Lido di Jesolo

There are beach holidays and then there are culture holidays, but this fantastic holiday just happens to be both. Flying direct from Durham Tees Valley or Humberside Airport, you'll be staying at a centrally located 3 star hotel at the Lido di Jesolo, a pretty Italian town with a zoo and aquarium, boat cruises, a lovely shopping piazza, lots of cafés, restaurants and discos, and a very splendid and very long sandy beach. But best of all, it's only an hour's drive round the mainland to Venice.

The sprawl of Venetian islands lie in a large lagoon, gated from the sea by a chain of long lidos connecting two headlands. Lido di Jesolo sits behind the northern headland, a long spur which boasts a 15km sandy beach. You can get a slow boat to Venice or a fast bus around the bay to Mestre and then across the main bridge of the Via della Libertà.

You could also take some or all of the optional excursions to Venice, Verona & Lake Garda, Treviso, and Cortina & the Dolomites, all bookable in the resort.

Places to stay in Lido di Jesolo

• Harry's Hotel