The Lido
Nowadays, the only moment when the place stirs to anything
like its former liveliness is at the beginning of September
when the International Film Festival rolls into town.
Venice has a cinematic history, it has been used as a backdrop
to many blockbusters - ' Death in Venice', 'The Merchant
of Venice', 'Don't Look Back' and even 'Indiana Jones
and the Last Crusade' were all filmed here. The event
was inaugurated in 1932 under the auspices of the Biennale
and was so successful that the impressive marble and glass
Palazzo del Cinema was built four years later where official
competition screenings take place. Here you can line the red
carpet along with Venetians, tourists and the media to catch
a glimpse of the Hollywood stars. The Festival is a showcase
for premiering feature films, with the Golden Lion
being awarded for Best Film. Films are shown day and night
in numerous venues and tickets are sold outside so you don't
have to be an A-list Hollywood star to enjoy the event. |
