Michela was most welcoming and gave us a very complete introduction to the apartment, to Dorsoduro and to Venice at large. She was a charming host and ever attentive to our needs.
The apartment itself is a calm and beautifully furnished oasis just away from the frenzied centre of tourist activity; yet these must-see areas of San Marco and Rialto are readily accessible by foot. Even closer are wonderful, but far less crowded sites such as the Scuola Grande Di San Rocco, the Frari and Ca' Rezzonico. And a stroll along the Zattere overlooking the magical Giudeca Canal is only a few minutes away. For more practical purposes the large Conad supermarket is also situated here.
Forget about paying for 5 star hotels, Ca' dei Canali gives you all that you need for a wonderful stay in Venice with a taste of local Venetian life to boot.
And a final recommendation: don't miss going to Tonolo for the best coffee in Venice; 1 euro 30 for a Cappuccino served in fine china cups and 1 euro for a fantastic pastry, stand up only. Michela will show you how to find this Venetian treasure.