Venetian Riviera holidays

Small pockets of sand are a rarity in the Venetian Riviera. Instead, the towns are fronted by long, golden beaches. In Bibione, for example, the coastline stretches out for around 11 kilometres. What’s more, thanks to their cleanliness and good water quality, lots of beaches in the area fly a coveted Blue Flag.

Lido di Jesolo’s pale sands unravel for a whopping 10 miles, and they come with a supporting cast of mini golf, volleyball and climbing frames. It’s easy to find a lunchtime plate of spaghetti al tonno here – behind the beach, you’ve got a promenade packed with restaurants and gelato parlours.

Lido, a tiny island southeast of Venice, is home to a string of sandy beaches, which are tucked away behind pine trees. In-the-know celebrities have been sunning themselves on the isle for years – everyone from Tom Cruise to Johnny Depp has been spotted along the shoreline.

You’ll need to be up early for the Caorle Fish Market, which opens at sunrise every day. The shops around the town’s Romanesque cathedral, meanwhile, sell some great souvenirs, like pretty bottles of olive oil and ornamental crosses. Alternatively, make the half-hour drive to Bibione on a Tuesday morning. Its main square turns into an open-air market, and silk flowers, embroidered clothes and antique books stack the stalls.

If you want to take home some of the Venetian Riviera's world-famous glass, your best bet is the island of Murano. Watch master craftsmen at work, then pick a piece to cradle on the boat to neighbouring Burano – the place to go for lace. If you’ve got your eye on a classic Venetian mask, try La Bottega dei Mascareri near the Rialto in Venice, which does one-of-a-kind pieces that are theatre-quality.

When it comes to serious splurging, Venice takes a lot of beating. All the big names line up here, including Gucci, Prada and Cartier. And the arcades of St Mark’s Square shelter some of the city’s best jewellers. Lido di Jesolo, meanwhile, specialises in leather. The main square, Piazza Mazzini, has a good choice of stores, and you can pick up everything from handbags to perfectly-polished brogues. Caorle does a good line in exclusive, one-off boutiques, too, especially in the old town.

If you’re after acoustics like you’ve never heard them before, catch an opera at Verona’s world-famous Roman amphitheatre. Over in Caorle, the main square is nice and relaxed – expect to see al fresco diners rubbing shoulders with local musicians. Elsewhere, look out for free events at the Piazza Mazzini in Lido di Jesolo. There are often things like street entertainment and one-off markets during the summer.

If cocktails and dancing are on the agenda, Lido di Jesolo won’t disappoint. Its main road is packed with sleek wine bars and cocktail lounges. Piazza Mazzini, the town’s biggest square, is at the heart of it all. The Lignano Sabbiadoro area also offers a bubbling after-dark scene – the best clubs and bars line up along Via Tolmezzo and Via Udine.

Every Venetian menu worth its salt lists ‘sarde in saor’ in its mains section. This filling dish is made with salty sardines, which are marinated in lashings of vinegar and olive oil, and then drizzled in a creamy sauce of onions, raisin and pine nuts.

Locals savour this hearty Venetian classic, which is thinly-sliced calf’s liver perched on a bed of caramelized onions. The sweetness of the onions and the earthy flavour of the meat make for a delicious combination. A splash of vinegar or white wine adds a bit of a kick.

There’s huge debate over whether this creamy dessert originated in Venice or in Tuscany. Either way, enjoying the dish with an espresso is practically a rite of passage in Italy. It’s a masterpiece of coffee-soaked ladyfingers, whipped egg yolks and mascarpone, all coated with liquor and cocoa.

Venice is dotted with bacaros – the Italian equivalent of Spanish tapas bars. Instead of tapas, though, they serve chichetti. Picks usually include rice-stuffed tomatoes, small sarnies and fried meatballs.

The Venetian Riviera’s a big player on the prosecco scene, and plenty of tours take off into the region’s countryside to see how the stuff is made. If you’ve not got time for a tour, prosecco bars have got you covered for getting a taste for the region’s first-rate fizz.