Eurocamp Holiday Review: Union Lido Mare, Venetian Riviera, Italy

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If you’re looking for a fun family holiday then you’ll definitely want to hear about the biggest campsite in Italy – this Eurocamp Holiday Review is all about the amazing Union Lido Mare Resort (in Cavallino Treporti on the Venetian Riviera). I’ve included our experiences, photos, details about the Eurocamp accommodation, what there is to do (including visiting Venice), driving time from Calais, the closest airport and everything else that you need to know about this gigantic holiday park – it’s kid heaven! We always try to travel on a small budget, so if you’re looking to explore the UK and Europe with the kids (in an affordable way!) then have a browse around my blog for loads of money saving tips and budget family holiday reviews. And if you have any recommendations, please let me know, and you can follow our travels on Instagram too!

Holiday: September 2024 (Gifted)

Union Lido Campsite Review

This September we embarked on another epic European road trip – hopping between 4 Eurocamp campsites as cheap bases. We took the ferry from Dover to Calais before driving to Germany for our first stay at Landal Warsberg, then moved onto Sportcamp Woferlgut in Austria, before spending a week in Italy at the incredible Union Lido Resort. After that we began our drive back towards the UK, staying in Germany again at Campingpark Gitzenweiler Hof in Bavaria. So, here’s my full review with everything that you need to know about our stay with Eurocamp at Union Lido Mare in Italy!

What was Union Lido Campsite like?

Union Lido Mare was definitely the biggest resort we’ve ever stayed at – it felt more like a town than a campsite! They’ve literally thought of everything you could possibly need for a great family holiday and put it all in one place – the campsite is 148 acres! We were absolutely amazed by everything that was there. It has 18 restaurants and bars, 23 shops and 2 supermarkets – all of which are very reasonably priced so you can actually make the most of them without heading off of the resort. (Union Lido is actually a great option if you’re looking to do a Eurocamp holiday without a car.)

It also has a 1km private blue flag beach, a fun fair, lots of kids activity areas and 2 waterparks – one of which is out of this world! (More on that below!) Union Lido is really geared up for families with loads to keep the kids entertained. We stayed with Eurocamp but there was a huge amount of camping space, as well as lots of different accommodation providers and their own hotel too. It was extremely well run, and surprisingly silent at night time which really surprised us for such a busy site. I usually do a big section of my review on what there is to do locally when we travel, but there’s a lot to be said about this one so I’ll be focussing mostly on the resort itself.

What was the Union Lido waterpark like?

The main Aqua Park is the absolute star of the show at Union Lido Mare, I’ve never seen anything quite like it. There were several swimming pools, including a heated kids’ play pool and a wave pool, and tons of brilliant waterslides. This resort is pricier than other Eurocamp holiday parks that we’ve stayed in the past, but you can absolutely see why for everything on offer – it was the standard of an actual waterpark only on site and included with the stay. I think rather than try to describe it, it’s probably easier just to show you so here’s a bit of a photo dump of the pool area so you can see for yourself.

Finn and Lola thought the flumes were fantastic and, though there were lots of people around, it never felt busy as it was just so vast! I’d also like to mention that there were lots of lifeguards dotted about, and a traffic light system on the waterslides – we felt comfortable relaxing on the sandy areas while our two wandered around and used the slides together. The pools are surrounded by sand so you could lay down a towel and relax – there were a few sun beds but these came with a rental cost and literally no-one used them! (But they definitely weren’t needed with so much sand to lay out on.)

The second water park is smaller but it has a swimming pool, a children’s play area and a lazy river – that pool area is up closer to the seafront and didn’t seem as popular but if you wanted a peaceful swim in a standard pool that would be the place to go! There was also an indoor swimming pool / spa type place but that came at an extra cost – and my two were far too interested in the waterslides at the aqua park so we didn’t venture in there. You’ll be pleased to know that you don’t need swimming caps Union Lido either – phew! 😂 If you and the kids love a Eurocamp waterpark holiday then make sure you also check out my article: The 20 best Eurocamp waterpark holidays – epic pools & waterslides!

What was the beach like?

As I mentioned above, there’s a 1km private beach running along the length of the Union Lido resort. There are beach bars along there too, and a lovely seafront restaurant which we enjoyed a meal at on our first night. The beach has sun bed areas (for renting) and spaces of sand in between so you can please yourself. There were also areas for things like volleyball, and places where you could rent equipment for water sports or get a pedalo.

The weather was a bit hit and miss while we were there, but it was nice to be able to walk along the beach to get some fresh air even on the windy / cooler days. Lola and I spent a nice mild evening reading on the beach too and it was lovely. We had really strong winds towards the end of our trip which was unfortunate as Lola had really wanted a pedalo afternoon but we just didn’t get the weather for it. But, if the weather is on your side there’s absolutely loads to do on the resort. There were also lifeguards on certain sections of the beach too.

What activities are there for the kids to do?

Aside from the obviously fabulous swimming pools, and beach fun, the Union Lido Mare campsite had lots of activities on offer to keep the kids busy. Most of these open in the evenings when it’s cooled down (from around 5.30pm – 11pm). There was a play area which cost €10 filled with things like bouncy castles and inflatable slides which was very popular with the younger ones.

Nearby to this there was also a go-kart area which my two loved, and we thought it was really reasonable at €4 per go which is much cheaper than we’ve paid elsewhere – and they were really speedy! And, there was cinema area but we didn’t try that. At the top of the campsite, in the corner near the beach, there’s a place they call ‘the activity park’ which had a big field, playground equipment, a kids’ club area and outdoor exercise equipment. This was also next to the dog area if you’re taking your furry friend on holiday with you.

And, near the main shopping area, there’s a fairground with rides like a log flume and a drop ride. Again, this opened in the evenings and was popular with kids under about age 10. (My two were a bit old for what was on offer there). There was an arcade building which Finn and Lola enjoyed an evening in too. And, round by the smaller pool area, there was also a stage which ran a nightly kids’ disco.

What is eating out like at Union Lido?

We were really impressed with the restaurant food at Union Lido Mare – largely because not only was it tasty but it was actually affordable! We ate at the Al Mare restaurant, which overlooks the seafront, and picked it because not only did it come with a lovely view but they have a whole gluten free menu available. It can be really hard to eat out gluten free (especially on holiday) so it was so nice to actually have loads of tasty options. Our meals were around €12 each – my husband had a burger, Lola had a pizza, Finn had gluten-free bolognese and I had a gluten-free lasagne. Just beware of the drinks – they bought us buckets of coke and apple juice 😂 which were far too big and we later learned cost about €6 each! So opt for a small drink!

Another evening, we also ordered take-out from the Al Mare restaurant. There are actually loads of restaurants, and snack bar / take-out places, at Union Lido so plenty to choose from but as we knew they did good gluten-free food we opted to get our takeaway from there too. Two big gluten-free pizzas and 2 portions of chips gave us tons of food for the four of us and it came to about €29. We typically avoid eating out much on holiday, sticking to a tight budget, and when we do we often go off-resort for cheaper prices but everything was so reasonably priced at Union Lido that we were happy to give the car a break and use what was on-site which was nice, and it was good to have a couple of nights off from cooking. The ice-cream shop had tasty ice-creams for just €1.90 too!

What about groceries?

You could easily get the bits and bobs you needed on site in the main supermarket or in the fruit and vegetable shop. Again, the prices were reasonable and there was a fresh counter with pastries and pizza slices / lunch food which would be handy for a cheap and easy lunch, or for packing up a hassle free picnic. There’s also a Lidl about a 5 minute drive away which obviously had a bit more choice and was slightly cheaper, so we did a main shop there and then just got any extra bits from the on-site supermarket. We felt really comfortable on the resort and sent the kids off together in the evenings to get snacks on their own too. The supermarket is open in the morning and then reopens again late afternoon, so just make sure you grab what you need before lunchtime.

Local Area: What is there to do near Union Lido?

The only negative we found for Union Lido Mare was that there wasn’t much to do locally on a cold weather day. There are lots of children’s activities on site but these generally don’t open until dinner time so if it’s too cold for the pool there’s not much to do during the day if you have older kids who are past play park age (or it’s raining). Obviously it can’t be helped, and we’ve been to Italy in September previously and had beautiful weather, but it was hit and miss this time which was a shame because the aqua park and beach were brilliant. If you do want to venture out for some sight-seeing from Union Lido then it’s in close proximity to Venice, and you can take a boat trip to the islands of Murano and Burano.

Venice

There are a few ways to reach Venice from Union Lido – it’s just under an hour away by car. We drove to Mestre train station and got the train in from there (which takes about ten minutes). The trains are really frequent, they were arriving about every 8 minutes on the day we visited, and there are plenty of car parks near the station for around €2-3 per hour. The train tickets from Mestre into Central Venice (Venezia S Lucia) cost just under €6 for a family of four (€1.45pp) so it can be a really cheap way to get into the city. And, once there, you can explore on foot or hop onto a boat. You can also catch a boat into Venice from Punta Sabbioni. This is a dearer option than driving, but if you also want to visit Burano and Murano then it’s pretty cost effective.

You can get either a 24 / 48 hour ticket and hop on and off as you like – so if you’re doing the islands too then boating is probably the best way to do it. It also then only takes 30 minutes to get to Venice from there. The Tiqets website also offers a day trip to include Venice, Burano and Murano with entrance to the glass blowing too. Once in Venice there are plenty of reasonably priced bakeries for a cheap and cheerful lunch, or places selling pizza slices for a couple of euros, or pack up a picnic to take with you. We love sitting by the canals to eat lunch, and since city restaurants can be pricey it’s great if you can avoid eating out. For the best things to see and do with the kids in Venice, check out my article: How to spend a day in Venice on a budget with kids.

Murano / Burano island hopping

As I mentioned above, from Punta Sabbioni (or directly from Venice itself at the boating area near St Mark’s Square) you can also get ‘hop on and off’ tickets for the boat services to visit the gorgeous islands of Murano and Burano. We didn’t go this time, but have been there in the past and it was one of our favourite parts of visiting Venice. Murano is famous for its glass blowing, and you can watch it being made when you visit. Some boat tours include entry to this, but otherwise it’s only €5pp and children are free. You’ll see beautiful Murano glass ornaments being sold all over Venice. Burano is famous for it’s colourful streets, and it’s a lovely place for a wander – you’ll want to try a Burano biscuit too, they’re so good. (Luckily I had one years ago before I had to go gluten free and I still remember how tasty it was now! 😂)

Was the accommodation good?

We booked with Eurocamp but there was also loads of room for camping, and lots of different accommodation options! We stayed in a Comfort XL holiday home and were really pleased with it – it felt new and clean and had everything that we needed for a comfortable stay. The only thing that would have made it better would have been an oven – we did have a hob and a microwave, which is absolutely fine generally, but because we travel around for a few weeks at a time rice and pasta can get a bit dull. 😂 (Luckily eating out was affordable here too!) Our accommodation had a central living and kitchen area with a dining table, 3 bedrooms and a small shower room.

The position of the holiday home was a total lifesaver. The resort is so massive but we were only a two minute walk from the main waterpark which was amazing! (It must be so annoying to be on the other side of the resort!) All of the Eurocamp accommodation is in the same area near the pool, and it made life so much easier to be able to come and go as we pleased without having to walk miles back to the pool area. Our Eurocamp accommodation also had air-conditioning, and lots of storage in the main bedroom, plus black out curtains and bug screens on the windows which were great. Here are some photos of our accommodation:

Strangely, this accommodation didn’t have an outdoor light for sitting outside on the deck in the evenings – though it was often a bit chilly for us anyway – one of the risks of travelling out of season! It was surprisingly busy for a September time holiday, although given how brilliant Union Lido is I guess it’s not really surprising, but it was also strangely peaceful and quiet in the evenings, we all slept really well. They also close the barriers between 1-3pm – so cars can’t come and go at lunchtime either – so make sure you head out before then or park your car in the car park beforehand if you’re planning a day out. For more info on the accommodation options, and to find out what to pack / what’s included, read my post: Eurocamp Holidays: Which accommodation should I choose? What’s included?

What else do I need to know about Union Lido?

If you’re camping, Union Lido Mare has amazing facilities with loads of toilet / shower blocks dotted around. We also used these for doing our washing – which cost €5 (with automatic detergent included). We were able to park directly next to the holiday home that we stayed in, making it easy to load and unload the car of luggage and food shopping. Most Eurocamp accommodation doesn’t come with a TV – it’s only included with their higher ranges – so it’s handy to take a tablet or laptop with you with some movies for when you want a quiet evening if it’s not included with your holiday home type. The Eurocamp rep there was helpful and friendly, and the other staff on the site were also very cheerful. There was also free wifi available so that was brilliant for saving our data allowance during our stay.

When you arrive, you can use the facilities before check in (we raced to get there just after lunch time as the weather was lovely that day!). You can leave your car in the car park and get your wristbands etc to enter the campsite early, then the official check in time is 4pm. It’s also worth noting that the Union Lido staff take your passports on arrival. This is the only resort we’ve known to do this, but I think because the site is so big (rather than process it all when you check in) they get you in as quickly as they can and then they sort the tourist registration stuff later. If you want, I think you can collect them again after 24 hours, but if not you can just collect them when you pay your tourist tax the day before you travel home. We just left ours with them (as we figured they were probably safer locked in their cash office) and our tourist tax for a 7 night stay was €21.

Getting to Italy from the UK

You’ll be pleased to know that Union Lido Mare is a great option for a no-drive holiday if you’re looking for a Eurocamp getaway without needing a car. As everything you need is on-site, and Venice excursions can be done by boat, it would be an easy one to do if you wanted to avoid a road trip or hiring a car. The nearest airport to the Union Lido campsite is Venice Marco Polo which is around 45 minutes away, but as I mentioned above after transfers you really can get everything you need on site or via public transport. Use the Skyscanner website to find the cheapest flight prices – it’ll compare airlines, airports, dates and times for you. And, if you need airport transfers the Sun Transfers website is a great place to start.

Calais to Union Lido is around a 13 hour drive if you’re travelling by car through France. Or opt to go through Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and Austria to avoid lots of toll costs – though this does increase the journey to a 16 hour drive. We love a road trip but if you’re only travelling for a week then flying is probably the best option for this one. If you are driving that route, you’ll need a Vignette for the Austrian motorways (which can be purchased online) but this is only €11.50 for ten days. You can book your ferry / Eurotunnel travel directly through Eurocamp, or check out the Direct Ferries website to compare prices across routes and providers. If you’re new to road trips, this article is a great place to start: How to road trip on a budget around Europe – the ultimate family guide!

How much does a Eurocamp holiday at Union Lido Campsite cost – was it good value for money?

We were gifted our week at Union Lido Mare in Italy – it was our first official press trip for Eurocamp but I promise you that (as always) my review is my own and completely honest. Our 7 night stay at Union Lido in Cavallino Treporti, at the beginning of September, in a Eurocamp Comfort XL holiday home was worth around £800. This is pricier than other Eurocamp holidays we’ve had in the past but I can absolutely see why. If we hadn’t had some cooler weather, I just really wouldn’t be able to fault this one, it’s an amazing place for a family holiday. And, for more brilliant Eurocamp holiday options (with cool waterparks!) on the Venetian Riviera check out my article: The 10 best Eurocamp resorts for family holidays near Venice.

The holiday home we had was a great base for the week and really well positioned on the campsite for the main Aqua Park. And, let’s face it, as campsites go Union Lido is in a whole league of its own. You really do get so much with a stay there and, as family holidays go, it’s a fantastic place to take children – Finn and Lola loved it. The campsite is clean, well-run and literally has everything you could possibly need on your doorstep. This one is, without a doubt, worth the higher price tag – the Union Lido resort is amazing and we would definitely go back. For more information, and prices for your dates, click here to check out Union Lido on the Eurocamp website.

As we home-educate the kids, we are fortunate to be able travel term-time which is a great money saver, but if you’re restricted to school holiday dates then look for May half-term getaways – they’re always so much cheaper than the summer holidays! But, having said that, affordable school summer holiday travel is possible – I went hunting on the Eurocamp website and found 50 family holidays under £1k for August 2026 – with prices starting from less than £300! (There were more but I ran out of steam! 😂) And, for even more fabulous holiday options in Italy, check out my article: Which Eurocamp resorts in Italy are near airports?