We had a wonderful week long stay in Andrea's apartment. We were met at the San Marco vaporetto stop when we arrived from the airport and, as others have described, got a bit of a history lesson as we strolled through Piazza San Marco on the way to the apartment. The apartment might be a little snug for four, but was very comfortable for the two of us and right on the canal of the Bridge of Sighs. We enjoyed just leaning out the window and watching the people go by on the bridge and in the canal. This is a very popular canal for gondolas and it was fun to watch them pass. The location is terrific. San Marco Square and Basilica are about a 2-3 minute walk from the apartment, so it was easy to spend time there early in the morning and late in the evening when the crowds were gone. The area is a bit hectic midday when the day tripping tourists arrive, but we usually used that time to explore other areas and go to the outlying islands. The Rialto Bridge is only about an 8-10 minute walk and it is right on the edge of Castello, so a brief walk in that direction quickly gets you to some areas with fewer tourists. All in all, we had a great experience and Andrea was a wonderful host. I would highly recommend this apartment to anyone fortunate enough to travel to Venice.