The beginning of the myth

Story tells that the first person who fell in love of the Lido was the British poet George Byron. At the beginning of the nineteenth century he set his horse off at a gallop along the desert beach and then finally he plunged into the sea just in front of the S.Nicolò Church. He kept swimming until he reached the Mocenigo Palace in Venice where he lived among dogs, monkeys, wolfs, fox, birds and each kind of animal. The first bathing establishment was opened in 1857 by the Cavaliere Giovanni Busetto , so called “Fisola”. This period can be indicated as the birth of the myth of the venetian beach and of its elegant hotels which welcomed among their prestigious guests royal families from all over Europe , as well as actors, important personalities of the financial world. There were children doing castles on the beach with the sand on which the most important representatives of this period relaxed until it was constructed the pavilion “La Favorita” only for the Royal Family ; here once could observe in the middle of the nineteenth century the little Vittorio Emanuele III playing on the beach and watched attentively by Queen Margaret. To testify the frequent visits of the royal family from Greece there are photos showing them while they were amusing between the sunshades. The roots of the Lido as famous beach resort were founded during this period. Still nowadays thousands of tourists are fascinated of its fame and are pushed to come back every year not only for its wonderful beach and the magic of Venice but also for its particular atmosphere.