Gianni is the perfect host -- he met us at the vaporetto and guided us to his truly luminous apartment. The neighborhood is quiet yet not far from Venice's bustle, and located close to good transportation -- a real plus in getting around. Local restaurants were tasty and reasonable. At night, we fell asleep to the sound of quiet conversation in the streets and the occasional canal boat plying the water in front; in the morning, we were awakened (with the rest of the city) by the 7:00am symphony of church bells. All in all, a perfect location for a Venice holiday.