Jesolo

Province: Venice · Region: Veneto · Population: 24,479 · Postal code: 30016

Fifteen kilometres of unbroken sand make Jesolo one of Europe's bathing capitals: the hospitality machine — hundreds of hotels, beach clubs, a seafront that becomes a summer "mile" of events and sand sculptures — has run with Venetian efficiency for seventy years. Piazza Milano and Via Bafile compose Italy's longest evening promenade.

For families, aquariums and water parks; for night owls, a storied club tradition. And Venice is an hour away by bus and vaporetto from Punta Sabbioni: beach by day, St Mark's at sunset.