• Tuesday 01 September 2026

UNION LIDO: A Family Holiday on the Venetian Riviera

Clonakilty team member Lynda and her family travelled to 5-star Union Lido Park in Cavallino on the Venetian Riviera, flying from Cork to Venice this summer. Read her blog about their experience:

Click here to visit our Camping Union Lido page, after you've read Lynda's blog of course!

"Union Lido is around 40km from Venice Airport. We decided to hire a car, the trip to the campsite took about an hour and having it for the week made it easy to get out and explore the surrounding area. A car isn't essential here, though. The park is on a bus route and there are excursions available with transfers included, so you could easily spend your whole holiday without one.

Arriving at Union Lido

Check-in is from 3pm, but they'll let you check in earlier if your mobile is ready. If it isn't, there is a luggage room where you can leave your bags while you have something to eat or head to the pool. If you're travelling with children, I'd recommend keeping your swimming gear in a small separate bag. That way, if your accommodation isn't ready when you arrive, you can still make use of the pool while you wait.

Our Accommodation

We stayed in a 3-bedroom Premium Mobile with decking and air conditioning, which worked really well for our family. The mobile has a full oven and hob, large fridge with a separate freezer compartment, kettle and toaster, as well as cutlery and crockery. All mobiles also have a gas BBQ and utensils.

There are three bedrooms, including one large double and two twin rooms with two single beds in each. The bathroom has a shower and plenty of storage, while the decking gives you a good outdoor space for sitting out and enjoying a BBQ.

The Park

Union Lido is a very large, active park and definitely feels like a 5-star campsite. We hired bikes during our stay, which I would recommend. They made it much easier to get around, and the children enjoyed having the freedom to explore. It takes around 20 minutes to cycle from one end of the park to the other.

The park has its own private beach, stretching for more than a kilometre. It's very family-friendly, with water sports and playgrounds along with restaurants and bars.

There's a huge choice of places to eat, including restaurants, pizzerias, snack bars, buffet restaurants, takeaways and bakeries. There are also two supermarkets on-site, so you have plenty of options without needing to leave the park.

The atmosphere was one of my favourite things about Union Lido. We used to go to the bakery in the morning for fresh croissants and pastries, and there was a string quartet playing outside the bakery and restaurant! It was a lovely touch.

The Waterpark

The waterpark was a real highlight for the kids. Having visited a number of parks around Europe, they said this was their favourite for slides.

There are five pools, six waterslides, two splash playgrounds for toddlers and a lazy river, which the children loved. There is also an adults-only spa area and pool, giving parents somewhere quieter to relax when they get the chance.

There's plenty more to keep children occupied around the park too. A large inflatable play area with bouncy castles, a mini funfair, go-karts, crazy golf and lots of playgrounds throughout the site.

The evening entertainment programme was also very good during the summer months. There's an app where you can see what's happening each day, which is useful when there's so much going on.

Exploring the Area

Having a car gave us the opportunity to explore beyond the park. We spent a day in Venice, although you can also book an organised trip from Union Lido with bus and ferry transfers.

We all enjoyed the boat journey into Venice, although it does get very busy during the summer. I'd recommend going early in the morning if you want to avoid some of the crowds.

We also visited the nearby towns, including Cavallino, which is just 2km away and can also be reached by cycle path.

Would we recommend Union Lido?

Yes, particularly for families looking for plenty to do without having to leave the park.

Union Lido feels more like a small holiday town than a traditional campsite. There is so much choice, from the waterpark and children's activities to the restaurants, shops, entertainment and spa facilities.

It's also a useful base if you want to explore Venice and Lido di Jesolo during your stay."

Click here to visit our Camping Union Lido page.

Click here to browse our family camping holidays.

Want to get in touch with our team?

• Lynda is based in our Clonakilty, you can reach her on: (023) 8833220 or clonakilty@shandontravel.ie.
• To reach our Bantry team, please call (027) 50341 or email bantry@shandontravel.ie.
• To speak with a team member in Cork City, call 021 4272527 or 01 6965100, or email camping@shandontravel.ie