Rule number one: whoever loses at beach volleyball pays for the aperitivo. And if you’re beaten by a whisker, you can redeem yourself the next day on the go-kart track or the padel courts.
If you need a breather from all the friendly rivalry, just go out before everyone else is up and pedal for as long as you fancy, with the dawn light on the sea.
When you’re on holiday at Hotel Portofino, it’s up to you whether you go for a run on the beach, cycle out to the lagoon, head out in a canoe or tear round the historic Pista Azzurra, solo or with friends. If you’re coming to Jesolo for a competition, though, we’d recommend our guide to sporting events for athletes.
Sport as time for yourself
Even when you’re on holiday with others, you might want a few hours to yourself. For a run with the sea beside you, you’ll need your earphones and a good playlist; for a swim just metres from the shore, only a towel to leave on your sun lounger. During your stay, you can find plenty of sports to suit every personality, from the laziest to the most tireless.
Running in Jesolo
If you love running, Jesolo will wear down the soles of your trainers more than you’d expect. You can choose the beach a hundred metres from the hotel, where the hard-packed sand gives you good footing, or the paved promenade for when you feel like pushing harder.
The joy is in changing your route every day and discovering new stretches of coastline, ideally early in the morning or at sunset, away from the crowds and the heat.
Between the shimmer on the sea and a shoreline that seems to go on forever, you might even find you’ve clocked up a few extra kilometres.
Water sports: SUP, sailing and canoeing
Along the coast there are sailing, windsurfing and kitesurfing schools, as well as SUP lessons suitable even if it’s your first time on a board. After the odd accidental dip, you’ll find your balance and start gliding confidently across the water. If you’re after something more relaxed, you can hire a canoe and see Jesolo from the water, just a few paddle strokes from land.
Sport with friends
With friends, all you need is a ball to throw down the gauntlet. You can pick teams under the parasol and use flip-flops for goalposts. All in the name of winning, you might even end up on the go-kart track or a padel court, with the leaderboard still wide open until the last day of your holiday. And for a day when nobody’s keeping score, set off on your bikes with the whole group.
Beach volleyball, football and beach tennis
On Jesolo’s beaches, sooner or later someone will ask you to be the fourth player in a game of beach volleyball or go in goal for an impromptu kickabout. You can test your skills next to the beach clubs or, for a more serious challenge, book a court at Jesolo Beach Arena and play on the same sand as the pros, a stone’s throw from the sea. The Arena focuses mainly on beach volleyball and runs courses for adults. And if a racket’s more your thing, there’s always a beach tennis doubles match that’s a player short too!
Go-karting at the Pista Azzurra, tennis and padel
The Pista Azzurra has made Italian karting history. From the 1970s to the early 1980s, it hosted the Coppa dei Campioni, regarded as second only to the World Championship. To this day, the circuit is known as ‘the University of Karting’.
You don’t have to be a racing driver to have a go. Kart hire is available in ten-minute sessions, with no booking required, so you’ll always find time for a spin. You can also organise a proper Grand Prix with your friends, while the youngsters race on the junior track.
After karting, with whatever energy you’ve got left, you could move the whole gang on to tennis or padel, the game that has taken Italy by storm. You’ll find both at Republic Sport Village, a six-minute drive from the hotel. At the CBC Beach Club, meanwhile, you can play padel right on the beach and book a lesson with an instructor.
Golf in Jesolo
On the 7th hole at Golf Club Jesolo, the wind often comes into play, and among friends it makes a great excuse for that slightly wayward shot. The eighteen-hole course is laid out among lakes and small streams, with dunes on the closing holes.
Before your round, you can warm up your swing on the driving range and roll a few putts on the practice green. If you’re new to the game, the club’s Academy runs one-to-one lessons, open to non-members too.
The course is a seven-minute drive from the hotel, just long enough to swap your flip-flops for golf shoes.
Cycling between town and lagoon
In Jesolo you’re pedalling on the flat almost all the time, so you’ll keep up with the group even if you’ve skipped a few training sessions. From Lido di Jesolo you can reach the embankments of the Sile and the Piave and cycle along the country lanes inland.
The shorter ride starts in the town centre and follows the seafront to Spiaggia del Faro. From there you can see the Piave Vecchia lighthouse, with its black and white bands, recognisable even from a distance.
For a longer ride, you can push on as far as Cavallino-Treporti and pick up the Via Pordelio cycle path, which runs for six and a half kilometres cantilevered over the lagoon. If you’ve still got some puff left, carry on to Lio Piccolo, out among the fishing valleys.
You’ll find these routes described in detail in our article on what to see in Jesolo.
Whichever road you take, Hotel Portofino’s bicycles are yours to use free of charge throughout your stay.
Hotel Portofino, your base for sport in Jesolo
On a sports holiday, location matters. Our hotel is in Piazza Trento, a two-minute walk from lively Piazza Mazzini and tucked away from the comings and goings of the seafront. You can run to the beach or ride your bike to the cycle paths, without ever getting in the car.
Then, in the evening, you come back to a quiet part of town, a real advantage after hours on the go. It’s also the detail our guests mention most often, as you can read in our article on Hotel Portofino reviews.
On active days, the sweet and savoury breakfast buffet gives you plenty of energy. When you get back, you can rest your legs in the outdoor pool and catch your breath over a snack at Bistrofino. After some time by the sea and an aperitivo, dinner is waiting for you at your table, with a menu that’s always changing, chosen the evening before.
The hotel also has a private car park, handy when you drive here with a full boot.
For routes, courts and rentals, just ask Gianfranco, known to guests as Frank, and the rest of the Micelotta-Agostino family, who are happy to give you a tip or two on planning your day.
FAQ
Are the bicycles at Hotel Portofino free?
Yes. Throughout your stay, you can use Hotel Portofino’s bikes free of charge to get around Lido di Jesolo and ride along the cycle paths towards the lagoon and the countryside.
Can you do sport in Jesolo without driving?
Yes. Lido di Jesolo is completely flat, so it’s easy to get around on foot and by bike. From Hotel Portofino, the beach is a hundred-metre walk away and the cycle paths a few minutes’ ride. You’ll only need the car for facilities further afield, such as Republic Sport Village, a six-minute drive from the hotel.
Does Hotel Portofino have a pool?
Yes. At Hotel Portofino you’ll find an outdoor pool, open all day, with sun loungers and parasols. After hours of sport, you can loosen up your muscles in the water and only climb out to enjoy an aperitivo at Bistrofino. And one evening a week, there’s a pool party that’s always eagerly awaited.
Does Hotel Portofino offer vegetarian and vegan dishes?
Yes. At dinner, Hotel Portofino in Jesolo serves a different menu every day, including vegetarian and vegan dishes. You choose your courses the evening before, so if you do sport and care about what you eat, you can balance your meals around the activities you’ve got planned.
Book your sports holiday in Jesolo
From a run at dawn to a game on the beach, in Jesolo you decide how to spend your active holiday, solo or with others. And at Hotel Portofino, close to both the sea and the town centre, you’ll find the right base for throwing yourself into any sport.
Drop us a line for a quote or check availability: we’ll take care of the rest.
