Gran Viale Santa Maria Elisabetta Street / Area

The Gran Viale, backbone of the Lido

From the Santa Maria Elisabetta landing stage to the seafront, the Gran Viale Santa Maria Elisabetta crosses the central part of the Lido in a straight line, connecting the lagoon shore to the edge of the Adriatic. This wide commercial avenue is the main axis of the district and immediately gives visitors a very different impression from that of Venice's historic centre: here, pavements, roadways, bicycles, buses and cars replace the calli and canals.

The Gran Viale is home to shops, cafés, restaurants, hotels and services, with particularly noticeable activity around the landing stage. Its development is closely tied to that of the Lido as a seaside resort: in the surrounding streets, many villas from the early 20th century survive, often in Art Nouveau style — the Italian Liberty — bearing witness to the era when the island became one of Venice's elegant holiday resorts.

For visitors, the avenue is above all an excellent starting point. To the east, it quickly leads to the beaches; the streets branching off it offer a chance to discover the Art Nouveau villas, while continuing south along the seafront brings you to the Palazzo del Cinema and the area of the Venice Film Festival. The Palazzo del Cinema, inaugurated in 1937, remains the main venue for the famous international festival held every year on the Lido.

Sources and further information

Venezia Unica - itinerary on the Lido between architecture, sea and lagoon ; Comune di Venezia - Gran Viale Santa Maria Elisabetta ; ACTV - ferry-boat service to the Lido ; La Biennale di Venezia - Palazzo del Cinema.