Hotel Valdor
Cavallino-Treporti - Via Meduna, 5
Book now
The name of Cavallino-Treporti probably says little to those who live outside the Veneto region, but did you know that it is one of the most important tourist resorts in Italy in terms of the number of tourists, capable of beating out much more famous artistic destinations and beaches with much bluer water?
The credit for this goes to those who, decades ago, were able to attract and retain international tourists, especially the Germans and Dutch, by creating a tourist offer that met their tastes and needs. Which, in a nutshell, can be summed up as free holidays dedicated to the sea and nature with the possibility of a trip to Venice.
Not bad, eh? So why not follow the example of the affectionate tourists from beyond the Alps? Lying on a peninsula in the northern part of the Venetian lagoon, the municipality of Cavallino-Treporti is the ideal destination for slow tourism in the name of sustainability… in summer, but not only.
In the warmer months it is a wonderful destination for seaside holidays as an alternative to the more famous, often noisy and fashionable seaside resorts; in spring and autumn it is the ideal destination for long trips on foot or by bicycle to discover the most beautiful parts of the lagoon.
Do not be misled by this total immersion in the lagoon landscape. Cavallino-Treporti is quiet and not noisy, but not remote and lonely. On the contrary, in terms of services it is extremely modern, and in fact it has won all the official awards: a yellow flag for its cycle paths, a green flag for beaches suitable for children, and a blue flag for water quality and bathing services.
The only valid excuse for not coming is to look for discos and unbridled nightlife: for those, Jesolo is much better. Which is not so far away. As is Venice. So, it is decided: this year holiday on the Cavallino coastline.
In fact, there is only one beach in Cavallino-Treporti: a beach of fine golden sand that stretches for about 15 km.
This very long sandy shore is formally divided into several beaches: the closest to Venice is Punta Sabbioni, and from there going towards Jesolo you will find Ca’ Savio, Ca’ Vio, Ca’ Pasquali, Ca’ Ballarin, Ca’ di Valle and Cavallino. Each has several access points for a total of 38.
These are wilder-looking beaches than those in nearby Jesolo and other Veneto seaside resorts such as Caorle or Sottomarina, but they are still beaches with many facilities, including children’s play areas and sports fields, and they are all very convenient to reach. There are large free stretches interspersed with some bathing establishments; there are also dog areas.
The seabed is shallow and sandy and the sea is usually calm, so children can play and have fun in complete safety.
The Cavallino peninsula is famous for its campsites and tourist villages: if you love this type of holiday, you can choose from dozens and dozens of facilities. They are very popular with northern European tourists, accustomed to high quality standards, so booking one of these is a safe bet.
The prices are not cheap, but neither are they exorbitant, and by booking in advance you can find interesting offers.
If you do not like sleeping in tents or bungalows, don’t worry: in Cavallino-Treporti you can also find hotels, flats, holiday homes in various price ranges and even boat hotels.
Generally speaking, it is the campsites and villages that occupy the beachfront area, but there are a couple of exceptions, so it is possible to grab a sea-view room with a comfortable bed. Given the scarcity of hotels on the beach, it is essential to start looking months in advance if you are travelling in high season.
Scenic attractions, villages where time seems to stand still, First World War forts, lighthouses, views of Venice… there are quite a few things to see and do in Cavallino-Treporti!
Unlike many tourist resorts, the centre of Cavallino is not the most popular area with tourists, yet it is a shame to disdain it outright. Located north of the peninsula, it is the first hamlet one encounters coming from Jesolo; it is also the oldest hamlet and retains an old-world charm.
Don’t expect museums and monuments of international renown: you come here to savour a little local life and perhaps shop at the weekly market. The central square is overlooked by the 17th-century Church of Santa Maria Elisabetta and a manor house.
The hamlet of Treporti lies at the opposite end of the peninsula and consists of two lagoon islands (Portosecco Island and Isola della Chiesa) and part of the Cavallino coastline. The islands are connected to the littoral part by a bridge.
Canals and small canals run through a village immersed in the rural landscape that is typical of the lagoon. No top attraction here either, you come for the beauty of simplicity: walking through the village and its surroundings you can see typical farmhouses with their characteristic Valesana chimneys.
On the main square stands the Church of the Holy Trinity, easily recognisable by the two bell towers visible even from a distance.
Lio Piccolo is widely considered to be the most beautiful village on the Cavallino peninsula: it is a cluster of simple houses scattered on a couple of islets in the lagoon connected by bridges where about 20 people live.
Surrounded by green fields, broken only by the blue of the lagoon waters, Lio Piccolo is an oasis of peace light years away from the hubbub of modern cities. And it is also a perfect destination to get closer to the reality of daily life in the lagoon, a fascinating but not infrequently hostile environment where nature dictates the rhythms.
Lio Piccolo also has its own pretty little square, with a pink-walled church and an 18th-century manor house. The churchyard is a magnificent spot to admire the lagoon landscape.
There is also the village of Lio Grande (also called Lio Maggiore), but it is part of the municipality of Jesolo.
Another village not to be missed during your exploration of Cavallino-Treporti is Mesole. As its name indicates, it is located between Lio Piccolo and the coastline: the name Mesole derives from Mensula, which means ‘island in the middle’.
There is a monastery in this area that is said to derive from a nunnery active in the 13th century.
Can lighthouses be missing in a landscape dominated by water and open to the sea? Certainly not. In the Cavallino-Treporti area you can see one: the most classic is the Cavallino Lighthouse or Faro di Piave Vecchia.
It is the classic cylindrical lighthouse, very tall (a good 48 metres), and painted with black and white stripes. It was built in the mid-19th century; seriously damaged during the Second World War, it was rebuilt within a few years.
You can see it at the mouth of the river Sile, on the bank that falls within the territory of the municipality of Cavallino-Treporti (the opposite bank falls within the municipality of Jesolo).
A lighthouse with a more unusual shape is that of Punta Sabbioni, also called the pagoda lighthouse precisely because of its unusual shape, vaguely reminiscent of an Asian temple. One side is bright yellow, the other has yellow parts and others in a black and white checkerboard pattern.
It is placed at the end of the dike delimiting the Venice-Lido harbour mouth and is therefore an important reference point for boats entering the Venice lagoon. It is an excellent vantage point from which to observe the skyline of Venice and ships arriving in the lagoon city… you might even catch a glimpse of an incoming cruise ship.
The construction of the Punta Sabbioni lighthouse-pagoda took almost 30 years: it began in 1882 and ended in 1910; it has been powered by electricity since 1969 and fully automated since 1974.
When one thinks of the First World War, one’s mind immediately goes to the mountains of the Asiago Plateau and Cadore, but the war conflict also left evident traces in the lagoon area. Along the Cavallino-Treporti cycle paths you can easily come across forts, powder magazines, telemetry towers, barracks and coastal batteries.
One of these is the Vettor Pisani Battery: built between 1909 and 1912 according to nineteenth-century criteria and proved to be inadequate to cope with the war in the Lower Piave Valley, it was later used as an anti-aircraft artillery post.
In recent years it has been restored and transformed into a museum that tells the story of the Great War as experienced in this area with relics, photographs, historical documents and multimedia installations. The museum is divided into eight sections, dedicated to specific aspects of the war and the history of the building.
In addition to the museum, the Pisani Battery is also an important study and cultural centre and the main gateway to the historical complex of fortifications in the Cavallino-Treporti area.
How can you reach the places we have listed in the list of things to see in Cavallino-Treporti? There are two best ways: by bike or by boat.
If you choose two wheels, you can follow one of the four themed cycle routes that have been designed to enhance the area. These are easy routes, all on flat terrain, on cycle paths and roads with very little traffic; they are clearly marked with arrows.
Here is a detailed list of the bicycle routes in Cavallino-Treporti:
You can also choose to combine sections of different routes to create your own unique itinerary. Bear in mind that there is a bike&boat service that allows you to transport your bike on the boat and move easily from one side of the lagoon to the other.
The other recommended way to explore the Cavallino-Treporti area is by boat. From here you can also take a vaporetto or motorboat to the islands of Venice.
Both are fascinating experiences: if you have enough time, do both!
To explore the northern part of the Venetian lagoon, the area around Cavallino-Treporti, you can hire driverless boats that do not require a boat licence. In this way you are free to create a tailor-made itinerary for yourself, choosing where to go and how many stops to make.
If you don’t feel confident driving a boat, you can hire one with a driver: if you split the cost between several people, the price is not so high.
If, on the other hand, there are only a few of you and hiring a boat with a driver is too expensive, you can join a group excursion. Usually a two-hour sunset boat trip costs around twenty euros with a drink included.
Some operators rent electric boats: it is the ideal choice for those who want to experience sustainable tourism while respecting the delicate lagoon ecosystem.
The other not-to-be-missed boat trip from Cavallino-Treporti does not take you to the canals of the northern lagoon but heads straight for the city that has made the Veneto lagoon world-famous.
To reach Venice by boat you can take a vaporetto from Punta Sabbioni or join a guided half-day or one-day tour. Organised boat trips usually include a stop at the most famous islands, namely Murano, Burano and Torcello.
Keep in mind that the vaporetto is a public means of transport and therefore the ticket price is fixed. The price of excursions, on the other hand, varies depending on the duration, stops and services offered on board.
To get to Cavallino-Treporti by car from the east (e.g. from Padua, Verona or Milan) you need to take the A4 motorway, join the A57 at Venezia Ovest and from there follow the signs for Jesolo and Cavallino. For those arriving from Trieste along the same motorway, the recommended exit is San Donà di Piave/Noventa di Piave.
Road connections are good, but the same cannot be said of public transport, so reaching Cavallino-Treporti by train or bus usually requires one or more changes.
The nearest railway station is San Donà di Piave, from where there are direct buses to Jesolo; once at the Jesolo bus station, take the bus to Punta Sabbioni of the local transport company ATVO, which also stops in Cavallino-Treporti.
A more attractive way to get to Cavallino-Treporti without a car is by sea from Venice. There are four vaporetto lines (three during the day and one at night) that depart from several points in the centre of Venice, including St Mark’s Square, and arrive at Punta Sabbioni. From there continue by bus or taxi; if your accommodation is not very far away, you can also travel on foot.
The closest airports to Cavallino-Treporti are those of Venice and Treviso, more or less equidistant and both served by low-cost flights to/from many Italian cities.
What's the weather at Cavallino-Treporti? Below are the temperatures and the weather forecast at Cavallino-Treporti for the next few days.
Cavallino-Treporti is a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Venice located on a peninsula north of the Venetian lagoon. As the crow flies it is very close to Venice, but to get there by land you have to go all the way around the lagoon: from Mestre it is about 50 km, almost the same distance from Treviso.
Hotel 
Budget accommodations 
Apartments 
Family Hotel 
Luxury Hotel 
Resorts