Stories of Cinema on the Lagoon

Between the gentle waves of the Venetian lagoon, the Lido has long stood as a stage for the world’s most iconic cinema. Since its beginnings in 1932, the Hotel Excelsior has welcomed visionary directors, legendary actors and international film crews, transforming itself into an open-air set.
The magic of cinema on the Lido lives not only in the spotlight of the Festival but also in the suspended atmosphere that has lingered over every Venetian September for nearly a century. Here, glamour meets history: from the first screenings by the water’s edge to the masterpieces that crowned Venice as the capital of auteur cinema.

Strolling through the Excelsior’s grand halls, one can almost hear the whisper of evening gowns, the click of vintage camera flashes, and the excited murmurs of those witnessing the birth of new legends. Today, just as then, every corner tells stories of light, art and dreams, poised between the lagoon and the open sea.

Stars Who Wrote the Legend

The Lido has always been a cherished refuge, not only for the stars in front of the camera but also for the great masters behind it.

Among the hotel’s elegant halls and terraces suspended between sea and lagoon, Federico Fellini would take evening walks, inspired by the soft glow of Venetian sunsets and nocturnal conversations with his collaborators, where dreams and reality intertwined.
In those same spaces, Michelangelo Antonioni found a rarefied elegance that mirrored his observant, modern gaze on the world—a setting that nurtured reflections destined to become timeless images.

Countless stories of international legends live here too. Steven Spielberg, for example, found the quiet of the Excelsior’s terraces to be the perfect escape from the limelight, where the suspended atmosphere of the Lido nurtured his creativity. Inspired by the same magic, Wim Wenders transformed it into visual poetry, immortalising the hotel and the glimmering sea in his documentary Pina.

Every corner of the Excelsior, from hushed corridors to softly lit salons, seems to hold fragments of these stories. Here, cinema is not merely watched, it is breathed, lived, and continues to write its own legend.

Then and Now

The charm of the Hotel Excelsior has never faded. Each season, each sunset over the Lido, evokes the golden era of cinema, when artists and filmmakers would step through the hotel’s entrance with light footsteps and curious eyes.

Today, as in the past, the Excelsior remains a place where history merges with contemporary elegance. Its majestic architecture, corridors opening onto glimpses of sea and lagoon, and terraces bathed in golden sunlight create an atmosphere suspended between relaxation and inspiration.

Artists, directors and luxury travelers choose the Excelsior not only for its privileged location but for its ability to offer intimacy and creativity, far from the city’s bustle. Here, time seems to slow, and every moment becomes a cherished memory.

In a constant dialogue between past and present, the hotel preserves its legendary aura while embracing new stories waiting to be told. Between the lagoon and the open sea, every stay becomes a scene to remember.