In Sottomarina, it matters little that it does not have the most beautiful sea in Italy. Without crystal-clear waters or Caribbean landscapes, for more than sixty years this upper Adriatic seaside resort has managed to attract thousands of people from the Veneto region – and beyond – to its long beach every summer, escaping the oppressive heat of the city in search of sun, sea and refreshment.
Its tourist offer is very attractive: 3 km of seafront promenade and a beach twice as long, sand with known therapeutic properties, a wide choice of hotels and flats, an incredible amount of clubs and entertainment for young and old, and a convenient road to get there that has neither dizzying ups and downs nor winding curves.
Although it thrives on tourism, Sottomarina is not the typical seaside resort that empties out completely in winter: it is the most populous hamlet of the municipality of Chioggia (a maritime town known as Little Venice), inhabited all year round, and retains a historic part that evokes magical Venetian atmospheres, just a stone’s throw from the busy, modern seafront.
The fate of its inhabitants is somewhat curious. Today they are mostly hoteliers or restaurateurs, but traditionally they were farmers and this distinguished them from their neighbouring enemy-friends in Chioggia, who were instead fishermen. The funny thing is that it is they, and not the people of Chioggia, who are called ‘marinanti’.
It is also curious that Sottomarina is considered the sea of Padua (or rather, of the Paduans), although it falls entirely within the territory of Venice.
For decades, it was the symbol of Italian-style seaside holidays, strictly with the family. Today Sottomarina is capable of satisfying the most diverse tastes: it has discos and pubs for nightlife enthusiasts, cycle paths and itineraries through the greenery for lovers of slow tourism, docks and characteristic views for those who experience the sea at 360°, fish restaurants for those who want to enjoy a fresh fish dinner more than ever, and romantic sunsets for couples.
There is only one beach in Sottomarina, but because of its size it can accommodate a large number of bathers; even on the busiest tourist days it is always possible to find a place to lay your towel.
It is a beach of golden sand about 6 km long that at its deepest points reaches a width of no less than 300 metres; along the beach are numerous bathing establishments with bars and restaurants, free areas and stretches reserved for campsites.
Sottomarina’s sand is characterised by a high quantity of mineral salts with beneficial properties such as augite, quartz and silicates, and is therefore suitable for numerous therapeutic treatments.
There are numerous services available, as well as opportunities for outdoor sports such as beach volleyball and kite surfing and children’s play areas.
The sea bed is sandy and gently sloping, so the beach is suitable for families with small children and inexperienced swimmers.
If you prefer a less crowded beach, you can move to Isola Verde, a much smaller fraction of Chioggia with fewer clubs: it is suitable for families and people seeking tranquillity, while it is not recommended for those looking for nightlife.
Isola Verde beach is located south of Sottomarina and stretches between the mouths of the rivers Brenta and Adige; it can be reached by car in about 15 minutes. Here too you will find free areas and bathing establishments.
Sottomarina is a typical seaside resort: with no museums or famous monuments, its attractions are all related to the sea.
The promenade is the nerve centre of Sottomarina’s nightlife, a day and night walkway where families, couples, young people and the elderly flock. It extends for about 3 km parallel to a portion of the very long Sottomarina beach and is divided into a pedestrian area and a cycle path.
Next to the promenade is one of the town’s main streets, linking the vegetable garden area to the seawall: it is lined with an uninterrupted line of hotels, shops and clubs in addition to the numerous beach bars on the other side of the street. You really are spoilt for choice with pizzerias, ice cream parlours, discos, bars and pubs!
The northern boundary of Sottomarina beach is the San Felice dam, or simply ‘diga’ for the locals: together with the Ca’ Roman dam, located exactly opposite, it forms the entrance to the mouths of Chioggia harbour.
They were both built in the early 20th century and are each about 1.5 km long; the Sottomarina dam was inaugurated during the Fascist era and in no time at all became a favourite spot for the ‘marinanti’ to take their daily walks. The construction of the dam had a considerable impact on the physiognomy of the area, considerably widening the shoreline.
Today, the Sottomarina dam is a continuous bustle of people of all ages, on foot or by bicycle, at all hours of the day.
Along the dam are the‘balanse‘, the traditional ‘casoni’, stilt-like huts used for fishing; today a couple of these have been converted into small fish restaurants: given the tiny size of these premises, seating is very limited and it is therefore strongly recommended to make a reservation. At the end of the dam is a lighthouse.
Sottomarina’s murazzi are a bit like the equivalent of a town wall in a medieval village: in this case, however, the enemy to be defended against was not invading peoples but sea erosion. These were Istrian stone constructions erected in the 18th century by the Venetian Republic to defend the settlements in the lagoon from water.
The murazzi preserved to this day are 1200 metres long, while the original construction was at least another 500 metres longer. They are largely buried, covered by sand dunes and vegetation or incorporated into urban concrete). Although defaced, they remain an important testimony to the town’s history.
Sottomarina is a popular tourist resort and boasts a long tradition of hotel accommodation, now boasting thousands of beds in hotels, flats and B&Bs. Holiday accommodation in Sottomarina is concentrated in three main areas: the seafront, the ‘vegetable garden’ area and the old part (or ‘murazzi’).
Beachfront hotels are the most popular, so if you also want a sea-view room, it is advisable to book well in advance. They are generally modern, medium-high category hotels with rooms with balconies and numerous facilities.
In the old part there is a concentration of flats and b&b’s: you can find cheap, basic but clean solutions or others with more charm.
The vegetable garden area runs parallel to the southern part of the beach and is the best choice for those who want to stay away from the hustle and bustle of the nightlife. It is a wilder area: campsites and holiday villages are concentrated here.
We offer a selection of hotels at Sottomarina to suit all categories of travellers. The most booked by tourists are the sea-facing hotels, often right on the beach. If you want to play it safe, choose one of the following: they are among the most booked hotels in Sottomarina, sorted by number of reviews.
If you prefer space, privacy and the ability to prepare your own meals to a hotel holiday, book a holiday home at Sottomarina. We recommend a few below, but in this case we advise you to book early because houses and apartments for rent at Sottomarina are in high demand.
Traffic permitting, getting to Sottomarina by car is very easy: just take the SS309 road (Romea state road) and follow the signs for Chioggia; at the latter, continue to Sottomarina.
On weekends during the summer months, the road is thronged by Paduans wanting to reach the beaches, and queues can last for several hours, so it is advisable to plan your journeys outside peak times.
The locality is well connected by bus to Chioggia, Venice and Padua; arriving by train, on the other hand, is difficult: the nearest railway station is Chioggia, but it is only served by regional trains to/from Rovigo.
The nearest airport is Venice, which is connected to many Italian cities by low-cost flights.
Sottomarina is a fraction of Chioggia, a municipality in the province of Venice. It is about 55 km from the centre of Venice and about 50 km from Padua. On one side it is washed by the Adriatic Sea, on the other it faces the Venetian lagoon.
Hotel 
Budget accommodations 
Apartments 
Family Hotel 
Luxury Hotel 
Resorts