Along our coast, from the wild shingle of Dungeness, the sweep of Camber to the open sands of West Wittering, the sea sets the tone and its relationship between the sun and the horizon. The towns and cities around such as Chichester arrange day trips accordingly. Italy’s Adriatic coast is similar while the resort town of Jesolo, east of Venice, carries that same spirit – a place where people turn towards the sea for both livelihood and leisure, where the day begins and ends with the light.
My Italian journey began in Venice, that fabled city of reflections and façades, and ended an hour away in Jesolo, a contemporary resort facing the open sea. Between them lies the full spectrum of Italy’s personality: ancient and modern, intricate and effortless, each held together by the same light.
Venice: A City That Floats on Time
Water buses glide along the lagoon and the domes of Venice rise from the haze, a scene which feels suspended between centuries. Built across a hundred small islands, stitched together by bridges and canals that thread under and weave between, the city lives on, hanging in history, contemporary in life. Life here plays out to its own rhythm. Gondolas slip through quiet waterways, the dip of the oar echoing between Renaissance façades. On Piazza San Marco, orchestras at Caffè Florian and Café Lavena play notes into the open air while the Campanile watches from above. The music mingles with the chatter of visitors and the faint clang of church bells drift across the water.
Exploring Venice works best without a distinct plan. Down the narrow calli, shops display Murano glass and the famously extravagant masks seem to stare back at you with knowing stark and scary expressions. In a tiny bacaro, plates of Cicchetti, (marinated anchovies, crostini and stuffed olives) arrive with a chilled glass of ombra, the local white wine. Venetians treat these as punctuation to the day, a bite and a pause, not a meal. And to mingle with the trendy set, or even to boast that you’ve been there, there’s still a kind of ceremony to Harry’s Bar, where a Bellini costs €22! As evening draws in, the city performs its daily transformation: the Rialto glowing gold, the lagoon turning rose, and the façades flickering with the last of the light.
Beyond the main islands, the pace softens. Murano hums with the rhythm of glassblowers’ furnaces; Burano gleams with rows of painted houses and Torcello whispers of the city’s beginnings. Venice is like a living museum forever attracting culture enthusiasts from around the globe cluttering the narrows sides streets and queuing for glimpses into its past.
Jesolo: The Coast Reimagined
Less than an hour east, the landscape opens out. Once a Roman port, later reclaimed from the marshes, it is now a sleek resort that feels unmistakably Italian — precise yet relaxed, confident without display. Here, fifteen kilometres of sand meet the Adriatic, edged by pine forests and river estuaries alive with herons and flamingos. The promenade runs for twelve miles, one of Europe’s longest traffic-free seafronts, lined with cafés, boutiques and gelaterias that buzz into the night. It’s a place for strolling, for pausing to watch the light fade on water. Cycling paths follow the Sile and Piave rivers, weaving through reeds and fishing huts that still lower their square nets into the tide. Families gather at Luna Park, artists fill the piazzas, and the air carries that unmistakable holiday ease. Jesolo may not have Venice’s layers of history, and indeed its crowds, but its modern and offers space and openness on the edge of the ocean
The Falkensteiner Hotel & Spa, Jesolo
Among Jesolo’s finest addresses, the Falkensteiner Hotel & Spa stands out for its clarity of design and its quiet glamour. One of only three five-star properties on this stretch of coast, it forms the centrepiece of the town’s emerging Design District. Reimagined in 2021 by American architect Richard Meier, its sharp white geometry contrasts perfectly with the soft blues of sea and sky.
Inside, Art Deco touches contrast with the modernist lines. Murano glass catches the light, while Mediterranean tones keep the mood calm. Of its 152 rooms and suites, each feel crafted rather than simply furnished. Outside, the hotel’s private beach forms a geometric study in pink and sand where parasols seem aligned with near-mathematical precision. Dining here is equally curated. At Artigiani, guests can choose their pizza dough from five-grain to cuttlefish ink or dine directly on the beach, one of the few places licensed to serve by the water. PURO Cucina Autentica, led by Michelin-starred chef Theodor Falser, reinterprets Mediterranean classics with sculptural flair, each plate a play between restraint and indulgence.
The Acquapura Blue.Horizon Spa spans two floors, its pools and saunas all oriented towards the sea The Aufguss rituals, part heat, part performance draw guests into the rhythm both theatrical and soothing twice daily at weekends. The panoramic sauna feels like a front-row seat to the horizon; the Lomi Lomi massage, borrowed from Hawaiian tradition, provides an hour of complete stillness.
Two Shores, One Conversation
By dusk, the contrast between Venice and Jesolo becomes vivid. In Venice, the sun melts behind Byzantine domes while in Jesolo, it slips straight into the sea. One city is accompanied by Vivaldi, the other by the hum of jazz from a beachfront bar. Yet both are bound by light and water and devoted to the art of living well.
Along the English coastline, Kent and Sussex share the same duality, heritage and horizon, the pull of water and the pleasure of open space. From Rye’s estuarine quiet to Camber’s luminous sands, the same dialogue plays out: history meeting tide, tradition meeting reinvention. Across the Channel, Italy simply gives the scene a different light. But the language of coastlines — resilient, reflective and quietly romantic — remains the same.
Getting There
Fly direct from the UK to Venice Marco Polo or Treviso airports. Jesolo is around 40 minutes by car from Marco Polo, while Venice is easily reached by water taxi or shuttle boat.
Between Venice and Jesolo
It’s an effortless hop especially as hotels arrange transfers. Just 25 minutes across the lagoon (90 mins by regular water taxi /ferry from Ponte Sabbione)
Where to Stay
Falkensteiner Hotel & Spa Jesolo
Piazza Le Corbusier 6, IT-30016 Lido di Jesolo
Tel: +43 (0)509911 8063
Email: reservations.jesolo@falkensteiner.com
Website: www.falkensteiner.com/en/hotel-spa-jesolo
