The celebrity-studded extravaganza that was Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s recent wedding celebration in Venice reputedly cost $50 million, doubtless chump change for the world’s second, or even third richest man. But I couldn’t help thinking that amid all the glitz, glamor and general excess of those nuptials, that what the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Ivanka Trump and a fistful of Kardashians and Jenners experienced over the three-day event may somehow have missed the point of Venice.

Now, don’t get me wrong – the Bezoses didn’t have me on their list, or I’d have been there faster than you can say Bridge of Sighs – but it did give me pause, pause to think about a more authentic experience of what is undeniably one of the world’s most captivating cities.

Welcome to Lido Island – or simply Lido, as the Italians call it. A slender strip of land lying flatly and calmly in the Venice lagoon, just a 10-minute vaporetto ride away from St. Mark’s Square, Lido offers a respite from the jostling crowds and eye-watering prices of Venice’s frenetic center. Here, in this tranquil haven, life unfolds at a softer pace. Seven miles long by barely a quarter of a mile wide, Lido forms a natural barrier between the thumping heart of Venice and the Adriatic Sea. Lido is where “real” Venetians choose to reside, and with good reason: The cost of living is up to a third less than in the historic city center. Yet, stay on Lido, with its ravishing small villages and hamlets, its wide, white sand beaches, its lower prices and yes, its share of glamor, too, if you really want it – namely the recently reopened, historic Excelsior Hotel, epicenter of the annual Venice Film festival. There you get to enjoy Venice itself with some enviable extras.

When I pitched up last September for a late summer break, it had been 12 years since I’d last stayed on Lido, and frankly I’d forgotten just how enchanting a place it is. For tourists, the island is a treasure trove of experiences, offering accommodations that cater to every budget and taste. From luxurious hotels boasting stunning views to tchotchke-filled, cozy, family-run guesthouses, visitors can find a perfect place to unwind after a day of exploration. I stayed at the charming three-star Hotel Giardinetto, situated diagonally across from the ferry stop, with a view of the entire lagoon stretching to the landmark campanile (bell tower) of San Marco in the distance. But you’ll do just as well at the Hotel Panorama, at right-angles to the Giardinetto, or the old, atmospheric and very charming Hotel Mabapa, also facing the lagoon, a couple of hundred yards along the street.

From the hub of Lido’s central Piazza Santa Maria Elisabetta, Lido’s two small villages are both easily accessible – Malamocco, dating from Roman times, and Alberoni, where you can wander through narrow streets lined with colorful houses, soaking up the atmosphere – both crying out to be explored. (And if it’s additional peace and quiet you’re after, then Relais Alberti – a small hotel in a very grand, old Venetian house in Malamocco, offering exceptional comfort and old-world service – would surely be the place to stay.)

When you’re done with your gentle sightseeing, Lido also boasts some of the best dining in the region, everything from swish, white-tablecloth, full-service restaurants for traditional Venetian dishes based around fish from the lagoon, to delightful cicchetti (snacks) in hole-in-the-wall local osterie (inns) and baccari (bars,) often accompanied by breathtaking views of the lagoon.

A vacation on Lido gives you all the cultural richness of Venice, plus a superb beach vacation rolled into one. Back at Santa Maria Elisabetta, it’s a short walk or bus ride to one of Lido’s private beach clubs, such as Des Bains 1900, which, with its cabanas, loungers and first-class restaurant, offers more than a touch of Italian dash and sophistication. (This, incidentally, is the beach where Dirk Bogarde – playing the role of poor Gustav von Aschenbach in Luchino Visconti’s 1971 epic film of Thomas Mann’s novel, “Death in Venice” – finally expires.)

If, on the other hand, you fancy a more natural beach experience, you’ll want to grab your own towel and head to one of the public beaches, perhaps the one at San Niccolò or the wilder one at Alberoni (with a gay beach beside it), at the southern tip of the island. In late September, Lido’s beaches are already almost deserted, the water still warm enough for swimming.

But Lido is more than just restaurants and beaches. You can play tennis (try that in central Venice – no room to bounce a ball, let alone swing a tennis racket), and there can’t be a lovelier place to play golf than at Circolo Golf Venezia, Venice’s only golf course and ranked one of the top 10 courses in Italy – a green oasis set against a backdrop of beautiful landscapes. Or perhaps you fancy a bit of gondoliering? I don’t mean sitting back and sipping prosecco, while being serenaded by a boatman, romantic as that undoubtedly is. I mean a rowing lesson from a genuine Venetian gondolier out in the lagoon. You can reward yourself afterwards with a wine-tasting at the teeny-tiny neighboring island of Sant’Andrea Le Vignole, also in the lagoon, where you’ll make the agreeable acquaintance of the locally produced Dorona wine.

From Lido you have easy access, too, to other islands of the lagoon. Murano, famous, of course, for its glass; Burano, known for its lace; and Torcello, celebrated for its Church of Santa Maria Assunta, dating from the seventh century, are all a short vaporetto ride away. My personal favorite is Pellestrina island, a Venetian gem, a step-back in time and almost entirely free of tourists even in high season. (Go you must, but please don’t tell anybody about it.)

On Lido, all of this is yours for the taking, and that’s before you’ve even tackled the main event – the historic city of Venice, just minutes away across the water.

In a city where the grandiose often overshadows the truly grand, and lines between genuine excellence and exhibitionism can become blurred, Lido stands as a gentle reminder that sometimes, real beauty lies in the simple pleasures of life. So, when the richness, the hedonism the prices and, most of all, the crowds of the city become overwhelming, take the vaporetto to Lido and discover a simpler Venice, but one I guarantee you’ll never forget.

Jeremy Wayne is a travel adviser with Superior Travel of New York. Contact him at jeremy@superiortravel.com.