A blend of two places, Venice where history slows down the pulse and Jesolo to clear the mind. Two Italies, one restorative journey.
Venice, the historical city suspended between water and sky, divided by bridges begs you to slow down, tune in and mindfully wander around its pathways and past historical buildings. By contract Jesolo on the coast stretches along the Adriatic, allows you to gaze restfully and enjoy its space, light and contemporary calming surroundings. Together, they blend to form an escape of cultural immersion and coastal wellbeing.
Venice
Venice is built across more than a hundred islands. Here canals replace roads and its rhythm is dictated by water with serenades in the background. Movement here is mindful, walking means wandering. Gondolas glide with meditative ease, oars dipping and rising in a tempo that seems to regulate the breath. Renaissance palazzi and Gothic arches rise from the water like reflections of another age, while St Mark’s Basilica glows with mosaics, catching the light. And from the Campanile, the view stretches across terracotta rooftops, lagoon and sky.
The orchestras at Café Florian and Café Lavena drift across Piazza San Marco sounding a therapeutic note while the lapping of water against stone diverts to a different octave along the narrow alleys. Visitors pause at a bacaro for cicchetti, small plates of marinated anchovies, stuffed olives and crostini, paired with a glass of ombre, the local white wine. And then there’s Harry’s Bar for that legendary glass of Bellini (€22) and conversation before strolling towards the Rialto Bridge at dusk for sight of the city’s reflection. Beyond the main islands, Murano, Burano and Torcello follow a gentler rhythm of life: glassblowers at work, lace swaying in the breeze, candy-coloured houses adding subtle shades and water taxis idling at wooden jetties.
Jesolo
Less than an hour away, the contrast is more noticeable. Jesolo opens to the horizon where the air feels lighter, cleaner and more expansive. Once a Roman port, later reclaimed from marshland, it has reinvented itself as a modern coastal resort with wellbeing quietly built into its fabric.
Jesolo Beach runs for fifteen kilometres along the Adriatic, its long, traffic free promenade encouraging walking, cycling and slow evenings outdoors. In the summer, Via Bafile becomes fully pedestrianised with cafés, boutiques and gelaterias spilling onto the pavements, the atmosphere relaxed and social rather than frenetic.
Nature is never far. Pine forests fringe the town, while cycling paths follow the reed lined banks of the Sile and Piave rivers. Wooden bridges cross still water where fishing huts lower square nets into the tide. Herons wade, flamingos gather in pale pink clusters and Parco dei Cigni offers welcome shade on warmer days. Wellness is here, not just on the horizon.
Falkensteiner Hotel and Spa Jesolo
The Falkensteiner Hotel and Spa Jesolo adds a contemporary face to this coastal area. Redesigned in 2021 by architect Richard Meier, it anchors Jesolo’s Design District with clean white lines and a light filled interior softened by Mediterranean tones and Murano glass details. Art Deco touches nod to Miami glamour, but with a distinctly Italian sense of ease.
Rooms and suites are flooded with daylight through vast picture windows, encouraging a natural alignment with the day’s rhythm. Outside, the private beach is arranged with almost meditative precision, rows of pink parasols forming a calming geometric pattern against sand and sea.
Dining is considered rather than indulgent. At Artigiani, guests can shape their own pizzas using five grain or cuttlefish ink dough, while PURO Cucina Autentica, under Michelin starred chef Theodor Falser, reimagines Mediterranean classics with lightness and restraint. Meals can be taken on the beach, one of only two hotels licensed to do so, or in the intimate mirrored private dining room.
The Acquapura BLUE. HORIZON SPA is the heart of the hotel’s wellness offering. Spread over two floors, it includes a hammam, ice bath and multiple saunas, one opening onto a panoramic sea view which alone lowers the blood pressure. Weekend Aufguss rituals provide the theatre while the Hawaiian Lomi Lomi massage delivers a deep, flowing release and well worth experiencing. Pools range from indoor and outdoor options to a serene infinity pool and a separate toddler pool, ensuring calm is preserved.
The Falkensteiner Hotel & Spa Jesolo reflects the contemporary face of this coast with a stylish and linear confidence. The exterior is white and structured while the interior decor is stylish and playful dotted with Art Deco flashes which evoke the elegance of Miami with an Italian accent. Inside, light pours through large picture windows onto Murano glass features and soft Mediterranean tones. It is one of only three five-star properties in Lido di Jesolo, and was redesigned in 2021 by American architect Richard Meier to form a central part of Jesolo’s Design District. Its 152 rooms and suites are filled with light from huge picture windows. The private beach, precisely ordered in rows of pink parasols, feels more of a geometric statement than sunbathing spot. Dining feels equally curated. At Artigiani, guests can craft their own pizza with cuttlefish ink or five-grain dough or dine outside – Falkensteiner Jesolo is one of only two hotels licensed to serve on the beach. PURO Cucina Autentica, under Michelin-starred chef Theodor Falser, turns Mediterranean classics into modern art which can be also be served in its mirrored ten-seater private dining room.
The blend of two Italies
As evening falls, the experience of two Italies, one restorative journey blend together. In Venice, the sun slips behind domes and bell towers, light fading into history. In Jesolo, it slithers into the sea, the horizon briefly ablaze before settling into night.
Venice nourishes the mind through beauty, history and introspection. Jesolo restores the body through sea air and contemporary comfort. One hums with Vivaldi and church bells, the other with low key jazz, the occasional DJ drifting from beachfront bars or the rhythmic whoosh of the waves. Together, they create a balanced Italian escape that understands wellness as both stimulation and stillness.
Travel Essentials
Getting there
Fly direct from the UK to Venice Marco Polo or Treviso. Jesolo is around 40 minutes by car from Marco Polo. Venice is easily reached by water taxi or shuttle boat.
Between Venice and Jesolo
Transfers are effortless and often arranged by hotels. Around 25 minutes across the lagoon by private transfer or approximately 90 minutes by vaporetto from Ponte Sabbioni.
Where to stay
Falkensteiner Hotel and Spa Jesolo
Piazza Le Corbusier 6, 30016 Lido di Jesolo
Tel +43 0509911 8063
reservations.jesolo@falkensteiner.com
www.falkensteiner.com/en/hotel-spa-jesolo
The hotel is also currently closed for winter, reopening 26 March 2026.
Book with Jet2 Holidays
Travel with britishairways.com – (May 7th – 10th) on a B&B basis, 2 sharing in a Superior room at a price of £556.50pp including return flights from Heathrow. Book before 27 January 2026.
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